THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUTSOURCING AND STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT: A FIELD STUDY ON SME'S IN THE TR22 REGION

In the global competitive landscape, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a strategic role as key actors in both local economies and global supply chains. This study aims to conduct an empirical analysis of the relationship between outsourcing management approaches in the supply chains of SMEs operating in the TR22 Region (Balıkesir and Çanakkale) and the alignment of strategic performance factors. As part of the research, data were collected from 346 SMEs in the region, and a scale development process was undertaken to measure the relationship between outsourcing practices in supply chain management and strategic performance factors. This process involved exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and tests for convergent and discriminant validity to ensure the reliability and validity of the developed scales. The findings indicated that the data did not follow a normal distribution, necessitating the use of non-parametric test methods. For data analysis, Spearman‘s rank correlation, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis H test were employed alongside descriptive statistics. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between Outsourcing Management in the Supply Chain (OMSC) and the Alignment of Strategic Performance Factors (ASPF). Specifically, the sub-dimensions of OMSC—Strategic Evaluation (SE) and Customer-Oriented Operations (COO)—demonstrated a significant positive relationship with the sub-dimensions of ASPF—Alignment with Strategic Goals (ASG) and Strategic Orientation (SO). Further findings indicated that while strategic evaluation strongly supports ASG, customer-oriented operations exert a moderate influence on SO. Additionally, difference analyses revealed no statistically significant differences in strategic performance or supply chain management practices based on the gender of SME participants. However, a significant difference was identified concerning their educational background. While no significant differences emerged based on the SMEs‘ geographic location, notable differences were found regarding their classifications, operational sectors, and criteria for outsourcing goods and services.Keywords: SME, supply chain management, outsourcing, TR22 region in southern marmara, strategic performance management