Unraveling supply chain resilience – performance relationships: insights from a smallholder agri-food chain

Purpose This study examines the relationship between supply chain resilience and financial performance in smallholder agricultural supply chains. It seeks to explore the impact of different resilience elements on financial outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by a survey of 276 supply chain actors in the lotus supply chain in Central Vietnam. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to ensure the reliability and validity of the constructs, while structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypotheses. Findings The study revealed complex relations between resilience elements and financial performance in the smallholder agri-food chain. Among the elements, operational flexibility, readiness for disruptions, response agility and lower supply chain density were positively associated with financial performance. In contrast, efficiency, reserve capacity, financial strengths, recovery and supply chain criticality failed to demonstrate significant relationships in the smallholder agri-food chain context. Research limitations/implications Findings are based on one supply chain in Vietnam that might limit the generalizability. Originality/value The study expands resilience research to smallholder agricultural supply chains, highlighting the importance of certain resilience elements in volatile agri-food industries.