Sustainability practices during COVID-19: an institutional perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olena Klymenko ◽  
Lise Lillebrygfjeld Halse
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Business ◽  
The One

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how sustainable practices in supply chains are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of institutional theory.Design/methodology/approachThis research applies a twofold data collection approach: 1) qualitative semistructured interviews and 2) secondary data collection that includes sustainability reports, newspaper articles, journal articles, strategic plans, research reports and statements made by authorities and stakeholders concerning decision-making. In total, managers representing six companies in Norway were interviewed.FindingsThe study suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, companies tend to focus on short-term decisions and economic issues. The long-term focus on sustainability has, however, increased at the cluster level. The research also indicates that the pandemic has led to the development of new business routines that may transform institutional norms. The diversity of institutional contexts can, on the one hand, drive sustainability transitions through pressures and supportive programs but, on the other hand, also hinder the development of sustainability thinking.Research limitations/implicationsInstitutional factors must be included when analyzing the effects of crises and sustainable transitions. Researchers are encouraged to explore the COVID-19 implications in the form of longitudinal studies.Practical implicationsPolicymakers can benefit from in-depth knowledge on the adverse effects of an institutional environment on sustainability. For managers, the outbreak of the pandemic can afford them additional time to revise their strategies and seek innovation. The pandemic highlights the need to build more resilient and sustainable systems that will aid managers in responding rapidly during future uncertainties and enduring sustainability trajectories in operations.Originality/valueThe paper offers an in-depth investigation of COVID-19 effects on the sustainability of supply chains by drawing on institutional theory.

scholarly journals Enacting change through borrowed legitimacy: an institutional perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 637-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Shaunn Mattingly ◽  
Jonathan H. Westover
Keyword(s):  
Social Norms ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Successful Outcome ◽  
Alternative Form ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Alternative Future

Purpose – This paper aims to offer borrowed legitimacy through coalitions as an explanation for how an organization might successfully deviate from social norms to enact change, yet still gain sufficient cognitive and sociopolitical legitimacy for survival. This paper explains that borrowing legitimacy through a coalition allows an illegitimate organization to impose an alternative future despite institutional pressures for its convergence to social norms, rules and expectations. Design/methodology/approach – To explore the ability of an organization that lacks legitimacy to borrow legitimacy through a coalition, the authors use a case study and content analysis of interviews, news articles and other publicly available secondary data to examine an environmentalist organization, Sea Shepherds, who openly seek legitimacy and resources, and are engaged in enacting change while using a unique or alternative form. Findings – The case study here shows how a coalition with another organization that already has legitimacy can help the reference organization gain legitimacy themselves by borrowing legitimacy initially. Specifically, because more constituents are aware of the organization with existing legitimacy, the coalition allows the reference organization to borrow that cognitive legitimacy and constituents become aware of the reference organization as well. Research limitations/implications – Although this study provides meaningful insights to the phenomena at hand, it is limited in method and scope. As noted by Zucker, the institutional environment is very important to organization form and likelihood of success (Zucker, 1987); however, this paper does not include a parameter that recognizes the environment specifically. Instead, the model includes a parameter, p, to acknowledge that there are exogenous factors that affect the likelihood of a successful outcome that are not considered individually in the model. Also, this study does not empirically test specific hypotheses using a generalizable sample. Originality/value – This paper contributes to institutional theory by providing a case study of an organization that is enacting change in lieu of the forces that promote institutionalization. The reference organization in the case study demonstrates one form of entrepreneurial organization that successfully deviates from social norms to enact change, yet still gains cognitive and sociopolitical legitimacy. The case study in this paper contributes by providing an example of an organizational form that allows a seemingly illegitimate organization to envision and impose an alternative future despite institutional pressures by forming a coalition with an actor that already has legitimacy.

Episodic supply chains at times of disruption

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Öberg
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Transformational Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Metal Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Contemporary Technology ◽  
Metal Additive

Purpose Additive manufacturing has been described as converting supply chains into demand chains. By focusing on metal additive manufacturing as a contemporary technology causing ongoing disruption to the supply chain, the purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss how incumbent firms act during an ongoing, transformational disruption of their supply chain. Design/methodology/approach Interviews and secondary data, along with seminars attracting approximately 600 individuals operating in metal additive manufacturing, form the empirical basis for this paper. Findings The findings of this paper indicate how disruption occurs at multiple positions in the supply chain. Episodic positions as conceptualised in this paper refer to how parties challenged by disruption attempt to reach normality while speeding the transformational disruption. Originality/value This paper contributes to previous research by theorising about episodic positions in light of a supply chain disruption. The empirical data are unique in how they capture supply chain change at the time of disruption and illustrate disruptive, transformational change to supply chains. The paper interlinks research on disruption from the innovation and supply chain literature, with contributions to both.

Harmonious entrepreneurship – a new approach to the challenge of global sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Anthony Kirby ◽  
Iman El-Kaffass
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Traditional Approach ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Wealth Creation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Sustainability ◽  
New Business ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Definition Of

PurposeThe article is intended to consider how entrepreneurship needs to adapt if it is to address the global sustainability challenge. The intention is to propose a new business model that recognises the interconnectedness of the global ecosystem.Design/methodology/approachThe article analyses two case studies purposively written to demonstrate the difference between the traditional entrepreneurship approach, dating back to the 19th century and the proposed harmonised one. Both cases are based on secondary data and personal field observation.FindingsWhile the two cases focus on wealth creation, job generation and innovation, the traditional approach is shown to have had a long-term deleterious impact on both society and the environment, whereas the proposed harmonised approach impacts positively. The article recognises the multifaceted nature of the sustainability challenge and that the three elements (economy/commerce, society and environment) are interconnected. If there is a change in the status of one the other, connected facets will change or will need to be changed. Thus any solution needs to address all three facets.Social implicationsThe proposed business model will be of interest to scholars and practitioners of entrepreneurship and sustainability, as well as to policy makers and educators.Originality/valueApart from proposing a new business model that will address the sustainability challenge, the article provides a definition of harmonious entrepreneurship and identifies the conditions required for it to be met, as well as the characteristics of the harmonious entrepreneur.

Supply chain, geographical indicator and blockchain: provenance model for commodity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohita Gangwar Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Value Distribution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
The Right ◽  
Theory Framework

PurposeMany commodity supply chains suffer from an unfair value distribution across the supply chain like “Coffee Paradox.” This study explores the coffee supply chain to determine how the country of origin–geographical indicator can be used as a method of fair distribution of value and provenance across the supply chain effectuated by the blockchain technology. By looking at an exemplar case study for India, this study provides insights into diverse research streams and practice.Design/methodology/approachBased on the case method, analyzing the implementation of blockchain in the coffee industry by a leading Indian software implementation of the logic, dynamics and forces for a provenance model has been devised. It further adopts a stakeholder cum institutional theory framework to understand the logical implementation of a blockchain project embedded in a territorial logic for a commodity supply chain.FindingsThis study specifically looks at coffee which is representative of a commodity supply chain. It also explores how the malaise of unfair value distribution gets addressed by bringing farmers and the consumers on a common platform facilitated by blockchain technology. This study contributes to the literature on blockchain, territory, commodity and supply chain. Using stakeholder cum institutional theory, this study helps to explore how the implementation is successful by different actors in the supply chain through collaboration.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides a new stream of multi-disciplinary study at the interface of supply chain, technology, international trade and geography.Practical implicationsBlockchains are embedded in the supply chain, and supply chains are embedded in territories. This linkage is paramount and the ability to make these blockchain projects successful requires the deep study of the interaction of territory, technology and actors from the provenance angle. De-commodification of coffee can be actualized through blockchain.Social implicationsThe coffee paradox and skewed value distribution is also a social problem wherein the farmers do not get the right price of their produce and are exploited. This case also highlights how this social malaise can be addressed and rightful and equitable distribution of value happens across the value chain.Originality/valueThis linkage between territory, blockchain, commodity supply chain and institutions has not been discussed in the literature. Adopting the territorial design approach, this study is an attempt to stimulate inter-disciplinary conversations and thereby create a provenance framework for commodity and research questions for scholars from different disciplines and divergent disciplinary perspectives.

Exploring the roles of lead organisations in spreading sustainability standards throughout food supply chains in an emerging economy

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minelle E. Silva ◽  
Gustavo Picanço Dias ◽  
Stefan Gold
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Close Relation ◽  
Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Supply Chains ◽  
Cashew Nut ◽  
Sustainability Standards

PurposeThis paper investigates how food supply chains (SCs) introduce sustainability standards (i.e. organic and/or Fair Trade labels). The authors combined the concepts of power and dependence with types of governance mechanisms to analyse for-profit and cooperative organisations. The authors explored nuances of how lead organisations are spreading sustainability standards.Design/methodology/approachFour cashew nut and honey SCs were investigated as case studies in Brazil, with data gathered through 15 interviews, secondary data and field visits. Data were examined through a content analysis process following a combined deductive and inductive approach.FindingsSustainability is spread driven by market pressure, mainly through the diffusion of technical information, either by lead organisations enablers or inter-organisational relations. The authors found that the type and structure of organisations impact the source of power (mediated or non-mediated) and level of mutual dependence between buyer and supplier. For instance, suppliers that hold a strategic position use direct governance mechanisms, which, in turn, lessens the power imbalance in regard to the lead organisation. The authors found in the analysis, a close relation between governance mechanisms and the spread of sustainability, which is ultimately based on strong SC relationships.Practical implicationsBy recognising their role and the contingencies in spreading sustainability standards along the SC, managers of lead organisations can better design their relationships as well as create strategies to increase their supply chain sustainability (SCS) performance.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the underexplored issue of how sustainability standards are spread throughout SCs in Latin America. Also, it shows how different types of SC rely on governance mechanisms that foster SCS.

Pressures of CSR in India: an institutional perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijita S. Aggarwal ◽  
Aruna Jha
Keyword(s):  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Integrative Model ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Institutional Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Embeddedness ◽  
Managerial Perceptions

Purpose Wide differences in the focus and form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) exist among countries due to the different institutional embeddedness of CSR practices. The purpose of this paper is to seek to explain them within the framework provided by institutional theory by identifying important pressures driving CSR practices. Further, it intends to extend theory by proposing a conceptual model that relates institutional pressures, CSR practices, reputation and financial performance of corporates in a developing country like India. Design/methodology/approach Drawing upon the extant literature on the constructs, the paper describes their evolution through decades and weaves relationship between them. Institutional theory provides the framework to develop hypotheses. Findings The model has its roots in Scott’s institutional theory – linking regulative, normative and cognitive pressures to CSR practices. Reputation mediates the relationship between CSR and financial performance. Practical implications The conceptual model can serve as a foundation for subsequent empirical research. An understanding of relationship between constructs in the model will help corporates to strategize CSR initiatives. At the organisational level, insight into managerial perceptions of CSR practices will help to identify the need for training, if there is a gap between what organisation intends and what managers perceive. Originality/value The authors have proposed for the first time an integrative model that will help to understand the antecedents as well as consequences of CSR practices in a developing country within a theoretical framework.

Does institutional theory explain integrated reporting adoption of Fortune 500 companies?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Merve Kılıç ◽  
Ali Uyar ◽  
Cemil Kuzey ◽  
Abdullah S. Karaman
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Fortune 500 ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Fortune 500 Companies

PurposeThe objective of this study is to investigate whether the institutional environment is associated with the adoption of integrated reporting.Design/methodology/approachThe sample of the study is based on the firms included in the list of Fortune Global 500. The logistic regression analysis was run to test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicated that the code-law orientation and strength of the institutional quality are significantly associated (i.e. positively and negatively, respectively) with the integrated reporting of Fortune 500 companies. Firms are motivated for more transparency in stakeholder-oriented and weakly regulated contexts. Thus, stakeholder pressure is more influential than shareholder interest in motivating or forcing firms to issue integrated reports. Besides, there appears to be a trade-off between the public sector and the private sector in terms of ensuring an accountable and transparent business environment. If the public sector does not undertake its role in ensuring a transparent business environment, the private sector fills the gap. The results are robust to alternative sampling and methodologies.Research limitations/implicationsThis study implied that the stakeholder orientation of countries fosters the transparency and accountability of firms. Corporate behavior is impacted by the institutional strength or weakness of nations. The institutional theory provides an appropriate ground to understand drivers of corporate reporting practices of firms beyond firm-level characteristics.Practical implicationsThe adoption of integrated reporting framework by Fortune 500 companies can be leveraged to alleviate concerns about their social and environmental impacts. Policy-makers in the countries which have a weak institutional environment force or encourage their firms to increasingly meet the transparency and accountability demands of society.Social implicationsThe research findings might play an encouraging role in that various stakeholders (i.e. customers, public, civil organizations and press) should undertake active roles and responsibilities to encourage firms to behave in socially and environmentally responsible ways.Originality/valueThis study adds to the literature by examining the influence of the institutional environment on the adoption of integrated reporting, using recent international data, and focusing on the largest companies according to the Fortune's annual Global 500 list. This study is one of the first to examine the association between a set of governance characteristics (i.e. board size, board independence and board diversity) and integrated reporting adoption.

New business models in supply chains: a bibliometric study

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 1283-1299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Régis Delafenestre
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Business Models ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Business ◽  
Paper Form ◽  
Scientific Results ◽  
Database Clustering ◽  
New Research ◽  
New Business Models

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find and classify the most relevant works in the literature on the latest technologies applied in global supply chains. To help future researchers find the most relevant the authors according to the authors’ research interest quickly and to provide insights into the most promising areas. Design/methodology/approach The authors provide a bibliometric analysis of 292 documents referenced in the Scopus® database clustering by relatedness of works and keywords. Findings The authors present insights and deduce new perspectives in the potential search for new business models. The authors show that in specific fields, some works and authors have a much greater influence than others. Research limitations/implications Some documents published on the web or in paper form may be missing. The analyses largely depend on the choice of keywords. Another selection might have shown different results. Practical implications This paper provides the basis for new research in applications of the latest technologies in supply chains and corresponding new business models. Originality/value This work is a first effort to help researchers make sense of the mass of published scientific results on new technologies and their impact on new supply chain business models.

Supply chain corruption practices circumventing sustainability standards: wolves in sheep's clothing

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 1873-1907
Author(s):  
Bruno S. Silvestre ◽  
Fernando Luiz E. Viana ◽  
Marcelo de Sousa Monteiro
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Standards ◽  
Business Corruption

PurposeA growing number of private, voluntary and mandatory sustainability standards have recently emerged. However, supply chain corruption practices as mechanisms to circumvent sustainability standards have also grown and occur regularly. This paper strives to elaborate theory on the intersection of institutional theory, business corruption and the sustainability standards literature by investigating factors that influence the emergence of supply chain corruption practices.Design/methodology/approachBased on secondary data, four in-depth case studies of supply chain corruption practices are investigated through the use of adaptive theory and the method of constant comparisons to elaborate theory on this important phenomenon.FindingsThe paper suggests that although sustainability standards can improve supply chain sustainability performance, if they are adopted only symbolically and not substantively, unanticipated outcomes such as supply chain corruption may occur. The study proposes a typology of supply chain corruption practices, further explores the symbolic adoption of sustainability standards in supply chains and proposes the novel construct of “social isomorphism for corruption.” Since focal companies play central roles in leading supply chain corruption practices, we reason that they can also play a pivotal role in preventing supply chain corruption practices by promoting the substantive adoption of sustainability standards across their supply chains.Originality/valueThis paper elaborates theory on the challenging phenomenon of corruption in supply chains by linking the supply chain management literature to the corruption and the sustainability discourses and offers important insights to aid our understanding on the topic. It generates six propositions and four contributions to the sustainable supply chain management theory, practice and policy.

Institutional dysmorphia: when the institutions become ill

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jefferson Marlon Monticelli ◽  
Ivan Lapuente Garrido ◽  
Marcelo Curth ◽  
Luciana Marques Vieira ◽  
Fábio Dal-Soto
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
National Development ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Institutional Isomorphism ◽  
Institutional Framework ◽  
Institutional Pressures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
Firm Responses

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the influence of SOEs on institutions. The authors argue that in some cases there are differences in institutional shape between the shape that is actually demanded by an institution’s institutional environment and the shape that the institution itself believes is demanded of its institutional framework. The authors observed a behavior specific to institutions that change their institutional shape in response to demands, irrespective of whether these demands are legitimate, and this behavior was primarily in response to demands from governments and SOEs. The authors call this situation institutional dysmorphia and contrast it with institutional isomorphism. Design/methodology/approach This study is characterized by the qualitative approach and descriptive form. It is also a documentary study employing the systematic review technique and critical appreciation in a research group. The case of the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) is analyzed to examine the different relationships between Brazilian SOEs and BNDES. It used secondary data provided by reports, papers and relevant magazines. The authors compare them with the conceptual purpose originated in the Medicine field. Findings The study is illustrated by the case of the BNDES and the various different relationships between Brazilian SOEs and BNDES are examined. This is a qualitative and descriptive documentary study, employing the systematic review technique. Specific behavior is observed in institutions that change their institutional shape in response to demands, irrespective of whether these demands are legitimate, and these demands mainly come from the government and from SOEs. Research limitations/implications The authors use of secondary data from only one country that was used to present these arguments. The focus was restricted to the institutional framework comprising one institution and SOEs. Private firms were not considered in this institutional framework, but they must be included in a macro-environment. Institutional pressures are dynamic and asymmetric. The dynamism of institutional change was not evaluated, and neither was the evolution of the relationships between government, SOEs and institutions. Finally, researchers need to understand not only top-down models of institutional effects but also the institutional process that incorporates both institutional influence and firm responses. Originality/value The term institutional dysmorphia is proposed through the contrast with concepts such institutional isomorphism, with reference to the institutional logics and institutional complexity of these institutions’ and SOEs’ environment. The situation described institutional dysmorphia happening in emerging countries context and might open new avenues for research.

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