Often described as the arteries of the global economy, supply chains have continually evolved to maximize efficiency. As thinking has shifted from linear chains to complex, organic networks, the importance of social network analysis (SNA) in supply chain research has grown accordingly. At the same time, attention has turned to actors that sit outside the typical field of view of corporate procurement teams yet exert outsized influence on the entire network. These firms are often called nexus suppliers or the hidden champions of the supply chain.

This article defines the concept of nexus suppliers and examines how they can be identified using data analytics and SNA. It also explores the dual role of supply chain modularity in risk propagation, and the mechanisms through which a firm’s position in the supply chain shapes its innovation performance.

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