World class sustainable supply chain management: critical review and further research directions

The effects of power imbalance on supply chain sustainability adoption: evidence from the artisanal fishing industry

Purpose

Grounded on resource dependence theory, the authors explored how power and dependence affect sustainability adoption in an artisanal fishing supply chain (AFSC) in Mexico.

Design/methodology/approach

An in-depth longitudinal case study was conducted to identify relationships among fishers, a cooperative and intermediaries using a content analysis of data gathered from a combination of interviews, focus groups, observations, participatory workshops and secondary data.

Findings

As a result of the existing power imbalance among AFSC members, mediated forces (e.g. rewards for intermediary–fishers relationship) were the most prominent observed. In addition, a close and high dependence on resources affecting supply chain sustainability (SCS) adoption was identified. For example, within intermediary–cooperative relationships, a power imbalance caused mostly by financial resource dependence generated a negative impact on economic sustainability related to unfair prices and unfair trade. The results, thus, showed the detrimental influence of intermediaries among AFSC members on SCS adoption.

Practical implications

A greater understanding of power imbalance and dependence can help AFSC members to identify their weaknesses and develop actions to adopt sustainability.

Originality/value

Unlike previous research, the authors go beyond the often positive research focus of SCS studies and provide, through the resource dependence theory, a longitudinal view on how power imbalance negatively affects SCS adoption.

Supply chain driven sustainability: ambidexterity, authentic leadership and interorganizational citizenship behavior

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how supply chain strategy affects a firm's sustainability performance and how the strength of that relationship is influenced by managerial authentic leadership (AL) and its associated impact on interorganizational citizenship behavior (ICB).

Design/methodology/approach

Building on the intersection of three theories: organizational ambidexterity, AL and ICB, a mediated moderation model is developed and tested using structural equation modeling based on the responses from a cross-sectional survey administered by the authors.

Findings

The results reveal that an ambidextrous supply chain strategy is positively related to firm sustainability performance and this relationship is strengthened by AL. Furthermore, this study finds that this moderating relationship is partially mediated by ICB.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the first to empirically test the effect of supply chain ambidexterity on sustainability performance by explicitly considering how leadership characteristics can both directly and indirectly affect the efficacy of this relationship. The findings complement existing literature by providing novel insights into the ability of firm supply chain strategy to affect sustainability performance.

Optimizing firm's supply chain resilience in data-driven business environment

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of a firm’s supply chain capabilities on supply chain resilience, and the impact of supply chain resilience on sustainable supply chain performance in a data-driven business environment. The study also aims to explore the function of supply chain resilience in mediating the relationship between a firm’s supply chain capability and sustainable supply chain performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were acquired through a survey of 310 managers of small- and medium-sized businesses in a variety of industries across Bangladesh. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

A firm’s supply chain capabilities include information technology, leadership and collaboration. Supply chain capability is positively associated with supply chain resilience. The resilience of a firm’s supply chain is also positively correlated with its sustainable supply chain performance. Supply chain resilience plays a mediating role in the relationship between a firm’s supply chain capabilities and its sustainable supply chain performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides a theoretical contribution by corroborating practical knowledge focusing on firms’ supply chain capability, supply chain resilience and sustainable supply chain performance by using a resource-based view and dynamic capability theory – a relevant and unexplored subject in the supply chain literature – and proposes several opportunities for future research.

Practical implications

The results highlight the study’s managerial and social relevance from the perspective of firms in developing countries. As firms shift toward an online environment, managers and decision-makers need to make strategic decisions, as they did to overcome the challenges presented by COVID-19.

Originality/value

The study’s findings demonstrate that firms’ supply chain capabilities can be leveraged to increase supply chain resilience. Firms’ resilience during COVID-19 allowed them to avoid losses and to improve their supply chain’s sustainable performance. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, their complex higher order model is a unique contribution to the literature on firms’ supply chain capability and extends previous research on this topic.

Analysing the interactions of sustainability practices and financial performance on business-to-business buying behaviour in Indian manufacturing industry: a graph-theoretic approach

Purpose

This study aims to develop a framework for the action hierarchy of sustainability practices and financial performance and their optimal combination for supplier evaluation and selection in business-to-business (B2B) for the Indian manufacturing industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the extensive literature review followed by comprehensive interviews conducted using the Delphi methodology with professionals, this study attempts to represent the interactions of the sustainability practices and financial performance factors on B2B buying behaviour using a graph-theoretic approach.

Findings

The contribution of environmental, social, economic and financial performance to B2B buying behaviour is obtained quantitatively in the context of the Indian manufacturing industry.

Research limitations/implications

This study considers inputs from the Indian manufacturing industry, which may vary significantly based on the type of industry and geographical locations.

Practical implications

This study provides a direction to prioritize their supplier evaluation and selection criteria for sustainability practices and financial performance with quantifiable rationale.

Originality/value

The study seeks to encourage manufacturing industries to plan their actions by quantifying the intangibles through a systematic approach.

Practice theories and supply chain sustainability: a systematic literature review and a research agenda

Purpose

This paper presents an investigation into the ways the term “practice” is commonly referenced in supply chain management academic papers. Scholars have not yet developed a common understanding of the meaning and do not use practice theories when examining practices related to sustainability management in supply chains. Hence, the authors highlight theoretical gaps and make recommendations for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

Grounded in a systematic literature review of 232 peer-reviewed papers published in operations and supply chain management journals, a qualitative content analysis was conducted using both a deductive and an inductive approach.

Findings

Results show that supply chain sustainability (SCS) scholars seem barely interested in increasing the understanding of the term “practice,” widely used in the literature to refer to a practical context. Moreover, a clear distinction between being practical and using practice theories to study SCS practices is needed. A descriptive and critical analysis revealed eight key supply chain practices connected to sustainability, with a clear reflection on their meaning. As awareness of practice theories for research on SCS is limited, few recommendations for researchers and practitioners were identified.

Originality/value

Unlike prior literature reviews, the authors reinforce the need to increase the maturity of the SCS field by going beyond superficial theoretical building. Practice theories pathways are provided to enlighten scholars on how to avoid using the term “practice” as taken-for-granted and on how to deal with SCS research and practice.

Dynamic Capabilities to Achieve Corporate Sustainability: A Roadmap to Sustained Competitive Advantage

Dynamic capabilities and sustainability practices have become the center of attention for companies globally, but there is still a debate on how organizations can successfully develop dynamic capabilities and achieve sustainability for competitive advantage. This paper discusses the outcomes of a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) following the PRISMA guidelines and employs dynamic capabilities theory to suggest that strategic routines and competencies, integrated value chains, sustainability-oriented transformations, and strategic organizational developments are the drivers to effectively develop dynamic capabilities. Similarly, environmental-oriented sustainability, sustainable strategic management, sustainable dynamic capabilities, stakeholder-centric approach, sustainable supply chain management, operational excellence, sustainable research and development (R&D), and sustainability-oriented global business strategy are found to be the drivers to achieve overall corporate sustainability. Based on the findings, a conceptual model is proposed to obtain sustained competitive advantage by developing sustainable dynamic capabilities and achieving corporate sustainability.

Achieving Human Resource Management Sustainability in Universities

The sustainability of human resource management (HRM) is the basis for an organization’s future growth and success. This study aims to investigate achieving HRM sustainability in universities. We use a quantitative research method design to investigate the factors that affect HRM sustainability at universities. The study was conducted during the spring and summer of 2020 at Iranian state universities. As the study’s statistical population included 2543 employees, a sample size of 334 employees was calculated using the Cochran formula. A questionnaire with 32 statements based on a 5-point Likert scale was used to collect the data, which were analyzed using PLS3 software. The findings show that human resource practices, social factors, psychological factors, employer branding, and economic factors have positive and significant effects on HRM sustainability at universities. Findings indicate that it is essential to consider the implementation of adequate HRM practices and related socio-economic and psychological supports for HRM sustainability in universities that can lead to the competitiveness of the higher education institutions such as universities.

Creating Innovation in Achieving Sustainability: Halal-Friendly Sustainable Port

The expansion of liberalized trade has forced companies to consider the global market demand to stay competitive. Hence, ports have started to embrace sustainability practices in their activities throughout port operations. Various research has suggested that there is more innovation when sustainability is adopted as an integral part of their business activities. This study established a halal-friendly sustainable port concept and its implementation in meeting the objectives of sustainability practices to boost innovation. To embed sustainability within port organizations, it is vital to create an organizational culture that supports innovation and integrative thinking. Based on the qualitative data obtained from 38 port stakeholders in the southern of Malaysia, the respondents supported a halal-friendly sustainable port as a potential innovation in meeting the objectives of the sustainable practices. Four components that were found crucial for the proposed framework reflect the novelty of the research and its successful implementation.

Measuring the sustainability of beef supply chain with rapid appraisal for beef supply chain

Background and Aim:

Nationally, there has always been a gap between the demand for beef and its supply, although supply growth is proportional with demand growth and even exceeds it in some regions in Indonesia. This research study aims to measure the sustainability status of the beef supply chain and applies the developed measurement system to a specific beef supply chain by identifying suitable indicators and their scale. Moreover, this research study provides some recommendations for the improvement of the sustainability status of the beef supply chain.

Materials and Methods:

In this research study, 11 and nine indicators were analyzed to assess the sustainability status of the beef supply chain at the farm and slaughterhouse chain levels. A rapid appraisal for beef supply chain was applied to rapidly assess the sustainability status of beef supply chains using Multidimensional Scaling (MDS). The Delphi method was utilized as an iterative process to collect data and obtain consensus of experts’ judgments regarding the policies that should be implemented to improve the most sensitive indicator affecting the economic, social, and environmental dimensions.

Results:

Analysis of ordination with MDS shows the regional sustainability index value for multidimensional approaches of beef cattle farms and beef slaughterhouses. The sustainability index value for beef cattle farms was 56.14 (moderately sustainable), 48.02 (fairly unsustainable), and 48.77 (fairly unsustainable) in Semarang, Sragen, and Boyolali, respectively. Moreover, the sustainability index value for beef slaughterhouses was 47.05 (fairly unsustainable), 54.83 (moderately sustainable), and 54.19 (moderately sustainable) in Semarang, Sragen, and Boyolali, respectively. Policy recommendation was focused on the basis of the results of leverage analysis, which highlighted the most indicative factor affecting sustainability for each dimension.

Conclusion:

Measurement results revealed that the achievement of beef supply chain sustainability requires targeted efforts through the deployment of several policies as the current status of sustainability in beef farms and beef slaughterhouses was only inclined toward moderately sustainable and fairly unsustainable. Although all the surveyed regions in this study can meet the regional needs of beef meat on their own and even distribute the excess to other regions, none of the beef supply chains of the surveyed region indicated good sustainability.

Development of the Concept of Circular Supply Chain Management—A Systematic Review

This systematic review presents the most important characteristics and trends of research in circular supply chain management (CSCM), taking into account the impact of COVID. In addition, the similarities and differences between the basic concepts often used as synonyms for sustainability are also presented. First, the sample database (39,000 records) was based on a search containing publications’ titles regarding supply chain management (SCM). After narrowing the topic from SCM towards CSCM, the considered paper characteristics were expanded, including abstract and author keywords, to get a manageable number of samples for the systematic analysis (6095 documents) and the most accurate results possible. The analysis’ base sample was divided into two periods (before and after 2012) due to a significant increase and change in the number of publications, their subject, characteristic journals and geographical location. Sustainability has emerged since 2012, while a circular approach emerged after 2017 with a significant share of research, mainly thanks to relevant EU policies. Although the role of the US has been decisive in the field, the European research bases of previous years have increasingly been replaced by Far Eastern dominance. Currently, CSCM’s most important journal is the International Journal of Supply Chain Management (Elsevier), but most articles on the impact of COVID have been published in Sustainability (MDPI). More effective policy implementation and the fight against COVID in the development of supply chains are also likely to spread the circular economic model in the future.

Artificial intelligence for supply chain resilience: learning from Covid-19

Purpose

Many supply chains have faced disruption during Covid-19. Artificial intelligence (AI) is one mechanism that can be used to improve supply chain resilience by developing business continuity capabilities. This study examines how firms employ AI and consider the opportunities for AI to enhance supply chain resilience by developing visibility, risk, sourcing and distribution capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have gathered rich data by conducting semistructured interviews with 35 experts from the e-commerce supply chain. The authors have adopted a systematic approach of coding using open, axial and selective methods to map and identify the themes that represent the critical elements of AI-enabled supply chain resilience.

Findings

The results of the study highlight the emergence of five critical areas where AI can contribute to enhanced supply chain resilience; (1) transparency, (2) ensuring last-mile delivery, (3) offering personalized solutions to both upstream and downstream supply chain stakeholders, (4) minimizing the impact of disruption and (5) facilitating an agile procurement strategy.

Research limitations/implications

The study offers interesting implications for bridging the theory–practice gap by drawing on contemporary empirical data to demonstrate how enhancing dynamic capabilities via AI technologies further strengthens supply chain resilience. The study also offers suggestions for utilizing the findings and proposes a framework to strengthen supply chain resilience through AI.

Originality/value

The study presents the dynamic capabilities for supply chain resilience through the employment of AI. AI can contribute to readying supply chains to reduce their risk of disruption through enhanced resilience.

An analysis of barriers affecting implementation of sustainable supply chain management in electronics industry: a Grey-DEMATEL approach

Purpose

World over organizations are focusing on sustainable goals, where along with economic success their role in protecting the planet and people are becoming important. Whilst transforming the supply chain into a sustainable one, there would be some barriers which might hinder this process. This paper aims to study these barriers in the context of the electronics industry so that organizations can better implement sustainable supply chain programs.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, barriers affecting sustainability implementation in the electronics supply chain are shortlisted from literature review and experts’ opinion. Using the combined methodology of Grey DEMATEL, the causal factors, the effect factors and degree of prominence of barriers is found out. The overall relationship among barriers is established by a diagraph. Sensitivity analysis is performed to check the robustness of the results.

Findings

It is found that lack of regulation and guidance from authorities is the primary causal barrier affecting operations of sustainable supply chain management. There are five barriers which fall in the influenced group and among them, complexity in measuring and monitoring sustainability practices has the largest net effect value on the implementation of a sustainable supply chain. The barrier having the highest correlation with other barriers is the high cost for disposal of hazardous wastes. The implications of these findings on managers and academicians is explored in the study.

Research limitations/implications

In this research, the number of barriers shortlisted is limited to 11 in the context of the electronics supply chain. More factors could be added in future research based on the industry being studied.

Originality/value

The research analyses 11 barriers under categories of policy, technology, financial and human resources in the Indian electronics industry by evaluating the cause and effect group of barriers. These results can guide policymakers of the electronic sector and industry for mitigating barriers during the implementation of sustainable programs.

Analysing the complexities of sustainable wood supply chain in the Amazon: a systems thinking approach

Purpose

The overall objective of this study is to holistically analyse the complexities involved in the adoption of sustainable wood supply chain in the Amazon and to develop strategic interventions to improve the system.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the systems thinking and modelling framework that included problem structuring followed by the development of a systems model. Tumbira and Santa Helena do Inglês, two Amazonian communities, were used as a case. Data were collected by staying inside the Amazon, observing the community members and interacting with them during their activities, including logging inside the forest.

Findings

A behaviour over time (BOT) graph developed as a part of problem structuring showed that deforestation of the Amazon is still increasing, despite the creation of protected areas and NGO activities in the region. Developing a sustainable wood supply chain is considered as one of the approaches for sustainable forestry in the Amazon, but its adoption is slow. The systems model captured the underlying structure of this system and explained this counterintuitive behaviour using eleven interacting feedback loops.

Research limitations/implications

This study is confined to two Amazonian communities and recognises the limitations of generalisations.

Practical implications

This paper illustrates the development of three strategic interventions to improve the adoption of sustainable wood supply chain in the Amazon.

Originality/value

This study highlights the real issues faced by real communities living in the Amazon for adopting sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices. It contributes to the literature on sustainable wood supply chain by systemically analysing the challenges in its adoption, not sufficiently discussed in the literature.

Benchmarking the practices of flexibility with maturity models and frameworks of organizational capabilities

Purpose

Organizational capabilities are crucial to achieve the objectives. A plethora of maturity models is available to guide organizational capabilities that create a perplexing situation about what stuff to improve and what to leave. Therefore, a unified maturity model addressing a wide range of capabilities is a necessity. This paper establishes that a flexibility maturity model is an unified model containing the operational, strategic and human capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper does a comparative analysis/benchmarking studies of different maturity models/frameworks widely used in the information technology (IT) sector with respect to the flexibility maturity model to establish its comprehensiveness and application in the organization to handle multiple goals.

Findings

This study confirms that the flexibility maturity model has the crucial elements of all the maturity models. If the organizations use the flexibility maturity model, they can avoid the burden of complying with multiple ones and become objective-driven rather than compliance-driven.

Research limitations/implications

The maturity models used in information technology sectors are used. This work will inspire other maturity models to adopt flexibility phenomena.

Practical implications

The comparative analysis will give confidence in application of flexibility framework. The business environment and strategic options across organizations are inherently different that the flexibility maturity model well handles.

Social implications

A choice is put to an organization to see the comparison tables produced in this paper and choose the right framework according to the prevailing business situation.

Originality/value

This is the first study that makes a conclusion based on comparative benchmarking of existing maturity models.

A systematic literature review of quantitative models for sustainable supply chain management

Supply chain management is the basis for the execution of operations, being considered as the core of the business function in the 21st century. On the other hand, at present, factors such as the reduction of natural resources, the search for competitive advantages, government laws and global agreements, have generated a greater interest in the sustainable development, which, in order to achieve it, industries need to rethink and plan their supply chain considering a path of sustainability. So sustainable supply chain management emerges as a means to integrate stakeholders' concern for profit and cost reduction with environmental and social requirements, attracting significant interest among managers, researchers and practitioners. The main objective of this study is to provide a synthesis of the key elements of the quantitative model offerings that use sustainability indicators in the design and management of forward supply chains. To achieve this objective, we developed a systematic literature review that includes seventy articles published during the last decade in peer-reviewed journals in English language. In addition a 4 W's analysis (When, Who, What, and Where) is applied and three structural dimensions are defined and grouped by categories: Supply chain management, modeling and sustainability. As part of the results we evidenced a continuous growth in the scientific production of this type of articles, with a predominance of deterministic mathematical programming models with an environmental economic perspective. Finally, we identified research gaps, highlighting the lack of integral inclusion of a life cycle analysis in the design of supply chain networks.

Improving urban household solid waste management in developing countries based on the German experience

Countries worldwide strive to improve their urban household solid waste management (UHSWM) practices. While developed countries like Germany have achieved good results with different UHSWM initiatives, developing countries still struggle to be effective with their waste management (WM) policies. With an interest in learning from the German experience, this paper provides a cross-case analysis between a German and a Brazilian city that can be of practical relevance to improving UHSWM in developing countries. The paper uses "process flow diagram" (PFD) and "wasteaware benchmark indicators" for integrated sustainable waste management (ISWM). Both methods confirmed the German city as a benchmark and attested the inefficiency of the Brazilian UHSWM. The total maximum score weightage percentage of the matrix quantification difference was significant, 98% against 50%. Findings highlight viable solutions based on the three pillars of the German solid WM system: clear laws, regular public campaigns, and fee methodology. The formalization and improvement of Brazilian UHSWM require better governance to obtain additional investments. Herein, the application of the Green Dot methodology, sponsored by industry and consumers in Germany, would enable an increase of up to 318% of the values received by a typical Brazilian cooperative. This additional investment can empower a sustainable solution where the population could opt to work with recycling, either as a formal employee or as a formal entrepreneur, shedding more light on the social pillar of the triple bottom line. Moreover, it can enable improvements in technologies, and on regular public campaigns to increase education in important sustainable matters.

Exploring the roles of lead organisations in spreading sustainability standards throughout food supply chains in an emerging economy

Purpose

This paper investigates how food supply chains (SCs) introduce sustainability standards (i.e. organic and/or Fair Trade labels). The authors combined the concepts of power and dependence with types of governance mechanisms to analyse for-profit and cooperative organisations. The authors explored nuances of how lead organisations are spreading sustainability standards.

Design/methodology/approach

Four cashew nut and honey SCs were investigated as case studies in Brazil, with data gathered through 15 interviews, secondary data and field visits. Data were examined through a content analysis process following a combined deductive and inductive approach.

Findings

Sustainability is spread driven by market pressure, mainly through the diffusion of technical information, either by lead organisations enablers or inter-organisational relations. The authors found that the type and structure of organisations impact the source of power (mediated or non-mediated) and level of mutual dependence between buyer and supplier. For instance, suppliers that hold a strategic position use direct governance mechanisms, which, in turn, lessens the power imbalance in regard to the lead organisation. The authors found in the analysis, a close relation between governance mechanisms and the spread of sustainability, which is ultimately based on strong SC relationships.

Practical implications

By recognising their role and the contingencies in spreading sustainability standards along the SC, managers of lead organisations can better design their relationships as well as create strategies to increase their supply chain sustainability (SCS) performance.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the underexplored issue of how sustainability standards are spread throughout SCs in Latin America. Also, it shows how different types of SC rely on governance mechanisms that foster SCS.

Dear supplier, how sustainable are you?

This article analyses one of the most common tools employed by global focal companies in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) across all industries: supplier sustainability self-assessment questionnaires. Extant research has moved beyond the questions of whether and which suppliers should be assessed. Current research is already focussing on how to share and standardise such assessment data. Despite mounting general research on SSCM, we identified that specific tools such as self-assessment questionnaires have not been empirically analysed in SSCM literature. Thus, this paper addresses the research questions of what differences there are among supplier self-assessment questionnaires and how supplier responses to such questionnaires might be influenced. Our research involves an abductive multiple-case study design and an analysis of over 25,000 responses from globally dispersed suppliers to two types of supplier sustainability self-assessment questionnaires administered and requested by a global automotive focal company.

Although the two questionnaires covered similar areas of sustainability practices and were administered to suppliers of the same focal company, the suppliers’ responses demonstrated various observable differences in average sustainability scores.

Social desirability bias and supplier assessment fatigue were identified as issues confronting such questionnaires. We find that questionnaire design, how the questionnaire is embedded in the focal company’s processes and institutional settings are factors that potentially influence suppliers’ responses and could counteract social desirability bias and supplier assessment fatigue. Based on these findings we make suggestions for improving these SSCM tools and provide recommendations for further research.

Exploring Supplier Sustainability Audit Standards: Potential for and Barriers to Standardization

Global focal companies are increasingly required and expected to monitor the sustainability risks and activities in their supply chains, which has resulted in increasing supplier sustainability audit activity and growth in the number of sustainability initiatives/associations. While common, shared audit standards were originally conceived to reduce audit fatigue; with overlapping and converging supply chains there could be a need for cross-recognition or standardisation of supplier audit standards. This research aims to provide empirically grounded insight into sustainability audit activity, audit processes and standards for suppliers and the extent to which they overlap. Audit standards employed by eight multi-brand, voluntary sustainability initiatives/associations, focusing on supply chain sustainability (SMETA, PSCI, ICTI, FWF, ASI, JAC, amforiBSCI and RBA) were inductively analysed. This research compares the audit processes and standards, detecting common audit categories, analysing points of overlap and difference. We find empirical evidence of significant growth in supplier sustainability audit activity. We also find overlap among the standards in terms of audit process and steps, as well as at the level of audit focus categories. Deeper analysis reveals large differences at the granular level in terms of questions asked to assess specific topics. We conclude that there is potential for standardisation and cross-recognition but that significant barriers to agreement at the level of audit questions and how topics are evaluated remain. This research provides a first empirical overview of this important tool and its application in various industries for sustainable supply chain management.

Internet of things (IoT) based coordination system in Agri-food supply chain: development of an efficient framework using DEMATEL-ISM

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is one of the key aspects of making agriculture sector more competitive in India. India and other developing countries arefacing issues for coordination of their Agriculture Food Supply Chain Management (AFSCM) as not having technical and resources support; especially in natural disaster condition like recent COVID-19 outbreak. The purpose of this research is to develop anInternet of Things (IoT) based efficient and supportive coordinating system for enhancing the coordinating mechanism in AFSC under natural outbreaks. With the help of a literature review and experts’ inputs, seven enablers have been identified by grouping thirty sub enablers. Further, ISM methodology has been employed for developing a framework for enablers’ relationships to improve the coordination in the AFSC for taking strategic and operational decisions. After that, DEMATELtechnique is utilised to develop the causal and effectrelationships between all the identified enablers of a coordination system in IoT based AFSC. It has been noticed that‘Top Management Support (TMS)’ is the main driver by MICMAC analysis and categorised in a cause group based on (R-C) value. Further, the coordination index of the entire model is calculated based on the Cleveland theory. This paper also discussed a case study of the sugar mill industry. This paper also discussed stakeholder theory in developing IoT based coordination system of AFSC. Further, theoretical contribution may also guide the managers of the organisation in developing their strategies by using Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis based on Cleveland index.

Trust and commitment in supply chain management: a systematic review of literature

Purpose

Trust and commitment (T&C) among the supply chain partners in the context of supply chain management (SCM) are of interest for both researchers and practitioners. This paper analyses literature on T&C and identifies gaps for further research.

Design/methodology/approach

The current literature review paper provides a comprehensive perspective on the topic using bibliometric analysis followed by a systematic review of literature. In all, 207 relevant articles were extracted from the Scopus database using the relevant key word searches. For the purpose of the systematic review, another 48 relevant papers were identified through an iterative process. Hence, 255 papers published between the years 1990–2019 were analysed for the sake of this study.

Findings

A total of 15 definitions of trust, nine definitions of commitment, 13 classifications of trust, 40 antecedents of trust, six classifications of commitments, 39 consequences of trust, 11 antecedents of commitment and 15 consequences of commitment were identified and analysed. Future research directions were presented.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to identifying the antecedents and consequences of T&C. A detailed framework could be developed in future research. The antecedent and consequences for T&C could be discussed in greater detail.

Practical implications

Important implications for managers emerge from this study for building and implementing T&C, as SCM requires a thorough understanding of relationship-building skills. The discussion on the definitions of T&C, types of trust and the antecedents and consequences provides important insights for practitioners for strategy formulation. Results provide important insights and bring about greater clarity for researchers and practitioners on T&C in SCM.

Originality/value

Through rigorous analysis of the prevailing research, this paper extensively reviews literature on T&C in SCM till 2019. It summarises the current status and proposes future research directions.

The dark side of sustainable dairy supply chains

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the dark side of supermarket-driven sustainable dairy supply chains. This paper raises questions about the unintended consequences of implementing sustainable supply chain management in the dairy food supply chain. It critically questions whether unintended consequences were actually, anticipated, as the course of action taken by retailers reinforces the dominant profitability discourse.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a critical management studies approach, this paper challenges the dominant discourse to shed light on the social consequences of the win-win sustainable supply chain management in the dairy food supply chain. The focus of this paper is on the experiences of farmers, taking their viewpoint of sustainable supply chains rather than taking the perspective of the multinationals who have traditionally been the focus of supply chain management research (e.g. McCarthy et al., 2018; Quarshie et al., 2016).

Findings

The study illuminates how retailers have bolstered their dominant position through using sustainable supply chains to exert further control over their suppliers. The management of sustainable supply chains has been a further catalyst in economically and socially dividing rural communities and creating tensions between dairy farmers.

Originality/value

This paper uses an ethnographic study to provide in-depth stories of the changes that took place within one farming community. It exposes the hidden ways in which the introduction of a sustainable dairy supply chain has created social and economic division, further reducing the collective power of dairy farmers through creating a dual supply chain.

Leveraging Digital Approaches for Transparency in Sustainable Supply Chains: A Conceptual Paper

With the growing global interdependence of companies, their scope of responsibility for the environmental, social, and human rights impacts associated with their activities is also growing. In this context, companies are increasingly held accountable for social and ecological issues that lie within the sphere of action of their suppliers and sub-suppliers. They are thus faced with the challenge of meeting these demands for transparency, traceability, and compliance with standards in their Supply Chains (SCs). Based on the theoretical framework of Sustainable Supply Chain Transparency (SSCT) in Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), this conceptual article aims at initiating the discussion on digitalization in SSCM. Therefore, a heuristical research framework, based on relevant fields in the management of sustainability oriented transparency (governance, cooperation and partner selection, traceability/tracking, and strategic and operational risk assessment) is developed. In relation to these fields, consequently, data-driven digital approaches are identified to which potentials for SSCT and control can be attributed. This initial analysis of existing digital approaches already shows that the market is developing dynamically, but is driven more by individual initiatives. In many cases, the approaches used so far are still in the trial phase or offer only limited solutions. Therefore, this paper contributes by giving an overview of the current application of the digitalization approaches in SSCM pinning our discussion on SSCT dimensions.

A systematic review of responsiveness to develop future research agenda: a TCCM and bibliometric analysis

Purpose

This paper aims to epistemologically extend and explore the present theories from prior research conducted in the area of responsiveness. Furthermore, it determines to benchmark the prominent theories, characteristics, context and methodologies (TCCM) used in the domain since its inception to advance the science and practice of marketing and logistics discipline.

Design/methodology/approach

A seven-step methodology (SSM) has been introduced to create a comprehensive dataset. Based upon the selection criteria of high-ranked journals and language, the research studies have been retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, Business Source Complete and journal homepage to avoid the error of exclusion. Moreover, the dataset has been compiled using manual and electronic searches without any limitation of time.

Findings

The search for a suitable dataset retrieved 642 documents by identifying “1969” as the beginning year of research in the subject domain. The analysis found that responsiveness has been prominently studied in the manufacturing industry. The results also advocate responsiveness as the vital antecedent to performance and satisfaction. Frameworks have been proposed with significant propositions for future empirical testing and theory inventiveness by researchers.

Originality/value

The study pioneers its utility for retailers to recognize the firms' inherent abilities and strengths, which can be promoted to create responsiveness more than ever. The analysis results can act as the compelling force to understand the driving power of various factors influencing responsiveness.

Quality management in humanitarian operations and disaster relief management: a review and future research directions

Quality management has been widely discussed in the literature, and recent special issues on humanitarian supply chains and relief operations have emphasized the increasing importance of quality management in this key emerging area. In this paper, we provide an extensive literature review in the field of quality management in humanitarian operations and disaster relief management. Our comprehensive review, comprising 61 articles published from 2009 to 2018, leads to the identification of enablers (e.g., transparency, policy framework), challenges (e.g., financial services, identity protection), and theory development approaches, as well as numerous research gaps that must be addressed.

Identification and analysis of enablers of SCM by using MCDM approach

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to differentiate the empowering influences of critical enablers of supply chain management (SCM) along with their interrelationships. These empowering enablers are significant, as they encourage productive execution to improve organizational performance and stakeholder's satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

From the literature review, incidence of a number of SCM enablers were found and they were subjected to critical scrutiny by a considerable number of experts engaged in SCM research and application to identify significant and applicable empowering enablers by grounded interactions. By using Impact Matrix Cross-Reference Multiplication Applied to a Classification analysis, the driving and dependence power were analyzed and the empowering enablers were ordered. This was pursued by building up a structural model of the empowering enablers using interpretive structure modeling, followed with measuring cause–effect relationship using decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL).

Findings

Among these identified enablers of SCM, operational performance, green SCM, employee empowerment and motivation and strategic association came out to be strategic enablers.

Research limitations/implications

The findings may help the practicing professionals to develop clarity in understanding of these essential enablers and their contextual as well as cause–effect relationship in SCM. The practicing professionals need to focus on all these enablers during implementation of SCM for enhancing the organizational performance and stake holders' satisfaction.

Originality/value

This study is of practical utility in real-life implementation of SCM. The algorithm used in applying the multi-criteria decision-making approach is very user-friendly, and the application of DEMATEL is an innovation compared to previous research. Further, the findings can be used as a benchmark for improving the performance of SCM by considering the cause–effect relationship.

Corporate social sustainability in supply chain management: a literature review

Purpose

Recently, sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has generated significant interest and gained attention of practitioners and academics. The purpose of this paper is to explore different themes in the existing literature, which pertains to social sustainability (SS) in supply chains, to argue for the use of SS model and suggest further research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

In the study, the authors have undertaken extensive literature review (n = 171) and used thematic analysis to propose a model.

Findings

Through the extensive review and thematic analysis, the paper identifies eight themes, which include stakeholder pressure, sustainability culture, contingencies, sustainability practices, partnerships, drivers and barriers, sustainability performance and optimization, and develops a SS model called “five-factor sustainability model.” Furthermore, a list of potential research directions for five-factor sustainability model is discussed.

Research limitations/implications

The research is an attempt to explore different themes related to SS in supply chain and develop a model that is also applicable to economic and environmental sustainability.

Originality/value

The paper offers a new approach to SSCM literature, arguing for five-factor sustainability model and providing further research directions. Moreover, this model will help sustainability scholars to position and integrate their research within social, economic and environmental sustainability literature.

Effects of Sustainable Brand Equity and Marketing Innovation on Market Performance in Hospitality Industry: Mediating Effects of Sustainable Competitive Advantage

This study examines the effects of sustainable marketing assets, such as brand equity and marketing innovation, on market performance in the presence of sustainable competitive advantage as a mediator in the hospitality industry. Data were collected from hotel/restaurant customers (N = 360) on a Likert scale from 1= strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree and analysis was conducted using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The objective of this study is to understand the relationship among brand equity, marketing innovation, sustainable competitive advantage, and market performance in the hotel/restaurant industry. The results show that sustainable marketing assets have positive and significant effects on market performance. This study also demonstrates that sustainable competitive advantage fully mediates the relationship between brand equity and market performance while partially mediating the relationship between marketing innovation and market performance. The findings of this research can contribute to formulating effective marketing strategies for attracting customers, emphasizing sustainable issues in the hospitality sector, such as hotels/restaurants. This research adds practical value to the literature on brand equity, marketing innovation, sustainable competitive advantage, and market performance in the service industry.

A conceptual framework for improving effectiveness of risk management in supply networks

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to develop a conceptual framework for improving the effectiveness of risk management in supply networks following a critical literature review.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical review of 91 scholarly journal articles published between 2000 and 2018 supports the development of an integrated conceptual framework.

Findings

The findings emphasize that supply chain integration (SCI) can have both a positive and negative impact on the effectiveness of risk management in supply networks. It is possible to have a positive effect when SCI can be used to develop competencies in joint risk planning within the organization and with wider supply network members and, in turn, to develop collaborative risk management capabilities. Supply network characteristics can influence whether and the extent to which SCI has a positive or negative impact on risk management effectiveness.

Research implications

The conceptual framework can be used to empirically assess the role of SCI for effective risk management. Dynamic evaluation of the effectiveness of risk management and potential redesign of the supply network by considering other contingent factors are some future research avenues.

Practical implications

There is a need for developing specific competencies in risk planning within organizations and joint risk planning with supply network members which, in turn, can help develop collaborative risk management capabilities to improve the effectiveness of risk management in supply networks. Network characteristics will influence whether and the extent to which SCI results in the effectiveness of risk management.

Originality value

Moving beyond recent (systematic) reviews on supply chain risk management, this study develops a novel conceptual framework interlinking SCI and the effectiveness of risk management while considering network characteristics.

IT-Governance Framework Considering Service Quality and Information Security in Banks in India

This study proposes an IT-Governance framework for the Indian Banking Industry. This research explores the factors predicting customer loyalty in retail banking. The classical SERVQUAL model that captures consumer insight of a service along the five dimensions (reliability, assurance, tangibles, empathy, responsiveness) and is combined with three critical factors of cyber / information security, namely confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA) to generate a conceptual framework for IT-governance in Indian Banking. A survey with more than 150 respondents was conducted. The study concludes that customers have a moderate to low perception on current Indian banking infrastructure and other dimensions of services quality it provides, while a highly favourable perception of the parameters of information security and hence, it can be leveraged to implement certain critical policies of the government with requires confidentiality and integrity.

Implementing Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Reactive, Cooperative, and Dynamic Models

The purpose of this research is to propose a Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) implementation framework grounded in a literature review while categorizing practices adopted by firms’ and industries. Given the evolution of the SSCM field and emerging trends, we examine why and how companies implement SSCM practices within a country context. The research methods employed in this study include theory building from a review of the literature and synthesis of insights regarding the design of SSCM implementation frameworks using multiple cases in Taiwan. The review of the literature, content analysis, and findings provide new insights into designing an implementation model, and generalizable models for reactive, cooperative, and dynamic SSCM implementation. Practical implications include but are not limited to the generalization of implementation frameworks in supply chain management, and opportunities to improve global practices. Our development of the conceptual framework complements existing theory by offering new knowledge on SSCM implementation practices. This study can help guide research, practitioners, and policymakers in future sustainability and supply chain management initiatives.

When knowledge management matters: interplay between green human resources and eco-efficiency in the financial service industry

Purpose

Drawing on the ability–motivation–opportunity theory applied to the greening of service industries, this paper aims to analyze the extent to which green human resource management plays a role in the adoption of eco-efficiency principles in the financial sector. Environmental knowledge management represents one of the key green human resource management components.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted a survey with 178 employees working within one of the largest financial banks in Brazil, which has been investing in eco-efficiency for more than ten years.

Findings

On the basis of structural equation modelling, this study has provided the following findings: Among all factors taken into consideration in this study, only environmental training positively influences eco-efficiency; training may be suffering owing to barriers associated with empowerment and teamwork; the eco-efficiency program of the studied company would get benefits if it provided more autonomy to employees; and finally, the eco-efficiency program of the studied bank could be more effective if connected with green teams.

Originality/value

To date, this is the first work that relates – with empirical evidence from Brazil – GHRM and eco-efficiency in the financial service industry.

The effect of motivators, supply, and lean management on sustainable supply chain management practices and performance

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a model for sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) that integrates the antecedents, practices and performance measures of sustainability. It also examines if lean management (LM) and supply management (SM) are antecedents of SSCM.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review of literature was undertaken across multiple streams, including operations management, SCM, sustainability, business ethics and performance management. Articles relevant to SSCM published over a span of 31 years (1988–2018) were searched using keywords and specific selection criteria.

Findings

From the literature, three dependent constructs – motivators of sustainability, LM and SM – and three independent constructs – environmental practices in SCM, social practices in SCM and SSCM performance – are identified and defined. Linkages between these constructs are hypothesized to develop a theoretical framework called the “integrated lean/supply management with sustainability motivators, practices and performance model.”

Research limitations/implications

Built on the principles-practices-outcomes framework proposed earlier, this model is comprehensive in its coverage of sustainability antecedents, practices and performance. Further, it covers the SCM triad – the supplier, the focal firm and the customers – as well as the roles they play in sustainability performance.

Originality/value

By identifying LM and SM as additional antecedents of SSCM, this study suggests that sustainability may be realized through LM and SM principles. Further, the proposed model presents a novel integration of literature from diverse domains.

Supply chain transparency and willingness-to-pay for refurbished products

Purpose

Researchers in supply chain transparency have called to expand the boundaries by disclosing various types of information to multiple stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of transparency about supply chain sustainability on consumers as critical stakeholders and investigate the effectiveness of message characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes two scenario-based experiments grounded in a refurbished goods context: Study 1, which employs a 2×2 between-subject experiment investigates the effects of product type and sustainable information provision on consumers evaluations, and Study 2, which employs a 2×1 between-subject experiment examines the effects of sustainable information direction on consumer evaluations. A total of 348 participants were recruited from the Amazon M-Turk platform across the two experiments. Data are analyzed with regression analysis using the PROCESS macro in SPSS and the Johnson–Neyman technique.

Findings

Contrary to prior research that assumes that refurbished products are associated with lower quality, quality perceptions are moderated by individuals’ environmental involvement (EI) and the information presented by the firm. More importantly, consumer evaluations are influenced by specific characteristics of sustainable supply chain messages: high EI individuals have higher willingness-to-pay a premium (WTPP) when the message is consistent with original beliefs (pro-attitudinal). In contrast to prior theory, there was no difference in the WTPP of consumers with high EI and low EI for counter-attitudinal messages.

Practical implications

The study shows that what to say, how to say it and to whom, are critical for firms who seek to nudge consumers to support their sustainable practices.

Originality/value

The value of communicating information on sustainability has been well established. However, little is known about such association when the information provided trades off environmental benefits and product quality. This research addresses the gap in a refurbished product context. The research studies the effect of sustainable supply chain transparency and message characteristics on stakeholders’ evaluations.

Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Automotive Industry: A Process-Oriented Review

The holistic shift from traditional supply chain to sustainable supply chain has been practiced in different industries for many years. The automotive industry, as one of the largest and most influential industries in the world, could have a substantial effect on the movement toward a sustainable society. Despite the growing body of literature in the field of sustainable supply chain management, there is no review article that comprehensively synthesizes the state-of-the-art research in the automotive industry. To cover this gap, this paper reviews the sustainable supply chain management literature in the automotive industry published between 1995 and 2017. A systematic review and content analysis were conducted to collect the studies and analyze their content. The content analysis was structured based upon a set of key business processes following the Integration Definition Function (IDEF0) method, which is a structured approach of analyzing business processes. The study provides a practical guideline for designing a sustainable automotive supply chain and culminates with the outlined research gaps and recommendations for future research.

A sustainability assessment framework for cement industry – a case study

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework and key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the sustainability of the manufacturing organizations along the integrated supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review of existing peer-reviewed articles has been carried out to understand the strengths and weaknesses of current frameworks. A sustainability assessment framework has been proposed for the manufacturing sector. KPIs to assess sustainability performance of manufacturing organizations are identified. An empirical study is carried out for the cement industry to test the proposed framework and KPIs.

Findings

The existing frameworks on sustainability assessment lacks an integrated assessment consisting product life cycle, resources, critical factors (product, process and policy), KPIs and their interrelationship with sustainability dimensions. In total, 121 KPIs are identified for sustainability assessment of manufacturing organizations. The empirical study of the Indian cement industry identifies 52 KPIs (17 social, 15 economic and 20 environmental), which are classified into 13 factors using exploratory factor analysis.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed framework is tested for the cement sector. More studies are required to validate and refine the framework to make it generalized for the manufacturing sector.

Originality/value

This study has developed for the first time a close interrelation among life cycle engineering, resources, critical factors, KPIs and sustainability dimensions.

Exploring supply chain sustainability research in Latin America

Purpose

The majority of the supply chain sustainability (SCS) literature is based on research perspectives and findings from studies conducted in developed countries. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the current Latin American publications on SCS (2007–2016) to explore whether another perspective exists.

Design/methodology/approach

As part of a structured literature review, 123 peer-reviewed articles published in four Latin American databases were scanned. This literature review was combined with a qualitative content analysis using an inductive and deductive approach to move away from top–down approaches and to illuminate the Latin American perspective on SCS.

Findings

The analysis of the scientific literature demonstrates that the traditional three pillars of sustainability are not enough to understand the specificities of the region. This review shows that cultural and institutional dimensions enhance the understanding of SCS locally. In addition, three major triggers for SCS in Latin American economies were found: green supply chain management practices, local development and stakeholder engagement.

Research limitations/implications

A deeper understanding of the Latin American perspective can support scholars worldwide in developing the field of SCS in relevant directions and in comprehending the specificities of their own countries by infusing cultural and institutional elements into their conceptualisations of SCS.

Originality/value

This paper provides an unexplored perspective on SCS because it analyses Latin American publications and presents a mapping of current SCS issues and research gaps that offers insights to guide future research in the field.

Proximity manufacturing for enhancing clothing supply chain sustainability

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal benefits and factors (elements) of proximity manufacturing that enhance triple bottom line (TBL) sustainability in the clothing industry and discusses previous proximity manufacturing studies.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review is used in searching and extracting data (primary studies artifacts and proximity manufacturing elements) from peer-reviewed articles. Extracted elements are gathered and analyzed in constructed tables under TBL. Four subgroups are inducted under the business bottom line.

Findings

This paper shows the potential of proximity manufacturing to enhance TBL sustainability, the scope of proximity manufacturing, and the trend and absence of existing studies. The most frequently mentioned elements are time-to-market, job creation, product quality, quick response, and trade policies. Governments and clusters are also important players.

Research limitations/implications

Future research can further explore elements potentially improving TBL sustainability to fill gaps in existing studies, including how proximity manufacturing can drive environmental and social practices, and how governments can encourage proximity manufacturing in various markets.

Practical implications

Besides perceiving the benefits of proximity manufacturing, businesses may use the derived elements to make manufacturing decisions.

Social implications

Public policies giving privileges to the locally produced garment industry have great potential to drive the economy and employment as well as sustain local clothing knowledge and the environment.

Originality/value

Proximity manufacturing strategies toward sustainability are under-researched academically and under-practiced industrially; this paper provides insight into sustainability benefits of proximity manufacturing.