e-Integration in the supply chain: barriers and performance

Current opinion holds that Internet-based supply chain integration with upstream suppliers and downstream customers (called “e-integration” in this paper) is superior to traditional ways of doing business. This proposition remains untested, however, and similarly we know little about what are the upstream, internal, and downstream barriers to implementing e-integration. This paper empirically addressed these questions using data from a large single nation study, and found (1) a positive link between e-integration and performance, and (2) that internal barriers impeded e-integration more than either upstream supplier barriers or downstream customer barriers. Findings from this study contribute to our theoretical understanding of implementing change in contemporary supply chains, and have important implications for manufacturers interested in improving their supply chain's performance using the Internet.