ABSTRACT
Sustainability has always been a concern of humankind in one form or the other. Still, it has come into sharper focus after the promulgation of the sustainable development goals in 2015 and the disruptive forces unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply chain management is an aspect of business operations wherein the need for sustainability has been felt more keenly. The academic and business understanding of various nuances of incorporating sustainability, particularly environmental concerns in the supply chain, is still evolving. Our study seeks to enrich the growing literature in the area by proposing to uncover a novel, logical sequence of intangible supply chain resources that can amplify the impact of green supply chain management practices (GSCMPs) on business performance. We use the dual-theoretical lens of a resource-based view and stakeholder theories to conceptualize the sequential mediational role of supply chain visibility, resilience, and robustness between GSCMP and performance. Analyzing data collected from 318 individuals working in the manufacturing sector in the United Kingdom, we found a positive direct association of GSCMP with performance and the serial mediational role of visibility and robustness between the two. The findings of our study are pertinent for theorists as well as managers. © 2023 The Authors. Business Strategy and The Environment published by ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study investigates the impact of supplier visibility on the adoption of sustainable practices and supply chain performance. The paper applies contingent Resource-Based View to explain how information sharing with customers and suppliers and supply chain traceability has influenced visibility;visibility has impacted supply chain velocity sustainable practices, and finally, supply chain performance. Design/methodology/approach: This research analyses 263 survey responses from UK retail (grocery) stores' executives and managers for perishable food during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: The research results indicate that both supply chain traceability and information sharing (customers) positively influence visibility. Further, visibility positively influences the adoption of sustainable practices and velocity, positively impacting supply chain performance. However, information sharing with the customer has no significant influence on performance, and information sharing with the supplier has no significant relationship with visibility. Originality/value: This research is the first attempt that explores the contingent Resource-Based View for the perishable food supply chain. Further, the empirical evidence provides meaningful insights for academics and industry by filling a crucial lacuna in the literature. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This paper explores the new normal activities and strategic responses of the service industry towards the challenges created by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and other constructs and validates the measurement scale for socio-economic and technological new normal activities following lockdown and social distancing practices. Design/methodology/approach: First, structured interviews with 28 participants helped us generate items and develop survey instruments for cross-sectional data collection in the second phase. So, the authors received 256 complete responses from the top and middle management of the services industry. Exploratory factor analysis helped us explore the factors and reliability of the items. Confirmatory factor analysis aided us in generating and confirming the factorial structure of the constructs. Findings: Results indicated that amid COVID-19's pandemic, new normal activities are emerging in which organizations are deploying crisis strategies to safeguard their business and stakeholders. Organizations are re-opening swiftly, focusing on digital transformation, developing digital platforms for ease in working and improved consumer services, to name a few operational changes. Practical implications: Discussion on empirical analysis revolves around the guidelines to service industry's managers and top management to improve shortcomings in combating the challenges they face in their operations. Originality/value: Prior studies have provided substantial insights on the COVID-19 pandemic, but relatively little research exists on new normal activities in the supply chain network of the service industry. Among other reasons for such less empirical evidence on new normal activities is the unavailability of a comprehensive tool for measuring the socio-economic and technological new normal activities. This paper is a contribution to bridging this knowledge gap. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This paper reports an empirical examination of the societal, financial and technology-related challenges amid the ongoing pandemic (COVID-19) in the service supply chain network. Design/methodology/approach: A combination of qualitative approach (for items generation pertinent to the constructs involved) and quantitative approach (self-administered questionnaires from the top and middle management of the sampled companies) was used for data collection. In total, 272 complete responses were received and analyzed through structural equation modeling. Findings: The results provided empirical evidence that social and physical distancing, travel restrictions, work from home and lockdown practices have two conflicting effects: On one hand, these practices have contributed to the reduction of economic activities, including the low economic outlook, low productivity, high unemployment, poverty, fall in customer demands, dissatisfaction and mental health, that ultimately impacts rise financial and societal issues. On the other hand, the results revealed an insignificant influence of COVID-19 on creating technology-related challenges in the service sector. It shows that the organizations are doing well in combating the technology-related challenges amidst the current pandemic. Research limitations/implications: Findings of the inquiry recommend implications for the services industry to harmonize a comprehensive strategy and revisit the global norms in sustainable supply chain management activities that have been the backdrop in their operations for a long time. Practical implications: Findings of the inquiry recommend implications for the services industry to harmonize a comprehensive strategy and revisit the global norms in supply chain management activities that have been the backdrop in their operations for a long time. Originality/value: Prior studies in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak and its implications have given more attention to the exploratory and theoretical discussion than to empirical evidence. This paper contributes to filling this knowledge gap by empirically exploring the societal, financial and technology-related challenges created by COVID-19. The analysis in this paper covers three dimensions of the PEST model, namely economic, societal and technological factors. This study also helps in laying out a platform for investigating the PEST (political, economic, social and technological) model for guiding the services industry in strategic decision-making in a new era due to COVID-19. © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited.