Access flexibility, trust and performance in achieving competitiveness : An empirical study of Chinese suppliers and distributors

Purpose – This paper aims to advance research in the challenging area of achieving competitiveness through supply chain flexibility fit and trust development. Design/methodology/approach – A structured survey questionnaire was administered to a potential list of 773 participants resulting in 348 valid responses. An empirical study was conducted on these responses. Findings – Leveraging of flexibility in supply chain access structures and improving of trust relationships can ensure significant performance improvement. Research limitations/implications – The research relies on the use of cross sectional data instead of longitudinal data, thereby limiting the generalisibility of the findings. Practical implications – The strong evidence of relationship between improved performance and capability of supply chain linkages provides Chinese business managers with practical guidelines for improving competitive edge. Originality/value – The value of the paper lies in the originality of the data and context‐relevant findings. No previous study of this nature had been undertaken in China.