The standalone and integrated value of digital twins and ancillary emerging technologies for enhancing supply chain performance

Digital twins (DTs) represent a key driver of digital transformation in supply chains (SCs). Yet, limited attention has been paid to their standalone and integrated use with ancillary emerging technologies and their impact on SC performance. This study explores how the integration and configuration of DTs across industries and SC processes create value under contingent contextual conditions. Grounded in the dynamic capabilities theory (DCT) and contingency theory, the research examines how firms combine, reconfigure and align DTs and ancillary emerging technologies to achieve a contextual fit between technology, context and performance. Using association rule analysis on 738 real-world data-driven applications, complemented by contingency analysis and opportunity maps, the study identifies optimal contingent configurations. The five resulting propositions articulate value patterns that link DT, technology integration and SC performance. The findings culminate in a contingency-based framework that theorizes technological integration as a dynamic capability, offering strategic guidance for managers seeking to enhance SC performance.