Publications

Understanding greening supply chains: Proximity analysis can help

Supply chain management seeks efficiency. Inefficiencies cause various types of waste and commensurate costs. Supply chain actors differ resulting in proximity issues. Proximity is introduced here as distances on four dimensions; organizational, geographical, cognitive and technological proximity. Industry 4.0 concepts can improve or even worsen each of the introduced proximity dimensions their influence on green supply chains. We propose a need for investigation at the nexus of Industry 4.0 and greening supply chains; proximity analysis provides a vehicle for this investigation.

Sustainable supply chain flexibility and its relationship to circular economy-target performance

The circular economy (CE) is an evolving economic and sustainable development model. In this new environment, companies face a more dynamic, uncertain, and complex market environment. These challenges arise from material closed-loop flows necessary for a functioning CE. It is important to build flexibility capabilities into sustainable supply chains to address CE operational challenges. Building this operational capability needs to occur without incurring performance degradation, increasing costs, or compromising product quality. Supply chain designers have recognised the importance of sustainable supply chain flexibility (SSCF) efforts for meeting CE-targeted performance. CE-targeted performance includes reuse of materials and energy, closed flow of materials, and pollution reduction. Exploration of relationships between SSCF efforts and CE-targeted performance is limited. An objective-DEMATEL method is used to evaluate the relationship between a new SSCF measures framework and CE-targeted performance. A field study helps to identify and refine significant SSCF measures (efforts) to effectively improve CE-targeted performance. Managerial implications and future research directions for sustainable supply chain flexibility within the CE environment are presented.

A Model for Strategic Supplier Selection

SUMMARY The purchasing function for some time now has been receiving increasing importance as a critical supply chain management component. This is mainly due to the significant impact of material costs on profits, increased investments in advanced manufacturing and information technologies, and a growing emphasis on Just‐In‐Time GIT) production. The critical objectives of purchasing departments include obtaining the product at the right cost in the right quantity with the right quality at the right time from the right source. This requires executing effective decisions concerning supplier selection and evaluation. This article addresses the supplier selection process. This model for evaluation and selection of suppliers considers multiple factors that include strategic, operational, tangible, and intangible measures. The model also allows for input from a variety of managerial decisionmaking levels and considers the dynamic aspects of the competitive environment in evaluating suppliers. An empirical case illustration demonstrates the efficacy of the model. The results provide interesting managerial implications.

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF CORPORATE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY PRACTICES AMONG APARTMENT DEVELOPERS IN CHINA

In China corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) has gained increasing attention within industry and government. Evidence exists for significant attempts to promote CSER by the Chinese government. As a critical ‘pillar’ industrial sector, urban residential apartment development has been a major contributor to China's national gross domestic product. This industry has also profoundly influenced social and environmental issues in the country. Thus, apartment developers in China have felt increased pressures to implement CSER practices. Little research has sought to investigate CSER in this industry, whether in China or globally. The objective of this paper is to empirically investigate, using a surveyed sample of 92 apartment development companies, CSER practices in this industrial sector. In the empirical analysis we find that CSER practices can be grouped into basic, environmentally-related and extended practices. We further compare these groupings of CSER practices among different sizes of apartment developers using multivariate analysis of variance and Scheffe multiple analysis tests. We also apply one-way analysis of variance and t-tests for comparisons of CSER practices among apartment developers from different cities and with different ownership structures. The results show that apartment developers generally implement environmentally-related and extended CSER practices at higher levels. Residential apartment development is occurring in more developed cities, and thus apartment developers in these cities face more pressures for CSER practices. Joint ventures are more likely to implement environmentally-related CSER practices. Research and managerial implications, and future research directions are also presented in this work.

Toward the use of internal marketing in networks

Internal Marketing (IM) by definition distinguishes between an organisation and its external environment and focuses only on intraorganisational affairs. However, globalisation and a knowledge-driven environment have produced a global networked economy with blurred boundaries between global companies and local market requirements. Organisational boundaries have become obstacles to business success and companies have responded by establishing networks with permeable and flexible boundaries regarding their local customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. As a result, the concept of internal marketing must be redefined and re-evaluated based on the requirements of the global economy. This paper provides an introductory overview of the use of internal marketing in network environments. It presents an integrative perspective to emphasise the need for the integration of academic knowledge and business practice to the benefit of both.

Interrelationships amongst factors for sub-supplier corporate sustainability standards compliance: An exploratory field study

Sub-supplier compliance with a focal firm's corporate sustainability standards (CSS) is increasingly recognized as an important dimension of sustainable supply chain management. This paper draws on recent sub-supplier management studies and their critical success factors (CSFs) to investigate the interrelationships between and strengths of CSFs. While previous research focused on the perspective and practices only of focal firms, this exploratory field study investigated a focal firm, one of its suppliers and one of its sub-suppliers in a multi-tier supply chain setting. Our findings suggest that sub-supplier assessment and collaboration are influenced by (1) the committed long-term relationship between the direct supplier and the sub-supplier, (2) the involvement of the direct supplier, and (3) the focal firm's buyer-power over the direct supplier. In return, sub-supplier assessment and collaboration influence those and further CSFs in a feedback loop, enabling virtuous or vicious cycle effects. The perspective of the sub-supplier revealed substantial differences to the supplier and the focal firm, in particular the lower feedback loop effect of collaboration on CSFs.

China–US trade spat could hit the environment

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Environmental and Resource Impacts from an Aggressive Regionalized Carbon Peak Policy

When and how to achieve a carbon peak is a concern for provincial regions within China under the context of achieving carbon neutrality in 2060. This study investigates the overall carbon peak environmental and resource impacts under current national targets and Shanghai's latest more aggressive carbon peak policy by using a dynamic multiple-region computable general equilibrium (CGE) model for the year 2030. Results show that (1) the national carbon peak and the more aggressive regional policy in Shanghai will result in energy consumption and carbon emissions decreases when compared to the business-as-usual scenario in most provinces; (2) although some cobenefits in water use reduction may occur in most provinces under the carbon policy scenarios, the results show positive and negative variations; (3) provincial level environmental and resources in transport, electricity, metal smelting and pressing, and agricultural production sectors are most influenced by Shanghai's aggressive carbon peak policy; and (4) the outsourced environmental and resource impacts from Shanghai to other provinces are very significant under Shanghai's aggressive carbon policy. These relevant results provide insights to facilitate broader governance decision-making for environmental resource nexuses while seeking an improved understanding of global sustainable development and climate governance.

A review and analysis of comparative performance studies on functional and cellular manufacturing layouts

This paper provides a comprehensive review of studies and literature that focus on the comparative and relative performance of Functional Layout (FL) and Cellular Manufacturing (CM) systems. Over the previous decade a number of studies have focused on the performance superiority of CM over FL systems, while others have identified with the performance superiority of FL over CM systems. Overall, there appears to be a general lack of consensus on the “ideal” conditions for the relative performance superiority of CM or FL systems. The review of this research is motivated by a need to identify and compile the existing isolated comparative performance studies on CM and FL manufacturing systems and identify characteristics of these systems and studies that could provide insights into these conflicting findings. In addition, the review identifies gaps in the comparative performance literature on cellular and functional manufacturing systems.

Green Transport Fleet Appraisal

Multistakeholder production and logistics management through blockchain technology applications

Green product deletion decisions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify how organizations can evaluate the green product deletion decision within an environmentally sustainable consumption and production environment through a hybrid multistage multiple criteria evaluation approach. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes a decision-making model by integrating “soft computation” using neighborhood rough set theory, fuzzy cluster means, and cumulative prospect theory. Literature is used to identify various factors for the decision environment. An illustrative problem provides insights into the methodology and application. Findings The results indicate that green products can be evaluated from both their relative environmental burdens and benefits. Sustainable consumption and production factors that play a role in this multifactor decision are identified. The results show that a comprehensive evaluation can capture an effective overall picture on which green product(s) to delete. Research limitations/implications The opaqueness of the proposed methodology may cause less acceptance by management. The methodology made a number of assumptions related to the data. An actual application of the tool rather than just an illustrative example is needed. Originality/value The main contribution of this study is the novel integration of supply chain perspectives, both upstream (supply and production) and downstream (demand/usage), with green product deletion decision making. The hybrid multistage technique has advantages of being able to incorporate many factors that have a variety of quantitative and qualitative characteristics to help managers address green product deletion issues as well as its impact on greening of supply chains and organizational environmental sustainability. This paper adds value to product deletion, supply chain management, and sustainable production and consumption literatures.

Degrowth within – Aligning circular economy and strong sustainability narratives

This perspective calls for building greater understanding of overlapping and conflicting considerations between the sustainability principles that inform current conceptions of circular economy and degrowth. We contend that scholars and practitioners need to be pragmatic and to recognize evident ideological differences, but simultaneously to acknowledge beneficial similarities and complements. The common aim of both frameworks – to change business-as-usual and to enable human society to operate within ecological planetary boundaries – will likely engender opportunities to formulate new solutions. Management of the inherent tensions, such as the scale and scope of rebound effects, will continue to pose challenges. However, with thoughtful dialogue, commitment to respectful discourse, and more refined articulation we are confident that progress will be made. By building on synergies and seeking holistic strategies, the academic community, along with its transdisciplinary partners, can advance strong global sustainability efforts.

E‐logistics and the natural environment

Organizations realize that a strong supporting logistics or electronic logistics (e‐logistics) function is an important organizational offering from both the commercial and the consumer perspective. The implications of e‐logistics models and practices cover the forward and reverse logistics functions of organizations. They also have a direct and profound impact from an environmental perspective. Focuses on a discussion of forward and reverse e‐logistics and their relationship to the natural environment. The issues analyzed include those of traditional green logistics and supply chain management functions such as: inventory management, transportation, warehousing, delivery management, supplier management, packaging and order management. Issues relevant to each of these major areas from the electronic commerce and natural environment overlap are discussed. Examples of practices and results are integrated. Environmental issues facing reverse e‐logistics are also described. Brings to the forefront the reverse e‐logistics function, which has been selcom studied even from a non‐environmental perspective. After discussion of the many pertinent issues in these areas, direction of practice and implications for study and research are then presented.

Circular economy and circularity supplier selection: a fuzzy group decision approach

The circular economy (CE) seeks to maintain products and materials at their highest utility and value. The organisational and governmental policy have seised onto the CE philosophy to advance socio-economic and environmental development. CE remains an essentially contested concept – making its utilisation as a foundation for managerial and policy decisions challenging. Circularity assessment has not been systematically adopted, especially within supply chain management. Using critical scholarly and practical evidential foundation, we proposed a comprehensive set of metrics that can be utilised in supplier selection, monitoring, and development for circularity. These metrics include the macro, meso, and micro levels. A group decision-making method integrating best-worst method (BWM), regret theory (RT), and dual hesitant fuzzy sets (DHFS) for circular economy and circularity (CEC) supplier evaluation and selection is introduced – providing instrumental value for the identified metrics typology. The proposed BWM-DHFE-RT integrative analytical method can accommodate decisionmaker psychological behaviour under uncertainty while simultaneously capturing divergent or conflicting opinions of different decision-makers. An illustrative business scenario is utilised to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. Though the proposed CE performance metrics and methodology are used for CEC supplier management reasons they have broader applicability. Future research and application directions are discussed.

Formalising product deletion across the supply chain: blockchain technology as a relational governance mechanism

Companies manage their product portfolios to create value. Products and associated materials are important flows that link supply chains entities from upstream to downstream. Product deletion is a critical decision in product portfolio management. Current product management literature has predominantly targeted product proliferation, growth, and extension. Product deletion research is relatively and severely limited. Product deletion decisions are less appealing to managers; often due to significant operational changes and disruptions deletion creates within the firm and along the supply chain. Quality information and data can support sound product deletion decision making. Blockchain technology is a valuable tool that can effectively address information governance challenges in supply chains. To this end, we theoretically position blockchain technology as a governance mechanism supporting supply chain relational governance using relational view theory. This paper provides insights into the practice of blockchain and product deletion within a supply chain context. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided as we seek to link supply chain-related product deletion decision processes within blockchain technology supported information governance. There are promising potentials in both fields, Additional research development is needed to effectively manage in this environment and has broader implications for product portfolio management in the supply chain.

Of pyramids, roads and bridges: the 2007 Greening of Industry Network Conference

No abstract is provided for this article.

Examining blockchain's role in supply chain finance structure and governance

Can innovative technologies address the challenge of information asymmetry that has long plagued the financial services industry? This study investigates a three-tier supply chain model, consisting of a core buyer firm, suppliers, and sub-suppliers. It explores the impact of blockchain-enabled financing (BF) on the supply chain finance's structure and governance. Utilizing a circular city model, this study examines the number of suppliers and sub-supplier selection between BF and advance payment supply chain finance policies. BF provides significant benefits, including enhanced security, reduced fraud risk, and the use of smart contracts, which together facilitate secure, verifiable, and efficient real-time information exchange. These advantages reduce information asymmetry and verification costs, leading to more efficient supply chain operations, especially in a principal-agent scenario where the core firm delegates financial responsibilities to suppliers. The study finds BF reduces disruptions due to sub-supplier moral hazard and improves buyer firm and sub-supplier interests. It does not benefit intermediary suppliers. Additionally, a decrease in BF information verification costs allows the buyer firm to contract with fewer suppliers, leading to varied impacts on the profitability of supply chain members and significant implications for overall supply chain structure and governance.