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Assessing sustainable supply chain enablers using total interpretive structural modeling approach and fuzzy-MICMAC analysis

Mahamaya Mohanty (Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India)

Management of Environmental Quality

ISSN: 1477-7835

Article publication date: 12 March 2018

886

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to model the enablers of an integrated logistics. The integration is accounted for incorporating sustainability, thereby aiming in its theory building. Existing models have focused on enablers of sustainable supply chain independently which lacks a holistic view in understanding the integrated logistics for sustainable supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive literature review, expert opinion from both industry and academia based on questionnaire survey, is conducted to find the relevant enablers. The modeling of these enablers is done using total interpretive structural modeling (TISM). Finally, TISM along with its respective fuzzy-matriced impact croises multiplication applique (fuzzy-MICMAC) analysis is depicted.

Findings

The result of the survey and TISM model with its respective fuzzy-MICMAC has been used to evolve the mutual relationships among the important enablers of integrated logistics of consumer durables. The strategic factors obtained from TISM are integration and collaboration in the supply chain, vehicle type, and capacity; reduction in average length of haul; and real-time information system. Route selection and scheduling, reduction of fuel consumption, customer relationship management, green technology, cost reduction, etc., are some of the operational factors. Sustainable environment performance is obtained as the performance factor. Fuzzy-MICMAC is more responsive than the traditional MICMAC analysis.

Research limitations/implications

The study has limitation for the development of a conceptual framework for integrated logistics in uncertain environments. So it can be extended by combining soft computing methodologies. There is a lack of mathematical quantification of the proposed model where the enablers of sustainability can be measured.

Practical implications

The study on integrated logistics for sustainable supply chain is itself a new area to be explored, as very few studies on this relevant topic exist. The research concentrates on TISM for the integrated logistics and the movement of consumer durables through different distribution channels of a supply chain. The study has implications for practitioners, academicians, and policy makers. For practitioners, it provides a list of strategic factors, operational factors, and performance factors. For academicians, this methodology can be opted to conduct an exploratory study by identifying the essential enablers. For policy makers, the regulations can be developed using the above model.

Originality/value

It is an effort to model the important enablers and establish sustainability in integrated logistics of consumer durables.

Keywords

Citation

Mohanty, M. (2018), "Assessing sustainable supply chain enablers using total interpretive structural modeling approach and fuzzy-MICMAC analysis", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. 29 No. 2, pp. 216-239. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-03-2017-0027

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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