Sustainable supply chain management as a practice of green innovation - from literature review to conceptualisation. (2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: So, Stuart; Xu, Henry
• Is Part Of: International journal of business innovation and research. Volume 10:Number 2/3(2016)
• Page Start: 341
• Page End: 362
• Publication Date: 2016
• Subjects: green innovation -- supply chain management -- sustainable SCM -- SSCM -- sustainability -- sustainable supply chains -- low carbon emissions -- literature review -- conceptual modelling -- innovation diffusion theory -- environmental technology -- environmental management; Management science -- Research -- Periodicals; Industrial management -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Industrial management -- Research -- Periodicals; 658.0072
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-0252

Abstract

The challenge of building a sustainable supply chain with an acceptable low carbon emission requires extensive research and remarkable innovation. Based on a comprehensive literature review, a conceptual model is developed to explain the adoption of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) as a practice of green innovation. The aim of this work is to strengthen organisation's commitment to using this emerging practice in the future. A total of 66 articles are identified and assessed and the results show that previous studies lack the consideration of human factors and theoretical basis. Using the innovation diffusion theory as a theoretical lens, this paper demonstrates the concepts in real world applications with four relevant mini-cases. It shows that firms with positive organisational behaviour underpinned by pro-environmental technology and management systems can systematically adopt SSCM where ongoing commitment to this new practice is influenced by its regularisation in operations.