Reconceptualizing Intuition in Supply Chain Management

Studies in the psychology and management disciplines suggest that intuition might be able to complement rationality as an effective decision-making approach. Yet, a review of how decision makers in supply chain contexts can benefit from using their intuition demonstrates that our discipline lacks a unifying conceptualization and operationalization of the complex intuition construct. Our study addresses this opportunity by following an extensive mixed-method approach, in which we first use qualitative content analysis and quantitative testing to conceptualize intuition as a multidimensional construct consisting of experience-based, emotional, and automatic-processing dimensions. We then operationalize and empirically assess multidimensionality using a multiple study format, and perform an inferential analysis to begin to assess nomological validity. Our reconceptualization of intuition allows for a richer understanding of this key facet of supply chain management decision making, and our accompanying scale provides evidence of its multidimensionality and efficacy in making decisions in the uncertain and time-constrained environments that supply chain managers often face.