Integrating CRM, lean practices, and use of IT to enhance operational performance : the mediating role of quality information sharing

Background: This study explores the relationship among various supply chain management practices, including customer relationship management, lean practices, use of information technology, and quality of information sharing with operational performance in the readymade garments industry of Bangladesh. It also examines the mediating role of quality of information sharing in these relationships. Methods: Data were collected from 80 readymade garment companies across five different geographical locations, with companies of varying sizes (large, medium, and small), involving 365 respondents with a response rate of 65%. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied for the analysis. Results: The results indicate that all four practices significantly enhance operational performance, while customer relationship management and use of information technology also improve performance indirectly through quality of information sharing, unlike lean practices. Conclusions: The findings suggest that supply chain managers and stakeholders can improve operational performance by implementing supply chain management practices and understanding the complexities of their interrelationships.