Buyer–Supplier Relationships, Sustainable Supplier Management, Green Design, and Firms’ Performance in Vietnam

Abstract

This chapter aims to explore the causal relationships between the four dimensions of sustainable supplier management (sustainable supplier selection (SSS), sustainable supplier collaboration (SSC), sustainable supplier development (SSD), and sustainable supplier monitoring (SSM)), and buyer–supplier linkage. Moreover, the study also aims to test the connections between buyer–supplier relationships (BSRs), green design, and firms’ performance (FP). Based on data collected from 156 manufacturers in Vietnam, the study uses the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to test the causality in a research framework. The findings indicate that sustainable supplier collaboration and development both have positive and significant effects on the BSR, whereas the BSR has a positive influence on green design for sustainability (GDS) and FP. Additionally, green design is positively associated with FP. Finally, the results contribute to the current literature by exploring the multiple dimensions of sustainable supplier management and address practical implications by providing some feasible suggestions for company leaders.