Sustainability practices in tourism supply chain

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 1148-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Eldho Babu ◽  
Arshinder Kaur ◽  
Chandrasekharan Rajendran

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide strategic recommendations for Indian hotel administrators for improving sustainability practices: environment, economic and social with respect to the supply chain members by analyzing performance dimensions and the importance attached to them. Design/methodology/approach Importance performance analysis is a tool to analyze the perception of top-level, middle-level and first-level managers in hotels. Questionnaire is developed to collect the hotel manager’s perceptions. The snowball sampling method is used for data collection. Findings The paper introduces specific sustainability practices, namely, environment, economic and social factors, at the interface of the tourism supply chain (TSC). This will allow the hotels to identify the importance and performance of various sustainability practices to achieve a long-term competitive advantage. The present work finds that the responding hotel managers have given highest importance to the sustainability practices within the organization and the hotel manager’s perception of sustainability practices in the TSC will vary with respect to the supply chain members. Research limitations/implications The effort has been made to capture specific sustainability practices across the supply chain. The paper reinstates the fact that sustainability practices are not firm specific and should be practiced at the supply chain interface. The data for the study were taken from focal organizations perspective which is the hotels. Practical implications Results provide the hotel administrators to develop appropriate strategies to improve their practices and functions by analyzing their strengths and weakness regarding their tangible and intangible assets. The identified sustainability practice attributes can act as a benchmark and drive the hotel industry toward possible cost-saving conditions by prioritizing the allocation of the resources while taking care of overall performance. Social implications Results will help the hotel administrators to identify the better sustainability practices which will reduce the negative effects and protect the Mother Nature. Originality/value The study included hotels/resorts from tourism locations: hill station, backwaters and coastal areas, specifically in the Indian context.

Author(s):  
Eias Al Humdan ◽  
Yangyan Shi ◽  
Masud Behnia

PurposeSupply chain agility (SCA) has recently received considerable attention in the literature and in practice. Despite its popularity, the concept of SCA seems to be vaguely defined and loosely structured. More specifically, definitional ambiguity and conceptual fragmentation have prevented the concept of SCA from reaching its full potential. The time is ripe to address these issues through a systematic literature review.Design/methodology/approachA review and synthesis of the literature on SCA was undertaken. The authors selected 56 top-tier related articles for further analysis after applying rigorous filtering procedures.FindingsThe results of the review confirm that several key themes surround SCA's definition and enablers. In addition, consensus needs to be reached in terms of its performance dimensions and measures. Accordingly, this study constructed an encompassing definition, scrutinized SCA enablers and outcomes and thus developed an original framework for SCA, providing a unique conceptual contribution. Several research directions were also addressed accordingly.Originality/valueThe novelty of this research lies in the selection of highly recognized publications. It also provides an encompassing definition of SCA, consolidates its enablers for better communication and synthesizes its performance implications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1948-1971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Trujillo-Gallego ◽  
William Sarache

Purpose From the green supply chain management (GSCM) approach, the purpose of this paper is to propose a green index as a benchmarking tool to assess environmental performance in manufacturing companies. The index involves 10 green practices and 46 performance dimensions, which were identified by way of an exhaustive literature review. Design/methodology/approach The GSCM index was designed as follows: survey design; experts group selection; relationship identification and green practice weighting (DEMATEL method); and GSCM index construction. The proposed GSCM index was validated at a set of ten Colombian manufacturing companies, which belong to different industrial subsectors. Findings The structural relationships between both green practices and performance dimensions (cause group vs effect group) were determined. Consequently, a set of green practices and performance dimensions on which managers must focus their environmental efforts (cause group), in order to positively affect the system as a whole, was identified. The environmental performance of a set of manufacturing companies was established. Practical implications As a decision support tool, the GSCM index provides a baseline for the deployment of environmental improvement plans. It also permits the comparison of environmental performance between companies from different industrial sectors. Further, it can be used to monitor internal operations and collaboration programs in each echelon of the supply chain. Originality/value This publication contributes to the field of environmental performance measurement by introducing a new index, from the GSCM perspective. In contrast with the existing green indicators, the proposed index is the first to consider causal relationships between green practices and between their performance dimensions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 568-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir K Srivastava ◽  
Atanu Chaudhuri ◽  
Rajiv K. Srivastava

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to carry out structural analysis of potential supply chain risks and performance measures in fresh food retail by applying interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach – Inputs were taken from industry experts in identifying and understanding interdependencies among food retail supply chain risks on different levels (sourcing and logistics outside the retail stores; storage and customer interface at the stores). Interdependencies among risks and their impact on performance measures are structured into a hierarchy in order to derive subsystems of interdependent elements to derive useful insights for theory and practice. Findings – Using the ISM approach the risks and performance measures were clustered according to their driving power and dependence power. Change in/inadequate government regulations’ are at the bottom level of the hierarchy implying highest driving power and require higher attention and focussed mitigation strategies. Risks like lack of traceability, transport delays/breakdowns and temperature abuse, cross-contamination in transport and storage have medium driver and dependence powers. Research limitations/implications – The approach is focussed on food retail supply chains in the Indian context and thereby limits the ability to generalize the findings. The academics and experts were selected on convenience and availability. Practical implications – It gives managers a better understanding of the risks and performance measures that have most influence on others (driving performance measures) and those measures which are most influenced by others (dependent performance measures) in fresh food retail and also a tool to prioritize them. This kind of information is strategic for managers who can use it to identify which performance measures they should concentrate on managing the trade-offs between measures. The findings and the applicability for practical use have been validated by both experts and practicing managers in food retail supply chains. Originality/value – The work is perhaps the first to link supply chain risks with performance and explains the propagation of risks in food retail supply chains. It contributes to theory by addressing a few research gaps and provides relevant managerial insights for practitioners.


2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. 1749-1765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingu Kang ◽  
Ma Ga (Mark) Yang ◽  
Youngwon Park ◽  
Baofeng Huo

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of supply chain integration (SCI) in improving sustainability management practices (SMPs) and performance. Design/methodology/approach Based on data collected from 931 manufacturing firms in multiple countries and regions, the authors conducted a structural equation modeling analysis to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings The findings suggest that supplier and customer integration are vital enablers for both intra- and inter-organizational SMPs. The results also reveal that both intra- and inter-organizational SMPs are significantly and positively associated with sustainability performance (i.e. economic, environmental and social performance) and function as complements to jointly enhance environmental and social performance. Originality/value This study incorporates SCI into the sustainability literature, providing a new perspective on sustainability and supply chain management research.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 473-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riitta Forsten-Astikainen ◽  
Pia Hurmelinna-Laukkanen ◽  
Tuija Lämsä ◽  
Pia Heilmann ◽  
Elina Hyrkäs

Purpose Organizational silos that build on the existing organizational structures are often considered to have negative effects in the form of focus on private narrow objectives and organizational fragmentation. To avoid such harmful outcomes, competence management is called for, and in this, the human resources (HR) function takes a key role. Among other things, it can provide basis for emergence and utilization of communities of practice (CoPs) that build on common interests and effectively cross organizational boundaries. These features of CoPs allow them to carry competences and ease knowledge transfer and to break down the harmful isolation. Quite paradoxically, the challenge is that CoPs can also form within silos, thereby strengthening isolation, and HR as a utility department can itself be particularly prone to the silo effects. Examination of boundaries and silos through an original study conducted in a Finnish energy sector company suggests that HR managers need competences outside their own expertise area and courage to augment their CoPs across the functional boundaries to break out of the HR silo and to assist other functions to do the same. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on qualitative research data gathered in four focus group interviews with HR personnel from an energy sector company in November 2012. Totally, 19 professionals were interviewed (five HR partners, five talent development and performance managers, five vice presidents of HR and four HR managers) in the four focus groups. The company’s HR personnel represented units from Finland, Sweden, Poland and Estonia. Findings Examination of boundaries and silos in the Finnish energy sector suggests that HR managers need competences outside their own field (e.g. knowledge of the business and offerings of the firm) and courage to augment their CoPs across the functional boundaries to break out of the HR silo and to assist other functions to do the same. Originality/value Research provided that CoPs can have different effects on silos. As they are capable of crossing organizational and functional boundaries, they may effectively mitigate adverse silo effects; however, if CoPs are formed within silos, they may strengthen isolation and fragmentation. In addition, utility departments and supporting functions are particularly prone to the risk of CoPs forming within silos. The HR function is one manifestation of this. Paradoxically, it also has the potential to enhance the other type of effects that CoPs can exert, as competence management can be used to foster intentional and self-organizing CoPs that counter silo effects.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 714-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Pereira-Moliner ◽  
Xavier Font ◽  
Juan José Tarí ◽  
Jose F. Molina-Azorin ◽  
Maria D. Lopez-Gamero ◽  
...  

Purpose – This paper aims to analyse the influence of environmental proactivity on cost and differentiation competitive advantages, and to explore the double relationship between environmental proactivity and business performance. Design/methodology/approach – The population consists of all three- to five-star hotels in Spain. A sample of 350 hotels was classified according to environmental proactivity and performance levels, employing a two-step cluster analysis. Significant differences between groups were examined. Findings – The results show two types of environmental behaviour (reactive and proactive), with proactive hotels developing significantly better on both cost and differentiation competitive advantage and achieving significantly higher performance levels. Hotels which achieve above average business performance levels are significantly more environmentally proactive. Research limitations/implications – The present paper demonstrates that environmental management is related to competitive advantages and business performance. Environmental management systems are more developed in higher category, chain-affiliated and larger hotels. This could be due to having more resources to develop their environmental capability. The environmental proactivity scale employed in this study is presented as a reference measure for hotel managers to benchmark their current practices and implement environmental improvements. Originality/value – First, measuring environmental proactivity using four managerial systems (operative, information, strategic and technical) is innovative and provides a more detailed approach to measuring environmental proactivity. Second, demonstrating a double association between environmental proactivity and performance provides fresh insights into the relationship between these variables.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Francisco Martinez Neri

Purpose This paper surveys the literature on supply chain integration (SCI) to identify the state of research in the various types of studied industries and manufacturing environments. The purpose of this paper is to identify academic discoveries that could provide offshore wind projects with means to overcome their current supply chain challenges. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review was conducted involving 162 articles published in 29 peer-reviewed journals. The papers were analyzed in terms of the dimensions of SCI, research methodology, unit of analysis, level of analysis, type of industry and manufacturing environment being studied, integrative practices, integrative barriers and the link between SCI and performance. Findings While SCI has been evolving to become an influential topic in the field of supply chain management, scholars have overlooked industrial contingencies by ignoring the differences between the studied industrial contexts, especially project-based manufacturing environments. The present review also reveals that no study of SCI has been conducted on the construction of renewable energy projects. Another finding is that case studies and research articles using networks as a unit of analysis are underrepresented. Originality/value This is the first work to advocate for an industrial contingency approach in the analysis of SCI. Thus, it proposes the offshore wind farm-construction industry as a potential study subject to broaden the knowledge in SCI in project manufacturing environments.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Giulio Calabrese ◽  
Alessandro Manello

Purpose This study aims to contribute to the debate on the relationship between board diversity and performance, a hot topic for scholars and shareholders. A number of studies have found contrasting impacts of board diversity on firm performance and this paper adds new and original evidence in the context of the automotive supply chain focusing on gender, age and nationality diversity. Design/methodology/approach The authors propose a triple stage empirical analysis. First, the authors use linear models according to different performance indexes for investigating diversity (gender, age and nationality) within the board of directors and executives. Second, the authors investigate the issue of diversity in different contexts such as position in the supply chain, nationality of the owner and family/corporate ownership. Finally, the authors use non-linear models to find a better combination of diversity in terms of gender and nationality for retrieving some managerial implications. Findings First, the authors demonstrate a robust positive effect of women in board representation on firm performance in terms of profitability and firm risk. In the case of, age and nationality the results are more equivocal in particular for the former. Second, the authors depict board diversity in different contexts as follows: positioning in the supply chain, type and nationality of the final owner. Again, gender heterogeneity is more adequate in the complex firm as Tier 1 suppliers, corporate and foreign company. Originality/value The authors focused the analysis on a specific industry, shedding light on the main specificities linked to operating in certain phases of the supply chain, a substantial novelty in this field. The empirical evidence is based on a very large data set containing quantitative and qualitative information on a representative sample of 1,538 firms operating in the Italian automotive supply chain, one of the most relevant in Europe.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bowen Yi ◽  
Da Shi ◽  
Fangfang Shi ◽  
Liang Zhang

Purpose By building on cooperation–competition theory, this study aims to investigate the multidimensional flipped effects of neighborhood hotels on Airbnb listings’ popularity, examining the degree to which such impacts are influenced by hotel types and geographical areas. Design/methodology/approach This study explores the interdependent and competitive relationship between neighborhood hotels and Airbnb from the perspective of effects on Airbnb listings’ popularity by exploring a data set covering 10,492 Airbnb listings and 2,691 hotels from Ctrip. Findings Results reveal that neighborhood hotels’ number of reviews, review ratings and prices each have positive spillover effects on Airbnb listings’ popularity, while quality assurance labels and negative review topic sentiments exert competitive effects on Airbnb popularity. Moreover, the number of budget chain hotels and high-star hotels have positive and negative effects on Airbnb popularity, respectively. Geographical areas also have a moderating effect on the relationship between various hotel-related influencing factors and Airbnb. Practical implications This study can offer hotel managers and Airbnb operators a clearer understanding of these businesses’ coexisting relationship. Findings can also provide Airbnb-specific guidelines for practitioners in terms of site selection, promotional features and development strategies for Airbnb listings. Originality/value This study establishes a cooperation–competition relationship model between hotels and Airbnb and considers the flipped effects of hotels on Airbnb for the first time. It expands previous studies by considering the multidimensional effects of hotels on Airbnb listings’ popularity and by examining the influences of hotel types and geographical areas on hotels’ impacts on Airbnb.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sindhuja P.N.

Purpose Information security is an essential element in all business activities. The damage to businesses from information security breaches has become pervasive. The scope of information security has widened as information has become a critical supply chain asset, making it more important to protect the organization’s data. Today’s global supply chains rely upon the speedy and robust dissemination of information among supply chain partners. Hence, processing of accurate supply chain information is quintessential to ensure the robustness and performance of supply chains. An effective information security management (ISM) is deemed to ensure the robustness of supply chains. The purpose of the paper is to examine the impact of information security initiatives on supply chain robustness and performance. Design/methodology/approach Based on extant literature, a research model was developed and validated using a questionnaire survey instrument administered among information systems/information technology managers. Data collected were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Further, to test the hypotheses and to fit the theoretical model, Structural equation modeling techniques were used. Findings Results of this study indicated that information security initiatives are positively associated with supply chain robustness and performance. These initiatives are likely to enhance the robustness and performance of the supply chains. Originality/value With the advancements in internet technologies and capabilities as well as considering the dynamic environment of supply chains, this study is relevant in terms of the capability that an organization needs to acquire with regards to ISM. Benefiting from the resource dependency theory, information security initiatives could be considered as a critical resource having an influence on the internal and external environment of supply chains.


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