Governance of sustainable supply chains in the fast fashion industry

This paper examines the impact of corporate social responsibility behavior on the sustainability performance of focal companies and their partners in fast fashion supply chains. The attributes of sustainability and the mechanism of sustainability governance of the fast fashion supply chain are also discussed. From the perspective of strategic corporate social responsibility, we first analyze the motives for adopting sustainability governance in fast fashion supply chains, and identify seven competitive sustainable attributes of the fast fashion product based on sustainable development theory. Then, by establishing a sustainability governance framework, we identify seven factors that affect the sustainability governance decision-making and evaluate the efficiency and legitimacy mechanism of sustainability governance from internal and external perspectives. Finally, we explore the application of the governance mechanisms via a case study based on H&M’s seven sustainability commitments. The findings suggest that the core influence and centrality of a corporation should be strengthened from the perspective of internal governance, and stakeholders should collaborate to achieve sustainability governance throughout the entire fast fashion supply chain from the perspective of external governance.     

Analysing critical success factors to implement sustainable supply chain practices in Indian automobile industry: a case study

The aim of this article is to analyse the critical success factors (CSFs) behind the successful implementation of sustainable supply chain practices in Indian automobile industry. Supply chain sustainability is a critical and timely topic for the developing country like India that captures increasing concerns over sustainability, whether driven by current legislation, public interest or competitive opportunity. Identification of CSFs responsible for sustainable supply chain practices and evaluating their contextual relationships has the potential to affect future government policy, current production operations and identify new business models. In response to this, this paper intends to identify CSFs based on organisational theory and model them to implement sustainable supply chain practices in Indian automobile industry. Twenty-five CSFs to implement sustainable supply chain practices based on organisational theory are recognised by means of the literature review and in discussions with experts in one case study organisation. A solution methodology based on the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) technique is used to propose a structural model, which not only helps in understanding the contextual relationship among these CSFs, but also in determining their interdependence to implement sustainable supply chain practices. Further, the importance of CSFs has been determined based on their driving and dependence power using MICMAC analysis. Our overarching thesis is that the insights gained are useful for Indian automobile industry and would help practitioners, regulators and academicians to focus their efforts towards implementation of sustainable supply chain practices.     

Improving innovation performance through environmental practices in the fashion industry: the moderating effect of internationalisation and the influence of collaboration

In recent years, the scientific literature on supply chain management has increasingly debated on environmental sustainability as well as collaboration, presenting these issues as an important source of innovation along the supply chain. By combining literature streams on environmental sustainability, supply chain collaboration and innovation at the supply chain level, this paper aims to analyse whether the adoption of environmental sustainability practices and collaboration along the supply chain implies better innovation performance, in terms of differentiation from the competitors for higher quality, product or process. The paper also investigates whether the internationalisation, in terms of both production and distribution activities, negatively moderates this relationship. The study focuses on the fashion industry, and a survey of major Italian fashion companies was conducted. The main results of the research clearly show the positive impact of these practices on innovation performance. The paper also proves the existence of a moderating effect exerted by internationalisation on the relationship between environmental sustainability and innovation performance.     

Sustainable planning strategies in supply chain systems: proposal and applications with a real case study in fashion

Abstract

Pollution generated by the fashion industry drives people to pay attention to fashion companies’ sustainability practice. This increase in attention has induced vast literature studying the related area. Since the fashion apparel supply chain is complicated which involves a lot of interrelated steps and decisions, how fashion companies can identify the demand in sustainable fashion and make the right decision in resource allocation throughout the supply chain becomes a critical issue. As a result, this paper examines how a fashion company can develop a successful sustainable planning strategy throughout the sustainable fashion supply chain. The sustainability attributes and the sustainable planning strategy mechanism are also discussed. Based on the institutional theory and resource-based theory, we first analyse the external pressure and internal motivations for companies to adopt a sustainable planning strategy in the fashion supply chain. We then identify the core stakeholders related to the sustainable planning strategy and propose how the decision-making theory can help develop the sustainable supply chain management mechanism. Next, we establish a sustainable planning strategy framework. Finally, via a case study with public data on the fashion giant brand Nike, we explore the application of our proposed sustainable planning strategy framework. The finding suggests that the strategic planning of fashion companies on sustainability can improve the performance of the stakeholders throughout the whole sustainable fashion supply chain.     

Strategic approaches to sustainability in fashion supply chain management

Today, the sustainability challenge has become a relevant issue in the fashion industry. However, given that the request for sustainability is relatively new in this industry, empirical research that could guide companies towards supply chain sustainability is lacking. This study aims to deepen the understanding of the main strategic approaches to sustainability used in fashion supply chain management (SCM). Ten case studies were examined in terms of the practices that characterise these approaches. Moreover, contextual factors, drivers and barriers that support or hinder different approaches were identified. To accomplish this goal, both environmental sustainability and social sustainability were investigated, and all the areas of fashion SCM (i.e. new product development, source, make, deliver, retail, return, governance) were considered simultaneously to offer a wide overview of this industry’s sustainability issue.     

A School Feeding Supply Chain Framework: Critical Factors for Sustainable Program Design

School feeding is an established development aid intervention with multiple objectives including education, nutrition, and value transfer. Traditionally run by international organizations in low‐income settings, school feeding programs have had a substantial impact in many less‐developed countries. However, recent rethinking by the World Bank and the World Food Programme has prompted a shift toward long‐term, sustainable solutions that rely more upon local resources, local capacity, and community participation. Supply chain management, which is critical to program delivery, is vital to developing a sustainable approach to school feeding. We propose a theoretical framework that identifies the internal and external factors that shape the supply chain and connects them to the objectives and performance measures of sustainable programs. Drawing upon supply chain management theory, current school feeding practices, and expert feedback, this article contributes to development aid logistics and program transitioning with a focus on sustainable program design. It aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to school feeding and relevant supply chain issues, a framework to identify sustainability problems in school feeding supply chains, and a starting point for further research on program design.     

Managing Imbalanced Supply Chain Relationships for Sustainability: A Power Perspective

This study adopts a power perspective to investigate sustainable supply chain relationships and specifically uses resource‐dependence theory (RDT) to critically analyze buyer–supplier–supplier relationships. Empirical evidence is provided, extending the RDT model in this context. The concept of power relationships is explored through a qualitative study of a multinational company and agricultural growers in the UK food industry that work together to implement sustainable practices. We look at multiple triadic relationships involving a large buyer and its small suppliers to investigate how relative power affects the implementation of sustainable supply‐management practices. The study highlights that power as dependence is relevant to understanding compliance in sustainable supply chains and to identifying appropriate relationship‐management strategies to build more sustainable supply chains. We show the influences of power on how players manage their relationships and how it affects organizational responses to the implementation of sustainability initiatives. Power notably influences the sharing of sustainability‐related risks and value between supply chain partners. From a managerial perspective, the study contributes to developing a better understanding of how power can become an effective way to achieve sustainability goals. This article offers insights into the way in which a large organization works with small and medium size enterprises to implement sustainable practices and shows how power management—that is, the way in which power is used—can support or hinder effective cooperation around sustainability in the supply chain.     

Sustainable supply chain network design: A case of the wine industry in Australia

This paper comes at a time when many companies and people are increasingly facing various global problems linked to sustainability challenges, and when the literature is still scarce on research incorporating all three dimensions of sustainability in supply chain analytical models. The paper conducts a case-based modeling study to address this gap in the area of supply chain network design. We investigate the wine supply chain and propose a generic model for sustainable wine supply chain network design encompassing economic, environmental and social objectives. The case company is a real large-sized wine company located in Australia, for which a customized model is provided. Both models are formulated as a multi-objective mixed-integer program and solved using the augmented ϵ-constraint method by CPLEX. Social implications of the feasible scenarios are examined through introducing social impact coefficients. Non-dominated solutions are obtained and some balanced scenarios are proposed. The results show trade-offs between the objectives, yet more interestingly demonstrate how large is the gap between the existing supply chain configuration and the proposed scenarios in terms of supply chain cost and emissions.     

The Global Food Industry and “Creative Capitalism”: The Partners in Food Solutions Sustainable Business Model

Rising global food prices have driven 44 million additional people into extreme poverty—and malnutrition—in developing countries since June 2010. Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), a nonprofit social enterprise affiliated with General Mills, is proposed as the conduit for food industry managers, engineers, and scientists to initially advise small‐ and medium‐sized African mills and food processors—and later other developing countries—on improving supply chain management by addressing manufacturing problems, developing products, improving packaging, extending product shelf, and finding new product markets. In this article, the “creative capitalism” model of sustainability and social and environmental responsibility is applied to the food manufacturing industry's efforts supporting PFS. Furthermore, the evolution of the sustainable business model developed by PFS is thoroughly described, explained, and analyzed as a generic model of social enterprise to be “scaled up” by the global food manufacturing industry. A summary of salient points conclude the article.     

Quality management in outsourced global fashion supply chains: an exploratory case study

Abstract

Outsourcing production is common in the fashion industry but can lead to quality defects. This paper thus sheds light on how quality is managed in outsourced fashion supply chains. We propose a new trilogy for managing quality control in outsourced fashion supply chains: (1) manufacturer quality assessment, (2) quality management in production and (3) quality inspection and assurance. We implement an exploratory case study methodology. Through a qualitative case study of a leading global Japanese fashion retailer that outsources production mainly to China, we contribute to quality management studies by developing a new quality control trilogy for outsourced supply chains. Our findings can provide fashion retailers with guidance on controlling product quality in outsourced supply chains and developing strategies for improving supply chain performance. We also demonstrate the importance of contract and relationship management, supply chain integration and quality visibility in enhancing product and process quality in outsourced fashion supply chains.     

A framework for food supply chain digitalization: lessons from Thailand

Abstract

The promise of digitalization is enormous and nowhere is it more critical than in its potential to transform food supply chain. Consumers have become more educated and are demanding real-time updated information on foods they consumed through digital media. They are also increasingly demanding to know if the foods they consume are environmentally and socially sustainable or not. As a result, food product traceability, safety, and sustainability issues have become crucial concerns to food retailers, distributors, processors, and farmers. Digitalization allows food supply chains to be highly connected, efficient, and responsive to customer needs and regulation requirements. However, digitalizing a traditional food supply chain is challenging and resource demanding. This is more so for developing countries where moving food from farms to consumers can take months as it travels through an array of middlemen. Unfortunately, little is available in the existing literature on food supply chain digitalization. So far, current researchers mainly explore the benefits of digitalization. Using cases in three companies, this paper explores the practices, challenges, and opportunities faced by Thailand food manufacturers in digitalizing their food supply chains. A framework for food supply chain digitalization is proposed and its implications for research and practices are discussed.     

Critical success factors of green supply chain management for achieving sustainability in Indian automobile industry

The aim of this study was to identify and analyse the key success factors behind successful achievement of environment sustainability in Indian automobile industry supply chains. Here, critical success factors (CSFs) and performance measures of green supply chain management (GSCM) have been identified through extensive literature review and discussions with experts from Indian automobile industry. Based on the literature review, a questionnaire was designed and 123 final responses were considered. Six CSFs to implement GSCM for achieving sustainability and four expected performance measures of GSCM practices implementation were extracted using factor analysis. interpretive ranking process (IRP) modelling approach is employed to examine the contextual relationships among CSFs and to rank them with respect to performance measures. The developed IRP model shows that the CSF ‘Competitiveness’ is the most important CSF for achieving sustainability in Indian automobile industry through GSCM practices. This study is one of the few that have considered the environmental sustainability practices in the automobile industry in India and their implications on sectoral economy. The results of this study may help the mangers/SC practitioners/Governments/Customers in making strategic and tactical decisions regarding successful implementation of GSCM practices in Indian automobile industry with a sustainability focus. The developed framework provides a comprehensive perspective for assessing the synergistic impact of CSFs on GSCM performances and can act as ready reckoner for the practitioners. As there is very limited work presented in literature using IRP, this piece of work would provide a better understanding of this relatively new ranking methodology.     

SCOR model application in developing countries: challenges & requirements

Due to the changes in the nature of business and competition from company versus company to supply chain versus supply chain, the importance of improving the entire supply chain holistically is becoming an increasingly important topic in recent studies. Industry practitioners and academics are focusing on developing a modelling tool for this purpose. However, such efforts were unsuccessful. The main reasons for failure are that the existing models are developed and tested based on the experiences of manufacturing firms in the developed world. The nature of the existing firms, their operating and business processes situation in developing countries vary greatly from the manufacturing processes and the surrounding environment in developed countries. However, the absence of an agreed upon, common language and standardised modelling tools for the entire supply chains hampers the global supply chain improvement initiatives. This paper focuses on addressing the issue of a how standardised and widely accepted model, like the SCOR, can be applied despite the different circumstances. The firms’ supply chain characteristics and new requirement for the model adaptation were collected based on the available literature and field analysis results. The research paper results focus on the make and delivery processes for illustration and evaluation.     

分形供应链的自相似性与其评价模型

供应链管理是企业在当前日益激烈的竞争环境中为提高核心竞争力而形成发展起来的管理方法。由于市场需求及运作环境的变化日愈加快,传统的稳健型供应链模型逐渐向具有更高敏捷度的动态供应链模型进化。但动态供应链往往因过于关注敏捷性而导致资源整合周期长、运作失衡等问题。为了平衡供应链构建及运作的灵活性和稳定性,本文提出了基于分形理论的具有自相似、自组织、自优化功能的可重构分形供应链。对其构建及运作模型进行了阐述,并着重利用分形方法对分形供应链的自相似性及相似性进行了研究,给出了基于分形方法的定量评价相似度的数学模型。     

An integrative approach to assess environmental and economic sustainability in multi-tier supply chains

Abstract

Multi-tier supply chain sustainability is paramount to achieve corporate sustainability, due to the significant impacts from organisations beyond the focal firm boundaries and its direct suppliers. However, including environmental considerations within the dominant profit-centric logic of supply chain related decisions is prone to generate sustainability tensions. This work aims to support organisations address tensions between sustainability dimensions by adopting an integrative approach for sustainable supply chain management performance assessment thanks to an innovative eco-intensity based performance assessment method, which achieves a balanced consideration of environmental and economic performance in a weak sustainability perspective. The method, using primary data sourced from actual practice and featuring an indirect multi-tier approach with decentralised responsibilities across organisations, is applied to a case study of a machinery supply chain. The proposed integrative approach can support addressing sustainability tensions in the area of sustainable supply chain management, facilitate sustainable supplier evaluation and identify supply chain hotspots for operational improvement.     

不确定需求下考虑大数据投资决策的供应链鲁棒优化及协调模型

针对由数据公司、制造商和零售商组成的三级供应链系统,在仅知需求均值和方差信息下,建立了集中和分散两种决策情况下的供应链鲁棒优化模型。集中决策下,全体供应链成员共同决定产品零售价和产品生产数量;分散决策下,数据公司作为主方,决定需求信息零售价,制造商和零售商作为从方,分别决定产品批发价和产品订货数量。针对两种决策下的供应链鲁棒优化模型,给出了相应的最优决策,分析了大数据投资成本、消费者异质性需求满足程度等系统参数对供应链决策的影响。进一步,设计了能实现三级供应链完美协调的利润共享契约。最后,通过数值算例验证了所建模型和契约协调的有效性。研究表明,在集中和分散决策下,大数据投资成本只有在满足一定条件下,投资大数据才有利于供应链成员及系统利润的改善。特别地,与无协调时的情况相比,虽然协调机制下相关系统参数对供应链成员决策及利润绩效的作用机制存在差异,但文中提出的利润共享契约在一定条件下能够显著改进供应链成员利润且实现供应链完美协调。     

A chain game for distributed trading and negotiation

This position paper introduces a simulation gaming environment for enacting a production network. The environment aims to be an integrative laboratory for investigating supply networks, as well as being a versatile training tool. The primary focus is on food production networks. The environment enables a number of teams of participants, each representing one actor in a food chain, to conduct business together. The teams can have the role of auction, co-operation, wholesaler, factory, retail chain, and retail outlet. Producers and consumers are either enacted or simulated. The game leaders freely determine the products and production methods in each run of the game. The gaming environment takes performance, process and institutional aspects of chains into account. It is particularly suited for investigating issues of sustainability and trust. Currently the gaming environment is under development. The paper presents version 1B. This version can be found at http://www.chaingame.org. It runs on the Web, enabling to model distributed chains.     

A comparative study on production ramp-up: state-of-the-art and new challenges

In the context of globalisation, the companies are urged to innovate the products and the services they provide to their customers, in order to keep their competitive edge. New product introduction in an already existing production environment generates numerous perturbations to handle in the supply chain and operations management during the production ramp-up. The purpose of this article is to present a thorough state of the art on the production ramp-up. Different overviews of the research body are given: comparing definitions, characteristics and problems of the ramp-up phase, classifying research papers according to their industrial context and organising them in different classifications (by keywords, focus extent …). Interesting issues that could be addressed in future research about the production ramp-up phase are identified.     

Supply chain capabilities for customisation: a case study

Abstract

Despite the growing interest in supply chain management (SCM), there is little literature on knowledge and competences needed to properly configure and manage a supply chain. There are some interesting methodologies to map the knowledge and the techniques used in the supply chain of a sector and transfer them in another sector. This is particularly important when cross-fertilisation of practices can support sectors facing global competition as the footwear industry. New business opportunities can in fact be exploited addressing the needs of specific target groups searching for customised fashion and healthy shoes. Based on literature review and case study analysis of twelve companies within the fashion and orthopaedic footwear supply networks, this work compares the relevant processes and the distinctive capabilities necessary in managing supply networks to implement customisation, identifying and highlighting the interchangeable best practices that could serve as a new common knowledge base to be shared by the two sectors.