Incorporating resource responsibility into production and logistics management: An empirical investigation

Resource responsibility is crucial not only in production operations but also in supply chain management. Nevertheless, limited academic research has delved into the significance of resource responsibility in production and logistics management for performance improvement. Drawing from the natural resource-based view (NRBV), this study examines the impact of resource responsibility and its interplay with digital transformation and political connections on financial performance. We find a positive association between resource responsibility and financial performance using propensity score matching and difference-in-differences analysis on 3,022 firm-year observations. Notably, our findings also reveal that digital transformation and political connections strengthen the positive influence of resource responsibility on financial performance. This study extends the NRBV literature by underscoring the role of digital transformation and political connections in enhancing the organization-resource relationship for economic returns. These insights offer valuable suggestions for managers to embrace resource responsibility in both production and logistics management and for policymakers to achieve sustainability goals.