A Resilience-Based Theory for Strategic Supplier Collaboration in Procurement

Thesis Abstract

The study investigates how resilience can be embedded as a core organizing principle to enhance strategic supplier collaboration within procurement, addressing the persistent disruption of supply networks and the subsequent erosion of value across industries. Despite widespread recognition of supplier partnerships, there remains a gap in theoretically grounded frameworks that translate resilience concepts into actionable collaboration practices, governance mechanisms, and performance metrics. The aim is to develop a resilience-based theory that explicates the processes, conditions, and outcomes through which procurement functions cultivate robust, adaptive supplier networks capable of withstanding and rapidly recovering from disruptions. Specific objectives are to (1) identify resilience capabilities and collaboration practices employed by procurement teams; (2) examine the roles of relational governance, information sharing, and joint risk assessment in sustaining supply continuity; (3) develop a theoretical model linking resilience antecedents, collaboration mechanisms, and performance outcomes; (4) validate the model using empirical data across manufacturing and services sectors; and (5) propose a set of actionable governance guidelines for practitioners. A mixed-methods research design will be employed. The quantitative phase will survey 320 procurement professionals across 20 organizations selected through stratified random sampling to ensure representation of industry, firm size, and supply complexity. A validated instrument, combining scales for supply chain resilience, relational governance, information transparency, and supplier collaboration performance, will be administered online, with a response rate target of at least 60%. Confirmatory factor analysis will assess construct validity, and structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) will test the proposed relationships among resilience capabilities, collaboration practices, and procurement performance outcomes. The qualitative phase will involve 40 in-depth interviews with senior procurement managers and supplier-side partners to capture contextual nuances, governance challenges, and best practices. Thematic analysis will be conducted using NVivo, with coding anchored in resilience theory and partnership governance constructs, complemented by cross-case synthesis to identify common patterns and contingencies. The study will triangulate quantitative results with qualitative insights to refine the emerging theory. The theoretical framework will integrate resilience theory, relational governance theory, and dynamic capabilities, extending them to a dedicated resilience-based theory for strategic supplier collaboration. Key constructs include anticipatory sensing, adaptive collaboration, and robust information sharing as resilience antecedents; relational governance, joint risk management, and co-creating value as collaboration mechanisms; and supply continuity, time-to-recovery, and performance resilience as outcomes. The research will contribute to theory by formalizing a parsimonious model that explicates the mechanisms by which resilience capabilities translate into sustainable supplier relationships and enhanced procurement performance. Practically, it will yield a diagnostic toolkit and governance blueprint for organizations seeking to embed resilience into supplier collaboration, including metrics, governance structures, and process design recommendations. Expected findings anticipate that higher levels of anticipatory sensing and adaptive collaboration will positively influence joint risk assessment and information sharing, which in turn enhance supply continuity, supplier performance, and cost resilience. Relational governance is expected to moderate the resilience–performance linkage, with formal contracts and shared decision rights strengthening the effect in high-uncertainty environments, while informal trust-based arrangements predominate in more stable contexts. The study will also identify contingency strategies and investment patterns in supplier development, digital information platforms, and inventory-buffer configurations that collectively improve recovery time and value preservation during disruptions. The contribution to knowledge lies in delivering a theoretically grounded, empirically validated resilience-based framework that translates resilience concepts into concrete supplier collaboration practices and governance mechanisms. It advances understanding of how procurement can orchestrate multi-tier supplier networks to achieve higher resilience and sustained performance under risk. policy and practice implications include guidance on alliance design, information-sharing protocols, risk governance, and performance measurement systems that support resilient procurement ecosystems. Recommendations emphasize developing maturity roadmaps for resilience capabilities, investing in collaborative digital platforms, and enhancing cross-functional alignment between procurement, operations, and risk management.