Framework for selecting sustainable supply chain processes and industries using an integrated approach

Abstract

This study introduces a process view of sustainable supply chain management and identifies 17 sustainable supply chain processes (SSCPs) from literature. Further, a framework is proposed to identify the significance of various SSCPs on firm performance using the theoretical lenses of stakeholder theory and resource based view. Through a semi-structured interview of stakeholders, critical SSCPs across eight industries were identified in the Indian context. The study identifies five important SSCPs, such as sustainable design and development, strategic sourcing and efficient technology and sustainable product returns and recycling. Among the selected industries, pharmaceutical, agricultural and chemical industries were identified to be the front-runners in SSCPs practice. Subsequently, these five processes and three industries were evaluated using strategic decision making approach by integrating group decision making and fuzzy multi-criteria decision making methods. To handle the uncertainties of strategic decision making, six Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making methods have been applied and compared to understand their relevance while evaluating the above industries, based on the above identified SSCPs. This study introduces an approach to enhance sustainability of supply chain that can be extended across industries through a process view of supply chain, in emerging economies like India.