Sustainable Supply Chain Management Theory Research Articles

Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Purpose: This paper aims that doing a literature review on the topic of sustainable supply chain management by doing a critical analysis of the available research paper on the topic. This study will provide the importance of sustainable supply chain management in the current scenario of operation management in the different company. Further, the aim is to map the use of the theory in the relevant field and future avenues for its development. Design/Methodology/Approach: Research papers and articles from different journals were collected on the topic of sustainable supply chain management and its relevance. Main focus on given on the relative definition and key aspects of the term ‘sustainable supply chain management’ and more importantly sustainability role in the study of Supply chain management. At first 50 articles were collected and analyzed based on a different perspective on the topic. Out of these selected 50 papers, 5 papers were taken into consideration for the evaluation based on the analysis and application. These 5 papers provided the quantitative data to approach the topic at hand and create a framework representing the theory of sustainable supply chain management. Also, the relevance of the topic in different countries and sector dimension is also taken into consideration. Further, an in-depth analysis was done on the impact of the sustainable supply chain management on the performance and results of the given firms/organization. This analysis was based on the secondary data collected from the reports and papers analyzed. Findings: The crucial role of the theory of sustainable supply chain management plays in different dimension such as economic, social, environmental etc of the firms depending on the type of the industry and methodology used to implement it. At first, the finding includes the way to attain the sustainability in the traditional approach of the supply chain management. Later, the theory is evaluated as the key to improving the operation by the mean of being more effective and effective. Further, comprehensive application and strategically implementation of the theory is described in the different decision-making process in the operation management, specifically in supply chain operation. In addition to that, it also showed the impact of enhancing the performance and results through the proper implantation of the theory. Research Limitation/Implications: First, the underlying framework used to build up the theory are derived through different methodology in different research papers, where most of them based on the conceptual notion and are not emphatically tested. A limited number of real-world application examples to validate the theory. Second, analyzed firms/companies in different papers are limited. Also, these firms/companies taken into consideration operate in different industries, where the implication and effect of theory will be different depending on the relevance and application of the theory. Third, the contrast of the focus between economic dimension and sustainability in the social and environmental within the supply chain in different search paper. Fourth, most of the research papers available are on positive terms, so the theory under another term should also be examined. For example, determining the risk and cost associated with the theory which can have the adverse impact on the supply chain. Originality/Value: The focus of this paper was to provide a better understanding of the sustainable supply chain management theory and its application in a different stage of decision making and operation management to both the practitioner and academicians. It craves the path to shift from the tradition supply chain to the new approach by providing the literature review of the extensive research paper from the year 1991 to 2018.

Visualization of the Global Supply Chain Research Domain Through Bibliometric Analysis

Over the past three decades, it has become clear that supply chain networks have surpassed borders and expanded significantly in the international arena. The effects of this transformation have been the subject of many academic studies . The aim of this study is to understand how the domain knowledge of global supply chain literature has grown and evolved over time. Through co-citation analysis using CiteSpace software, a literature cognitive map has been extracted and hotspot topics, emerging trends and burst cited articles have been discovered in this map. The secondary data (including 653 research papers and 18,197 references) used in the analysis was retrieved from the Web of Science database. The results indicate that the sub-topics “greenhouse gas emission”, “corporate social responsibility” and “fair-trade labeling scheme” are new emerging trends in research of global supply chains. Also, the research focus has been sliding from cost reduction – profit maximization issues towards environmental and social issues under the sustainable supply chain management theory. Our study aims to provide a better understanding of current problems in the global supply chain area and lead to future research.

A systematic theoretical review on sustainable management for green competitiveness

Sustainable management for green competitiveness has been mentioned in the lasting researches based on various theories as to the transition theory, social responsibility theory (CSR), sustainable supply chain management theory (SSCM), the theory of planned behavior, and the contingency theory. Our purpose is to know which management theory is the most reliable in defining the intersection of management theories, sustainability, and green competitiveness. Therefore, a new interpretation must be parallel to cover all sustainability aspects: people, economics, and the environment. PRISMA-SCR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews) methodology was used to develop a greater understanding of relevant terminology core concepts, and key items to report for scoping reviews.

Supply chain corruption practices circumventing sustainability standards: wolves in sheep's clothing

PurposeA growing number of private, voluntary and mandatory sustainability standards have recently emerged. However, supply chain corruption practices as mechanisms to circumvent sustainability standards have also grown and occur regularly. This paper strives to elaborate theory on the intersection of institutional theory, business corruption and the sustainability standards literature by investigating factors that influence the emergence of supply chain corruption practices.Design/methodology/approachBased on secondary data, four in-depth case studies of supply chain corruption practices are investigated through the use of adaptive theory and the method of constant comparisons to elaborate theory on this important phenomenon.FindingsThe paper suggests that although sustainability standards can improve supply chain sustainability performance, if they are adopted only symbolically and not substantively, unanticipated outcomes such as supply chain corruption may occur. The study proposes a typology of supply chain corruption practices, further explores the symbolic adoption of sustainability standards in supply chains and proposes the novel construct of “social isomorphism for corruption.” Since focal companies play central roles in leading supply chain corruption practices, we reason that they can also play a pivotal role in preventing supply chain corruption practices by promoting the substantive adoption of sustainability standards across their supply chains.Originality/valueThis paper elaborates theory on the challenging phenomenon of corruption in supply chains by linking the supply chain management literature to the corruption and the sustainability discourses and offers important insights to aid our understanding on the topic. It generates six propositions and four contributions to the sustainable supply chain management theory, practice and policy.

Toward an organizational understanding of the transformation needed for sustainable supply chain management: The concepts of force-field and differential efforts

This paper facilitates an in-depth view of the transformation needed for the transition from traditional to sustainable supply chain management (SSCM)—by delineating its elemental aspects. Taking an organizational unit of analysis perspective, this conceptual review seeks to characterize the fundamental nature of complexities inherent in the transformation, and thereby seeks to explicate the elemental nature of organizational efforts responsible for shaping sustainable supply chains. The findings outline intriguing mechanisms for explaining the complex and endless nature of the transformation for organizations. This discourse also involves the proposition of two novel concepts applied in this context: the SSCM Force-field and Differential Efforts in SSCM. While the former represents the intricate interplay between organizational efforts and organizational complexities in absorbing SSCM practices in the supply chain routines of an organization, the latter reflects the value of additional efforts above and beyond what is required in existing supply chain routines, to facilitate the integration of a desired SSCM practice into routines. The findings show how the force-field impedes an organization's progress in SSCM and how differential effort allows an organization to overcome the force-field to extend theoretical frameworks and offering valuable guidance for practicing managers. Overall, the research strengthens the conceptual foundation of SSCM theory by explicating the under-explored aspects involved in an organization's progressive journey toward SSCM. Further, it is a first attempt to outline the organizational implications of the SSCM journey.

Impact of social sustainability orientation and supply chain practices on operational performance

PurposeSocially sustainable supply chain (SSSC) practices address pressing social issues and may provide operational benefits as well as positive impacts on society. However, due to gaps in the current knowledge, it is difficult to know what practices will provide benefits and what management orientations can maximize the impact of these practices on operational performance. The purpose of this paper is to advance the knowledge on the effect of social sustainability orientation on operational performance by examining the mediating roles of basic and advanced SSSC practices and the moderating role of long-term orientation (LTO).Design/methodology/approachData were collected through a survey of US-based companies about their relationships with key suppliers. Confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression were used to test the proposed moderated mediation model.FindingsSurprisingly, sustainability orientation predicts operational performance through advanced but not basic SSSC practices. Results also indicate that the effect of sustainability orientation on operational performance is significantly moderated by LTO.Research limitations/implicationsResults are limited by the US context, the cross-sectional nature of the research, the use of a single-respondent survey instrument and the challenges of measuring LTO.Practical implicationsManagers and policymakers should be aware of the limitations of adopting basic SSSC practices on the performance of their operations. Advanced practices provide a more robust business case and significantly and positively impact operational performance. In addition, the interaction of a sustainability orientation and LTO can lead to even greater improvements in firms’ operational performance. Firms with the highest levels of social sustainability and LTOs attain superior operational performance.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the growing literature on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and extends this literature by focusing on social sustainability practices, identifying specific practices that impact and the orientations that maximize operational performance. The authors contribute to the growing literature on the importance of manager’s temporal orientation and provide nuance to emerging SSCM theory by exposing the interplay of these orientations and the impact of SSSC practice adoption.

A research framework of sustainable supply chain management

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a framework and propositions to advance research and practice in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). Performance indicators (economic, environmental, and social) identified in the paper aim to facilitate empirical testing of a range of theoretical models derived or extended from the stated propositions.Design/methodology/approachThe study of SSCM is truly complicated, and there is no one theory that applies in all instances. The authors analyzed over 200 critical articles published in major supply chain management and sustainability-based journals and grounded the proposed framework in a multi-theoretical perspective.FindingsSSCM implementation entails linking stakeholder pressures, moral motives, and management commitment with relational practices. The paper further elucidates how relational practices, when bundled together, can create a set of relational capabilities, which in turn transform stakeholder pressures into sustainable outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsThe research framework contributes to SSCM theory building insofar as it can be expanded into various theoretical models, allowing researchers to empirically test the links among SSCM drivers, management commitment, and relational capabilities, along with their individual or collective impact on supply chain performance.Practical implicationsThe framework provides a roadmap for firms to develop and nurture relational capabilities while dealing with growing stakeholder pressures. Moral motives strengthen top management commitment, which helps channel stakeholder pressures toward the proactive development of relational capabilities.Originality/valueThe paper fulfills a call for utilizing multiple theoretical lenses to examine complex SSCM phenomena and, ultimately, to create a coherent theory of SSCM.

Building Bridges: Toward Alternative Theory of Sustainable Supply Chain Management

We contend that the development of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) theory has been impaired by a lack of paradigmatic diversity in the field. The contested nature of the concept of sustainability has been repressed in SSCM theory, which has led to SSCM cutting itself off from debates that could be the source of inspiration for the development of interesting theory. We adopt the problematization approach proposed by Alvesson and Sandberg (2011) in order to unveil some of SSCM's unquestioned assumptions, propose an alternative assumption ground, and in this way move toward stronger theory in SSCM. We use paradoxical framing to make sense of the inherent tensions between the different levels of sustainability and between the different types of theory being produced in response to the challenges of sustainability. We articulate a number of foundational assumptions for an alternative theory of SSCM that emerge from the various tensions identified between the different paradigms of sustainability. Finally, we identify a number of ideas for future research that would enable researchers to empirically explore the alternative assumptions.

Doing Well by Doing Good? The Self‐interest of Buying Firms and Sustainable Supply Chain Management

This paper investigates how changes in sustainability‐related conditions (SRCs) at a supplier influence buyers’ economic performance. Using a conceptual theory‐building approach and drawing on instrumental stakeholder theory, this research identifies four mediating effects through which suppliers’ SRCs affect buyers’ economic performance. The four mediating factors are purchasing costs, supply chain sustainability risk costs, cooperation benefits, and benefits stemming from spillovers of a supplier's self‐promotion. Purchasing costs exert a negative influence on buyers’ performance, whereas the other three factors contribute positively to performance. The study also suggests that the anticipation of performance effects which are salient to the buyer triggers efforts to improve the supplier's SRCs. This research makes several contributions. First, the study identifies and analyzes the causal pathways through which a supplier's SRCs influence buyers’ performance, thus contributing to the development of sustainable supply chain management theory. Second, the study helps buyers make better decisions about their suppliers. Finally, the study provides a conceptual platform for improved dialogue between stakeholders and buyers.

Putting sustainable supply chain management into base of the pyramid research

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to analyze which sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) arguments are addressed in the base of the pyramid (BoP)-related research. BoP projects address how companies contribute to fulfilling the needs of the poorest populations; increasingly, academics are applying theory to explain these projects. The need for integrating the BoP population into value-adding activities is widely acknowledged, but this is not yet reflected in supply chain management (SCM)-related concepts. The links to SSCM are frequently mentioned but in a scattered manner. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a structured literature review of BoP papers published between 2000 and 2014 in peer-reviewed, English-speaking journals available on Web of Science. A content analysis of BoP papers is conducted based on SSCM constructs from the framework presented by Beske and Seuring (2014). Findings – The frequencies of SSCM constructs identified in the BoP papers indicate the prevalence of SSCM arguments in the BoP discourse. Technological integration emerges as the core SSCM practice frequently identified and is contingent with a number of other practices. Further, SSCM practices including long-term relationship development, partner development, joint development, enhanced communication, learning, stakeholder management and innovation have regularly been referred to and are considered important by respective BoP scholars. The contingency analysis shows significant correlations among various pairs of categories and allows us to point to major lines of related arguments. Research limitations/implications – The paper offers insights into the potential links between the SSCM and BoP research streams and sets ground for further theoretical exploration of the subject. Limitations are the uptake of one particular conceptual framework, the selection of BoP papers for the review process and the interpretation of the frequency and contingency analysis. The paper offers a foundation for developing a research stream where BoP-related issues are integrated into research on (S)SCM. Practical implications – SCM has many practical applications, which help to establish and improve supply chain design and operations. This would benefit BoP projects and should improve their practical outcomes. The relevance of technological integration seems straightforward, but needs a lot of effort to be implemented in each single project. Social implications – BoP-related research has gained increasing attention in recent years and should help drive the global sustainable development agenda further in the respective geographic locations. Establishing capable supply chains that deliver sustainable outcomes will be at the core of such projects. This paper highlights fundamental practices for firms targeting BoP markets with an effort to alleviate poverty. Originality/value – The paper applies SSCM theory to analyze BoP issues and thereby interlinks the two research streams. Until now, research amalgamating the two concepts has been disconnected. Therefore, by providing an overview of existing publications, more focus for future studies is created, which is valuable and necessary for advancing both fields. Additionally, assessing BoP-type projects in low-income countries will allow the SSCM agenda to look beyond what is so far typically researched.

Sustainable supply chain management in “Base of the Pyramid” food projects—A path to triple bottom line approaches for multinationals?

Conducting business operations at the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) have necessitated the need for multinational corporations (MNCs) to involve poor communities in production processes including management of critical supply chains. However, current research on the interface between supply chain management and BoP business operation is lacking. In analyzing three cases of BoP projects in the food industry this study addresses the question of how sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) applied to BoP projects can help MNCs to achieve their sustainability goals. Findings indicate that applying SSCM to BoP projects can complement economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. In particular, the BoP projects analyzed show viable paths for integrating the social domain of sustainability with general SSCM theory and practice. From the perspective of international business research, the findings help to link sustainability activities to MNC operations at the BoP. Accordingly, further research is needed to advance integration of these two research streams.