Sustainable supply chain management in developing countries: An analysis of the literature

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of the academic literature addressing Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) practices in developing countries. A systematic literature review method was adopted; selected papers were reviewed from 2000 to 2016 that matched our inclusion criteria. Common themes across the literature were identified covering four factors regarding the adoption of SSCM: drivers, barriers, mechanisms and outcomes. A conceptual model integrating these factors and based on institutional theory was advanced to explain the adoption of sustainability practices along supply chains in developing countries. The paper concludes by identifying gaps in the literature that require further research on this topic, particularly for the context of developing countries. To the best of our knowledge this is the first paper reviewing the existing research on SSCM in developing countries that includes both social and environmental dimensions.

Open Innovation and CSR, Determinants in Logistics and Performance in Commercial SMES

“…The CSR is a strategy that most organizations are adopting independently of the sector and / or the productive activity they are developing. In addition, since the explosion of the industrial revolution, the arrival of the knowledge economy and the enormous advance of new technologies, organizations are incorporating these practices into logistics processes (Jia, Zuluaga-Cardona, Bailey, & Rueda, 2018;McWilliams, Parhankangas, Coupet, Welch, & Barnum, 2016). Some of the methods and / or processes that have revolutionized the delivery of value to interest groups have been improvements in logistics as an essential part of the supply chain for companies, which plays a decisive role in satisfaction of clients and in returns for investors (Sodhi & Tang, 2018;Wolf, 2014).…”

“…The theory of sustainability has argued and exposed that the companies that have a better performance and that deliver greater value to the stakeholders are the companies called green (Mebratu, 1998;Rajeev, Pati, Padhi, & Govindan, 2017;Spence, 2016). In the context of SMEs, recent studies have corroborated that this type of organizations are adopting sustainable practices for their production processes, in the selection of their suppliers, reasonable (ecological) purchases, waste management, in the service process , in the marketing of its products and implementing reverse logistics actions, with the firm purpose of fully satisfying its customers (Jia et al, 2018;Quarshie, Salmi, & Leuschner, 2016;. In addition, these actions are leading SMEs to place themselves in new markets and are reaching more demanding consumers Zhao, Meng, He, & Gu, 2019).…”

“…This construct was measured in one-dimensional form of formative type in B mode. Based on the theoretical review carried out, focused on sustainability, this variable was measured taking as reference the studies developed by Mebratu (1998), McWilliams et al (2016 and, of the study proposed by Jia et al (2018). The variable has been measured with 4 questions formulated in a questionnaire addressed to the managers of SMEs to issue their answers related to the sustainable practices they develop inside and outside the company in the last two years.…”

What Does the Sustainability-Risk Interaction Look Like? Exploring Nuanced Relationships in Emerging Economy Sustainability Initiatives

“…Sustainability is not a matter of choice, but a necessity, especially for emerging countries [48,49]. By 2025, only one in every seven people will live in developed countries.…”

“…This is true despite the fact that operational constraints in emerging markets are quite dynamic, impeding secure sustainable food systems in emerging economies. Moreover, most companies struggle to implement sustainability in emerging economies, calling for more sustainability research in emerging economy settings [49,51].…”