Achieving triple bottom line sustainability in supply chains

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Miemczyk ◽  
Davide Luzzini
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Cost Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Performance

PurposeCompanies are increasingly challenged by sustainability-related supply chain risks. Research has developed linking supply chain sustainability priorities, practices and triple bottom line performance; however, risk is rarely included in these models. The purpose of this paper is to understand the link between sustainable supply chain strategies, practices and performance, and to test the importance of risk management practices in this relationship focusing on the product category level.Design/methodology/approachThe paper includes a survey of supply managers in four countries with 305 responses, with a focus on upstream supply chain strategies at the product category level.FindingsThe environmental and social sustainability strategies lead to sustainable supply sustainable performance, through focused practices in either area, but the effect on operational and cost performance is not significant. Social supply chain strategies positively impact environmental and cost performance when mediated by risk assessment practices.Originality/valueThis paper shows a more nuanced view of the impact of supply chain practices on the strategy–performance link. It is one of the first papers to empirically test the role of risk practices in sustainable supply chain management and emphasize the importance of alignment across the main dimensions of sustainability to achieve positive sustainable performance outcomes, but not necessarily cost and operational performance. Unlike other studies, social sustainability priorities may positively impact environmental and social performance and is linked to cost advantage when implemented with risk assessment practices.

scholarly journals Putting sustainability into supply chain management

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 322-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Beske ◽  
Stefan Seuring
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Performance ◽  
Sustainable Performance ◽  
Key Aspects

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to identify key categories of Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and related practices that are required to fulfill the demands of sustainability and, therefore, contributing to sustainability performance. As part of this, the authors will identify different approaches in practice implementation in SSCM and supply chain management (SCM). SSCM has become a topic of great interest and is linked to the assumption that a more sustainable performance for businesses would be achieved on its implementation. Such performance has to be achieved with respect to all three dimensions of sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is conceptual in nature. The authors draw from literature on SSCM and examine frameworks and critical accounts on the topic. This allows identifying key aspects of SSCM and pointing out differences and overlaps with SCM. Findings – The authors identify five key categories which are of high importance for the sustainable management of supply chains: orientation toward SCM and sustainability, continuity, collaboration, risk management and proactivity. In a second step, the authors describe distinctive practices which allow organizations to follow the goals formulated in the five key categories. Finally, they highlight issues preventing companies that follow a rather “conventional” approach to SCM to reach the level where it can be called SSCM, i.e. how to reach sustainability performance in SCM. Research limitations/implications – The work presented is conceptual in nature. It would be required to operationalize respective categories and, therefore, test them in empirical research. Practical implications – The categories and practices identified within the framework can be used for guiding managers toward the implementation of SSCM. This is the case when management takes performance implication into account without solely considering rather simplistic indicators. At the same time, differentiating a company based on the implementation of sustainability practices has become more difficult, due to the proliferation of sustainability in a wider field. Social implications – Social aspects are integrated into the framework on the same level as environmental and economic aspects, emphasizing the triple bottom line orientation. Originality/value – While all practices applied in SSCM have originally been identified and described by researchers for the case of “conventional” SCM, their particular interrelation and joint implementation makes up SSCM and ensures a contribution to sustainability performance.

Do motives matter? Examining the relationships between motives, SSCM practices and TBL performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandr M. Kitsis ◽  
Injazz J. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Performance

Purpose Drawing on multi-theoretical lenses and a combination of supply chain and business ethics literature, this study aims to investigate the role of motives in driving sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices and sustainable performance. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 205 supply chain companies in the USA, the authors apply structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis to empirically test the proposed model and seven hypothesized relationships. Findings Results of the study underscore the critical role of moral motives, while highlighting that all three types of motives (instrumental, relational and moral) are robust in driving SSCM practices and achieving improvement in all three dimensions of sustainable performance–economic, environmental and social. Research limitations/implications This research can help supply chain scholars develop a more robust subfield of motivation-based SSCM research to gain a deeper understanding of how motives may differentially predict sustainable supply chain practices and performance. Practical implications The results of this study demonstrate the critical links between moral motivation and the triple bottom line (TBL) performance and suggest that managers pay more attention to moral motives in their decision-making. Originality/value This study bridges gaps in the extant literature by incorporating motivation-based antecedents, expanding the scope of SSCM practices, including the social dimension of sustainability and investigating the mediating effects of SSCM practices on the links between motives and the TBL performance.

Applying Industry 4.0 technologies in the COVID–19 sustainable chains

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Acioli ◽  
Annibal Scavarda ◽  
Augusto Reis
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Supply Chain Performance ◽  
Chain Process ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Performance ◽  
The Social ◽  
New Research

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is 1) to investigate the effects on the crucial Industry 4.0 technological innovations that interact between the real and virtual worlds and that are applied in the sustainable supply chain process; 2) to contribute to the identification of the opportunities, the challenges and the gaps that will support the new research study developments and 3) to analyze the impact of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators of the sustainable supply chain performance in the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).Design/methodology/approachThis research is performed through a bibliographic review in the electronic databases of the Emerald Insight, the Scopus and the Web of Science, considering the main scientific publications on the subject.FindingsThe bibliographic search results in 526 articles, followed by two sequential filters for deleting the duplicate articles (resulting in 487 articles) and for selecting the most relevant articles (resulting in 150 articles).Practical implicationsThis article identifies the opportunities and the challenges focused on the emerging Industry 4.0 theme. The opportunities can contribute to the sustainable performance of the supply chains and their territories. The Industry 4.0 can also generate challenges like the social inequalities related to the position of the man in the labor market by replacing the human workforce with the machines. Therefore, the man-machine relationship in the Industry 4.0 era is analyzed as a gap in the literature. Therefore, as a way to fill this gap, the authors of this article suggest the exploration of the research focused on the Society 5.0. Also known as “super-smart society,” this recent theme appeared in Japan in April 2016. According to Fukuda (2020), in addition to the focus on the technological development, the Society 5.0 also aims at the quality of life and the social challenge resolutions.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the analysis of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators in the sustainable supply chain performance. It addresses the impacts of the Industry 4.0 technologies applied to the supply chains in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it analyzes the research gaps and limitations found in the literature. The result of this study can add value and stimulate new research studies related to the application of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators in the supply chain sustainable performance. It can encourage the studies related to the COVID-19 impacts on the sustainable supply chains, and it can promote the research development on the relationship among the man, the machine and the labor in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

scholarly journals Impact of social sustainability orientation and supply chain practices on operational performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (12) ◽  
pp. 2344-2366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Croom ◽  
Natalia Vidal ◽  
Wellington Spetic ◽  
Donna Marshall ◽  
Lucy McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Temporal Orientation ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Socially sustainable supply chain (SSSC) practices address pressing social issues and may provide operational benefits as well as positive impacts on society. However, due to gaps in the current knowledge, it is difficult to know what practices will provide benefits and what management orientations can maximize the impact of these practices on operational performance. The purpose of this paper is to advance the knowledge on the effect of social sustainability orientation on operational performance by examining the mediating roles of basic and advanced SSSC practices and the moderating role of long-term orientation (LTO). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through a survey of US-based companies about their relationships with key suppliers. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression were used to test the proposed moderated mediation model. Findings Surprisingly, sustainability orientation predicts operational performance through advanced but not basic SSSC practices. Results also indicate that the effect of sustainability orientation on operational performance is significantly moderated by LTO. Research limitations/implications Results are limited by the US context, the cross-sectional nature of the research, the use of a single-respondent survey instrument and the challenges of measuring LTO. Practical implications Managers and policymakers should be aware of the limitations of adopting basic SSSC practices on the performance of their operations. Advanced practices provide a more robust business case and significantly and positively impact operational performance. In addition, the interaction of a sustainability orientation and LTO can lead to even greater improvements in firms’ operational performance. Firms with the highest levels of social sustainability and LTOs attain superior operational performance. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing literature on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and extends this literature by focusing on social sustainability practices, identifying specific practices that impact and the orientations that maximize operational performance. The authors contribute to the growing literature on the importance of manager’s temporal orientation and provide nuance to emerging SSCM theory by exposing the interplay of these orientations and the impact of SSSC practice adoption.

Enhancing sustainable supply chain management performance through alliance portfolio diversity: the mediating effect of sustainability collaboration

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelina Nhat Hanh Le ◽  
Tessa Tien Nguyen ◽  
Julian Ming-Sung Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Triple Bottom Line ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Alliance Portfolio ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management

PurposeWhile strategic alliances is a concept increasingly discussed in the field of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), an emerging and more crucial concept regarding alliances—namely, the alliance portfolio—is mostly ignored in the SSCM context. Mainly drawing on the categorisation–elaboration model (CEM), this research develops a three-layer model to explore the effects of three alliance portfolio diversity facets on the three triple-bottom-line SSCM performances through the mediation of sustainability collaboration.Design/methodology/approachThe field data are collected from 321 Vietnamese manufacturers. Scale accuracy is assessed through the confirmatory factor analysis method. Hierarchical linear regressions are applied to test the proposed model and hypotheses.FindingsPartner, governance, and functional alliance portfolio diversities have a U-shaped, inverted U-shaped, and positive linear effect, respectively, on sustainability collaboration. Sustainability collaboration is in turn found to enhance the SSCM performances in terms of economic, environmental, and social.Originality/valueThis research introduced a new theoretical lens, CEM, to the SSCM field. It also provided findings that can help firms to manage their alliance portfolios more dynamically in terms of the nature and diversity level of the portfolio and in a way that adds to the triple bottom line through the mediating effect of sustainability collaboration.

Sustainable supply chain performance, its practice and impact on barriers to collaboration

2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (8) ◽  
pp. 1434-1456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gopal Kumar ◽  
Mohit Goswami
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Second Order ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
First Order ◽  
Sustainable Performance ◽  
Barriers To Collaboration

Purpose Sustainable supply chain (SSC) provides one opportunity to achieve competitive advantage. To achieve SSC through triple bottom line (TBL) – economic, environment and social – is extensively discussed. Most literature in dealing with environmental issues undermine social dimension even though its potential to bring outstanding results by earning customers loyalty and commitment is immense. Local orientation and different context motivate firms to prioritize sustainability dimensions differently. The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize SSC performance as three dimensional second-order formative construct which is caused by three first-order reflective constructs. Further, the authors examined effect of sustainable performance on barriers to sustainability through collaboration. Design/methodology/approach The model is validated by data collected from industries in India using both partial least squares and covariance based structural equation modeling. The authors find the model is valid for both manufacturing and service sectors. Findings In Indian context, social dimension is most and environmental dimension is least important differentiating it from developed economy. The authors find sustainable performance subsequently mitigates barriers and risks to sustainability, thereby reducing its impact over time. Originality/value This study conceptualizes SSC performance as three dimensional second-order formative construct which is caused by three first-order reflective constructs. Given criticisms to TBL for being western-centric, this study unearths insightful phenomena having implications for both developing and developed world. Further, the authors find sustainable performance reduces effects of barriers to collaboration necessary to achieve SSC. This study contributes to both theory and practice by modeling sustainability performance.

Mixed sustainability motives, mixed results: the role of compliance and commitment in sustainable supply chain practices

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 622-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinfei Chen ◽  
Injazz J. Chen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Performance ◽  
Performance Examining

Purpose As supply chain sustainability has become more urgent than ever before, this study aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of how supplying firms’ sustainability motives influence their compliance and commitment, as well as sustainable performance, as they respond to buyers’ sustainable supplier management programs. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the intriguing links among sustainability motives, compliance/commitment and sustainable performance of supplying firms, this paper draws on multidisciplinary literature and collects empirical data from 281 supplying firms in China to test the proposed model and hypotheses using structural equation modeling. Findings Instrumental and moral motives make comparable contributions to compliance; moral motives exert stronger influence on firms’ commitment to sustainable practices. In addition, although compliance has a greater impact on economic and environmental performance, commitment is far more robust in improving environmental and social performance. Research limitations/implications Unlike most research on motives that has been theoretical, this study represents one of the few empirical analyses of how motives may affect sustainable performance. Examining the challenges from the perspectives of supplying firms, it also adds to the SSCM literature by making clear how compliance and commitment may differentially predict sustainable performance. Practical implications Although instrumental and moral motives can be complementary in advancing sustainable practices, it is imperative for firms to integrate moral considerations into sustainability decision-making and move beyond compliance, if they are to contribute meaningfully to a better society and cleaner environment. Originality/value This is the first large-scale empirical investigation on the links among motives, compliance, commitment and sustainable performance from the perspectives of suppliers.

Investigating green supply chain management practices and performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 767-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Cousins ◽  
Benn Lawson ◽  
Kenneth J. Petersen ◽  
Brian Fugate
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Green Supply Chain Management ◽  
Green Supply Chain ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Cost Performance ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Sustainable supply chain management has become an increasingly important driver of business performance. Understanding the contingent nature of how performance is improved in this context is therefore a critical task for management. The purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating effects of two practices unique to sustainable supply chain – ecocentricity and supply chain traceability – on a firm’s environmental and operating cost performance. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 248 UK manufacturing firms and analyzed using moderated hierarchical regression. Findings The results suggest that green supply chain management (GSCM) practices are associated with improvements in both environmental and cost-based performance. Further, higher levels of ecocentricity and supply chain traceability are associated with stronger relationships between GSCM practices and cost performance. Contrary to expectations, high levels of supply chain traceability were found to negatively moderate the relationship between GSCM practices and environmental performance. Research limitations/implications The research design was survey-based and cross-sectional. Future studies would benefit from longitudinal research designs that capture the effects of GSCM practices on performance over an extended period. The survey data is also perceptual; using secondary data to capture environmental performance outcomes, for example, would be another opportunity for future research. Practical implications The authors provide additional support to findings that GSCM practices benefit both environmental and cost performance dimensions. In this context, the authors show that investments by firms in working with a broader set of eco-system partners (ecocentricity) and building supply chain traceability and leads to improved environmental sustainability outcomes. The authors encourage managers to carefully consider how they conceptualize and monitor their supply chains. Originality/value This paper offers several contributions to the research in this area. First, the authors develop and validate a measurement scale for ecocentricity and supply chain traceability. Second, the authors show how these two variables – unique to sustainable supply chains – can positively influence firm and environmental performance.

Social sustainability in supply chains: a review

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 1125-1148
Author(s):  
Patricio Javier Chiesa ◽  
Wojciech Przychodzen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management ◽  
New Research

Purpose The purpose of this study is to review the development of the socially sustainable supply chain management field. Design/methodology/approach The 112 most cited papers in the field until 2017 are analysed using a state-of-the-art structured literature review model borrowed from the accounting field. Findings This study highlights the increasing number of publications across the years, the diversity of journals and the type of authors addressing the topic. It reveals that qualitative studies focused on large companies in the garment, food and electronics sectors and on private regulations capture most of the attention, with Asia, Europe and North America being the most scrutinised locations. Drivers and barriers for socially sustainable supply chain management are summarised, clustered and confronted. This study also evaluates how the sustainability and corporate social responsibility concepts are used in the above field and analyses the existing definitions of social sustainability. Research limitations/implications This study incites researchers to broaden their studies to diverse sectors and locations, addressing different levels of supply chains with quantitative techniques and clearer conceptual foundations. Practical implications This study incites practitioners to further contribute to this scholars-dominated research field, offering their practical insights and perspectives. Originality/value This study offers original insights and critiques of the literature, highlighting its gaps and proposing new research avenues for the future.

A fuzzy AHP approach for inbound supply risk assessment

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunal K. Ganguly ◽  
Kalyan K. Guin
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Customer Value ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Fuzzy Ahp ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Supply Risk ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy ◽  
Suggested Approach ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a methodology for assessing supply risk for a product category. The fuzzy based analytic hierarchy process (Fuzzy AHP) has been used for the purpose. The technique is used to determine the supply related risk and its potential impact on the buyer organization.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses case analysis approach to understand the supply related risks and then applying fuzzy AHP for prioritization of the same.FindingsThe result of the case example indicates that the suggested approach of fuzzy AHP methodology seems feasible for risk assessment in supply chain management as it allows the personnel to express their judgments regarding the importance of each type of risk elements and evaluate the situation from their own perspective and then have this input coordinated in a quantitative fashion.Practical implicationsSupply chain managers can use this research as a base for developing risk assessment tool. The result can help as a benchmarking tool for the supply management professionals. By having a better understanding of which element has the greatest effect on risk, they can focus their attention on reducing the chance that risk can have on their organizations success and profitability.Originality/valueThis paper provides practitioners with a methodology for analyzing supply side risk as an objective of creating customer value by delivering perfect order.

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