Dynamic Capabilities, Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices, and Resilience: Evidence from Chinese Construction Firms

Despite the known importance of Supply Chain Dynamic Capabilities (SCDC) in the face of shocks and sustainability pressures in construction, its translation into resilience (SCR) and performance (SSCP) remains unclear. Thus, we examine Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) practices as a mediator and firm size as a moderator within this relationship. Drawing on the Dynamic Capabilities View, the study analyzed survey data from 525 construction industry professionals in China using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Bootstrapping techniques and multi-group analysis were employed to systematically test mediation and moderation hypotheses. The findings indicate that SCDC positively influences both SCR and SSCP. Mediation analysis confirms that SSCM serves as a significant partial mediator, suggesting that dynamic capabilities are most effective when operationalized through specific sustainable practices. Additionally, a strategic divergence was observed: large enterprises leverage internal dynamic capabilities to a greater extent to drive resilience, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rely more heavily on the implementation of SSCM practices to navigate supply chain challenges. The study empirically validates the operational link between dynamic capabilities and sustainable performance. The findings offer a tailored framework for practitioners, highlighting that resilience strategies must align with organizational scale, particularly for resource-constrained SMEs relying on external collaboration.