Supply chain learning of sustainability in multi-tier supply chains

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to explore how multinational corporations (MNCs) orchestrate internal and external resources to help their multi-tier supply chains learn sustainability related knowledge. Design/methodology/approach-An exploratory multiple case study approach was adopted and three MNCs' sustainable initiatives in China were examined. The data were primarily collected through 43 semi-structured interviews with managers of focal companies and their multi-tier suppliers. Findings-We found that in order to facilitate their supply chains to learn sustainability, MNCs tend to orchestrate in breadth by internally setting up new functional departments and externally working with third parties; and orchestrate in depth working directly with their extreme upstream suppliers adopting varied governance mechanisms on lower-tier suppliers along the project lifecycle. The resource orchestration in breadth and depth and along the project lifecycle results in changes of supply chain structure. Practical implication-The proposed conceptual model provides an overall framework for companies to design and implement their multi-tier sustainable initiatives. Companies could learn from our suggested learning stages and the best practices of case companies. Originality/value-We extend and enrich Resource Orchestration Perspective (ROP), which is internally focused, to a supply chain level; and answer a theoretical question of how MNCs orchestrate their internal and external resources to help their supply chains to learn sustainability. Our extension of ROP refutes the resource dependence theory, which adopts a passive approach of relying on external suppliers and proposes that MNCs should proactively work with internal and external stakeholders to learn sustainability.

Boundary‐spanning search and firms' green innovation: The moderating role of resource orchestration capability

“…For example, from the resource orchestration viewpoint, Sirmon et al (2007) emphasized the role of firms' internal capabilities in structuring, bundling, and leveraging the resources portfolio. Wales et al (2013), Teece (2014), and Gong, Jia, Brown, and Koh (2018) indicated that resources should be orchestrated. A study by Chadwick et al (2015) also highlighted the role of firms in orchestrating resources.…”

Embracing green innovation via green supply chain learning: The moderating role of green technology turbulence

“…Because green innovation requires more interactions with external stakeholders, firms need to learn from their suppliers and customers to obtain information, resources, and knowledge (Chen & Hung, 2014;De Marchi, 2012;Noci & Verganti, 1999;Zhu, Sarkis, & Lai, 2013). Thus, the paradigm of green innovation has shifted from a solo model to a supply chain learning model (Chiou et al, 2011;Dangelico & Pujari, 2010;Gong, Jia, Brown, & Koh, 2018).…”

“…Supply chain learning refers to activities that a firm looks both upstream and downstream of its supply chain to manage and monitor the internal and external learning processes (Flint, Larsson, & Gammelgaard, 2008;Hernández-Espallardo, Rodríguez-Orejuela, & Sánchez-Pérez, 2010). Although the importance of supply chain learning has been recognized (Gong et al, 2018;Willis, Genchev, & Chen, 2016), our understanding of how and under what conditions it impact on green innovation is still limited. Thus, two research questions can be extracted.…”

Developing community capability for e‐commerce development in rural China: A resource orchestration perspective

“…Leveraging, which includes mobilizing, coordinating, and deploying, aims to make use of capabilities to create value. Despite the rapid development of the resource orchestration perspective, the relevant research is still in its infancy and is dispersed across the different fields of entrepreneurship (Baert et al, ; Chao, Coombs, Qian, & Sirmon, ; Wales, Patel, Parida, & Kreiser, ; Wang, Liang, Zhong, Xue, & Xiao, ), innovation (Carnes, Chirico, Hitt, Dong, & Pisano, ), supply chain management (Gong, Jia, Brown, & Koh, ; Hitt, Xu, & Carnes, ; Ketchen, Wowak, & Craighead, ), and IS (Cui et al, ; Cui & Pan, ; Du, Cui, & Su, ; Liu, Wei, Ke, Wei, & Hua, ; Wang et al, ; Zhou, Zhang, Chen, & Han, ). Such studies focus on either investigating the role of resource orchestration in achieving an outcome or revealing the process of resource orchestration.…”