Exploring the Framework Development Status for Sustainability in Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Literature Synthesis and Future Research Directions

Abstract

The need to integrate environmental and social aspects into the supply chain has created a debate amongst academicians and researchers on two topics: sustainability and the supply chain. A large number of journals and special volumes are publishing research that carries out a case study or survey, develops a mathematical model or builds a conceptual model/framework on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). However, classified analysis of articles that develop a framework on SSCM has not been carried out by any researcher. The study thus aims to review SSCM framework articles to identify the major contributions and gaps. A total of 92 framework articles on SSCM from the sample of 349 over a period of 19 years (1998–2016) are structurally analyzed to meet the objectives. The selected literature is categorized by novel or adapted framework, source of framework, framework verification, method used for framework verification and identifying the constructs/elements that build the structural framework. Analyzing the literature sample using these categories reveals that framework development in the context of SSCM is still an area with ample future opportunities. The findings of the study are especially interesting for academicians and practitioners to investigate the critical gaps in the field of sustainable supply chain management frameworks (SSCMFs). Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

Sustainable supply chain management and partner engagement to manage climate change information

“…Extant literature examines why and how individual firms seek to reduce their impact on the natural environment by focusing their efforts on challenges and concerns within their supply chains (e.g., Ansari & Kant, ; Busse, ; Busse, Meinlschmidt, & Foerstl, ; Grosvold, Hoejmose, & Roehrich, ; Lamming & Hampson, ). Much of this research draws on the concept of green or sustainable supply chain management (SSCM; Ahi & Searcy, ; Linton, Klassen, & Jayaraman, ; Sajjad, Eweje, & Tappin, ), but concerns remain about a lack of understanding whether and how firms collaborate with their supply chain partners to respond to specific SSCM issues such as climate change (Finke, Gilchrist, & Mouzas, ; Hofmann, Busse, Bode, & Henke, ; Montabon, Pagell, & Wu, ; Rodriguez‐Melo & Afshin Mansouri, ; Seuring & Müller, ).…”

Managerial perspectives on drivers for and barriers to sustainable supply chain management implementation: Evidence from New Zealand

“…As the SSCM field continues to evolve, there remains significant potential for theory development and empirical research (Ansari & Kant, ; Marshall, McCarthy, Heavey, & McGrath, ). Dubey, Gunasekaran, Childe, et al (, p. 333) noted that “the concept of a sustainable supply chain is poorly understood from both theoretical and managerial points of view.” Paulraj et al (), on the other hand, argued that research has extensively explored the performance impacts of SSCM implementation, whereas studies that looked at drivers and obstacles for SSCM implementation are scarce.…”

The Role of Green Collaborative Strategies in Improving Environmental Sustainability in Supply Chains: Insights from a Case Study

“…From this perspective, sustainable supply chains should be able to maintain economic viability without harming social or natural systems during an extended period (Pagell and Wu, ). Environmental, social and ethical criteria need to be considered by supply chain participants to remain within the supply chain (Font et al, ; Seuring and Müller, ; Ansari and Kant, ).…”