Supply chain uncertainty, relational behavior and innovation flexibility

This paper suggests that the critical role of supply chain uncertainty in the implementation of relational behavior. Based on resource dependency theory this paper explored the direct relationship of different supply chain uncertainties and relational behavior in terms of exploitative relationship and exploratory relationship. Using survey data from a sample of 194 firms from mainland China, we demonstrate that supply uncertainty is positively related to exploitative relationship and technology uncertainty is positively related to exploratory relationship which in turn enhances firms' innovation flexibility respectively.