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a b s t r a c tImproving hospital supply chain performance has become increasingly important as healthcare organizations strive to improve operational efficiency and to reduce cost. In this study, we propose a research model based on a relational view, delineating the factors that influence hospital supply chain performance: trust, knowledge exchange, IT integration between the hospital and its suppliers, and hospital-supplier integration. Testing results of the research model based on data from a sample of 117 supply chain executives from U.S. hospitals show positive direct effects: (1) from trust and from IT integration to knowledge exchange respectively; (2) from knowledge exchange and from IT integration to hospital-supplier integration respectively; and (3) from hospital-supplier integration to hospital supply chain performance. The results also show the following indirect effects: (1) the influences of knowledge exchange and IT integration on hospital supply chain performance are partially and fully mediated by hospital-supplier integration, respectively and (2) the influences of trust and IT integration on hospital-supplier integration are fully and partially mediated by knowledge exchange, respectively. In addition, the results show the following moderating effects: (1) hospital system membership moderates the relationships between IT integration and knowledge exchange and between trust and knowledge exchange; (2) hospital environmental uncertainty moderates the relationship between trust and knowledge exchange; and (3) trust moderates the relationship between knowledge exchange and hospital-supplier integration. Implications of the study findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Definitions of IS Strategy Related Terms in Literature Term Used Definition Provided Source I/T strategy None provided Henderson and Venkatraman 1999 Information Management Strategy "A long-term precept for directing, implementing and supervising information management" (information management left undefined) Reponen 1994 (p. 30) "Deals with management of the entire information systems function," referring to Earl (1989, p. 117): "the management framework which guides how the organization should run IS/IT activities" Ragu-Nathan et al. 2001 (p. 269) List of the 48 Articles Examining IS Strategy and Their Conceptions Article ID Authors Journal Year Volume Issue Conception 1: IS Strategy as the Use of IT to Support Business Strategy

In accordance with the tenets of social capital theory, the knowledge-based view of the firm, and absorptive capacity theory we provide an integrative research model that sheds light on how suppliers can derive benefits from a strong relationship with key buyers. In particular, we examine three research questions that address: (i) the interrelationships among the three dimensions of buyer-supplier social capital (structural, cognitive, relational); (ii) the mechanism through which buyer-supplier social capital can influence supplier performance; and (iii) the contingency factors that influence the key relationships in the main model. We empirically validate the research model using data collected from a North America-based major electronic components distributor (i.e., the buyer) and 166 of its suppliers. The findings of our data analysis indicate that structural and cognitive social capital influence relational social capital. The findings also support that relational social capital allows for the transfer of knowledge from the buyer to the supplier, which in turn leads to greater supplier cost efficiency and innovation. However, the influence of buyer-supplier relational social capital appears to be less important in lengthier buyer-supplier relationships. The analysis also indicates that the benefits derived from a supplier's knowledge enrichment are significantly greater when the supplier possesses greater exploitative capacity. These findings provide important extensions to theory describing buyer-supplier relationships, as well as providing clear prescriptions for suppliers and relationship managers.

Despite the strategic importance of information technology (IT) to contemporary firms, chief information officers (CIO) often still have varying degrees of strategic decisionmaking authority. In this study, we apply the theory of managerial discretion to define CIO strategic decision-making authority and argue that the CIO's level of strategic decision-making authority directly influences IT's contribution to organization performance. We also draw on the power and politics perspective in the strategic decisionmaking literature to identify the direct antecedents to the CIO's strategic decisionmaking authority. A theoretical model is presented and empirically tested using survey data collected from a cross-industry sample of 174 matched pairs of CIOs and top business executives through structural equation modeling. The results suggest that organizational climate, organizational support for IT, the CIO's structural power, the CIO's level of strategic effectiveness, and a strong partnership between the CIO and top management team directly influence the CIO's level of strategic decision-making authority within the organization. The results also suggest that the CIO's strategic decision-making authority in the organization directly influences the contribution of IT to firm performance and that effective CIOs have a greater influence on IT's contribution when provided with strategic decision-making authority.