Identifying critical risk factors of sustainable supply chain management: A rough strength-relation analysis method

At present, sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has gained a great momentum in this competitive business world for any kind of industry. Leather industry (leather, leather products, and footwear) is the second export earning sector of Bangladesh which is scrambling to implement SSCM in its working cycle. There are lot of challenges that are creating barriers for this industry owners in establishing sustainability practices in their supply chain management. There is lack of enough research in identifying the challenges of SSCM for leather industry of Bangladesh. That’s why, it is very imperative to identify the challenges of SSCM for leather industry in Bangladesh which will guide the industry owners to combat these challenges. In this research, we have not only identified the challenges of SSCM for leather industry but also evaluated the relationship among them. Besides, a priority list of identified challenges is depicted through which the industry owners can easily find out the major and minor challenges. Five industrial experts were selected from export-oriented leather and footwear factories in order to sort out the appropriate challenges. Decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique was applied to assess the relationship among identified 18 challenges and divided them into two groups such as cause and effect. The casual challenges are lack of knowledge and experience, lack of technical expertise, corruption, social unawareness, lack of acceptance of new technology, lack of training on SSCM, poor organizational culture, market competition and uncertainty, lack of commitment from top management and lack of integration of IT system. On the other hand, lack of eco-literacy among supply chain stakeholders, financial constraints, lack of government rules and regulations, cost of sustainability, limitations of capacity, lack of management initiatives for reverse logistics, demand for lower price and lack of energy and waste management policy were identified as effect group challenges. This study will help the decision-makers of leather industry in formulating strategic policies to address these challenges for in implementing SSCM in leather industry that will drive these sectors toward sustainable development.

Different sources of risk factors can happen in sustainable supply chain management due to their complex nature. The telecommunication service firm cannot implement multiple improvement practices altogether to overcome the risk factors with limited resources. The industries should evaluate the relationship between risk factors and explore the determinants of improvement measures. The present study aims to analyses and identifies critical risk factors (CRFs) for enhancing sustainable supply chain management practices in the Indian telecommunication industry using the hybrid approach. The relationship among these CRFs has been analyzed by using fuzzy interpretive structural modelling (FISM) and Fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (FDEMATEL) methods to explore the relationships between them. The common result of the present study is that the risks government policies (laws and regulations) (R13) are the most affecting CRFs of the sustainable supply chain in telecom service. In addition, the risk factors illegal activities (e.g.2G scams) (R3), environmental pollution(R18) are indirectly affected by high driving power CRFs. Based on the results, the government could build justice, fairness, open laws, and certainties to prevent risk in the telecoms supply chain; service providers could monitor the rapidly evolving technologies. The contribution of this study is using a hybrid approach to establish a hierarchical structural model for an effective understanding of CRFs relationships and to explore decisive risk factors.

Different sources of risk factors can occur in sustainable supply chain management due to its complex nature. The telecommunication service firm cannot implement multiple improvement practices altogether to overcome the risk factors with limited resources. The industries should evaluate the relationship between risk factors and explore the determinants of improvement measures. The purpose of the present study is to identify and analyze critical risk factors (CRFs) for enhancing sustainable supply chain management practices in the Indian telecommunication industry using interpretive structural modelling (ISM). Risk factors are identified through a literature survey, and then with the help of experts, nine CRFs are identified using a fuzzy Delphi method (FDM). The relationship among these CRFs has been analyzed using ISM, and the driving and the dependence power of those CRFs are analyzed. Results indicate that both “government policies (laws and regulations)” and “the impact of rapid change in technology” are independent or key factors that affect the sustainability of the telecommunications supply chain. In addition, results provide significant managerial implications, including enhanced sustainability, and the government should build justice, fairness, open laws, certainties, and regulations to prevent risk in the telecommunications industry supply chain; service providers should monitor the rapidly evolving technologies and focus on technical learning and organizational capacity development to overcome the impact of technological changes. The contribution of this study is using a novel approach to establish a hierarchical structural model for an effective understanding of CRFs relationships and to explore decisive risk factors that can help telecom service providers to better plan and design effective improvement strategies to enhance sustainability supply chain management.

In recent years, environmental sustainability has stimulated enterprises worldwide to not only develop green and sustainable innovations but also to move toward green and sustainable supply chain management. This study integrated the ideas of green supply chain management (GSCM) and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) to define sustainable green supply chain management (SGSCM). Previous studies on GSCM/SSCM have contributed to research and practice, but few have explored the antecedents and consequences of GSCM/SSCM simultaneously. To address this research gap, we linked ecological modernization (EM) theory with SGSCM and sustainability performance to build a comprehensive research model. A total of 300 valid questionnaires were collected from electrical and electronics firms in Taiwan. The empirical results demonstrated that awareness of and pressure to engage in EM significantly positively affected SGSCM. Moreover, SGSCM significantly positively influenced sustainability performance (i.e. environmental, economic, and social performance). These findings should convince enterprises to actively promote SGSCM.

This paper discusses the antecedences and consequences of supply chain transparency (SCT) in sustainable agrarian supply chain management using partial least squares regression in an empirical sample with 131 supply chains with lead firms in German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). We investigated the effect of such structural antecedences as disintermediation, as well as the effect of governance tools similar to intensive communication, the integration of third parties in supply chain governance or the use of formal specifications on SCT. We found that all these antecedences are helpful in increasing SCT, while low developed countries of origin significantly reduced SCT. Then, the effects of SCT on the four main performance dimensions in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), i.e. social, ecological, and operational performance and long-term relationship success, were verified. Higher SCT improves all four dimensions significantly, while the effect on operational performance is lowest. Supply chain transparency turns out to be a prerequisite or a basic indicator of good management in SSCM in agri-food supply chains.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to give an up-to-date and structured insight into the literature published during the past decade on sustainable green supply chain management. It also suggests trends for future research based on the research issues identified through systematic and comprehensive analysis of previous studies in the area of green and sustainable supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachA state-of-the-art literature review is carried out by systematically collecting the existing literature over a period of 10 years (2005-2014) and categorizing it on the basis of attributes such as stages in supply chain, methodology and the industries/sectors under consideration. The classification of literature is also done according to the geographic region and year of publication.FindingsThere has been an increased interest among researchers and practitioners in the area of sustainable green supply chain management in the past decade. A need for achieving sustainability through adoption of greener practices has been universally felt, owing to an increasing environmental and ecological complexity. The review reveals that there exists a need to address behavioural issues like human resource management and supply chain partner relationship management. Moreover, reverse logistics, closed-loop supply chain management and waste management are areas that need special focus to achieve environmental sustainability.Research limitations/implicationsThe current review focuses on research trends in the past 10 years only. Moreover, papers from only good quality, peer-reviewed journals are considered in the study.Originality/valueMost of the previous reviews have either focused on specific issues related to sustainable supply chains only or green supply chains. The present study collectively takes into consideration papers both from green supply chain management as well as from sustainable supply chain literature that have a prime focus on environmental sustainability.

The objective of this literature review is to identify the similarities and differences between the green supply chain management (GSCM) and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) definitions and factors in the literature. In order to analyze the identifying definitions, two different groups of factors for sustainable development (i.e., environmental, economic, social factors) and Supply chain management (i.e., flow, stakeholder, relationship, value, coordination factors) were proposed. The presentation of these factors in the recognized definitions will be analyses and compare. The comparative analysis illustrates the similarities and differences between the two concepts. Therefore, definitions of GSCM focus on environmental, flow and stakeholder factors. However, the definitions of SSCM represent a focus on environmental, economic, social, flow and stakeholder factors. In the result, GSCM is the environmental dimension of SSCM, the flow and the stakeholder factors are common factors between the two approaches. SSCM is, thus, an extension of GSCM. The definitions presented addressed the entirety of the sustainable development and SCM factors that were proposed.

The importance of sustainable food supply chain management is to overcome the wastage in food manufacturing industries. It benefits the industries to minimize the stress demand of food. The aim of current work is to assess success factors related to the successful implementation of sustainable food supply chain management. On the basis of the literature survey, ten success factors were identified and analyzed with the help of decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. DEMATEL technique is useful for the interrelation of success factors among them and then divides it into cause and effect for the further investigation. According to the present research, food quality and safety was attributed the highest importance among other success factors for the successful adoption of sustainable food supply chain management initiatives. Present work helps managers and higher authorities in the industries for devising long-term decision policies in effective managing sustainable food supply chain management implementation.

Pythagorean fuzzy DEMATEL method for supplier selection in sustainable supply chain management

Understanding different aspects of sustainability, supply chain management (SCM), and decision making policies and relating them to performance measurement have been increasingly investigated in the last decade. In contrast to traditional SCM, which typically focuses on economic and financial business performance, sustainable SCM (SSCM) is characterized by explicit integration of environmental or social objectives which extend the economic dimension. For evaluating the sustainability of SCM as well as its greenness, we have to consider many and different index and criteria. One of the best tools for assessing the SSCM and GSCM is multicriteria decision making (MCDM) techniques. Many studies have been conducted in this area. Moreover, there are many uncertainty factors which may reduce the accuracy of MCDM result. Actually, Uncertainty is always a worsening factor in any decision support models, and dilutes the planned objectives of such models. For decreasing this uncertainty, fuzzy logic has been combined with MCDM approach. In fact, the main purpose of this chapter is considering the recent studies in area of SSCM and GSCM regarding to applications of fuzzy MCDM techniques. At the end of this chapter, based on out investigations in applications of fuzzy MCDM in SSCM and GSCM and regarding to research gaps, some suggestions for future studies have been proposed.

Supply chain management (SCM) increasingly needs to address both climate change mitigation and adaptation issues. While mitigation aims at sustainability by reducing the environmental impact of supply chains (SCs), adaptation entails improving resilience by increasing the ability to cope with climate-induced disruptions. Although sustainable SCM (SSCM) and resilient SCM (RSCM) are of increasing importance, there has been little effort to conceptually connect SSCM and RSCM. Our study explores the interconnections between both concepts by outlining theoretical elements and conducting a case study of four companies in the automotive SC based on company documents and interviews. Results show that SSCM is prioritised over RSCM. We furthermore highlight trade-offs and overlaps between the elements of SSCM and RSCM, which can be valuable for decision-makers, and introduce two enabling factors: transparency and diversity. We present a novel theoretical SCM framework that integrates both resilience and sustainability perspectives and make propositions for future research.

A fuzzy multi-criteria model with Pareto analysis for prioritizing sustainable supply chain barriers in the textile industry: Evidence from an emerging economy

Purpose This paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of the impact of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) practices on sustainable performance and the further impact of sustainable performance on food safety assurance in Chinese food firms. The paper also aims to provide a new way to avoid the occurrence of food safety problems from the perspective of SSCM and so help food firms to achieve sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach This paper developed a conceptual model to investigate the impact of food firms SSCM practices on the firm performances while firm performances on food safety assurance. The primary data were collected from 162 Chinese food firms. The research models were tested using structural equation modeling on PLS smart 3.0. Findings The results show that SSCM practices have a positive impact on firm environmental performance and social performances. The environmental and social performance positively related to financial performance. Moreover, the sustainable performance positively affects the food safety assurance. Research limitations/implications Our results suggest that SSCM practices have a positive impact on a firm’s environmental and social performance, which in turn improves financial performance. Moreover, sustainable performance positively affects food safety assurance. Originality/value An SSCM practices model is proposed to empirically evaluate Chinese food firms. The results of this investigation support the hypotheses that SSCM practices are environmentally and socially friendly and are good to business, and the food safety assurance can be promoted by a food firm’s sustainability performance. We carried out a survey and research of SSCM in food industry and gave insights to food safety management.

At present, scholars have thought little of the drivers for sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) in developing countries. Drawing upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Competing Value Framework (CVF) of organisational culture, this study investigates how the drivers for SSCM motivate Chinese firms to adopt SSCM practices and how such effects are moderated by organisational culture. The results of a survey of 209 firms in China suggest that the eight driving factors for SSCM have significantly impact on SSCM adoption. In addition, organisational culture plays different roles in the relationships between these three dimensions of the driving force and SSCM adoption. Team-based culture and hierarchy culture do not moderate the relationship between SSCM drivers and practices. Market-oriented culture positively moderates the relationship between subjective norm and SSCM practices and negatively moderates the relationship between perceived behavioural control (PBC) and SSCM practices. Active culture has positive moderating effect on the relationship between attitude and SSCM practices, as well as between subjective norm and SSCM practices, but has negatively moderating effect on the relationship between PBC and SSCM practices. The study provides meanings insights into the implementation of SSCM in the context of developing countries.

Motivated by the low sustainability index and pressure to meet the global demand for eco-friendly crude palm oil (CPO) in the pandemic-ridden environment, this research aims to investigate the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the drivers of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) of the Indonesian CPO sector to tackle supply chain disruptions. To achieve this aim, the study seeks to determine the sustainability drivers to accommodate the pandemic-ridden environment and if sustainability indicators can help improve the supply chain management of the CPO sector. A methodology is divided into two interrelated parts: first, based on a careful review of extant literature of the CPO sector and sustainable supply chain in the light of pandemic. The proposed methodology is then tested using the response data of 108 oil mills' representatives collected through survey questionnaires and analyzed using statistical tools of reliability, distribution, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and diagnostic tests of CFA. The findings designate the environmental costs, rapidity, and adaptability as core economic indicators; the social and workforce development, health, and safety workforce development and consumer issues as crucial social indicators; while energy and material efficiency, management of waste and emissions, and sustainable suppliers as the best environmental indicators. This study provides a holistic platform on the implications of the pandemic to assess the SSCM of the CPO sector. These findings are expected to aid the industrial managers in employee skills and health protocols, customer service, and environmental management. The study is also anticipated to guide the supply-chain partners and government policymakers to take initiatives on SSCM in the context of the pandemic.