Supplier’s contractual embeddedness and sales performance in uncertain environments

Abstract

Literature offers limited knowledge on the online markets that consist of both open contractual and supply networks which are subject to environmental uncertainties. This study investigates how the environmental uncertainty dimensions and supplier’s contractual embeddedness (as informed by the degree and closeness centralities) impact the supplier’s sales probability in light of Complex Adaptive System theory, Social Network Analysis and the environmental uncertainty literature. Australian based Open Food Network data from 2012 to 2016 empirically validates that the supplier’s contractual embeddedness generally improves its sales probability and uncertainty dimensions moderate this relations..