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1 – 10 of over 31000Sajad Fayezi, Rebecca Stekelorum, Jamal El Baz and Issam Laguir
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of institutional drivers and buyer dependency on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and performance of suppliers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of institutional drivers and buyer dependency on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and performance of suppliers.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw on institutional theory and resource dependence theory to construct a conceptual model than links institutional drivers, GSCM practices, buyer dependency and performance outcomes. The authors test the hypotheses using partial least squares structural equation modeling applied to a sample of suppliers in the Australian manufacturing sector.
Findings
The results confirm that suppliers develop GSCM practices of green sourcing and eco-design to enhance their performance in response to both coercive forces and voluntary behaviors of their institutional environment. However, buyer dependence of suppliers explains important paradoxes in their uptake of GSCM practices. For example, while the institutional drivers encourage greater adoption of green sourcing by suppliers, increase in buyer dependence in turn reduces the positive performance outcome of green sourcing.
Practical implications
The authors establish that understanding and assessment of the role of buyer dependency is critical for managers in charge of GSCM practices of their company. This enables practitioners to proactively manage paradoxes resulting from institutional drivers and buyer dependency through an informed decision on the type of GSCM practice to be adopted for effectuating performance improvement.
Originality/value
The authors provide empirical evidence on paradoxes that curtail performance associated with the uptake of GSCM practices by suppliers moving beyond institutional environment by considering the role of buyer dependency.
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Mirna Jabbour and Magdy Abdel-Kader
This paper aims to investigate various institutional pressures driving the adoption and implementation of a new risk management system; enterprise risk management (ERM).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate various institutional pressures driving the adoption and implementation of a new risk management system; enterprise risk management (ERM).
Design/methodology/approach
The implementation of ERM-related practices is analysed based on an institutional framework and drawing on empirical evidence from multiple sources in ten large/medium-sized insurance companies. This paper focuses on extra-organisational pressures exerted by political, social and economic institutions on insurance companies which drove the adoption decision.
Findings
It was found that different change agents have taken part in the decision to introduce new risk management system as a part of ERM implementation process. Further, the institutional pressures, coercive, mimetic and normative, were found to differ in character and strength over different intervals of time in relation to the adoption of ERM. Companies that adopted ERM early were mostly driven by internal strategic drivers, whereas the recent adoption decision was more driven by coercive and mimetic pressures. Thus, evidence of divergence between insurance companies was found.
Research limitations/implications
The findings have implications for policy makers, regulatory agencies and innovation developers. ERM was considered not only as a necessity but also as a value added to the insurance companies under study. Thus, regulators and innovation developers should survey main players in any specific organisational field to understand their views before issuing new compulsory regulations or developing innovations. They also need to consider exploring companies’ experiences with ERM, which can provide a basis for the development of strengthened and more informative regulatory ERM frameworks. This will support a faster and easier understanding and implementation of ERM framework hindered by the confusions companies may face when considering the complicated/changing regulatory and risk requirements.
Originality/value
This study extends the scope of institutional analysis to the risk management field, particularly ERM and to the explanation of how different institutions affect the decision to move towards ERM and modify the risk management rules applied within the organisational environment. It looks not only at convergences but also divergences associated with the period of time when ERM adoption decision was made. Thus, it develops a processual view of change.
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Shobod Deba Nath, Gabriel Eweje and Suborna Barua
The purpose of this paper is to investigate why multi-tier apparel suppliers integrate social sustainability practices into their supply chains and what barriers these suppliers…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate why multi-tier apparel suppliers integrate social sustainability practices into their supply chains and what barriers these suppliers encounter while embedding social sustainability practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a qualitative research design, drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with 46 owners and managers from 33 multi-tier apparel suppliers in Bangladesh, an important outsourcing hub for the global apparel industry. To corroborate research findings, the views of owners and managers were triangulated by further interviewing 11 key representatives of institutional actors such as third-party auditors, a donor agency, industry associations, regulatory agencies and a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Findings
The authors' findings suggest a range of divergent institutional drivers and barriers – coercive, mimetic and normative – that determine the implementation of multi-tier suppliers' social sustainability practices. The key reported drivers were buyers' requirements, external stakeholders' expectations, top management commitment and competition. Conversely, cost and resource concerns and gaps in the regulatory framework were identified as key social sustainability implementation barriers. In particular, owners and managers of second-tier and third-tier supplier firms experienced more internal barriers such as cost and resource concerns than external barriers such as gaps in values, learning and commitment (i.e. compromise for mutual benefit and non-disclosure of non-compliance) that impeded effective social sustainability implementation.
Research limitations/implications
Social sustainability in supply chain management has received significant attention from academics, business practitioners, governments, NGOs and supranational organisations. However, limited attention has been paid to investigating the drivers and barriers for social sustainability implementation from a developing country's multi-tier supplier perspective. The authors' research has addressed this knowledge gap.
Practical implications
The evidence from the authors' study provides robust support for key assumptions of institutional theory and has useful implications for both managers and policy-makers.
Originality/value
The authors' study contributes to the embryonic research stream of socially sustainable multi-tier supply chain management by connecting it to the application of institutional theory in a challenging institutional context.
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Yi-Chun Huang, Chih-Hsuan Huang and Min-Li Yang
The purpose of this paper is to explore how internal and external factors simultaneously drive firms to adopt green supply chain (GSC) initiatives and to construct a comprehensive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how internal and external factors simultaneously drive firms to adopt green supply chain (GSC) initiatives and to construct a comprehensive research model by drawing upon institutional theory, stewardship theory, and view of performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The data collected from 380 manufacturers in the electrical and electronics industries in Taiwan were analyzed via structural equation modeling and bootstrapping.
Findings
First, institutional pressures affect the GSC initiatives of firms. Second, institutional pressures influence the environmental stewardship behaviors (ESBs) of managers. Third, the ESBs of managers affect the GSC initiatives of firms. Fourth, the GSC initiatives of firms influence their environmental performance, economic performance, and competitiveness. Fifth, the bootstrapping results reveal that institutional pressures indirectly affect the GSC initiatives of firms through the ESBs of managers.
Research limitations/implications
Environmental sustainability has intensified the need for firms to develop a corporate culture. Future research can investigate the relationship among the institutional pressures, greening corporate culture, and GSC initiatives of firms.
Practical implications
Those managers facing institutional pressures must continually focus on the effects of external factors on the GSC initiatives of their firms. They must also increase their commitment and support to such initiatives to attain favorable levels of environmental performance, economic performance, and competitiveness.
Originality/value
This study integrates four streams of literature on institutional theory, stewardship theory, GSC initiatives, and view of performance. Apart from analyzing field- and organization-level data simultaneously, this paper is also the first to demonstrate the relationships among institutional pressures, ESBs of managers, GSC initiatives, and firm performance.
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Kali Charan Sabat, Bala Krishnamoorthy and Som Sekhar Bhattacharyya
The purpose of this study was to comprehend the current state of green supply chain management (GSCM) and its drivers and enablers in the pharmaceutical supply chains (PSCs).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to comprehend the current state of green supply chain management (GSCM) and its drivers and enablers in the pharmaceutical supply chains (PSCs).
Design/methodology/approach
This study developed a model consisting of the factors green drivers, green enablers and green practices. For this study, data were collected from 166 supply chain heads from 124 pharmaceutical companies operating in India. The data was empirically analysed using SmartPLS3 software.
Findings
The study revealed that in Indian PSCs, public pressure, supplier pressure and competitor pressure were the major drivers for GSCM practices and coercive pressures such as pressure from government and regulatory bodies were insignificant drivers. The results indicated that the influence of green drivers and green enablers altered with supply chain flow. Green drivers indicated higher influence at the upstream of PSCs whereas the influence of green enablers was higher at the downstream of PSCs. Furthermore, the study revealed that the factor “green enablers” was a good mediator for the relationship between “green drivers” and “GSCM practices” in PSCs.
Research limitations/implications
This study was an extension work with the addition of external green drivers to the self-induced organizational activities. Further investigations can be done by including the “green barriers” construct in the conceptual model.
Practical implications
This research connected the institutional theory with the resource-based view to understanding the role of green drivers and green enablers in greening PSC. For managers and regulators, this study provided clear insights on how to approach different supply chain drivers and enablers to maximize the impact of GSCM practices. Moreover, the findings of this study helped in incorporating knowledge about GSCM into a framework that can be used for defining strategies for setting up a sustainable PSC for pharmaceutical products leading to the development and growth of the pharmaceuticals industry.
Originality/value
Most of the earlier studies on GSCM were at the firm level and some studies were at the supply chain level. To further enhance the scope of GSCM theory, this study was conducted at two different levels, first at the complete supply chain level and second at three different levels: upstream, firm-level and downstream.
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The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the evolution of institutional arrangements to support the internationalisation of real estate involvements in European…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the evolution of institutional arrangements to support the internationalisation of real estate involvements in European markets.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a broadly institutional economics approach to markets the paper first outlines a market rational for institutional arrangements to support internationalisation and then examines how such arrangements have evolved in the context of European real estate markets.
Findings
Significant new institutional arrangements have evolved to support the internationalisation of real estate involvements in Europe. The need to address the information costs and new information requirements necessitated by internationalisation has been a key driver of institutional formation. Both regulatory and informal barriers to internationalisation have also been important drivers of the evolution of new institutional arrangements to support internationalisation. Taken collectively the new institutional arrangement identified should be viewed as a significant step change in the structure of European real estate markets. Broad market evidence points to the success of these arrangements.
Originality/value
The paper provides the first systematic account of the evolution of new institutional arrangements to support the internationalisation of real estate involvements in Europe. It identifies the key drivers of institutional formation and provides a sketch of the key characteristics of the institutions which have evolved.
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Chin‐Chun Hsu, Keah Choon Tan, Suhaiza Hanim Mohamad Zailani and Vaidyanathan Jayaraman
Sustainability and environmental issues are among the most pressing concerns for modern humanity, governments and environmentally conscious business organizations. Green supply…
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainability and environmental issues are among the most pressing concerns for modern humanity, governments and environmentally conscious business organizations. Green supply chain management has been acknowledged as a key factor to promote organizational sustainability. Green supply chain management is evolving into an important approach for organizations in emerging economies to manage their environmental responsibility. Yet, despite their importance for easing environmental degradation and providing economic benefits, study of the drivers that influence green supply chain initiatives in an emerging economy is still an under‐researched area. Using survey data collected from ISO 14001 certified organizations from Malaysia, the purpose of this paper is to propose that the drivers that motivate firms to adopt green supply chain management can be measured by a second‐order construct related to the implementation of the firm's green supply chain initiatives.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation model was used to analyze a set of survey data to validate the research hypotheses.
Findings
The research reveals four crucial drivers of green supply chain adoption that collectively affect a firm's green purchasing, design‐for‐environment and reverse logistics initiatives. This study uncovers several crucial relationships between green supply chain drivers and initiatives among Malaysian manufacturers.
Originality/value
The role of the drivers is crucial in motivating these firms to adopt green supply chain initiatives and facilitate their adoption. Firms in emerging countries need to realize that green supply chain initiatives can result in significant benefits to their firms, environment, and the society at large which gives them additional incentives to adopt these initiatives.
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Although many companies have initiated corporate social responsibility activities, only a small fraction of consumers have reacted in the same spirit. In order to increase…
Abstract
Purpose
Although many companies have initiated corporate social responsibility activities, only a small fraction of consumers have reacted in the same spirit. In order to increase economic and social benefits, corporate and consumer interests need to be aligned through specialized marketing activities. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to complement traditional consumer research through a multi-stakeholder approach. It specifically analyzes institutional drivers to enhance consumer responsibility (ConRes) in the fashion industry.
Design/methodology/approach
An explorative study containing in-depth interviews (n=30) with three groups of experts (retailers, not-for-profit organizations (NPOs), marketing specialists) is conducted to investigate the influences of institutional agents to foster responsible consumption. Data analysis is based on qualitative content analysis.
Findings
Various institutional drivers of ConRes range from influences in the social environment to spill-over effects and triggering of emotions. Thus, agents use marketing tools such as inter-industry cooperations or social media to encourage ConRes in the fashion industry.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should compare ConRes and its potential influences within different industries and further validate the results in quantitative studies.
Practical implications
Companies and NPOs can foster ConRes by cooperating with like-minded organizations, displaying more transparency within their communications and providing relevant content to media partners.
Social implications
If institutional agents succeed in fostering ConRes, they can induce corresponding behavior leading to improved workforce welfare in the fashion industry and environmental protection.
Originality/value
The study is the first to empirically investigate three collaborating groups of institutional agents regarding their opportunities to enhance ConRes.
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Clinton Aigbavboa, Lawrence Yao Addo, Andrew Ebekozien, Wellington Didibhuku Thwala and Bernard Martins Arthur-Aidoo
A viable framework has been proven to reduce operational and institutional inefficiencies in the urban water supply sector. The absence of drivers necessary to develop a framework…
Abstract
Purpose
A viable framework has been proven to reduce operational and institutional inefficiencies in the urban water supply sector. The absence of drivers necessary to develop a framework may have hindered institutional development and effective Ghanaian urban water supply management. Thus, the research aims to identify the drivers and develop a framework for effectively managing the urban water supply in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilised a qualitative research design approach and analysed collected data to proffer answers to the research questions. The research sampled 19 participants, and saturation was achieved.
Findings
Findings identified drivers for developing Ghana's urban water supply framework. They categorised them into the availability of water supply resources, the level of professionalism of the personnel, the provision of accessible quality water, the efficient management system of water supply, prudent financial management, ethics for managing water supply and the culture of managing water supply. These pertinent constructs form components of Ghana's urban water sector framework.
Originality/value
Besides supporting transformation and sustainability to develop a framework for managing Ghana's urban water supply sector, policymakers may utilise the developed model to evaluate public urban water supply compliance with Ghana's water sector performance.
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Wilquer Silvano de Souza Ferreira, Gláucia Maria Vasconcellos Vale and Patrícia Bernardes
The aim of this article is to test the hypothesis that peer-to-peer technology platforms (Uber) are associated with disruption in the institutional environment, affecting beliefs…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this article is to test the hypothesis that peer-to-peer technology platforms (Uber) are associated with disruption in the institutional environment, affecting beliefs, norms and users' ways of thinking and acting.
Design/methodology/approach
Probability sample comprising 843 users (446 passengers; 397 drivers) in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, using a set of indicators was specifically designed for this study.
Findings
Uber triggers significant changes in the systems of rewards and sanctions, in social preferences, and in entrepreneurial structure and governance, and promotes the coexistence of an institutional logic, hitherto dominant, with new believes, rules, norms and regulatory systems.
Originality/value
This is a pioneer study that associates institutional approach's elements with technology platforms; the authors also elaborated and utilized an analysis model consisting of a set of completely original indicators capable of mapping and measuring different dimensions of the phenomenon under analysis.
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