The nexus between supply chain analytic, innovation and robustness capability Does firm age matter?

Purpose By drawing on knowledge-based view, this paper aims to test causal model linking supply chain analytics, innovation, robustness capability and firm age. More specifically, the mediating role of supply chain innovation on supply chain analytics and robustness capability link and the moderating role of firm age. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were procured from companies operating in the United Arab Emirates using a simple random sampling technique. The obtained data were analyzed with variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings The findings from PLS-SEM revealed that supply chain innovation fully mediate supply chain analytics and robustness capability associations. Findings from multi-group analysis (MGA) denote that firm age did not moderate any of the paths of the research model. Suggesting that the associations are similar for old, mid-aged and younger firms. Originality/value This work demonstrates that supply chain analytic is valuable tool that can foster innovation and robustness in supply chain. This work is among the first to scrutinize the variation among old, mid-aged and younger firms in supply chain analytics research stream. The paper concludes with implications for theory and practice.