Sustainability barriers are often analyzed in isolation, yet their interactions shape supply chain sustainability collaboration (SCSC) and triple bottom line (TBL) performance. Drawing on stakeholder and coordination theories, this study examines how internal and external barriers jointly impact SCSC and, in turn, economic, social, and environmental outcomes. Using structural equation modeling with data from medium and large US corporations, findings reveal that SCSC mediates the relationship between external barriers and performance. Moderated mediation results show that internal barriers, often seen as detrimental, can paradoxically enhance organizational responses to external barriers. This dual role suggests that strategically managing-rather than merely minimizing-internal barriers can enhance collaboration and TBL performance. Given global supply chain interdependencies, our findings offer critical insights for managers and policymakers, emphasizing strategies that leverage internal barriers while mitigating external ones to enhance sustainability in complex regulatory and market environments.

This study investigates the effectiveness of institutional pressures in motivating two contrasting sustainability strategies, symbolic and substantive, and their subsequent impact on the triple bottom line (TBL). Using data from 388 US supply chain professionals, this research applies institutional theory and structural equation modeling to examine key informants' perceptions of the antecedents-strategies-results paradigm. Findings reveal that normative pressures uniquely drive symbolic and substantive strategies, while coercive and mimetic pressures lack significant influence. Substantive strategies are positively associated with all TBL dimensions-economic, social, and environmental-while symbolic strategies show limited benefits, impacting only economic performance. This study contributes to institutional theory by highlighting the primacy of internal norms over external pressures in driving meaningful sustainability outcomes and questions the efficacy of compliance and imitative pressures. The insights provide valuable implications for managers and policymakers, emphasizing the need to cultivate sustainability-oriented organizational cultures and strategies to achieve TBL performance.

Despite the ever-growing stream of research in GSCM, scholars continue to identify critical but understudied research areas. One such area – the role of top management in green practices – is the focus of this study. While the direct link between stakeholder pressures and green operations has been widely examined in the extant literature, the mediating role of a human factor – top management commitment (TMC) – on the above relationship remains largely unexplored. The present study addresses this gap. Based on a sample of 206 US firms, a proposed model and five hypotheses are tested using SEM analysis. The research findings highlight the vital mediating role of TMC in channeling stakeholder pressures into a firm's green operations. This study is the first that closely examines the mediating effect of TMC on the relationship between stakeholder pressures and green operations. It also demonstrates the critical role of green operations in transforming external and internal drivers – stakeholder pressures and TMC – into superior economic and environmental outcomes. Furthermore, it underscores the benefits of fostering TMC to instigate environmental sustainability efforts and, ultimately, provides researchers with a deeper understanding of how a human factor may greatly influence green supply chain practices and performance.

PurposeAs focal buyers implement sustainable supplier management (SSM) to advance their supply chain sustainability, the purpose of this paper is to provide a more nuanced understanding of how buyers’ use of power may incite varying perceptions of justice from suppliers that affect sustainable supplier performance (SSP).Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on multidisciplinary literature and collects empirical data from 181 supplying firms in China to examine the complex links among power use, justice, SSM, and sustainable performance using partial least squares structural equation modeling.FindingsBoth coercive and reward buyer power can facilitate SSM implementation and justice perception moderates the impact of SSM on SSP. Furthermore, coercive power adversely influences justice evaluation, thereby attenuating the effect of SSM on performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study complements and extends sustainable supply chain management research by evaluating SSM: on environmental, social and economic performance; from the perspectives of suppliers; and in an emerging market where many suppliers of Western firms are located. It also adds to behavioral SCM research by examining how buyers’ exercise of power might influence suppliers’ justice perception.Practical implicationsTo implement SSM, focal buyers cannot simply issue codes of conduct to suppliers and ignore suppliers’ disposition to commit to standards. While coercive power might be convenient and tempting for buying firms, managers ought to be judicious in the use of coercion.Originality/valueThis is the first large-scale empirical investigation on the links among power use, justice, SSM and sustainable performance from the perspectives of suppliers in an emerging economy.

Purpose As supply chain sustainability has become more urgent than ever before, this study aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of how supplying firms' sustainability motives influence their compliance and commitment, as well as sustainable performance, as they respond to buyers' sustainable supplier management programs. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the intriguing links among sustainability motives, compliance/commitment and sustainable performance of supplying firms, this paper draws on multidisciplinary literature and collects empirical data from 281 supplying firms in China to test the proposed model and hypotheses using structural equation modeling. Findings Instrumental and moral motives make comparable contributions to compliance; moral motives exert stronger influence on firms' commitment to sustainable practices. In addition, although compliance has a greater impact on economic and environmental performance, commitment is far more robust in improving environmental and social performance. Research limitations/implications - Unlike most research on motives that has been theoretical, this study represents one of the few empirical analyses of how motives may affect sustainable performance. Examining the challenges from the perspectives of supplying firms, it also adds to the SSCM literature by making clear how compliance and commitment may differentially predict sustainable performance. Practical implications - Although instrumental and moral motives can be complementary in advancing sustainable practices, it is imperative for firms to integrate moral considerations into sustainability decision-making and move beyond compliance, if they are to contribute meaningfully to a better society and cleaner environment. Originality/value This is the first large-scale empirical investigation on the links among motives, compliance, commitment and sustainable performance from the perspectives of suppliers.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a framework and propositions to advance research and practice in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). Performance indicators (economic, environmental, and social) identified in the paper aim to facilitate empirical testing of a range of theoretical models derived or extended from the stated propositions.Design/methodology/approachThe study of SSCM is truly complicated, and there is no one theory that applies in all instances. The authors analyzed over 200 critical articles published in major supply chain management and sustainability-based journals and grounded the proposed framework in a multi-theoretical perspective.FindingsSSCM implementation entails linking stakeholder pressures, moral motives, and management commitment with relational practices. The paper further elucidates how relational practices, when bundled together, can create a set of relational capabilities, which in turn transform stakeholder pressures into sustainable outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsThe research framework contributes to SSCM theory building insofar as it can be expanded into various theoretical models, allowing researchers to empirically test the links among SSCM drivers, management commitment, and relational capabilities, along with their individual or collective impact on supply chain performance.Practical implicationsThe framework provides a roadmap for firms to develop and nurture relational capabilities while dealing with growing stakeholder pressures. Moral motives strengthen top management commitment, which helps channel stakeholder pressures toward the proactive development of relational capabilities.Originality/valueThe paper fulfills a call for utilizing multiple theoretical lenses to examine complex SSCM phenomena and, ultimately, to create a coherent theory of SSCM.

Many researchers believe the tremendous industrial development over the past two centuries is unsustainable because it has led to unintended ecological deterioration. Despite the ever-growing attention sustainable supply-chain management (SSCM) has received, most SSCM research and models look at the consequences, rather than the antecedents or motives of such responsible practices. The few studies that explore corporate motives have remained largely qualitative, and large-scale empirical analyses are scarce. Drawing on multiple theories and combining supply-chain and business ethics literature, we purport that instrumental, relational, and moral motives are behind a firm’s engagement in SSCM practices. Specifically, we examine the links between corporate motives, SSCM practices, and firm performance. Using a sample of 259 supply-chain firms in Germany, we empirically test five hypothesized relationships. Our results reveal that relational and moral motives are key drivers, and that firms exhibiting high levels of moral obligations tend to outperform those primarily driven by amoral considerations. Findings of this study contribute to multiple literatures espousing sustainability management and can help policy makers, stakeholder groups, and scholars develop more robust strategies for encouraging firms to practice SSCM.

Purchasing managers have increasingly assumed a pivotal role in supply chain management. They are extensively involved in the decision-making processes for purchasing and supply decisions. Yet, the extent to which their personal traits may affect decision-making environments and supply chain performance (SCP) has not been subjected to rigorous empirical scrutiny. Extant research has remained largely anecdotal and disjointed. This paper seeks to extend the stream of research in supply chain management by systematically investigating the antecedents and performance outcomes of decision-making uncertainty (DMU). It enhances current SCP literature by incorporating two understudied constructs, namely DMU and purchasing managers' need for cognitive closure (NFCC), to explore behavioural impacts on SCP. Using structural equation modelling, this study empirically tests a number of hypothesised relationships based on a sample of 201 purchasing firms. Analysis results provide robust support for the links between close buyer-supplier relationships, DMU, the NFCC and the SCP of the buying firm. Implications for future research and supply chain practice are also offered.

We develop an empirical taxonomy of supply chain management (SCM) practices grounded in the capability‐based view. Three groups—transactional SCM,translational SCM, andrelational SCM—were identified using cluster analysis of data collected from over 200 U.S. manufacturing firms. We explain the differences among these groups and their relationship to improvements in supplier and buyer performance. Finally, we discuss implications for research and practice in SCM.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the extent to which a firm's customer focus drives several interlinked facets of supply chain management and their relationships to customer service and financial performance.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on diverse streams of research, the authors develop and test an integrated model in which customer focus is proposed to foster supply‐chain relational capabilities, leading to beneficial performance outcomes. This study's empirical validity is enhanced by collecting data from over 200 US manufacturing firms and testing the model using SEM.FindingsThis empirical investigation documents significant positive relationships between (a) customer focus and supply‐chain relational capabilities, (b) customer focus and customer service, (c) supply‐chain relational capabilities and customer service, and (d) customer service and financial performance.Practical implicationsThis study holds the important implication for managers that, in order to be effective, supply chain partners must reconfigure their supply chains to be more customer oriented and continually develop and leverage the relational competencies in order to enhance firm competitiveness.Originality/valueInterdisciplinary in nature, this study is one of the first to conduct empirical supply chain management research using multiple and complementary theoretical perspectives, including strategic management and relationship marketing in order to gain a better understanding of the nuances involved in fostering strategic collaboration among supply chain partners.

Although the United Nations called for a ‘Global Green New Deal’ and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) includes green incentives, there is far from a consensus on whether the Green New Deal will be a key solution to the economic crisis. To inform the debate, we investigate the relationship between carbon consumption and three major problems facing the US economy – the financial crisis, rising energy prices, and climate change. Our analysis found that the wasteful consumption of finite fossil fuels and a lack of green competitiveness in the USA contribute to the unsustainable economic growth and the triple predicament of the existing carbon-based US economy. This study helps provide a framework for further analysis of more comprehensive green economic strategies that would allow real sustainable growth and provide viable solutions to both the climate crisis and the economic crisis.

Although the UN called for a “Global Green New Deal” as a response to the current financial and economic crisis and the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” (ARRA) includes “green” stimulus incentives, there is unfortunately far from a consensus on whether such green incentives will serve as a solution to the current financial and economic crisis. To answer this fundamental question, we will analyze and identify one of the more deeply rooted structural problems of the U.S. economy, the wasteful depletion of finite fossil fuels, and its relationship with three of the major problems facing the U.S. economy – global financial crisis, skyrocketing energy prices, and climate change. We argue that the triple predicament of the existing carbon-based U.S. economy can be ultimately cured by the development and implementation of a comprehensive visionary “green” economic strategy to accelerate the transition to a greener economy.

Inter-organizational communication has been documented as a critical factor in promoting strategic collaboration among firms. In this paper, we seek to extend the stream of research in supply chain management by systematically investigating the antecedents and performance outcomes of inter-organizational communication. Specifically, inter-organizational communication is proposed as a relational competency that may yield strategic advantages for supply chain partners. Using structural equation modeling, we empirically test a number of hypothesized relationships based on a sample of over 200 United States firms. Our results provide strong support for the notion of inter-organizational communication as a relational competency that enhances buyers' and suppliers' performance. Implications for future research and practice are offered. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic reverse auction (e-RA), an online and real-time auction between a buying organization and two or more invited suppliers, has recently received substantial attention in supply chains. While a recent survey has found a dramatic increase in firms’ interest and participation in e-RA, it also revealed that a large number of purchasing managers are not willing to use e-RA. With the potential cost savings of up to 20% over the traditional purchasing process, why do so many companies hesitate to participate in e-RA? In this paper, we first present the potential benefits and issues of e-RA from the perspectives of both the buyer and supplier. Through the lens of supply chain management (SCM), we then explore what implications e-RA might have for SCM. In particular, we closely examine the impact of e-RA on strategic purchasing, trust, information sharing, inter-organizational communication, and long-term relationship orientation, five of the most important constructs characterizing the notion of supply chain management. Three mini-cases were provided to offer added support for our arguments.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have been widely implemented by numerous firms throughout the industrial world. While success stories of ERP implementation abound due to its potential in resolving the problem of fragmented information, a substantial number of these implementations fail to meet the goals of the organization. Some are abandoned altogether and others contribute to the failure of an organization. This article seeks to identify the critical factors of ERP implementation and uses statistical analysis to further delineate the patterns of adoption of the various concepts. A cross-sectional mail survey was mailed to business executives who have experience in the implementation of ERP systems. The results of this study provide empirical evidence that the theoretical constructs of ERP implementation are followed at varying levels. It offers some fresh insights into the current practice of ERP implementation. In addition, this study fills the need for ERP implementation constructs that can be utilized for further study of this important topic.

SUMMARYEnvironmental uncertainty plays a crucial role in the implementation of strategic supply management initiatives. The current study adopts the resource dependence theory to explain the direct effect of supply chain uncertainties on strategic supply management, operationalized as a second‐order construct comprising strategic purchasing, long‐term relationship orientation, interfirm communication, cross‐organizational teams and supplier integration. Using structural equation modeling, the 200‐firm sample provided evidence that strategic supply management is driven by supply and technology uncertainty. Demand uncertainty, on the other hand, was not found to have a significant impact on strategic supply management. Findings further support the link between strategic supply management and the performance of both buying and supplying firms.

SUMMARY The advent of vertical disintegration coupled with the globalization of markets has brought about increased attention to how firms coordinate flow of materials and information across their supply chain partners. The current research explores the impact of strategic buyer–supplier relationships and information technology on a firm's external logistics integration and agility performance using data collected from over 200 firms. The proposed structural equation model reveals that strategic buyer–supplier relationships and information technology engender external logistics integration, which in turn, affects agility performance of firms. Furthermore, information technology moderates the link between buyer–supplier relationships and logistics integration. Implications for future research and practice are also discussed.