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.

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.

A three-dimensional framework for multi-tier sustainable supply chain management

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 560-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp C. Sauer ◽  
Stefan Seuring
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Demand Uncertainty ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Purpose This study aims to investigate the under-researched role of the sub-supplier’s direct environment in achieving compliance with multi-tier sustainable supply chain management (MT-SSCM) objectives. Design/methodology/approach Building on conceptual research, this study aims to generalize the characteristics of multi-tier supply chains in light of institutional theory and supply chain (SC) uncertainty to enhance the understanding of their complex interrelationship. Findings A three-dimensional framework is built around the supply and demand uncertainty as well as the pressures for sustainability exerted by the supplier’s direct environment to propose ideal constellations for the application of MT-SSCM. Moreover, research directions and implications for the alteration of suboptimal constellations are developed. Practical implications Incorporating the supplier’s environment in the choice of MT-SSCM practices couples the sustainability priorities of the focal firm and the supplier. This enables a more complete picture of the sustainability objectives and sustainable development aims of the SC partners. Originality/value On the basis of institutional theory, the study extends current MT-SSCM concepts by including the supplier’s direct environment in the choice of ideal management practices in a particular SC setup. It provides a definition of a multi-tier SC as an institutional field and a number of research implications regarding MT-SSCM as well as generic SSCM. Moreover, the proposed framework helps SC managers to understand the complex interplay of the SC partners’ sustainability aims and provides implications for choosing the most suitable MT-SSCM 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.

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.

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.

Ensuring supplier participation toward addressing sustainability-oriented objectives of the mid-day meal supply chain

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 456-475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivek Roy ◽  
Parikshit Charan ◽  
Tobias Schoenherr ◽  
B.S. Sahay
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Social Identification ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Feeding ◽  
The Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and further explain the phenomena of supplier participation in addressing the sustainability-oriented objectives of a supply chain. Specifically, the paper explains how a buyer can integrate sustainability concerns among its suppliers. The study is based in the context of the Indian school feeding (mid-day meal) program and approaches the issue from the perspective of a mid-day meal provider. Design/methodology/approach This paper first explains how the mid-day meal providers in India explicitly address the social and economic dimensions of sustainability. Thereby, it conducts an exploratory case study on a renowned meal provider with the objective to understand the nature of its efforts toward supplier participation through in-depth interviews. Findings As evident in the case, from the buyer’s perspective, the key to success in winning supplier participation in addressing the sustainability-oriented supply chain objectives largely revolves around efforts along the critical aspects of policy development, policy implementation, and intent building with suppliers. Originality/value This paper propagates a threefold value by outlining the central importance of the focus on efforts and challenges for understanding supplier participation in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). First, the paper is among the initial studies to focus on ground-level efforts and challenges for a mid-day meal provider, and outlines best practices. Second, the case presents revelatory insights on SSCM from the perspective of supplier participation. For example, it demonstrates the relevance of supply-chain-based social identification in governing supplier willingness to participate in a buyer’s SSCM. Third, the findings also extend critical implications toward SSCM theory and practice.

Sustainable supply chain management: continuing evolution and future directions

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig R. Carter ◽  
Marc R. Hatton ◽  
Chao Wu ◽  
Xiangjing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Validity ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to update the work of Carter and Easton (2011), by conducting a systematic review of the sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) literature in the primary logistics and supply chain management journals, during the 2010–2018 timeframe. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology which follows the methodology employed by Carter and Easton (2011). An evaluation of this methodology, using the Modified AMSTAR criteria, demonstrates a high level of empirical validity. Findings The field of SSCM continues to evolve with changes in substantive focus, theoretical lenses, unit of analysis, methodology and type of analysis. However, there are still abundant future research opportunities, including investigating under-researched topics such as diversity and human rights/working conditions, employing the group as the unit of analysis and better addressing empirical validity and social desirability bias. Research limitations/implications The findings result in prescriptions and a broad agenda to guide future research in the SSCM arena. The final section of the paper provides additional avenues for future research surrounding theory development and decision making. Originality/value This SLR provides a rigorous, methodologically valid review of the continuing evolution of empirical SSCM research over a 28-year time period.

Sustainable supply chain management

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
MingLang Tseng ◽  
Ming Lim ◽  
Wai Peng Wong
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management ◽  
Fuzzy Delphi

Purpose – Assessing a measure of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) performance is currently a key challenge. The literature on SSCM is very limited and performance measures need to have a systematic framework. The recently developed balanced scorecard (BSC) is a measurement system that requires a balanced set of financial and non-financial measures. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the SSCM performance based on four aspects i.e. sustainability, internal operations, learning and growth, and stakeholder. Design/methodology/approach – This paper developed a BSC hierarchical network for SSCM in a close-loop hierarchical structure. A generalized quantitative evaluation model based on the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and Analytical Network Process (ANP) were then used to consider both the interdependence among measures and the fuzziness of subjective measures in SSCM. Findings – The results of this study indicate that the top-ranking aspect to consider is that of stakeholders, and the top five criteria are green design, corporate sustainability, strategic planning for environmental management, supplier cost-saving initiatives and market share. Originality/value – The main contributions of this study are twofold. First, this paper provides valuable support for supply chain stakeholders regarding the nature of network hierarchical relations with qualitative and quantitative scales. Second, this paper improves practical performance and enhances management effectiveness for SSCM.

Propagation of risks and their impact on performance in fresh food retail

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 568-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir K Srivastava ◽  
Atanu Chaudhuri ◽  
Rajiv K. Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Food Retail ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fresh Food ◽  
Retail Supply Chains ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Supply Chain Risks

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.

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