Uncovering the dark and bright sides of implementing collaborative forecasting throughout sustainable supply chains: An exploratory approach

Abstract

This research inquired into the constituents making up the dimensions of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, explored the challenges and opportunities associated with collaborative forecasting. This direction was motivated by the fact that social sustainability, has received minimal attention in the literature. This study determined the constructs that are critical to creating sustainable supply chains. A three-phase Delphi approach involving qualitative and quantitative analyses was carried out. Feedback was obtained from 18 international experts who are very knowledgeable about collaboration and sustainable supply chains. Initially, 24 independent constructs that can be regarded as sub-dimensions of the dimensions making up the UN Global Compact were identified. However, sub-questions directed at all opportunities and challenges that are encountered at both corporate and supply chain levels yielded 38 constructs. Finally, eight key constructs were identified as highly critical to supply chain sustainability. No study has directly extracted the sub-dimensions of the UN Global Compact dimensions, and most research focused on economic and environmental sustainability while neglecting social sustainability. The current work is an attempt to address these gaps. Additionally, the research directed attention to the neglected relationship between collaborative forecasting and supply chain sustainability.