Digital ecosystems and supply chain resilience in manufacturing: the mediating role of supply chain complexity in technology-driven operations

Abstract

This study aims to examine the association between digital ecosystems and supply chain resilience in manufacturing firms, with particular attention to the statistical mediating role of supply chain complexity. It addresses the limited understanding of how digital technologies, including AI, IoT, and cybersecurity, operate collectively rather than in isolation. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capability view (DCV), the study employs a quantitative research design using survey data from 732 managerial and supervisory respondents working in manufacturing firms in Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using AMOS is applied to test the proposed relationships. The results indicate that digital ecosystems are positively associated with supply chain resilience, with cybersecurity exhibiting the strongest association with the Digital Ecosystem construct. Supply chain complexity shows a positive but comparatively smaller association with resilience and the statistically significant indirect relationship is consistent with partial mediation. The study is limited to manufacturing firms in selected U.S. states, which may affect generalizability. Future research could explore cross-industry and cross-country contexts and examine additional mediating or moderating mechanisms. The findings suggest that managers should consider investing in integrated digital infrastructure, prioritizing cybersecurity capabilities and using data-driven technologies while proactively managing the complexity of digital transformation. This study advances a systems-level understanding of digital ecosystems in supply chains by showing that integrated digital capabilities, rather than isolated technologies, are positively associated with resilience in complex operational environments.