Green supply chain management: an empirical investigation on the construction sector

Abstract

Supply Chain Management: an International Journal y C h a i n M a n a g e m e n t : a n I n t e r n a t i o n a l J o u 1 Green supply chain management: An empirical investigation on the construction sector Abstract Purpose: Curtailing the adverse environmental impacts of the construction sector is one the major challenges of the twenty-first century. However, despite the significance of this problem, the limited efforts so far to tackle the negative impacts associated with this particular sector have been largely fragmented and disjointed. Given that the net green outcome of a construction project is the sum total of the efforts undertaken at the various supply chain stages (from the initial design to the endof-life demolition) by different stakeholders, the green supply chain management (GSCM) approach is seen as a way forward toward streamlining the fragmented efforts at greening the sector. This forms the motivation of the present work, which aims to develop, validate, and apply a multidimensional GSCM framework for the construction sector.Design/methodology/approach: A comprehensive GSCM assessment framework consisting of nine constructs (external and internal drivers; external and internal barriers; core and facilitating GSCM practices; economic, environmental and organizational performance implications) and their underlying factors was developed through an extensive literature review. Using data collected through a structured questionnaire, the framework was validated, and the relevance/appropriateness of each construct and its underlying factors, along with the hypothesized relationships between the constructs, were assessed separately for each supply chain stakeholder. Findings:The findings confirm the validity and reliability of the constructs and their underlying factors as well as the assessment framework. In general, the implementation of green practices has had a positive impact on the environmental, economic, and organizational performance for all stakeholders, while the extent of the green practices implemented depends on the relative strength of the drivers and barriers. Research limitations/implications:This study fills a gap in the literature about applying/implementing GSCM in the construction sector. Practical implications:The findings provide practitioners, policy makers, and organizations associated with the UAE construction sector, as well as the construction sector in general, insight into all key aspects of GSCM.Originality/value: A comprehensive survey-based assessment of GSCM for the construction sector has not been previously attempted and constitutes the novelty of this work.

Factors for implementing green supply chain management in the construction industry

“…As representative of the manufacturing industries, the construction industry needs materials from other industries to produce buildings or infrastructure. Therefore, the supply and demand model in the construction industry has significantly contributed to economic growth (Bohari, Skitmore, Xia, Teo, Zhang & Adham, 2015); this model is highly complex, diverse and fragmented, involving a multitude of stakeholders participating in dyadic relationships (Balasubramanian & Shukla, 2017a). For example, in a construction project like a building project, the number of organisations involved in the supply chain can run into the hundreds.…”

Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) Practices for Sustainability Performance: An Empirical Evidence of Malaysian SMEs

“…Sizeable prior studies found that GSCM practices positively influence firm performance; environmental, economic, social or operational aspects (Balasubramanian & Shukla, 2017). Each of this aspect of performance is perceived as essential indicators of sustainability performance for organisations because the business environment nowadays is highly competitive and increasing demand from consumers regarding the environmental concern and the preference of eco-friendly products.…”

Green supply chain management in construction: A systematic literature review and future research agenda

“…Successful Green SCM requires relationship management as part of the greater integration of business processes and systems along supply chains (Ahi & Searcy, 2013). The work of Balasubramanian and Shukla (2017a) pointed to the value in mapping between role and activities. Their research linked detailed green practices, drivers and barriers to four roles: developers, contractors, architects/consultants and suppliers.…”

“…Sertyesilisik (2016) proposed extending Porter's diamond framework of factors influencing competitiveness (Porter, 1998) to include requirements of future generations and broader 'sustainability conditions' Balasubramanian and Shukla (2017a) critiqued earlier theoretical frameworks of Seuring and Müller (2008a, b) and Carter and Rogers (2008) as not comprehensive and no longer up-to-date. They went on to offer the only new theoretical framework proposed for Green SCM in the papers reviewed (Balasubramanian, 2014;Balasubramanian and Shukla 2017a). Deriving first a quadrantbased categorisation of enablers of Green SCM, based on an extensive review of the Green SCM literature (Balasubramanian, 2014), Balasubramanian and Shukla (2017a) proposed and tested a nine-construct structural model, in which they demonstrated the relationship between internal and external drivers and barriers to core and facilitating green practices, and the relationship between core and facilitating green practices and environmental, economic and organisational performance.…”

“…They went on to offer the only new theoretical framework proposed for Green SCM in the papers reviewed (Balasubramanian, 2014;Balasubramanian and Shukla 2017a). Deriving first a quadrantbased categorisation of enablers of Green SCM, based on an extensive review of the Green SCM literature (Balasubramanian, 2014), Balasubramanian and Shukla (2017a) proposed and tested a nine-construct structural model, in which they demonstrated the relationship between internal and external drivers and barriers to core and facilitating green practices, and the relationship between core and facilitating green practices and environmental, economic and organisational performance. Further, they tested these relationships for four main roles in construction (developer/client; architect/designer; major contractor; material suppliers).…”