Green supply chain management (GSCM) has gained increasing attention within both academia and industry. As the literature grows, finding new directions by critically evaluating the research and identifying future directions becomes important in advancing knowledge for the field. Using organizational theories to help categorize the literature provides opportunities to address both the objectives of understanding where the field currently stands and identifying research opportunities and directions. After providing a background discussion on GSCM, we categorize and review recent GSCM literature under nine broad organizational theories, with a special emphasis on investigation of adoption, diffusion and outcomes of GSCM practices. Within this review framework, we also identify GSCM research questions that are worthy of investigation. Additional organizational theories which are considered valuable for future GSCM research are also identified with a conclusion for this review.
This work proposes and empirically tests a new framework for evaluating the relationship between stakeholder pressures, the adoption of low-carbon operations practices and firms’ carbon performance. It seeks to expand upon stakeholder theory and the natural-resource-based view (NRBV) to understand further the role of operations management in a low-carbon environment. Our theoretical hypotheses were tested through the Partial Least Squares method with bias-corrected and accelerated (BCA) bootstrap confidence intervals. The key findings encapsulate a mixture of expected and unexpected research results: (i) stakeholder pressures influence both barriers and motivators for decarbonising operations management practices; (ii) a variety of barriers and motivators significantly affect the adoption of low-carbon operations management practices; (iii) developing positive relationships with stakeholders is important to overcome barriers from the external environment and enhance organisational competitiveness; (iv) low-carbon operations management has an overall effect on firms’ carbon performance; However, unexpectedly: (v) firms seem to face difficulties in understanding stakeholder pressures when developing low-carbon products and logistics, due to a lack of awareness of the sources of barriers to the adoption of low-carbon management practices; (vi) in terms of stakeholders, competitors tend to exert significant pressure towards the adoption of low-carbon operations, while government does not; (vii) more research is necessary to better understand the apparent weak link between low-carbon logistics and firms’ low-carbon performance.
Increasing global environmental pressures from regulators, markets and communities have caused focal companies in supply chains to recognize the significance of environmentally conscious management. Greener supply chains are part of this recognition. Environmental supplier development is a valuable and viable strategy for greening supply chains. However, low carbon management is rarely explored in supplier development. Further, formal tools and models for focal companies to evaluate environmental supplier development programs (ESDPs) considering low carbon management and their effect on supplier performance improvement are limited. To help address these gaps in the literature, this paper proposes a portfolio evaluation model for ESDPs that consider three types of supplier performance: traditional operational factors, traditional environmental factors and low carbon management factors. This model applies the fuzzy scoring method to measure the effect of ESDPs on supplier performance, and uses fuzzy DEMATEL to examine the cause–effect interrelationships among the ESDPs. Subsequently, a real world example is used to demonstrate the application of the portfolio model and provide insights into environmental supplier development evaluation, followed by discussions of case application results. This paper concludes with directions for further research. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Circular Economy performance indicators are relatively difficult to manage. There are no guarantees the circular economy practices - which overlap greatly with green supply chain activities - will necessarily be environmentally responsible. Part of this difficulty of managing circular economy processes in an environmentally sound way is the need for performance metrics, monitoring and evaluation. Essentially, there is a need for a circular economy performance measurement system. The difficulty with managing complex circular economy processes is the need for multiple actors to contribute information and knowledge to manage in this environment. It is within this context that we provide insights into how blockchain technology can be used and tied to circular economy performance evaluation. Blockchain technology characteristics including traceability, transparency, security and tokenization will be considered. We will discuss the current state-of-the-art practice, emergent developments and future work. Research and practical concerns related to this topic are featured.
No abstract is provided for this article.
Here we investigate the serially dependent, multi-machine replacement problem. Given a planning horizon with T periods, M machines of T+ 1 possible vintages, costs for machine operations, machine replacements, and shutdown times, we investigate a linear programming reformulation which involves half the variables and a factor of T fewer constraints than earlier forms. Only T binary variables are necessary, a factor of M fewer than currently employed by heuristic procedures on alternate formulations. Specialized monotone cost structures are no longer necessary, thus extending the class of problems which can be solved efficiently. Computations done using the reformulation's linear programming relaxation on randomly generated problems typically produced integer solutions without branching, even in problems with 75 machines and 15 time periods. In situations where exact optimal solutions are required, the reformulation partially remedies the slow convergence witnessed in earlier studies using branch and bound techniques.
Purpose The issue of varying stakeholder expectations has significant implications for successful enterprise information system implementation. This issue becomes more prevalent in e‐government situations where a variety of stakeholders are influenced by inter‐organizational knowledge sharing. This paper presents an exploratory investigation of the diverging and converging expectations of various stakeholders at the initiation of e‐government projects with regard to the benefits of and barriers to interorganizational knowledge sharing. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from seven cases within the New York State (NYS) government setting. We identified two sets of stakeholder groupings in this paper; core/key project participants and general participants (similar to developer/user stakeholder groupings); and; various organizational participants (state government, local government, non‐profit organization, and private organization stakeholders). Findings Research results indicated that key participants' expectations were similar to those of general participants/users. Their perceptions converge on the relative likelihood of achieving benefits and relative severity of barriers; although significant differences do exist in discernment of the opportunity for achieving wider professional networks and the magnitude of control‐oriented management. Finally, we found significant differences among stakeholders groups based on the types of organizational membership. Local government stakeholders are considerably less optimistic in achieving goals, and more concerned about a variety of organizational, technological, and financial barriers. Originality/value The results provide guidance for e‐government design and implementation strategies that amplify common interests, contend with shared difficulties, and mitigate differences.
Economic globalization and the popularity of outsourcing activities have led to the expansion of logistics and transportation services. Increasing logistics
No abstract is provided for this article.
Even though reverse logistics has existed as long as forward logistics, growing social concern for the environment has caused reverse logistics activities to become a critical function for many organizations. Yet, barriers to implementation of environmentally oriented aspects of reverse logistics still exist. The aim of the present study is to identify the barriers that impede or hinder the implementation of environmentally oriented reverse logistics practices, with a focus on the automotive industry. Empirical evidence and robust statistical analysis provide insights into the practices of environmentally oriented reverse logistics and barriers encountered in the Spanish automotive sector. Using structural equation modelling we are able identify two types of barriers, external and internal, and to study whether these barriers, previously identified in the literature, hinder environmentally oriented reverse logistics practices. The model also allows for identification of the most relevant barriers for the automotive sector.
We hypothesize a model where domestic and international institutional pressures lead to the successful implementation of ISO 9000 and can in turn lead to the successful implementation of environmental management systems such as ISO 14001 environmental certification systems or total quality environmental management (TQEM) systems. Using appropriate tests for mediation with dichotomous mediators and outcomes, we find that the model holds for a sample of 377 Chinese manufacturers in six major industrial groups in Suzhou, Dalian, and Tianjin. Our findings are consistent with the theory linking internal capabilities to heterogeneous external (in this case, institutional) pressures on organizations for environmentally proactive efforts. Our findings suggest that institutions in developing countries with significant environmental concerns such as China as well as foreign suppliers and partners to firms in these countries should encourage and support ISO 9000 implementations by local firms. These findings may influence other developing nations' adoption of quality and environmental process systems.
This paper presents a multiperiod supply chain with freight carriers network model. In this model manufacturers, retailers, and carriers maximize the net present value (NPV) of their investments in ecologically friendly technology. Future production, inventory, transaction, and transportation costs savings are used to help fund investments. The environmental impact of production, inventory, transportation, and consumption of products in the supply chain network are all integrated. The tradeoff between the initial technology investment and its ecological footprint effect is considered for the supply chain planning period. We provide variational inequality formulations of the equilibrium conditions and then propose the modified projection method, along with conditions for convergence. Numerical examples are examined with an analysis of the effects of ecologically friendly technology investments on supply chain network production, transportation, and sales.
Suppliers' development is a critical function within supply chain management. Green supplier development is also necessary for effective green supply chain management. Interestingly, there is a gap in the research on how an organization can effectively manage supplier development programs, and specifically green supplier development. The use of formal models to aid green supplier development management is virtually non-existent. This paper aims to fill this gap by introducing a formal model using rough set theory to investigate the relationships between organizational attributes, supplier development program involvement attributes, and performance outcomes. The performance outcomes focus on environmental and business dimensions. The rough set methodology utilizes an ‘incomplete’ information approach which is more realistic in some data poor environments. A multistage rough set methodology is detailed through an illustrative application. The methodology generates decision rules relating the various attributes to the performance outcomes. Included in the discussion are insights into how these rules for individual and aggregated performance (environmental, business, and joint performance) may be evaluated. Practical and research implications of this work are detailed in the paper.
Enterprise-wide information systems adoption by organizations has become common place. Even with the benefits offered by such systems, there have also been many failures. One of the important reasons for these failures is inappropriate project evaluation and selection. In order to reduce the level of project failures, we introduce an innovative methodology, the financial appraisal profile (FAP) model, which seeks to address some of the issues and limitations posed by standard appraisal and evaluation approaches for strategic technologies and programs. By making the right decision in the first place and involving senior managers in the appraisal process, the organization will be better placed to achieve project success. The adoption of a management team approach to investment appraisals will not only enhance the information base but will also result in greater managerial commitment to a project. We believe by adopting the FAP model greater awareness to strategic issues and goals will also be achieved, which should lead to a more focused top management team—with all members pulling in the same direction.Request access from your librarian to read this chapter's full text.
No abstract is provided for this article.
Purpose This study provides a reflective overview on the role of traditional and emergent digitalization and information technologies for leveraging environmental supply chain sustainability – while reflecting on potential trade-offs and conflicts of digitalization and greening. Design/methodology/approach The authors use relevant literature and literature from Industrial Management and Data Systems (IMDS) research published in this journal over the past 50 years. They also use their knowledge and over 30 years of research experience in the field to provide professional scholarly reflections and perspective. Findings The authors provide a focused and succinct evaluation for research directions. A pressures, practices and performance framework sets the stage for pertinent research questions and theoretical needs to investigate the nexus of digitalization and green supply chain management. The authors provide two frameworks with exemplary practices and research for traditional and emergent digitalization and information technology. Their reflection concludes with a summary and steps forward. Social implications The authors show how research and practice can be used to affect supply chain greening with digitalization and information technology. They observe that care should be taken given that these technologies can paradoxically simultaneously offer solutions to environmental degradation and potentially be a source of environmental degradation across the supply chain. Originality/value This work provides a summary and unique perspective that links traditional and emergent digitalization technology to green and environmental sustainability work. The area has not seen a clear summary and path forward and shows how IMDS literature has contributed to the field for decades.
Agile manufacturing, as a new manufacturing paradigm, requires a systematic study of its enablers to aid in successful adoption and implementation of the concept and practice. This study identifies and determines a relationship among the various enablers for the agile manufacturing philosophy. A systemic relationship among various enablers help to identify for researchers and industry the complexities and dynamics involved in the nurturing and implementation of agile manufacturing in an effective and appropriate manner. Enablers are identified and supported from various literary sources. The systemic relationship among these enablers is developed using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM).
