Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Information Technology, and Firm Performance

This study investigates how sustainable supply chain management (SCM) practices and information technology (IT) drive firm performance in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with a focus on the mediating roles of supply chain agility (SCA) and sustainable supply chain integration (SSCI). Drawing on data from 219 managers and supply chain experts in Iranian SMEs, structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that both sustainable SCM practices and IT adoption significantly enhance firm performance directly and indirectly through SCA and SSCI. Sustainable SCM practices demonstrated a robust influence on SSCI (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), SCA (β = 0.49, p < 0.001), and firm performance (β = 0.44, p < 0.001), while IT similarly impacted SSCI (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), SCA (β = 0.39, p < 0.001), and performance (β = 0.21, p < 0.001). Critically, SCA and SSCI emerged as pivotal mediators, explaining 48% of the variance in firm performance. The findings underscore that agility and integration transform sustainable and technological investments into competitive outcomes, enabling SMEs to navigate dynamic markets. Practical insights highlight the need for firms to prioritize cross-departmental coordination, IT-driven customer insights, and adaptive decision-making frameworks.