Supply chain disruptions have intensified in frequency and severity, compelling firms to develop adaptive capabilities to sustain competitive performance. This study examines how relational capital and supply chain disruption orientation contribute to supply chain resilience and market performance, and whether these relationships differ between small and medium-sized enterprises and multinational enterprises. Drawing on the relational view and dynamic capability theory, a framework is proposed in which relational capital and disruption orientation enhance resilience, which in turn drives market performance. Using survey data from 191 firms, the study finds that relational capital significantly strengthens both disruption orientation and resilience across firm sizes. Resilience emerges as the strongest predictor of market performance in the pooled sample. However, multi-group results reveal a significant asymmetry: the resilience–performance relationship is stronger for SMEs than for MNEs, while disruption orientation directly enhances performance only in large firms. These findings demonstrate that the performance returns of supply chain capabilities are contingent upon firm size. The study contributes to supply chain management literature by integrating relational and dynamic capability perspectives and highlighting structural context as a boundary condition in resilience research. Managerially, the results highlight the pivotal role of resilience for smaller firms operating under resource constraints.

Keywords:

Supply chain resilience, supply chain disruption orientation, relational capital, SME, MNE

@article{oscm-2026-786,
  title={How Relational Capital and Disruption Orientation Shape Supply Chain Resilience and Market Performance: A Multi-Group Analysis of SMEs and MNEs},
  year={2026},
  author={Charles Arthur Robb and Aaron Rae Stephens and Minhyo Kang},
  journal={Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal},
  volume={19},
  number={4},
  pages={745--758},
  doi={10.31387/oscm075786}
}

Charles Arthur Robb, Aaron Rae Stephens, Minhyo Kang (2026). How Relational Capital and Disruption Orientation Shape Supply Chain Resilience and Market Performance: A Multi-Group Analysis of SMEs and MNEs. Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 19(4), 745-758. https://doi.org/10.31387/oscm075786