Abstract

Purpose: This research examines how the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) integration influences Vietnamese small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) distribution channel efficiency through enhanced financial capabilities and Financial Technology (Fintech) adoption, analyzing the complex interplay between regional economic integration and digital distribution transformation. Research design, data and methodology: The study employs a sophisticated quantitative approach, utilizing structural equation modeling, multi-group analysis, and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Data collection encompassed 321 SMEs across Vietnam's major economic regions, strategically sampled to ensure comprehensive representation of distribution network configurations. Results: The epistemic trajectory reveals that AEC integration significantly enhances SMEs' financial capabilities (β=0.465, p<0.001) and distribution channel efficiency through improved capital access (β=0.278, p<0.01). Fintech adoption emerges as a critical moderator, amplifying the positive effects of both AEC integration and financial capabilities on distribution network performance. The fsQCA analysis further identifies three distinct configurational pathways to optimized distribution channel efficiency, highlighting the equifinality principle in digital transformation strategies. Conclusions: This research advances distribution science by elucidating how digital transformation and regional integration reshape SMEs' distribution channels through enhanced financial capabilities, offering strategic implications for optimizing distribution network efficiency in the ASEAN economic landscape. The findings provide crucial insights for distribution channel management and policy development within the evolving digital marketplace.