An exploration of green supply chain practices and performances in an automotive industry

Abstract

During recent years, the natural environment has become a challenging topic that business organizations must consider due to the economic and ecological impacts and increasing awareness of environment protection. Globalization and the increased number of countries entering the World Trade Organization (WTO) have promoted green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in manufacturing organizations. GSCM has emerged as an important organizational philosophy and a proactive approach to reduce environmental risks. Increasing pressures such as stricter regulations, increased community, and consumer pressures, and the developing country’s aim to enter the WTO have caused automotive supply chain managers to consider and to implement GSCM practices to improve both their economic and environmental performances. This paper explores the practices and performances of the GSCM based on the GSCM literature, and it considers the relationship between green supply chain practices (initiatives) and performance outcomes. In this paper, two questionnaires were developed and a survey conducted to assess the importance of GSCM practices and performances in an automotive company in a developing country using a fuzzy multiple criteria decision-making method. The result of this paper presents practical guidance for managers in performing GSCM practices by ranking GSCM practices according to their importance which leads to improving GSCM performances.