Supply chain resilience through collaborative networks and dynamic capabilities: evidence from an agri-food productive chain in Colombia

This study examines how horizontal collaborative networks (HCNs) and collaborative risk management (CRM) practices, supported by social network analysis (SNA), contribute to strengthening supply chain resilience through the development and interaction of supply chain dynamic capabilities (SCDCs). It addresses gaps in understanding the sequencing of SCDCs and their role in enabling organizations to anticipate, respond to, and recover from disruptions in agri-food supply chains. A mixed-method design was applied, integrating a theoretical-conceptual instrument, structural analysis with MicMac, and SNA to evaluate the influence, dependence, and interaction of SCDCs in two farmers’ associations within Colombia’s avocado supply chain. Quantitative network metrics (centrality, density, cohesion) and qualitative assessments were combined to identify critical actors, relational structures, and capacity-development pathways. Results confirm that adaptability, flexibility, and reconfiguration (first-order SCDCs) are foundational for CRM, enabling integration into collaborative networks. Cohesive capabilities (collaboration, integration, and agility) strengthen inter-organizational cohesion, while associative capabilities (coordination and competitive priorities) enhance collective performance. Adaptability emerged as the most influential capability for CRM, fostering shared goal alignment, operational adjustment, and proactive risk planning. Three progressive SCDC orders were identified, each contributing differently to resilience-building. Policymakers, development agencies, and industry leaders should prioritize capacity-building initiatives that sequentially strengthen individual, cohesive, and associative SCDCs, fostering trust-based collaborations and effective CRM. Using SNA as a monitoring tool can guide interventions by mapping actor centrality and information flows, enabling targeted strategies to reinforce resilience and sustainability. This research integrates dynamic capabilities theory with social network analysis in the context of HCNs, proposing an empirically validated three-level SCDC framework for CRM. It advances theoretical understanding of capability sequencing and offers a replicable methodological approach for resilience enhancement in agri-food supply chains in emerging economies.