Supply chain management: Reconfiguration for high customized products in the automotive industry

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Abstract

This study, in the vein of previous research by Aichner and Salvador (2023) and Trentin et al. (2025), examines the reconfiguration of supply chains delivering hard customized products in Morocco’s automotive industry. Using a rigorous quantitative approach through structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with a sample of 67 observations, it investigates the influence of key constructs such as supply chain network design (proximity, delivery modes) and supply chain capabilities (integration, process reengineering, human resources, outsourcing). The results reveal significant relationships between these variables and performance. Notably, network design promotes operational performance (flexibility, lead time, quality) and responds more effectively to market volatility, while capabilities remain driven by profitability and cost performance. This research provides valuable insights for automotive sector stakeholders aiming to produce and deliver hard customized products while controlling costs. Additionally, it offers guidance to researchers planning exploratory qualitative studies on the production and delivery of complex products, emphasizing that network configuration, rather than internal capabilities, plays a central role in this specific context, thus helping avoid misleading conclusions on a methodological level. Its findings underscore the importance of an integrated approach that balances a network oriented toward responsiveness with organizational practices focused on efficiency, enabling companies to meet the growing demand for hard customized offerings in a volatile market environment.

Keywords: Market Dynamics, Supply Chain, Capabilities, Network Design

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — M.H., A.G., and H.B.; Methodology — M.H. and H.B.; Formal Analysis — M.H., A.G., and H.B.; Investigation — M.H. and H.B.; Data Curation — M.H. and H.B.; Writing — Original Draft — M.H. and H.B.; Writing — Review & Editing — M.H. and H.B.; Visualization — M.H., A.G., and H.B.; Supervision — M.H. and H.B.; Project Administration — M.H. and A.G.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: L91, L92, M11, R4

Received: 16.12.2024
Revised: 07.04.2025; 30.07.2025; 12.11.2025
Accepted: 09.12.2025
Published online: 11.12.2025

How to cite this paper: Hansali, M., Gourch, A., & Bennani, H. (2025). Supply chain management: Reconfiguration for high customized products in the automotive industry [Special issue]. Journal of Governance and Regulation, 14(4), 434–446. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv14i4siart19