Determinants of information quality in dyadic supply chain relationships

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how different determinants impact specific information quality (IQ) dimensions of shared demand-related information in dyadic supply chain relationships. Design/methodology/approach: Through a qualitative case study of three manufacturer–supplier dyads in the European automotive industry, a range of methods are used to collect data about 168 possible IQ deficiency situations. IQ deficiencies are identified in 50 situations and determinants thereof are explored. Findings: Findings show how inter-organisational collaboration, intra-organisational process support and composite information sharing directly impact five pragmatic IQ dimensions (relevance, accessibility, credibility, understandability and ease of operation) – at times beneficially, detrimentally, varyingly and conflictingly. Furthermore, the findings show how the determinant impact on ease of use-related IQ dimensions is moderated by information sharing facets. Research limitations/implications: The paper extends previous research by showing how information sharing acts as both a determinant and moderator of pragmatic IQ. It furthermore details previous research by showing how previously examined determinants of IQ impact specific IQ dimensions. Practical implications: The generated propositions of how determinants impact pragmatic IQ can guide managers to identify key drivers of successful information sharing. Originality/value: Since IQ mediates the linkage between information sharing and performance, this research helps explaining conflicting results regarding the value of information sharing. It also guides several strands of future research, such as hypothesis testing and exploratory and conceptualising studies.