Designing a model of the role of social media in crisis management and digital supply chain resilience

Subject Areas : Business Management

Farhad Jahangiri ¹ , Abolfazl Danaei ² , Mahsa Akbari ³ , Younos Vakil Alroaia ⁴

1 - Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Business management, Semnan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Media Management, Semnan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran
3 - Assistant Professor, Department of Management, Karaj Branch. Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran
4 - Associate Professor & Chairman, Enterpreneurship and commercialization Research Center, Semnan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semnan, Iran

Received: 2024-08-15 Accepted : 2025-02-12 Published : 2025-06-22

Keywords: resilient supply chain, digital supply chain, social media,

Abstract :

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to design a model of the role of social media in the resilience of the digital supply chain in critical situations. In the qualitative phase of the current research, the data were collected from a purposive sample of 10 experts. Given the limited number of qualified individuals, the entire population of experts was included in the study. In the quantitative phase, the target population comprised 500 employees of MAPNA Company. Using Cohen's table for sample size determination, a sample of 189 participants was selected. This research employs a fundamental-applied approach and follows an exploratory mixed-methods design, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data. The data collection method was based on survey research and the data collection instuments included interviews and questionnaires, the content validity of which was confirmed by experts, and their reliability was calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. In the qualitative part of the study, meta-composite method and foundation data were used, through which 118 open codes, 43 central codes and 13 selective codes have been extracted in five general categories: causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences. Causal conditions include 2 selected codes, 8 concepts and 21 open codes, contextual conditions include 3 selected codes, 10 concepts and 25 open codes, intervening conditions include 2 selected codes, 7 concepts and 21 open codes, strategies include 2 selected codes, 7 concepts and 19 open codes, and consequences include 4 selected codes, 11 concepts and 32 open codes, which are the components of the paradigm model regarding the role of social media in the resilience of the digital supply chain in critical conditions. Based on the output of the structural equations of the initial research model, its validity has been confirmed and the prioritization of the components of the mentioned model has been determined by a radar diagram of the research model. In this regard, technology risk tolerance was ranked first, liquidity cycle was ranked second, and collaboration and outsourcing were ranked third.

Key Words: resilient supply chain, digital supply chain, social media

1.Introduction

Social media has dramatically changed the way organizations interact and communicate with customers. Digital media and the provision of cheap access to social networks have brought many opportunities and achievements for businesses. Undoubtedly, with reducing the cost of accessing audiences and customers, increasing the speed, accuracy and quality of communication, providing the possibility of more accurate measurement of the effectiveness of activities, the possibility of better and more effective management of crises, and in general, increasing the power of businesses in the fields of work, providing opportunities for taking ownership of a media can be very useful and effective in the success of today's organizations and businesses, and without a doubt, social networks and similar channels have provided them with a variety of tools, applications, and developers in order to advance the supply of various tools. Considering the significant impact that social media has on life and business processes in the third millennium and the rapid and impressive developments of information and communication technology in recent decades, significant and in some cases fundamental changes have been made in various relationships of today's societies.

2.Literature Review

In today's world, changes in the economy and industry are happening at a faster rate than in the past. Due to globalization, countries are ingreasingly experiencing heightened levels of competition. Given the importance of supply chains and their effective management in creating competitive advantages, it is often said that competition between organizations has been replaced by the competition between supply chains. As a result, organizations are trying to improve their supply chain management to gain sustainable competitive advantages (Lee et al., 2018). Achieving this requires a fundamental transformation within the organization. Given the importance of conducting this research, coupled with the instability of conditions and significant changes in work processes, it is necessary for organizations to adapt the scope of their supply chain so that they can develop optimal strategies to stay at the top of the competition in volatile conditions.

Therefore, it is necessary for them to maintain their resilience in the mentioned conditions and be equipped with working methods suitable for the age of technology and new technologies (Singh et al., 2017). In other words, considering the significant impact that social media has on the processes of life and business in the third millennium and the rapid and impressive developments of information and communication technology in recent decades, there have been significant and in some cases fundamental changes in various relationships of today's societies (Labafi, 2018); Organizations and their communications have changed and the demands and expectations of customers have undergone many changes. Knowing the fact that the use of digital technologies in processes creates competitive advantages for businesses and organizations (Samizadeh, 2020), we can conclude that the implementation and use of the digital supply chain is undoubtedly a significant option for organizations and businesses. This work aimed to minimize financial and time costs while enhancing productivity in the production process until the final delivery of goods and services to customers (Azer & Khorrami, 2021). By comparing the key features of the digital supply chain with the traditional supply chain, it can be seen that the results of the presence of digital technologies in the supply chain processes for organizations and businesses will be brilliant and efficient beyond imagination (Mehrabi, 2016). The smallest disruption in the process of a supply chain can be likened to a fault. A fault whose gap and depth can increase moment by moment (Manogran et al., 2018).

3.Methodology

In the present study, the researcher sought to provide a model for the role of social media in the resilience of the digital supply chain in critical conditions. In this research, the metacomposite method has been used to present the model. In the qualitative part of the study 10 experts participated through the whole number selection, and the quantitative part included 500 employees of MAPNA company, based on Cohen's sample size table. The investigation began with an extensive review of the related existing literature (referring to documents and five non-Iranian databases of ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, Emerald, and three Iranian databases CIVILICA, Magiran and SID). The total number of articles found considering the input criteria was 163 studies (Persian and English). After reviewing all the studies and evaluiating them based on content criteria and accessibility, the final results were extracted from 19 studies (14 English studies and 5 Persian studies) which were reviewed and analyzed. Then, in order to confirm the extracted factors, an interview was arranged with the relevant experts (including experts and specialists of the digital supply chain and social media and top managers of MAPNA Company) and the importance coefficient of each factor was determined.

4.Result

According to the results, 118open codes, 43 central codes and 13 selective codes were extracted. Thirteen selective codes of the study were placed in five general categories including causal conditions, contextual conditions, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences. Causal conditions include 2 selected codes, 8 concepts and 21 open codes, contextual conditions include 3 selected codes, 10 concepts and 25 open codes, intervening conditions include 2 selected codes, 7 concepts and 21 open codes, strategies include 2 selected codes, 7 concepts and 19 open codes, and the consequences include 4 selected codes, 11 concepts and 32 open codes, which are the components of the paradigm model regarding the role of social media in the resilience of the digital supply chain in critical conditions. Based on the output of the structural equations of the initial research model, its validity has been confirmed and the prioritization of the components of the mentioned model has been determined by a radar diagram of the research model. In this regard, technology risk tolerance was ranked first, liquidity cycle was ranked second, and collaboration and outsourcing were ranked third.

5.Conclusion

According to the obtained results and the importance of the topic under study, the role of social media and the implementation of digital transformation in organizations as an undeniable competitive advantage has been noticed by senior managers of organizations and businesses. Digitalization of the supply chain will bring revolutionary changes. New technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things can help solve these problems. In fact, digitization can enhance supply chain visibility and the use of advanced digital technologies enables modularization, simplicity and standardization of products and processes. Companies must recognize the benefits of innovative business models that add value to their product portfolio and create new demand channels for more digital customers. In fact, investing and deploying new technologies by increasing access to information, reducing costs, improving product quality, and increasing responsiveness and collaboration capabilities provide a long-term competitive advantage for business supply chains even in critical situations.

Conflict of interest: none

References:

Abdel-Basset, M., Manogaran, G., & Mohamed, M. (2018). Internet of Things (IoT) and its impact on supply chain: A framework for building smart, secure and efficient systems. Future Generation Computer System, 86(1), 614-628. doi: 10.1016/j.future.2018.04.051
Abu Anuri, I., & Lajordi, H. (2015). Estimation of the composite index of economic resilience and vulnerability: a case study of OPEC member countries. Journal of Energy Policy Research and Planning, 4(1), 197-227. [In Persian] doi: 10.1177/1524838005277438
Azar, A., & Khorrami, A. (2019). Designing the resilience model of the supply chain of the pharmaceutical industry in crisis conditions with the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach. International business management, 10(3), 1-31. [In Persian] doi:10.1177/22785337221148806
Azevedo, S. G., Carvalho, H., & Cruz Machado, V. (2019). A proposal of larg supply chain management practices and a performance measurement system. International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-Learning, 1(1), 7- 14. doi: 10.7763/IJEEEE.2011.V1.2.
Bastas, A., & Liyanage K. (2018). Sustainable supply chain quality management: A systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production,181(1), 726-44. doi: 10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2018.01.110
Bechtsis, D. N., Tsolakis, D., Vlachos, & J. S. (2018). Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles in digital supply chains: A framework for integrating innovations towards sustainable value networks. Journal of Cleaner Production, 181(1), 60-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.173
Browning, N., & Sweetser, K. D. (2019). How media diet, partisan frames, candidate traits, and political organization-public relationship communication drive party reputation. Public Relations Review, 46(2):1-17. doi: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2020.101884
Biazzo, S., & Pannizzolo, R. (2019). The assessment of work organization in lean production: the relevance of the worker’s perspective. Integrated Manufacturing Systems,11(1),6-15.doi: doi.org/10.1108/ 09576060010303622
Carvalho, H., Barroso, A. P., Machado, V. H., Azevedo, S., & Cruz-Machado, V. (2012). Supply chain redesignfor resilience using simulation. Computers & Industrial Engineering. 62, 329-341. doi: doi.org/ 10.1016/j.cie.2011.10.003
Chae, B., McHaney, R., & Sheu, C. (2020). Exploring social media use in B2B supply chain operations, Kelly school of business Indiana University. Published by Elsevier, 1(1), 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.cie.2011.10
Clark, A. J. M. (2019). Overweight/obesity among social network members has an inverse relationship with Baltimore public housing residents' BMI. Preventive medicine reports, 14(1). doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.01.013
Dekret, P. (2019). Preach wine and serve vinegar: Public relations, relationships and doublethink. Public Relations Review, 41(5), 681-688. doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.02.004
Ghazanfari, M., & Fathullah, M. (2016). A comprehensive approach to supply chain management. Tehran: Iran University of Science and Technolog, 1-468. [In Persian]
Ghazizadeh, M., & Colleagues, M. (2018). Integrating supply chain management approaches in the form of an extended supply chain using multi-criteria decision making techniques in Saipa Company. Journal of Scientific-Research Executive Management, 14(7), 2-13. [In Persian] doi: 10.5772/intechopen.74067
Griffin, J. (2016). Social Media Risk Management: Why It Matters and What You Need To Know. Governance Directions, 66(7), 417-419. doi: 10.1108/OIR-08-2020-0380
Gurbanpour, A., & Poya, A., & Nazimi, Sh., & Naji Azimi, Z. (2016). Designing a structural model of green supply chain management measures using fuzzy interpretive structural modeling approach. Journal of operations research in its applications, 13(4), 1-23. [In Persian] doi: 20.1001.1.22517286.2017.13.4.3.1
Haji Ali Akbari, F., & Mousavi, N. (2018). The effect of social media marketing components through brand equity on customer response in the tourism industry of Abhar city. Marketing Management, 14(42), 7-57. [In Persian] doi: 10.22034/SMSJ.2022.352106.1700
Henna, A., Beck, E., & Hall, L. (2011). Developing a capacity for organizational resilience through strategic human resource management. Human Resource Management Review, 21(1), 243-255. doi: 10.1016/J.HRMR.2010.07.001
Jafar nezhad, A., & Mohseni, M. (2015). Presenting a framework to improve resilient supply chain performance. Supply Chain Management Research Extension Quarterly, 17(48), 38-51. [In Persian] doi: 10.1016/j.fmre.2023.07.012
Jafarnejad, A., Momeni, M., Razavi Hajiagha, S. H., & Faridi Khorshidi, M. (2019). A dynamic supply chain resilience model for medical equipment’s industry. Journal of Modelling in Management, 14(3), 816-840. doi: 10.1108/JM2-11-2018-0195
Jain, V., Kumar, S., Soni, S., & Chandra, C. (2017). Supply chain resilience: model development and empirical analysis. International Journal of Production Research, 55(22), 105-117. doi: 10.1007/s40092-019-00322-2
Jamshidi Goharrizi, V., & Pourkiani, M. (2013). Investigation of design quality and RFID technology strategic criteria to manage medical sciences university libraries of Kerman. Management (Researcher), 10(31), 138-145. [In Persian]
Jasti, N., & Kodali. R. (2015). A critical review of lean supply chain management frameworks: proposed framework. Production Planning & Control, 26(13), 105-128. doi: 10.1080/09537287.2015.1004563
Jones, B. E., Squire, B., Autry, C. W., & Peteren, K. J. (2014). A Contingentresource-based perspective of supply chain resilience and robustness. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 50(3),55-73. doi: 10.1111/jscm.12050
Khodabakhsh, M., & Dehghan Nairi, M., & Imamian, A. (2017). Identification and ranking of supply chain resilience factors in critical situations with non-active defense approach. Non-active Defense, 33(1), 25-35. [In Persian]
koi, N. (2018), Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles in digital supply chains: A framework for integrating innovations towards sustainable value networks. Journal of Cleaner ProductionVolume, 181(1), 60-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.01.173
Labafi, S., Roshandel Arbatani, T., & Mohammadi, D. (2016). Investigation of the role of social networks in marketing using the framework of Taylor and Okazaki (case study). Business & Engineering, 12(3), 103-114. [In Persian] doi: 10.1080/09537287.2015.1004563
Li, L., Su, F., Zhang, W., & Mao, J. Y. (2018). Digital transformation by SME entrepreneurs: a `capability perspective. Inf. Syst, J., 28 (6), 1129-1157. doi: 10.12691/jbms-11-5-1
Mehrabi, A., & Kariminjad., D. (2016). Measurement and Analysis of Resilience in Supply Chain (Case Study: Petrochemical Companies). Second International Industrial Management Conferenc, 1-17. [In Persian]
Muyidi, A., & Mohseni., M. (2023). Providing a framework for improving the performance of a resilient supply chain. Promotional Scientific Quarterly of Supply Chain Management, 17(8), 1-27. [In Persian]
Nasiri, M., Ukko, J., Saunila, M., & Rantala, T. (2020). Managing the digital supply chain: The role of smart technologies. Technovation, 1, 96-97. doi: 10.1002/isaf.328
O'leary, D. E. (2011). The use of social media in the supply chain: Survey and extensions. Intelligent Systems in Accounting. Finance and Management, 18(2-3), 121-144. doi: 10.1002/isaf.319
Queiroz, M., Pereira, S., Telles, R., & Machado, M. (2019). Industry 4.0 and digital supply chain capabilities: A framework for understanding digitalisation challenges and opportunities. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 2(1), 3-23. doi: 10.1108/BIJ-12-2018-0435
Rajesh, R., & Ravi, V. (2015). Supplier selection in resilient supply chains: a grey relational analysis approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 86(1), 343-359. doi: 10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2014.08.054
Reely S., & Hinnan C. W. (2014). Understanding supply chain resilience. Supply Chain Management Review, 18(1), 34-41. doi: 10.1080/23311975.2022.2148336
Sadeghi, A., & Saifi Khabeer, H. (2019). Investigating the impact of business model resilience factors in the digital supply chain. The 6th national conference on applied research in management, accounting and healthy economy in banking, stock exchange and insurance, 1-9. [In Persian]
Salimi Zawiya, G., & Shams, S. (2022). Analysis of digital supply chain management (future development trend). Iran Rubber Industry Journal, 102(2), 49-64. [In Persian] doi: 10.3390/su13179929
Samizadeh, R., & Hosseini, R. (2018). Supply Chain Management and Information Technology. Second National Information Technology Conference. [In Persian]
Singh, A., Shukla, N., & Mishra, N. (2017). Social media data analytics to improve supply chain management in food industries. Transportation Research, 5(42), 1-18. Doi:10.1016/j.tre.2017.05.008
Xiao, R., T. Yu, & X. Gong. (2012). Modeling and simulation of Ant Colony s Labor Division with Constraints for Task Allocation of Resilient Supply Chain. International Jurnal on Atrificial Intelligence Tools, 21(3), 1-19. doi: 10.1142/S0218213012400143
Yuehan Chen, R., Singh, R. K., & Shankar R. (2022). Critical success factors for implementation of supply chain management in Indian small and medium enterprises and their impact on performance. IIMB Management Review, 27(2), 92-104. doi:10.1016/j.iimb.2015.03.001