This study aims to investigate the key drivers of supply chain complexity in the footwear industry business sector. After conducting extensive literature review and consultation with experts, complexity drivers in the context of the footwear business sector were identified. The content validity of the identified drivers was checked by 13 experts using content validity ratio (CVR), which were used as the basis to select 20 key Supply Chain complexity drivers. Using a multi-criteria decision-making DEMATEL approach the cause and effect drivers were investigated. The findings of the study investigated 12 cause and 8 effect drivers in the footwear sector. Among the cause drivers, four linkage drivers that have strong driving power and dependency were identified. This study is the first in the developing county footwear business sector using DEMATEL approach to identify the key supply chain complexity drivers and their interrelationship. The study identified complexity drivers in the context of the footwear business sector that were not explored before in the existing studies. The outcome of this study will help SC complexity decision-makers in that case sector to control and manage the cause and effect drivers and thus improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their SC performance.

This study was conducted to estimate the determinants as well as the efficiency of Vietnam’s footwear export to 50 trading partners by applying stochastic fronter gravity approach for the period 2001-2018. We found that Vietnam’s footwear export is positively affected by income measured by gross domestic product (GDP), border and landlock situation. The income elasticity of footwear export of Vietnam was about 1.2%. We also showed that the export efficiency of Vietnam’s footwear was not very high with the average ranges from 50.8% to 63.1%. The 10 most efficient countries were Cambodia, Panama, Slovakia, Belgium, Myanmar, Hongkong, Korea, Chile, the US and the Netherlands. We also found that 10 countries with the largest export potential were the US, China, Germany, Japan, Belgium, the UK, Netherlands, Korea, France, Canada. Regarding the determinants of export efficiency, the study provides evidence that trade freedom, financial freedom and importers’ population density positively contributed to efficiency. Our findings also support further integration of Vietnam since membership to many FTA enhances Vietnam’s footwear export efficiency. These FTAs include AFTA, Vietnam-Chile FTA, ASEAN-India FTA, ASEAN-Korean FTA, ASEAN-Japan FTA, ASEAN-China FTA, ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA. Finally, the study recommends a relevant market policy for Vietnam’s footwear export in the coming years. We have provided 4 types of markets with different levels of priorities that Vietnam’s footwear exporters should focus on. The top footwear market priority should be countries with high potential yet low efficiency such as China, Russia, Brazil, Thailand, Sweden, Singapore and Australia.