The Role of IT Capabilities in Enhancing the Supply Chain Resilience of Sri Lankan Apparel Exporters

Abstract

The need for a resilient supply chain has become more prominent in the modern world today. Supply Chain Resilience (SCR) is a concept that has been vastly addressed in earlier studies. However, little is known regarding how information technology plays a crucial role in supply chain resilience and more recent studies have focused on its significance for an organization's survival and continuity. However, this research will examine the role of IT capabilities in achieving supply chain resilience of exporting apparel manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka. The main objective of this research is to study the role of the IT capabilities factor on exporting and apparel manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka to gain Supply Chain Resilience and used a qualitative approach to examine the data in which the target population will be 158 exporting apparel manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka. This study aims to advance the understanding of Supply Chain Resilience in terms of Information Technology (IT) capability and offer useful recommendations for Supply Chain industry professionals on the role of IT Capabilities in achieving Supply chain resilience. The study was conducted using thematic analysis and out of the population of 158 apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka, the authors used a purposive sampling technique and conducted the study by interviewing 6 supply chain industry experts in 6 different companies. The results outlined the role of IT capabilities factor achieving supply chain resilience and this was mainly pointed out by the professionals by highlighting the facts such as digital transformation and connectivity, virtual training and knowledge sharing, IT-enabled supply chain operations, and regarding IT knowledge and interpretation. As a result of these facts being observed and with the past literature mentioned in the studies and further by the responses gained from the apparel industry supply chain professionals the authors of this study came up with the final interpretation that IT capability’s role in the supply chain resilience is an enhancing factor of apparel manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka.