Implementation of sustainability in global industrial supply chain networks:a system innovation perspective

This paper presents an overview of the recent literature about the implementation of sustainability in global product (supply) chains and industrial networks and addresses a possible research agenda. The notion that improvement of the sustainability aspects related to production and consumption of products (and services) can only be achieved by integrating these aspects in the different phases of the life cycle has widely been recognized. Many different stakeholders stimulate companies more and more to manage sustainability throughout the whole supply chain of their products. This practice is in literature found as the “greening” of supply chain management (GSCM). A lot of research has been published on the question why “greening” takes place and which practices are found. How the process of “greening” takes place related to the different aspects and characteristics off the specific chains is less documented. Literature was found mainly from environmental perspective but in recent years more publications are found from a more social (corporate social responsibility) and business (logistics, operation management) perspective. As the economy develops from an international economy towards a global economy the question rises how this influences the implementation of sustainability in these global supply chains. The World Bank concluded that “the “existing” system of implementation of CSR in global supply chains may be reaching its limits and a new approach is needed. The current practices are based on a series of ad hoc and isolated decisions and therefore collaboration and a systematic approach are lacking. Implementation of sustainability needs understanding the systems used for managing supply chains and networks. Systems developed to deliver products in time, of the right quality and at the lowest price. Different supply chain management theories, methods and concepts are found in literature in relation to sustainability. The awareness that supply chains are in reality not chains but complex networks is increasing and therefore chains and networks theories are combined in so-called netchain theories. The implementation process can be seen as a process of system-innovation and research based on innovation theories might be very useful to make us better understand the complex processes related with the implementation of sustainability in supply chain networks. These developments were the reason to start a PhD research that will describe and analyze the process of implementation of sustainability in global industrial supply chain networks from an innovation perspective. Besides a literature review the research will contain an empirical case study that is focusing on the textile sector. This sector is selected because it is a very good example of a global industrial supply chain network, many sustainability aspects are relevant and a lot of implementation activities related to sustainability are put into action in this sector. A conceptual framework for the research of innovation in chains and networks will be used to analyze the processes from a system innovation perspective. The empirical research will analyze the processes in the textile chain and network from both the Asian and the European side including the interaction between them

A taxonomy of supply chain innovations

In this paper, a taxonomy of supply chain and logistics innovations was developed and presented. The taxonomy was based on an extensive literature survey of both theoretical research and case studies. The primary goals are to provide guidelines for choosing the most appropriate innovations for a company, and help companies in positioning themselves in the supply of chain innovations landscape. To this end, the three dimensions of supply chain innovations, namely the goals, supply chain attributes, and innovation attributes were identified and classified. The taxonomy allows for the efficient representation of critical supply chain innovations information, and serves the mentioned goals, which are fundamental to companies in a multitude of industries

The knowledge domain of chain and network science

This editorial paper aims to provide a framework to categorise and evaluate the domain of Chain and Network Science (CNS), and to provide an envelope for the research and management agenda. The authors strongly feel that although considerable progress has been made over the past couple of years in the development of the CNS domain, a number of important and exciting challenges are still waiting to be tackled. This paper provides a definition of the object of study of CNS, its central problem area, the organisation and governance of chain and network co-operation, and the relationships between chain organisation and technology development, market dynamics, and the economy and society at large. It indicates relevant sources of knowledge among the various academic disciplines. It touches upon CNS problem solving by identifying areas for knowledge development and CNS tool construction

Farm SMEs sustainability assessment based on Bellagio Principles. The case of Messinian Region, Greece

Purpose: Sufficient support of the sustainability of farm products embedded in a region (such as Products of Designated Origin / PDOs) to overcome significant obstacles to access domestic and remote markets. Main research question is how to overcome such inherent difficulties and transform them into challenges and opportunities to the new market environment. Design/methodology /approach: Combination of simplicity with the complicated issue of sustainability for awareness of small farmers SMEs and their collective representatives. Improve the understanding of the Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), to facilitate sustainability through use of the ‘Bellagio Principles’ for assessing sustainability of local farm products and facilitating further enhancement. Use of certain PDOs farm products of the Messinian region of Greece, such as local Sfela Feta cheese, olive oil, olives and raisins, to assess sustainability and improvement. Formation of a conceptual constructive action R&D framework of broader use in building-up and performing implementation of holistic supply chain strategy. Expected Findings: Providing better understanding of the SSCM. Insights on how SMEs co-operatives can collectively apply holistic strategies concerning local farm PDOs to fulfil competitiveness and sustainability requirements, under variant product and market conditions. Originality / Value : Improving the know-how, focusing on the sustainability of regional, traditional products and its effects upon supply chain performance and market access. Practical implications for regional-based farm SMEs in the design of holistic value creation strategies to produce sustainable competitive advantage. Interactive cause and effect dynamic implications of sustainable development on social, economic and physical environment

Sustainability experiments in the agri-food system : uncovering the factors of new governance and collaboration success

In recent years, research, society and industry recognize the need to transform the agri-food system towards sustainability. Within this process, sustainability experiments play a crucial role in transforming the structure, culture and practices. In literature, much attention is given to new business models, even if the transformation of conventional firms toward sustainability may offer opportunities to accelerate the transformation. Further acceleration could be achieved through collaboration of multiple actors across the agri-food system, but this calls for a systems approach. Therefore, we developed and applied a new sustainability experiment systems approach (SESA) consisting of an analytical framework that allows a reflective evaluation and cross-case analysis of multi-actor governance networks based on business and learning evaluation criteria. We performed a cross-case analysis of four agri-food sustainability experiments in Flanders to test and validate SESA. Hereby, the key factors of the success of collaboration and its performance were identified at the beginning of a sustainability experiment. Some of the key factors identified were risk sharing and the drivers to participate. We are convinced that these results may be used as an analytical tool for researchers, a tool to support and design new initiatives for policymakers, and a reflective tool for participating actors

Modelling Fresh Strawberry Supply "From-Farm-to-Fork" as a Complex Adaptive Network

 The purpose of this study is to model and thereby enable simulation of the complete business entity of fresh food supply. A case narrative of fresh strawberry supply provides basis for this modelling. Lamming et al. (2000) point to the importance of discerning industry-specific product features (or particularities) regarding managing supply networks when discussing elements in "an initial classification of a supply network" while Fisher (1997) and Christopher et al. (2006, 2009) point to the lack of adopting SCM models to variations in products and market types as an important source of SCM failure. In this study we have chosen to move along a research path towards developing an adapted approach to model end-to-end fresh food supply influenced by a combination of SCM, system dynamics and complex adaptive network thinking...