Building resilient supply chains: unveiling the interplay of reflexivity, supply chain innovation and improvisation capability

Purpose – Drawing on the dynamic capabilities view (DCV), this study aims to examine the mediating role of supply chain innovation (SCI) in the relationship between reflexivity and supply chain resilience (SCR), as well as the moderating role of improvisation capability (IMPR). Design/methodology/approach – In this study, survey data were collected from 245 mid- and senior-level managers in Türkiye's top 1, 000 industrial firms using a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS, Amos and PROCESS macro. Analytical procedures included confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), evaluation of construct validity and reliability, as well as correlation, mediation and moderated mediation analyses. Findings – Our results reveal that reflexivity has a significant and positive relationship with SCR and that SCI partially mediates this relationship. Additionally, moderated mediation analysis reveals that IMPR not only moderates the relationship between SCI and SCR but also reinforces the indirect effect of reflexivity on SCR through SCI. Practical implications – Managers can strengthen SCR by embedding reflexivity, fostering innovation through SCI and enhancing IMPR. Developing these interrelated capabilities enables proactive adaptation, accelerates crisis response and sustains competitive advantage in volatile and disruption-prone environments. Originality/value – This study advances the current frontier of SCR research by integrating reflexivity, SCI and IMPR into a unified capability-based model. It offers academics a cognitive-process perspective (i.e., reflexivity) missing from current SCR literature, guides managers in operationalizing reflective learning into adaptive strategies and informs policymakers seeking systemic resilience in disruption-prone economies. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited