Title
Show Me What You Do and I Will Tell You Who You Are: A Cluster Typology of Supply Chain Risk Management in SMEs
Date Issued
01 March 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Zeiringer J.P.
Thalmann S.
Tallinn University of Technology
Publisher(s)
MDPI
Abstract
Although research on risk management (RM) in small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in general and regarding supply chains (SCs) has increased recently, our understanding is still rather fragmented and underdeveloped. This refers particularly to new types of risks such as dynamic crises or emerging risks associated with digital transformation (DT). Therefore, the purpose of this exploratory paper is to investigate RM in SMEs in SCs. More precisely, the aim is to identify patterns that can be used to group SMEs according to their risk behavior (i.e., risk attitude and perception). Drawing from a data set of 181 European SMEs, this paper empirically conceptualizes a typology of SMEs. The typology consists of four distinct types of SMEs that emerged from a cluster analysis: collective risk eliminators, collective playing it safe seekers, collective risk-ignoring knights of fortune, and collective neglecting imperturbable ones. The findings indicate that different risk behavior leads to different degrees of collaboration within the SC. Furthermore, the close interconnection between RM as found in the different clusters and the respective firm’s innovation performance can be shown. By acknowledging the heterogeneity found in SMEs, this paper breaks away from mainstream research that tends to consider SMEs as a homogeneous entity.
Start page
345
End page
359
Volume
17
Issue
1
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Negocios, Administración
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85126939077
Source
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
ISSN of the container
07181876
Sponsor(s)
Acknowledgments: The authors acknowledge the financial support by the University of Graz.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus