Purpose: This study empirically examines the effect of supply chain integration (SCI) on financial performance (FP) and controls for the mediating effects of supply chain agility (SCA), supply chain (SC) innovation and operational performance (OP). Design/methodology/approach: Through a causal research design, structured questionnaires were used for primary data collection from 217 commercial poultry farms (CPFs) operating in the Bono Region of Ghana. Structural equation modeling was reflectively configured to test the formulated hypotheses. Findings: SCI causes a statistically significant moderate positive variance in OP in terms of cost-effectiveness, order fulfillment rate, operating cycle, inventory turns, business process innovation. SCI is an insignificant weak positive predictor of FP (growth in revenue, profit, return on investment, sales growth) of CPFs operating in Ghana. Furthermore, OP significantly and positively mediates the predictive relationship between SCI and FP. Again, SC innovation significantly mediates the predictive relationship between SCI and OP. However, SCA fails to significantly mediate the predictive relationship between SCI and OP. Research limitations/implications: Focal firms' characteristics were ignored, although they may determine how SCI affects OP and FP in the presence of SCA and SC innovation. Originality/value: Empirically, SCI has no direct impact on FP of CPFs but does so indirectly through the mediating role of OP.

Purpose: This study examines the mediation effects of time-based competitiveness, cost-based competitiveness and customer performance between logistics outsourcing and financial performance. Design/methodology/approach: The study relied on a questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument and further employed partial least squares structural equation modelling technique to test all formulated hypotheses. Findings: The results demonstrate that logistics outsourcing has a significant positive impact on time-based competitiveness, cost-based competitiveness, customer performance and financial performance. Time-based competitiveness and cost-based competitiveness were both found to have a significant positive impact on financial performance; however, customer performance had no significant impact on financial performance. The mediation analysis further indicates that while both time-based competitiveness and cost-based competitiveness play mediation effects between logistics outsourcing and financial performance, customer performance plays no mediation effect between logistics outsourcing and financial performance. Research limitations/implications: The sampled firms for this study came from a single emerging country; hence, the results cannot be generalized or imported to reflect the results that may be obtained from other emerging geographical settings. Practical implications: The results provide sufficient evidence for managers to turn their attention to logistics outsourcing, as a transformative business initiative, to gain time-based and cost-based competitiveness so as to improve financial performance. Originality/value: The study provides significant insight and makes an additional contribution to literature in the area of logistics outsourcing, especially by collecting data from an emerging country. Modelling time-based competitiveness, cost-based competitiveness and customer performance as mediating variables between logistics outsourcing and financial performance make this work relatively different from other studies.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the explanatory link of green supply chain integration (GSCI) between green manufacturing practices (GMPs) and sustainable performance (economic [EP], environmental [EnP] and social [SP] performances) by using data from an emerging country. Design/methodology/approach: An explanatory research design was employed for the study. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data from 178 Ghanaian manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Hypotheses were formulated and tested using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The results indicate that GMPs have a significant positive effect on sustainable performance (EP, EnP and SP). Again, GMPs have a significant positive effect on GSCI. Additionally, GSCI plays a mediating role between green manufacturing practices and sustainable performance. Research limitations/implications: In this study, GSCI was compositely measured despite having three dimensions. Generalizing the findings is also not guaranteed since the sample constitutes Ghanaian manufacturing SMEs. Practical implications: The results provide significant ramifications for managers of manufacturing SMEs within Ghana and those in other sub-Saharan African context. Based on the results, managers of manufacturing firms will have stronger backing to invest in GMPs, while at the same time establish strong ties with eco-oriented supply chain partners so as to achieve their sustainable performance goals. Originality/value: This study adds to the literature in the area of sustainability and triple bottom line by providing evidence from a fast growing industrialized and emerging country.