Supply chain integration and operational performance of poultry businesses in Ghana: the roles of supply chain risk and firm characteristics

Purpose The study examines the influence of supply chain integration (SCI) on the operational performance (OP) of commercial poultry farms (CPF) in the Bono region of Ghana and considers the potential moderating effects of firm size, age and SCI risks. Design/methodology/approach The study utilised an explanatory research strategy and employed structural equation modelling (SEM) in SMART PLS 4 to quantitatively assess the hypotheses at the firm level. About 450 commercial poultry farms were targeted. Questionnaires were distributed to managers and owners of the poultry farms to collect the primary data via a simple random sampling technique. About 248 cases were relied on based on an 80.26% response rate. Findings Only internal integration significantly boosts OP. Supplier integration rather generates a significant reduction in the OP of commercial poultry farms. SCI risk diminishes the respective influence of internal integration, supplier integration and customer integration on the OP. Research limitations/implications The study focused only on commercial poultry businesses in the Bono and Ashanti Regions of Ghana but ignored other parties, such as customers and suppliers to the supply chain integration, hence limiting the generalization of findings to all parties in the poultry supply chain. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was applied in conducting the study, which limits the individual experiences that could have been obtained via a qualitative research approach and longitudinal study. With these limitations, a mixed research approach is required via longitudinal research design by targeting more supply chain partners in the poultry industry of Ghana. Originality/value Challenging common assumptions, the study reveals only internal integration remarkedly improves operational performance and supplier integration unexpectedly reduces operational performance. SCI risk diminishes the positive effect of internal, supplier and customer integration on operational performance.