scholarly journals Horizontal collaboration in response to modern slavery legislation

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (12) ◽  
pp. 2286-2312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy V. Benstead ◽  
Linda C. Hendry ◽  
Mark Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Informal Governance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethical Trade ◽  
Relational Perspective ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
Horizontal Collaboration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how horizontal collaboration aids organisations in responding to modern slavery legislation and in gaining a socially sustainable competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach Action research has been conducted in the textiles and fashion industry and a relational perspective adopted to interpret five collaborative initiatives taken to tackle modern slavery (e.g. joint training and supplier audits). The primary engagement has been with a multi-billion pound turnover company and its collaborations with 35 brands/retailers. A non-government organisation and a trade body have also participated. Findings Successful horizontal collaboration is dependent on both relational capital and effective (formal and informal) governance mechanisms. In collaborating, firms have generated relational rents and reduced costs creating a socially sustainable competitive advantage, as suggested by the relational perspective. Yet, limits to horizontal collaboration also exist. Research limitations/implications The focus is on one industry only, hence there is scope to extend the study to other industries or forms of collaboration taking place across industries. Practical implications Successful horizontal collaborative relationships rely on actors having a similar mindset and being able to decouple the commercial and sustainability agendas, especially when direct competitors are involved. Further, working with non-business actors can facilitate collaboration and provide knowledge and resources important for overcoming the uncertainty that is manifest when responding to new legislation. Social implications Social sustainability improvements aim to enhance ethical trade and benefit vulnerable workers. Originality/value Prior literature has focussed on vertical collaboration with few prior studies of horizontal collaboration, particularly in a socially sustainable supply chain context. Moreover, there has been limited research into modern slavery from a supply chain perspective. Both successful and unsuccessful initiatives are studied, providing insights into (in)effective collaboration.

The triple-a supply chain and strategic resources: developing competitive advantage

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-190
Author(s):  
David Gligor ◽  
Javad Feizabadi ◽  
Ivan Russo ◽  
Michael J. Maloni ◽  
Thomas J. Goldsby
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Market Orientation ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chain Orientation ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Supply Chain Orientation

PurposeScholars have recently begun to empirically evaluate the triple-A supply chain, which emphasizes concurrent capabilities in agility, adaptability and alignment across the supply chain to develop sustainable competitive advantage. Complexity theory suggests however that other combinations of triple-A capabilities may be equally effective, especially given a firm's strategic orientation relative to its market and its supply chain. Our research objective was to examine what combinations of these capabilities lead to the same outcome (i.e. high firm performance).Design/methodology/approachWe collected 182 survey responses from a global sample of supply chain managers. Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was employed to assess effective recipes of agility, adaptability, alignment, supply chain orientation, and market orientation.FindingsOur results revealed four distinct “recipes” (i.e. combinations of agility, adaptability, alignment, supply chain orientation and market orientation) that lead to high levels of firm performance.Originality/valueOur results indicate that firms currently do not necessarily have to concomitantly develop capabilities across all triple-A components. Considering the costs associated with developing each of these capabilities, the findings allow us to derive several theoretical and managerial insights.

scholarly journals The investigation of the relationship between sustainable supply chain management and sustainable competitive advantage according to the mediating role of innovation and sustainable process management

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 572-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajad Vafaei ◽  
Ardeshir Bazrkar ◽  
Mohammad Hajimohammadi
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Statistical Population ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management ◽  
The Relationship

Goal: The present study examines the mediating role of innovation and sustainable process management on the relationship between sustainable supply chain management and sustainable competitive advantage. Design / Methodology / Approach: The statistical population consists of 20 companies involved in the production of banking equipment. Since the size of the statistical population is very small, structural equations model and partial least squares approach were used to analyze the research data and to test the hypotheses of the research. Results: The results showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between sustainable supply chain management and sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, it was found that innovation and sustainable process management variables play a mediating and moderating role on the relationship between sustainable supply chain and sustainable competitive advantage. Limitations of the investigation: The most important limitation in this study was the long-time collection of research data. Practical implications: According to the results obtained, organizations should focus on applying the principles of sustainable process management to achieve coordination between the departments and resources of the organization. Originality / Value: It is recommended that organizations emphasize innovative and creative activities to achieve sustainable competitive advantage through sustainable supply chain activities.

Responsible behavior

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Organizational Performance ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Responsible Behavior ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose: This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design: This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings: Sustainable supply chain management is linked to positive and effective organizational performance and competitive advantage. Originality: The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Appropriation of sustainability priorities to gain strategic advantage in a supply chain

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anup Kumar ◽  
Santosh Shrivastav ◽  
Amit Adlakha ◽  
Niraj K. Vishwakarma
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Automobile Industry ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Order Preference ◽  
Development Goals

PurposeThe authors develop a methodology to select appropriate sustainable supply chain indicators (SSCIs) to measure Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the global supply chain.Design/methodology/approachSSCIs are identified by reviewing the extant literature and topic modeling. Further, they are evaluated based on existing SDGs and ranked using the fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. Notably, the evaluation of indicators is a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) process within a fuzzy environment. The methodology has been explained using a case study from the automobile industry.FindingsThe case study identifies appropriate SSCIs and differentiates them among peer suppliers for gaining a competitive advantage. The results reveal that top-ranked sustainability indicators include the management of natural resources, energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and social investment.Practical implicationsThe study outcome will enable suppliers, specialists and decision makers to understand the criteria that improve supply chain sustainability in the automobile industry. The analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the competitive package of indicators for gaining strategic advantage. This proactive sustainability indicator selection promotes and enhances sustainability reporting while fulfilling regulatory requirements and increasing collaboration potential with trustworthy downstream partners. This study sets the stage for further research in SSCIs’ competitive strategy in the automobile industry along with its supply chains.Originality/valueThis study is unique as it provides a framework for determining relevant SSCIs, which can be distinguished from peer suppliers, while also matching economic, environmental and social metrics to achieve a competitive advantage.

Sustainable supply chain management: continuing evolution and future directions

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig R. Carter ◽  
Marc R. Hatton ◽  
Chao Wu ◽  
Xiangjing Chen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Empirical Validity ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to update the work of Carter and Easton (2011), by conducting a systematic review of the sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) literature in the primary logistics and supply chain management journals, during the 2010–2018 timeframe. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology which follows the methodology employed by Carter and Easton (2011). An evaluation of this methodology, using the Modified AMSTAR criteria, demonstrates a high level of empirical validity. Findings The field of SSCM continues to evolve with changes in substantive focus, theoretical lenses, unit of analysis, methodology and type of analysis. However, there are still abundant future research opportunities, including investigating under-researched topics such as diversity and human rights/working conditions, employing the group as the unit of analysis and better addressing empirical validity and social desirability bias. Research limitations/implications The findings result in prescriptions and a broad agenda to guide future research in the SSCM arena. The final section of the paper provides additional avenues for future research surrounding theory development and decision making. Originality/value This SLR provides a rigorous, methodologically valid review of the continuing evolution of empirical SSCM research over a 28-year time period.

Sustainable supply chain management

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
MingLang Tseng ◽  
Ming Lim ◽  
Wai Peng Wong
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management ◽  
Fuzzy Delphi

Purpose – Assessing a measure of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) performance is currently a key challenge. The literature on SSCM is very limited and performance measures need to have a systematic framework. The recently developed balanced scorecard (BSC) is a measurement system that requires a balanced set of financial and non-financial measures. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the SSCM performance based on four aspects i.e. sustainability, internal operations, learning and growth, and stakeholder. Design/methodology/approach – This paper developed a BSC hierarchical network for SSCM in a close-loop hierarchical structure. A generalized quantitative evaluation model based on the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and Analytical Network Process (ANP) were then used to consider both the interdependence among measures and the fuzziness of subjective measures in SSCM. Findings – The results of this study indicate that the top-ranking aspect to consider is that of stakeholders, and the top five criteria are green design, corporate sustainability, strategic planning for environmental management, supplier cost-saving initiatives and market share. Originality/value – The main contributions of this study are twofold. First, this paper provides valuable support for supply chain stakeholders regarding the nature of network hierarchical relations with qualitative and quantitative scales. Second, this paper improves practical performance and enhances management effectiveness for SSCM.

Toward sustainable supply chain orientation (SSCO): mapping managerial perspectives

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 536-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Signori ◽  
Daniel John Flint ◽  
Susan Golicic
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Wine Industry ◽  
Inductive Method ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chain Orientation ◽  
Business Executive ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Supply Chain Orientation

Purpose – The purpose this paper is to profile individual-level perspectives on sustainability and supply chain partnering, introduces the concept of sustainable supply chain orientation (SSCO), and suggests pathways between executive profiles toward SSCO. Design/methodology/approach – The research relies on inductive, theory-building grounded theory and phenomenological data collection and interpretations in the wine industry. In-depth interviews were conducted over five years with 112 senior managers from 88 organizations in the global wine industry representing nine wine regions in four countries. Findings – Ten profiles were developed depicting executives’ perspectives on embracing sustainability, the extent to which motivations for various forms of sustainability and partnering compete, and being self-or supply chain partner focussed. A SSCO depicts a leader who embraces sustainability, sees alignment in motivations and is supply chain partner focussed. Research limitations/implications – The paper contributes to the sustainable supply chain management and general business orientation discourses by introducing the concept of SSCO and profiling executives’ perspectives that may help to define pathways toward SSCO. It may be limited by its inductive method and the industry context. Limitations suggest future research in discovering additional profiles and pathways as well as validating them. Practical implications – Findings reveal the importance of understanding what sustainability means to business executives of firms in hyper-competitive markets with global supply chains. Managers will recognize that there are many possible routes toward SSCO, each one revealing potentially unique differentiation opportunities while also providing clues to competitors’ strategies. Originality/value – This work introduces the concept of SSCO and contributes a classification scheme consisting of detailed business executive profile descriptions and specific pathways toward SSCO followed by those executives.

Mining tech-fueled value from the procurement function

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 34-35
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Strategic Actions ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Reduced Costs ◽  
Productivity Gains ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings This research paper concentrates on the capacity of procurement digitalization to pump up supply chain effectiveness and competitive advantage levels. Data from the examination of the strategic actions of an environmental charity, an IT multinational, and an Australian SME reveal that increasing procurement effectiveness translates into marked performance enhancements in terms of productivity gains and reduced costs. Wiping away boundaries between buyers and suppliers produced procurement processes with greater scalability, agility, and flexibility, all of which also enhanced the firms' capability to mitigate their risks. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

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

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh R. Menon ◽  
V. Ravi
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Electronics Industry ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain Management ◽  
Indian Electronics Industry

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.

Applying Industry 4.0 technologies in the COVID–19 sustainable chains

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Acioli ◽  
Annibal Scavarda ◽  
Augusto Reis
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Supply Chain Performance ◽  
Chain Process ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Performance ◽  
The Social ◽  
New Research

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is 1) to investigate the effects on the crucial Industry 4.0 technological innovations that interact between the real and virtual worlds and that are applied in the sustainable supply chain process; 2) to contribute to the identification of the opportunities, the challenges and the gaps that will support the new research study developments and 3) to analyze the impact of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators of the sustainable supply chain performance in the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).Design/methodology/approachThis research is performed through a bibliographic review in the electronic databases of the Emerald Insight, the Scopus and the Web of Science, considering the main scientific publications on the subject.FindingsThe bibliographic search results in 526 articles, followed by two sequential filters for deleting the duplicate articles (resulting in 487 articles) and for selecting the most relevant articles (resulting in 150 articles).Practical implicationsThis article identifies the opportunities and the challenges focused on the emerging Industry 4.0 theme. The opportunities can contribute to the sustainable performance of the supply chains and their territories. The Industry 4.0 can also generate challenges like the social inequalities related to the position of the man in the labor market by replacing the human workforce with the machines. Therefore, the man-machine relationship in the Industry 4.0 era is analyzed as a gap in the literature. Therefore, as a way to fill this gap, the authors of this article suggest the exploration of the research focused on the Society 5.0. Also known as “super-smart society,” this recent theme appeared in Japan in April 2016. According to Fukuda (2020), in addition to the focus on the technological development, the Society 5.0 also aims at the quality of life and the social challenge resolutions.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the analysis of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators in the sustainable supply chain performance. It addresses the impacts of the Industry 4.0 technologies applied to the supply chains in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it analyzes the research gaps and limitations found in the literature. The result of this study can add value and stimulate new research studies related to the application of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators in the supply chain sustainable performance. It can encourage the studies related to the COVID-19 impacts on the sustainable supply chains, and it can promote the research development on the relationship among the man, the machine and the labor in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

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