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A firm's ability to cascade sustainability requirements further down to lower-tier suppliers might be affected by inter-firm power relations. This study aimed to identify the power sources of focal firms and first- and lower-tier suppliers and to investigate how they may affect their ability to cascade sustainability requirements along multi-tier supply chains.

A multiple case study of 24 companies was conducted to investigate the sources of power in multi-tier supply chains. In total, 42 informants from five focal companies, ten first-tier suppliers and nine lower-tier suppliers were interviewed.

Differences were found between the sources from which focal firms and first- and lower-tier suppliers drew power. Findings revealed that firms' power sources may increase or impair their ability to cascade sustainability requirements to lower supply chain tiers. Furthermore, multi-tier supply chain-level power sources constitute a significant determinant of firms' ability to disseminate sustainability requirements to lower-tier suppliers.

The results can help companies and purchasing managers understand how their own and suppliers' power may affect their ability to cascade sustainability agendas to lower-tier suppliers. In particular, the results can be useful for supplier selection and the development of supplier relationship management strategies for fostering sustainability in multi-tier supply chains.

This study places traditional power perspectives in the context of multi-tier sustainable supply chain management, broadening the view beyond dyadic relationships that have traditionally been the focus of the supply management literature.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how first-tier suppliers in multi-tier supply chains adapt their vertical and horizontal relationships to reduce the risk of slavery-like practices.

Using Archer’s morphogenetic theory as an analytical lens, this paper presents case analyses adduced from primary and secondary data related to the development of relational anti-slavery supply capabilities in Brazilian–UK beef and timber supply chains.

Four distinct types of adaptation were found among first-tier suppliers: horizontal systemisation, vertical systemisation, horizontal transformation and vertical differentiation.

This study draws attention to the socially situated nature of corporate action, moving beyond the rationalistic discourse that underpins existing research studies of multi-tier, socially sustainable, supply chain management. Cross-sector comparison highlights sub-country and intra-sectoral differences in both institutional setting and the approaches and outcomes of individual corporate actors’ initiatives. Sustainable supply chain management theorists would do well to seek out those institutional entrepreneurs who actively reshape the institutional conditions within which they find themselves situated.

Practitioners may benefit from adopting a structured approach to the analysis of the necessary or contingent complementarities between their, primarily economic, objectives and the social sustainability goals of other, potential, organizational partners.

A range of interventions that may serve to reduce the risk of slavery-like practices in global commodity chains are presented.

This paper presents a novel analysis of qualitative empirical data and extends understanding of the agential role played by first-tier suppliers in global, multi-tier, commodity, supply chains.

Cities remain an understudied unit of analysis for understanding the motives of multinational enterprises’ (MNE) foreign direct investment (FDI), with subnational locations in International Business (IB) research to date predominantly captured via the phenomenon of agglomeration. As regional integration projects, such as the European Union and to a lesser degree NAFTA, increasingly reduce the importance of national institutional environments, this paper argues regional and subnational levels become more important for studying MNE location choice. This paper aims to evaluate the explanatory contribution of regional and subnational levels of analysis to understanding MNE location choice.

A qualitative deductive bottom-up multiple-case study research design is adopted to study the city location choices and FDI motives of six automotive and six commercial banking companies. These purposefully sampled manufacturing and service MNEs have different home countries and regional orientations. Data on their foreign investments across the extended Triad of Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific were collected for the time period of 2000–2021.

Findings suggest that different classes of city tend to attract specific types of FDI and that these patterns might vary across sectors and be influenced by the regional strategic orientations of MNEs. Industry-specific findings reveal the importance of related and support industries and partners in a city location for the automotive MNEs, while the commercial banks seek investment opportunities in cities that allow acquisition targets that have an attractive customer based and will improve their local market knowledge.

The findings provide evidence in support of MNEs in manufacturing and service industries perceiving the attractiveness of three city types in different ways across the Triad regions.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between leadership and business model innovation (BMI) in an entrepreneurial firm. From the literature, it was found that the role of a leader in BMI was unexplored. A research framework was created which was the replication of the model created showing the relationship between leadership and innovation.

The qualitative single in-depth case study was used to understand the effects of leadership in BMI. The case of an entrepreneurial firm in the graphic and animation education sector from India was chosen to test the research framework. The leader of Xplora Design Skools was observed closely, and he was interviewed multiple times.

From the analysis, it was clear that, in this organization, the leader was a trigger for BMI through creating and influencing creativity and innovation in the organization. This case also shows that he was making tangible contribution to the work being done and motivating his employees. These initiatives show his influence on the process or execution of BMI.

This is the first study explores the role of a leader in BMI in an entrepreneurial firm in emerging economy contexts like India.

This study aims to increase the understanding of the emergence of a values-based (VB) premium private label (PL) brand reputation within a multiple-tier PL brand portfolio in retailing.

By building on the research on PLs, brand image, brand reputation and consumer values, this study creates a conceptual foundation for the emergence of VB PL brand reputation within a multiple-tier brand portfolio among consumers and examines the emergence of such reputation empirically using interpretive exploratory qualitative laddering interviews in the context of fast-moving consumer goods.

The findings of this study illustrate that the VB reputations of the premium PL product brand and the PL brand store intertwine, ultimately relating to two terminal values: pleasure and doing good. These reputations differ remarkably from the VB reputations of the economy PL brand and the umbrella brand of the retail chain (not doing good and financial security).

This study explains the emergence of VB brand reputation within a multiple-tier brand portfolio and introduces the use of the laddering technique in such research.

This study reminds brand managers to carefully design the relevant brand strategy for brands and their relationships under a brand umbrella.

Although much is known about PL brands and brand reputation, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study might be the first to increase the understanding of how a VB premium PL brand reputation emerges and accumulates from brand images within a multiple-tier brand portfolio.

While the literature on multitier supply chain management traditionally assumes that first-tier suppliers belong to the visible proportion of the supply base, intermediaries might limit focal firms' visible horizon already at this stage. High power asymmetries promoting centrality and complexity in the supply network are seen as a particular root cause that limits the impact of governance mechanisms for sustainability. To map the space for governance mechanisms in a network-sensitive context more comprehensively, the study analyzes supply network characteristics from a power perspective.

This research is conceptual. To better understand power imbalances and mutual dependencies from network centrality and complexity, network configurations were constructed drawing on resource dependence theory. These configurations allow deducing the impact of (non-)mediated governance mechanisms for a sustainable development in the supply network. An agenda to stimulate future empirical and model-based research is accordingly presented.

The research shows that those networks with densely interconnected first-tier suppliers promote network centrality and complexity, leading to an inverted U-shape relationship between the focal firm's exertion of coercive power and the sustainability performance in the supply network. The findings allow a more comprehensive theoretical grounding for mapping governance approaches in a network-sensitive context and provide insights on how to avoid negative effects from power asymmetries.

The findings suggest the need for accompanying, indirect governance mechanisms already at the stage of first-tier suppliers based on non-mediated forms of power, such as referent power, also promoting disintermediation. Purchasing companies may also consider using digital platform technologies that foster disintermediation, such as blockchain technology.

By studying intermediaries from a power and network perspective, the conceptualization adds to the discussion on governance in multitier sustainable supply chain networks in various industries. Furthermore, it contributes to the increasing efforts of middle-range theorizing in logistics and supply chain management. The results partially challenge previous assumptions on the moderating role of specific network characteristics.

Managing supply chains (SCs) for sustainability often results in conflicting demands, which can be conceptualized as sustainability tensions. This paper studies sustainability tensions in electronics SC contexts and the related management responses by applying a paradox perspective.

A single case study on the electronics SC is conducted with companies and third-party organizations as embedded units of analysis, using semi-structured interviews that are triangulated with publicly available data.

The study identifies tension elements (learning, belonging, organizing and economic performing) conflicting with general social–ecological objectives in the electronics SC. The results indicate a hierarchal structure among the sustainability tensions in SC contexts. The management responses of contextualization and resolution are assigned to the identified tensions.

Framing social–ecological objectives with their conflicting elements as paradoxical tensions enables organizations and SCs to develop better strategies for responding to complex sustainability issues in SC contexts.

The study contributes toward filling the gap on paradoxical sustainability tensions in SCs. Empirical insights are gained from different actors in the electronics SC. The level of emergence and interconnectedness of sustainability tensions in a larger SC context is explored through an outside-in perspective.

This study sheds light on the prediction of success using cutoff scores for student grades adopted for a required Physics pathway course for study in a health professions program at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. Data on course grade and GPA for approximately 10,000 students enrolled in this course between 2008–2014, were analyzed. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine cutoffs for course grades using ranges of GPA. This procedure has promise as a new method for quantitatively arriving at cutoff scores using an external criterion requiring less human judgment than most existing standard setting methods. The cutoff scores produced show that GPAs of students who complete the Physics course yield successive performance tiers that are lower than expected. In addition, the correlation between GPA and course grade for Physics is only 0.63 and therefore only 39% of the variation in GPA explains course grade. As a result of the findings of the study, the decision was made to maintain the existing standards thereby requiring higher grades in the Physics course for students seeking to enter a health professions course of study.

ﻧﺗﻟا ﺎﮭﺗردﻗو ﺔﯾدﺣﻟا تﺎﺟردﻟا ﻰﻠﻋ ءوﺿﻟا ﺔﯾﻟﺎﺣﻟا ﺔﺳاردﻟا طﻠﺳﺗ ﻲﻓ ﺔﺑﻠطﻟا حﺎﺟﻧ ﻰﻠﻋ ﺔﯾؤﺑﻲﻟوﻻا ءﺎﯾزﯾﻔﻟا ررﻘﻣ زﯾﻓ)145( ، دﻌﯾ يذﻟاوﻠﻋ ﺎﯾﺳﺎﺳا ﺎﺑﻠطﺗﻣكﻠﻣﻟا ﺔﻌﻣﺎﺟ ﻲﻓ ﺔﯾﺣﺻﻟا تﺎﺻﺻﺧﺗﻟا ﺔﺑﻠط ﻰ ﺔﻘﻠﻌﺗﻣﻟا تﺎﻧﺎﯾﺑﻟا ﻊﻣﺟ مﺗ دﻘﻓ ﺔﯾﻠﻋو ،ﺔﯾدوﻌﺳﻟا ﺔﯾﺑرﻌﻟا ﺔﻛﻠﻣﻣﻟﺎﺑ دوﻌﺳ نﻣ برﺎﻘﯾ ﺎﻣﻟ ررﻘﻣﻟا اذھ تﺎﺟردﺑ10000 ماوﻋﻻا نﯾﺑ ررﻘﻣﻟا اذﮭﺑ اوﻘﺣﺗﻟا نﯾذﻠﻟا ﺔﺑﻠطﻟا نﻣ2008 - 2014 .ﺔﯾﻣﻛارﺗﻟا مﮭﺗﻻدﻌﻣو ،م ﺗﻟو مادﺧﺗﺳا مﺗ دﻘﻓ ،تﺎﻧﺎﯾﺑﻟا هذھ لﯾﻠﺣ تﺎﯾﻠﻣﻌﻟا لﯾﻐﺷﺗ ﺔﯾﺻﺎﺧ ﻰﻧﺣﻧﻣReceiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) تﺎﺟردﻟا دﯾدﺣﺗﻟ نﻣ دﺣﻟاو ﺔﯾدﺣﻟا تﺎﺟردﻟا ﻰﻟا لوﺻوﻠﻟ ﺔﺛﯾدﺣﻟا ﺔﯾﻣﻛﻟا قرطﻟا نﻣ ﺔﻘﯾرطﻟا هذھ دﻌﺗ ثﯾﺣ ،ﺔﯾﻣﻛارﺗﻟا تﻻدﻌﻣﻟا نﻣ ﺔﻔﻠﺗﺧﻣ تﺎﻗﺎطﻧﻟ ﺔﯾدﺣﻟارﯾﺛﺄﺗﻟا .يرﺷﺑﻟا نﻣﺿ نﺎﻛ ررﻘﻣﻟا اذھ زﺎﺗﺟا نﻣﻟ ﺔﯾﻣﻛارﺗﻟا تﻻدﻌﻣﻟا نا ﻰﻟا ترﺎﺷا دﻗ ﺎﮭﯾﻠﻋ لوﺻﺣﻟا مﺗ ﻲﺗﻟا ﮫﯾدﺣﻟا تﺎﺟردﻟا نﺎﻓ ﺔﯾﻠﻋو تﻐﻠﺑ ﺔﺑﻠطﻟا تﺎﺟردو ﺔﯾﻣﻛارﺗﻟا تﻻدﻌﻣﻟا نﯾﺑ ﺔﯾطﺎﺑﺗرﻻا ﺔﻗﻼﻌﻟا نا ﺎﻣﻛ ،ﻊﻗوﺗﻣﻟا نﻣ لﻗا تﺎﻗﺎطﻧ0.63 ﻲﻧﻌﯾ ﺎﻣﻣ ، نا 39% نﻣتﺎﻧﯾﺎﺑﺗﻟا ﺔﯾﻣھا نﯾﺑﺗﯾ ﺞﺋﺎﺗﻧ نﻣ ﺔﯾﻠﻋ لوﺻﺣﻟا مﺗ ﺎﻣﻟ ﺎﻘﻓوو .رﻘﻣﻟا كﻟذ ﻲﻓ مﮭﺗﺎﺟرد رﯾﺳﻔﺗ ﻲﻓ مﮭﺳﺗ نا نﻛﻣﯾ ﺔﺑﻠطﻠﻟ ﺔﯾﻣﻛارﺗﻟا تﻻدﻌﻣﻟا ﻲﻓﺔظﻓﺎﺣﻣﻟا ﻰﻠﻋ ررﻘﻣﻟا رﯾﯾﺎﻌﻣﺔﯾﻟﺎﺣﻟا ﻊﻣدﯾﻛﺄﺗ لوﺻﺣﺔﺑﻠطﻟا تﺎﺻﺻﺧﺗﻟﺎﺑ قﺎﺣﺗﻟﻼﻟ نﯾﺑﻏارﻟاﺔﯾﺣﺻﻟا تﺎﺟرد ﻰﻠﻋﺔﻌﻔﺗرﻣ .ءﺎﯾزﯾﻔﻟا ررﻘﻣ ﻲﻓ

Sustainability approaches across product supply chains are well-known, while similar knowledge on transport supply chains (TSC) is limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore sustainability approaches and managerial challenges in extending sustainability across a TSC.

This paper presents a case study of a TSC with a shipper, a third-party logistics firm and a hauler. Each actor’s views on sustainability-related communication and relations with other TSC actors are analyzed through the lens of agency theory.

Each dyad in the TSC reveals different, more or less collaboration-based approaches. Challenges are revealed, including the lack of shipper understanding for the TSC context and the use of immature contracts, which disincentivizes sustainability compliance. The multi-tier study object reveals the silencing of distant actors and the need for actors to take on mediating roles to bridge information asymmetries.

Combining literature perspectives (relations, communication and agency theory) provides a deeper understanding of the approaches applied and identifies different challenges. The inclusion of agency theory reveals principal problems such as information asymmetries between agents and less-informed principals and suggests complementary labels of supply chain actors.

Practical contributions include the highlighting of managerial challenges, which can aid managers in extending sustainability across TCSs.

The case study method offers insights into collaboratively improving sustainability in supply chains (such as using contracts), thus having social and environmental implications.

The paper narrows knowledge gaps about managing sustainability among logistics service providers and analyzes data from multi-tier actors.

The city of Can Tho, located on Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, has been identified as one of the nation’s most vulnerable sites for adverse climate change-induced impacts. Can Tho’s policymakers are faced with tackling these challenges but lack the necessary tools and funds to properly address the situation. The study aims to develop a set of indicators to assess the degree of climate change vulnerability so that policymakers can determine which of Can Tho’s districts are most in need of attention, and then propose the best options for climate change adaptation activities.

The indicators, including quantifications of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity, were categorized in three tiers, from 1 to 3, to reflect their importance with regard to the situation. The higher tier indicators comprised a number of lower tier indicators, which were developed based on real-life, practical situations at the local level.

The results showed that the Thoi Lai District, with a vulnerability indicator estimated at 0.59, is more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change than other districts because of its lower adaptive capacity and higher sensitivity. In contrast, Ninh Kieu District’s climate change indicator of 0.24 demonstrates it has higher resilience to climate change impacts.

This study showed that the set of indicators developed provides a promising approach for supporting local policymakers in Can Tho to actively respond to climate change-related challenges, and that this approach has the potential to be upscaled for other cities in Vietnam.