Servitized SMEs’ performance and the influences of sustainable procurement, packaging, and distribution:The mediating role of eco-innovation

The current paper is one of the pioneering studies to specifically analyze the role of both inbound and outbound sustainable supply chain practices (SSCP) of servitized SMEs in a relatively high-risk emerging economy context of Pakistan. Building on Porter's Value Chain Model, this study analyzes the influence of sustainable servitization on multiple performance indicators (including environmental, economic, social, and operational) of servitized SMEs. We further investigate the role of eco-innovation as a mediator. The study employs a time-lagged research design, based on primary data collected from 280 managers of servitized SMEs. We found that sustainable practices positively impact servitized SMEs’ performance, except for sustainable procurement's influence on operational performance. Finally, eco-innovation was found to partially mediate the analyzed inter-relationships.</p

Sustainable procurement practices in the supplier selection process: an exploratory study in the context of Brazilian manufacturing companies

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the adoption of sustainable procurement practices adopted by Brazilian manufacturing companies in supplier selection; additionally, it is aimed to understand which of these practices enable a better differentiation of the analysed companies. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was performed to compose the theoretical base of this research. In addition, a detailed study of ISO 20400 standard was conducted. The guidelines of ISO 20400 were used as a base to structure a questionnaire used in a survey with professionals working in procurement sphere of manufacturing companies in Brazil. The data were analysed via frequency and CRITIC (Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) method. Findings: A moderate dispersion in the adoption level of sustainable procurement practices in supplier selection process of the manufacturing companies was observed; in practices associated with social aspects, the dispersion is greater. A negative issue to be highlighted is that almost 20% of analysed companies did not even considered in their supplier selection process if their candidates accomplish philanthropic activities, generate jobs in local community and fulfill the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of United Nations (UN). Those two last practices are the ones with the best capacity to differ the companies in the sample. Originality/value: There are few studies that focuses on understanding the adoption of sustainable procurement practices in manufacturing companies' supplier selection process. The main contribution of this study to the literature is to evidence that social requirements in supplier selection process are considered in a clear and well-structured form only by few Brazilian manufacturing companies. Despite the sample size, companies analysed in this research are prominent organisations in manufacturing sector. Thus, if this situation occurs in these companies, a more critical scenario will be evidenced in other organisations. This study has implication for practice and academy. For companies' managers, information present here can be used to debate the theme in the organisational context and the nine practices and scale can be used to perform a critical analysis of company's practices. For researchers, the information present here can be used as starting point for futures studies

Modelo logístico y de abastecimiento para la compra, almacenamiento y distribución interna de insumos y reactivos en un laboratorio clínico en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia

Este trabajo de grado corresponde a la revisión de literatura existente acerca el proceso de compras, logística y abastecimiento relevante en el ámbito internacional y nacional en las instituciones de servicios de salud, con el fin de identificar las mejores prácticas efectivas en este tema, para que se conviertan en insumo para la generación de una propuesta de valor en el proceso de comparas, logística y abastecimiento de un laboratorio clínico en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia. De este modo, se busca estructurar un modelo logístico y de abastecimiento para la compra, el manejo, la distribución interna y la disposición final de insumos y reactivos de un laboratorio clínico en Medellín, que permita la elaboración de una propuesta de valor que reconozca, desde las consideraciones subjetivas y objetivas del respectivo método, generar una pauta mejoramiento para el modelo logístico actualmente implementado. Es así, como los esfuerzos bien encaminados del personal de las entidades del sector salud para el mejoramiento de los procesos logísticos conduce a la optimización en la compra de insumos y a un ahorro considerable con respecto a la forma como se usan estos dentro de la entidad.This paper work corresponds to the review of existing literature about the procurement process, logistics and relevant supply at the international and national level in health services institutions, in order to identify the best effective practices in this area, so that become an input for the generation of a value proposition in the process of comparisons, logistics and supply of a clinical laboratory in the city of Medellín, Colombia. In this way, it seeks to structure a logistics and supply model for the purchase, management, internal distribution and final disposal of supplies and reagents of a clinical laboratory in Medellín, which allows the development of a value proposition that recognizes, From the subjective and objective considerations of the respective method, generate an improvement guideline for the currently implemented logistics model. Thus, the well-directed efforts of the personnel of health sector entities to improve logistics processes lead to optimization in the purchase of supplies and considerable savings with respect to the way they are used within the entity

Public Procurement and Environmental Sustainability in Developing Countries: A South African Perspective

The concept of Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) has attracted the interests of academics, practitioners, policymakers and the media recently. The interest can be attributed to the strategic role of purchasing and supply chain as a lever for sustainable development. Despite the enormous amount of funds spent on public procurements in South Africa annually, tender irregularities, corrupt practices, non-compliance and lack of knowledge, casts doubts on its role in fostering sustainable development. An in-depth literature review on SPP implementation was adopted to analyse the manner in which sustainability could be realised through regulation, implementation and monitoring compliance of relevant environmental policy instruments. This approach is used to determine how due consideration of sustainable procurement has been used as a tool to enhance social, economic and environmental sustainability. This article notes that in many developed and developing countries, the dare need of technical and management competence, cultural assimilation, high costs of funding sustainable procurement projects and transparency on the part of managers among others are sighted as factors plaguing the growth of sustainable procurement practices in most institutions. Further, this paper puts forth the argument that implementation of sustainable procurement policies alone, will not necessarily help in the achievement of the developmental objectives, but due consideration should be given to capacity building and collaboration with relevant units of government, whilst also integrating social and economic policies, into the formulation of tender documents and selection of suppliers. This paper posits that to overcome these challenges faced by South Africa, it is important that all stakeholders including the government, researchers and other agencies should construct a synergy capable of addressing salient issues for progressive sustainable procurement policies and actions, through the incorporation of sustainable procurement practices into the mainstream of both the public and private organisations through relevant legislations, policies and regulatory frameworks

Behavioural factors on the adoption of sustainable supply chain practices

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has become a popular research topic among scholars as evidence suggests it has significantly contributed to achieve more environmentally conscious and socially responsible supply chains. Operational excellence (OE), on the other hand, can be achieved by incorporating SSCM practices within existing supply chain operations. However, due to human expertise, involvement and commitment towards excelling at sustainable and operational performance, the effective deployment of SSCM practices now depends on various humanbased behavioural factors (BFs). Human behaviour is dynamic in nature and hence has an effect on the implementation of SSCM practices. Nevertheless, research on BFs in view of SSCM practices is limited. To fill this knowledge gap, this study examines the nature of BFs for SSCM practices towards OE in supply chains, particularly within the context of the footwear industry of Bangladesh. In the first phase, the BFs were identified and determined through a literature review and empirical investigation. In the second phase, the Hesitant Fuzzy DEMATEL method was used to establish the cause-effect relationships among the factors. The influence of group validation by experts and a literature survey, along with managerial implications, was discussed and explained in the third phase of the study. The results suggest that the factor, 'organisation culture' is the most influencing behavioural factor, followed by 'commitment from higher authority'. Both theoretical and practical contributions of the study are drawn from its findings, helping footwear industry managers to more effectively adopt SSCM practices in the supply chain operations of their organisations to achieve OE.N/