Assessment of lean-green practices on the sustainable performance of hotel supply chains

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically assess the impact of integrated lean and green practices on the sustainable (environmental, economic and social) performance of a hotel supply chain. Design/methodology/approach Literature review and previous exploratory studies were used to develop a hypothesized model that characterizes the integrated lean and green (LeGreen) impact on supply chain sustainability. A case study of a large sample of the UAE hotels is used to collect and analyze empirical data, validate the measurement model and test study hypotheses using structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings The results showed that three major lean techniques (Kaizen, quality and productive maintenance) and three green techniques (health and safety, waste disposal and green certifications) have substantial impact on the sustainable performance of hotel supply chains. Further results revealed that LeGreen impacts are complementary. Lean techniques have the highest impact on the economic performance of the hotel supply chain and the least impact on the environmental performance. Green practices, on the other hand, have opposite impacts. Research limitations/implications Although the study findings may vary in different contexts, study methodology and measurement model can be adapted to assess the LeGreen impact on the sustainable performance of hotel supply chains, as well as other service industries such as banking and health care. Practical implications The proposed assessment model is expected to be of great value toward the effective implementation of LeGreen practices across hotel supply chains in the UAE and globally. The study findings also provide guidelines for practitioners within the hospitality sector to undertake the proposed model and to adapt it for assessing and enhancing sustainable performance in other sectors of the service industry. Originality/value There is a growing emphasis by practitioners and academics on measuring the impact of LeGreen on the sustainable performance of service supply chains. However, the assessment of LeGreen impacts within the context of a hotel supply chain remains unexplored with a scarcity of comprehensive assessment frameworks. This study aims to fulfill this gap in literature and provide directions for researchers to expand the proposed model and to further analyze the integrated lean-green impact on the sustainability of supply chains of hotels and the service industry.

The effects of green supply chain management practices on firm performance: Empirical evidence from restaurants in Egypt

“…The green environment and equipment dimension includes three factors: green kitchen environment, green dining environment, and green cleaning and post-treatment (Wang et al, 2013). Some studies (e.g., Hussain et al, 2019) showed that applying more efficient water and energy consumption and waste recycling methods subsequently reduces overall operational costs.…”

“…There are certain benefits of adopting green practices in the food-service industry. These benefits include increased customers' purchasing intentions to pay more for green products (DiPietro et al, 2013;Namkung and Jang, 2017); increased customer satisfaction and loyalty (Barber and Deale, 2014); improved employee satisfaction and loyalty (Alcorn, 2014;Chiu and Hsieh, 2016); reduced operating costs (Chiu and Hsieh, 2016;Schubert et al, 2010); improved image and customer satisfaction (Chiu and Hsieh, 2016;Hu et al, 2010); enhanced competitiveness (Chiu and Hsieh, 2016;Schubert et al, 2010); and improved environmental and financial performance (Chiu and Hsieh, 2016;Hussain et al, 2019;Perramon et al, 2014). However, some barriers prevent the food-service industry from adopting green practices: high costs related to implementing environmental technologies (Chan, 2011), lack of social awareness and green education (Abbas and Hussien, 2017), lack of resources, lack of support, and uncertainty of outcomes (Chan, 2011).…”

“…In the hospitality industry, most studies have shed the light on green practices in hotels (e.g., Hussain et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2020), but few studies have been done to look at green practices in restaurants compared to hotels (e.g., Abbas and Hussien, 2017;Dipietro et al, 2013;Hu et al, 2010;Wang et al, 2013). A study conducted by Kim et al (2017) showed that 76% of the published articles between 2000 and 2014 on green hospitality practices were based on the hotel sector, compared with only 11% of the published articles based on the restaurant sector.…”

Investigating Sustainable Practices in Hotel Industry-from Employees’ Perspective: Evidence from a Mediterranean Island

“…The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) in alliance with International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labeling Alliance (ISEAL) are organized around four themes for hotels' sustainable practices: "effective sustainability planning, maximizing social and economic benefits for the local community, enhancing cultural heritage, and reducing negative impacts to the environment" [38] (p. 1). Similar to manufacturing firms, green adoption in hotels that provide services is increasingly accepted as indispensable to generating long-term profitable services that positively reflect on the firms' environmental and social responsibilities [81]. Furthermore, Saura et al [82] explored that hotels' environmental practices should expand beyond the physical location of the hotel, rather they should extend to the surrounding environment "including the pure air in the facilities and surroundings, the absence of noise, and the abundance of nature and plants, in the hotel ecosystem" (p. 14).…”

“…To satisfy the consumers, hotels are obliged to focus on building their image as "green hotel" in line with sustainable practice. In a "survey conducted by TripAdvisor, it was revealed that about 62.0% of travelers are concerned about the environmental issue when deciding to stay at a hotel [81]; nearly 87.0% of guests are aware of the importance of eco-friendly hotel, about 80.0% of guests consider themselves as eco-conscious customers, and about 30.0% of them are willing to pay more for environmentally responsible hotels" [84] (p. 58).…”