Exploring sustainable supply chain management: a social network perspective

Abstract

Purpose -The implementation of sustainable supply chain management (SCM) calls for an acknowledgement of uncertainty inherent in complex environment. Confucianist societies form social networks (guanxi networks) into which people are born and continuously develop their social activities. These then influence economic behaviours and business practices in the workplace. The objective of this study is to explore how these social networks influence the implementation of sustainable supply chain management (SCM). In doing so, this study critically investigates the constructs of guanxi networks, their impact on flow of supply chain capital, and how this leverages the implementation of sustainable SCM.Design/methodology/approach -Two systematic literature reviews are conducted to understand the constructs of social networks in Confucianist cultures and to investigate the flow of supply chain capitals in guanxi networks. The review also analyses recorded evidence related to the economic, social and environmental responsibilities of sustainability to reveal the current state of the literature and research gaps. Propositions and a framework are developed to guide future research in this area.Findings -The constructs of ganqing, renqing, xinren and mianzi in guanxi networks have expanded the contexts of social networks in Western literature. Guanxi networks increase the flow of supply chain capital and generate trust between players, thus enhancing capabilities to implement sustainable SCM. Guanxi networks also create the mechanism of network governance with which to increase sustainable SCM implementation under the institutional logics of sustainability.Research limitations -The conceptual framework and justification are based on the review of current studies in the field. Future empirical study is encouraged to test the propositions, both in Confucian cultures and other countries with culture of informal social networks.Originality/value -Social networks are socially constructed concepts. Therefore, the constructs of guanxi networks have developed the knowledge of Western-based social networking theory. Arguments from a social network perspective provide an alternative answer to explain increased behavioural commitment and companies' investment in sustainable SCM. This study helps practitioners understand the logic of this social norm and to use it to maximise operation outputs, including sustainable SCM implementation.

Implementing Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Reactive, Cooperative, and Dynamic Models

“…• Development of a common mission, vision, and goals. Supply chain management strategy is perceived as many mutually harmonized elements and processes, the most important of which are: full focus on the needs of internal and external clients [73], development of basic values, and implementation of a standard accepted and recognized by the enterprises co-creating the supply chain, defining transparent rules and management procedures, and focusing on the needs of the client and the external environment. It should be stated that the policy of sustainable supply chain management is a strategic declaration for organizations that co-create the supply chain and sets out actions for all enterprises in this chain.…”

Sustainable Supply Management Practices and Sustainability Performance: The Dynamic Capability Perspective

“…Considering that in practice, firms' sustainability is simultaneously affected by multiple factors (D'Souza et al, 2020;Lourenço & Branco, 2013), moderations and mediation pathways may exist in the relationship between SSM practices and SP. The governance mechanisms for a firm performance recently proposed that the differentiated effects of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices could be significantly revealed through probing supply chain dynamic capabilities (Hong et al, 2018;Vijayan & Kamarulzaman, 2020), the performance of supplier risk management and performance of manufacturing risk management (Kumar et al, 2018), social networks and network governance as critical intermediaries between SSCM institutional forces and SSCM commitment (H. E. Lu et al, 2018). This article focuses on SCRM and NC as important mechanisms because businesses frequently adjust their risk management practices and networking capabilities when they notice that they have successively sustained their supply chain management practices.…”

An Interaction Investigation of the Contributing Factors of the Bullwhip Effect Using a Bi-Level Social Network Analysis Approach

“…In the research area of the sustainable supply chain, the importance of social networks has been highlighted by Tachizawa and Wong [19]. Moreover, Lu, et al [20] have shown how to evaluate the uncertainty in a complex environment using social networks. And a theoretical model has been built to explain the sustainability in the supply chains based on graph theory and social networks [21].…”