Factors Affecting Sustainable Supply Chain Management: The Indian Steel Sector

Abstract

Organizational sustainability performance is highly dependent on organization’s culture and work practices including sustainable supply chain management. External pressures influence organizational practices and this also reflects on the sustainability performance indicators. This study presents an analysis of their interrelationships in the Indian steel sector. 21 measures representing dimensions of external pressure, organizational internal practices and sustainability performance were developed with reference to literature review and experts’ opinion from industry. A conceptual model has been proposed which has been empirically tested by survey data collected from 145 industry practitioners through online and offline survey. Using structural equation modelling technique, the study establishes that organizational practices positively impact the sustainability performance in India’s steel sector. The external pressures, though, impact organizational practices, their impact on sustainability performance is insignificant. The findings should help the practitioners, academics as well as policy makers in focusing greater attention to creating favorable conditions in the organization. This research paves the way for further work in this area.