Orchestrating digital capabilities in dynamic environments: how supply chain digitalization builds adaptive capabilities for performance

Purpose This paper examines how digital technologies are translated into supply chain performance under disruption and uncertainty. Drawing on the dynamic capabilities view, this study distinguishes digital technologies from supply chain digitalization and conceptualizes supply chain digitalization as the process through which digital resources are embedded into supply chain routines and developed into adaptive supply chain capabilities. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 375 manufacturing organizations in Jordan and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The model examines the effect of digital technologies on supply chain digitalization, the mediating roles of supply chain resilience, responsiveness and restoration and the moderating role of environmental dynamism. Predictive validity was assessed using PLS-Predict. Findings The findings show that digital technologies positively influence supply chain digitalization. Supply chain digitalization, in turn, enhances resilience, responsiveness and restoration, which positively affect supply chain performance and mediate the digitalization–performance relationship. Environmental dynamism strengthens the effects of supply chain digitalization on adaptive capabilities and the corresponding indirect effects on performance. The results indicate that digitalization improves performance through capability development, particularly under dynamic operating conditions. Originality/value The study contributes by distinguishing digital technologies from supply chain digitalization and explaining how digital resources are orchestrated into adaptive supply chain capabilities. It also contributes to benchmarking research by offering a diagnostic framework that helps firms identify where digital technology investments fail to become performance-enhancing capabilities. In addition, it extends supply chain integration, visibility, coordination and information-sharing research by showing how digital resources support resilience, responsiveness and restoration.