Supply chain mapping for improving “visilience”: A hybrid multi‐criteria decision making based methodology

Supply chain mapping is gaining heightened attention due to its vital role in improving supply chain visibility and resilience. Despite its crucial role in uplifting supply chain resilience, the critical elements of supply chain mapping are yet to be determined. The study adopts a twofold approach to identify and prioritize the dimensions and sub‐dimensions of supply chain (SC) mapping. At the first stage, through an extensive review of literature, 43 sub‐dimensions of SC mapping were identified. In the second stage, Gray ‐ DEMATEL‐based Analytic Network Process (GDANP) was employed by taking the input from 25 experts selected from Oil and Gas industry of an emerging market. The findings reveal three major dimensions of SC mapping followed by 15 sub‐dimensions. Among the dimensions, upstream mapping contains the highest priority weights, followed by midstream and downstream mapping. The findings suggest a step‐wise strategy to adopt SC mapping where upstream mapping should be given the first priority. The major contribution of this study is to develop a framework for measuring the extent of SC mapping of a firm using GDANP

Assessing the Impacts of Ageing and Natural Resource Extraction on Carbon Emissions: A proposed Policy Framework for European Economies

Given the rise in ageing population and rising globalization, the European nations are facing difficulties in encountering the climate action and ascertaining energy security. For diffusing the energy innovations and curtailing natural resource extraction, with an objective of reducing carbon emissions, the existing policy framework in these nations might need a reorientation, and there comes the role of the study. This study recommends a policy framework for exploring the effect of natural resource extraction and age dependence on carbon emissions in top-5 European countries (EU-5) for the period of 1990-2017. By applying the Second Generation Panel Modeling approach, the empirical results indicate that the associations of carbon emissions with natural resource extraction, globalization index, and economic growth and ageing population follow an inverted U-shaped relationship, in keeping with the framework of Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Based on the findings of the study, a multipronged Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework has been designed, and through this framework, SDG 7, SDG 13, and thereafter SDG 8 have been evaluated. While these three SDGs are the central focus of the study, the SDG framework has also suggested a way to evaluate several tangential SDGs

Intellectual capital, blockchain-driven supply chain and sustainable production: Role of supply chain mapping

The production and consumption of products are held responsible for most environmental challenges and climatic changes, which adversely affect human lives and compromise the future of generations to come. Sustainable production appears as a strategic route to combat these adversities, the pursuit of which is highly challenging. In this study, we argue that Intellectual capital (IC), featured by human capital, relational capital, and structural capital, can play a dual role in improving the sustainable production of a firm. We put forward that IC contributes to sustainable production directly and indirectly through the adoption of blockchain-driven supply chain management (BCSCM). In this context, the objective of this study is to examine the impact of intellectual capital (IC) on sustainable production. The study also investigates the role of SC mapping and BCSCM in the association between IC and sustainable production. Data were collected from 289 textile firms of Pakistan and Bangladesh with the help of a designed questionnaire. The study employed CB-SEM to examine the modeled relationship. Further, PLS-Multi-group Analysis (MGA) was used for cross-country comparison of the results. The results diverge from the conventional wisdom exhibiting an insignificant direct impact of IC in sustainable production. Nevertheless, the results show a meaningful indirect effect of IC through BCSCM and SC mapping on sustainable production. Results also exhibit a significant direct impact of BCSCM on the sustainable production of a firm. The results call for consideration of IC and BCSCM in improving the sustainability of a firm

Multi-tier sustainable supply chain management: a case study of a global food retailer

Purpose Implementing sustainable practices in multi-tier supply chains (MTSCs) is a difficult task. This study aims to investigate why such endeavours fail and how MTSC partners can address them. Design/methodology/approach A single-case study of a global food retail company was used in this study. Semi-structured interviews with the case firm and its first- and second-tier suppliers were used to collect data, which were then qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Major barriers impeding the implementation of sustainability in multi-tier food supply chains were revealed such as the cost of sustainability, knowledge gap, lack of infrastructure and supply chain complexity. Furthermore, the findings reveal five possible solutions such as multi-tier collaboration and partnership, diffusion of innovation along the chain, supply chain mapping, sustainability performance measurement and capacity building, all of which can aid in the improvement of sustainability practices. Research limitations/implications Future research should investigate how specific barriers and drivers affect specific aspects of sustainability, pointing practitioners to specific links between the variables that can aid in tailoring sustainability oriented investment. Practical implications This research supports managerial comprehension of MTSC sustainability, pointing out ways to improve sustainability performance despite the complex multi-tier system of food supply chains. Originality/value The research on MTSC sustainability is still growing, and this research contributes to the debate about how MTSCs can become more sustainable from the perspective of the triple bottom line, particularly food supply chains which face significant sustainability challenges

Supply chain mapping: a proposed construct

During COVID-19, supply chain (SC) mapping has appeared as one of the critical supply chain capabilities that could make a striking difference in organisations’ supply chain performance. Despite its crucial role in responding to SC disruptions, there is a void in the literature on this topic. In this context, the prime objective of the current study is to introduce a comprehensive measure of SC mapping accounting for its various dimensions. A review of the literature is conducted to identify the relevant dimensions and sub-dimensions of SC mapping. Next, two rounds of focused group discussions are conducted in order to refine the identified dimensions and to add any relevant dimensions of SC mapping. Third, we employ exploratory factor analysis to develop the construct of SC mapping. The findings reveal that SC mapping has three major dimensions, namely upstream mapping, downstream mapping, and midstream mapping, with a total 25 items. The developed construct can be used to operationalise the SC mapping and to examine its antecedents and precedents

Social sustainable supply chains in the food industry: A perspective of an emerging economy

The purpose of this study is to identify a list of important social sustainable supply chain indicators and determine the cause and effect group from the food sector of an emerging economy of Pakistan. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) based methodology is introduced to aid the evaluation of these indicators. The results show that the “balance between work and life” is the topmost influential and cause indicator among the cause group indicators. Similarly, a “safe and healthy working environment” is the topmost effect indicator among the effect group indicators. These results will inform managers and policy makers in the food sector, especially from the emerging economies such as Pakistan to formulate strategies that could aid in advancing social sustainability and transitioning towards a truly sustainable supply chain

Human capital and performance of small & medium manufacturing enterprises: a study of Pakistan / Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik

The study focuses on the role of human capital (HC) and performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector of Pakistan. Pakistan has adopted a ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy to address HC development in SMEs. This has however not brought any difference to the development state of the SMEs, as most of these firms have not been able to survive beyond the first-year of their inception. In this context, this study focused on the role of HC (based on the dimensions and sub-dimensions of HC) on the performance of SMEs in the manufacturing sector of Pakistan. The principal objectives of the study are summarized herein: First, the study derives the human capital index (HCI), accounting for various dimensions and sub-dimensions of HC. Second, the study tests for the differences in levels of HC by industry, size (small and medium) and ownership (foreign and local). Third, the study examines the direct and indirect links between HC and its dimensions, with five vectors of firm performance, namely productivity, export, innovation, technological progress, and survivability of firms. For developing the HCI, the study adopts a three-stage approach. First, appropriate dimensions and sub-dimensions of HC are identified from the literature. In the second stage, 9 dimensions and 35 sub-dimensions of HC are selected through an expert survey of various stakeholders related to SME development in Pakistan. By applying the Analytic Hierarchy Procedure (AHP), those selected dimensions and sub-dimensions of HC are prioritized to form the HCI. Based on this prioritization, the study develops a close-ended questionnaire to collect data on HC and firm performance from 750 manufacturing sector SMEs in Pakistan. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and t-tests are applied to examine the differences in the levels of HC across SMEs, by industry, size, and ownership. Subsequently, the structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to investigate the direct and iv indirect (through absorptive capacity) effects of HC on productivity, export, innovation, technological progress, and survivability of firms. The core findings of the study are summarized below. First, the relative prioritization among the HC dimensions rank education at the top, followed by experience, skills, personal abilities, training, employee stability , attitude , health and compliance. Second, the results on the inter-industry differences in HC indicate that HC is highest in textiles, and lowest in furniture and sports industries. Further, the results show that the levels of HC differ by size and ownership. The analysis reveals that the levels of HC are significantly higher in medium firms relative to small firms; and in foreign firms relative to local firms. Finally, the results reveal the significant positive impact of HC on firm performance. Absorptive capacity is also found to mediate the relationship between HC and the five-performance cords of firms’. From the in-depth analysis of the different sub-dimensions of HC, the study concludes that different sub-dimensions of HC are important for different cords of firm performance, and for understanding the channels of those impacts, direct or indirect. Therefore, the study suggests that HC is important for firm performance. However, not all the sub-dimensions of HC are found to be important for overall firm performance. Therefore policy formulation at the macro and micro levels should take into account the sub-dimensions of HC, and not just the HC dimensions on aggregat

Supply Chain Resilience in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The unusual and dynamic global political situation, man-made and natural disasters, and an upsurge in economic instability internationally are some of the key factors disrupting the global business operations and their supply chains. Similarly, a new dimension known as the fourth industrial revolution is inducing a rapidly changing technological world and its adoption race has also started showing its impact on company’s value chains and started setting new standards by creating technological competitive advantages. Therefore, it is imminent for companies to brace themselves for technological, organizational, and environmental changes. Recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic has perfectly showcased the fragility of businesses operations and over-reliance on global supply chains. Nonetheless, a similar situation has also taught us that being resilient, flexible, and agile in such unprecedented circumstances could be beneficial for the organizations. Thus, this chapter precisely articulates the importance of resilience entering into the fourth industrial revolution and presents, how supply chain visibility, collaboration, flexibility, and control could be the ingredients of the winning recipe for businesses. Furthermore, Industry 4.0 promises to revolutionize how the supply chain operates. It provides companies with several predictive capabilities of their supply chains helping them to mitigate and anticipate any risk or disruption caused by the changes in the external environment. Thus, resilience combined with Industry 4.0 could redefine corporations’ operations and supply chain forever

In the Pursuit of Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Environmental Accounting

This study aims to evaluate the mediating role of sustainability in the relationship between environmental-accounting (EA) disclosures and audit quality (AQ) and firm performance (FP) by using GDP and firm size as the controlled variables. Data were collected from the annual and sustainability reports of 80 manufacturing firms that were listed on the PSX during the last 10 years (2011–2020). STATA 13 software and a multiple-regression model were used. The findings that were deduced from the empirical results indicate that EA with sustainability has a significant negative effect on both proxies of the FP (ROA and ROE). By contrast, AQ with sustainability has an insignificant negative impact on firm performance. This research contributes to the scarce literature and compares the level of EA with sustainability reporting and its impact on the FP with the controlled variables GDP and firm size. This study also contributes to the execution of the reporting and the assurance of sustainability, and it helps regulatory bodies with the integral development of reporting and the assurance of EA

Supply chain sustainability in VUCA: role of BCT-driven SC mapping and ‘Visiceability’

The study investigates the role of three essential supply chain capabilities: visibility, traceability, and mapping, collectivity termed as 'visiceability', in the relationship between blockchain technology and supply chain sustainability. The study focuses on Malaysia's Electronics Component manufacturing firms, a sub-sector of the electrical and electronics industry. Data were collected from 105 through a close-ended questionnaire. PLS-SEM was employed to examine the modeled relationships. The findings of the study challenge the notion that supply chain (SC) traceability alone is responsible for mediating the impact of blockchain technology (BCT) on SC sustainability. However, findings confirm the significant roles of SC Mapping and Visibility in the association between BCT and SC sustainability. Findings further validate the significant impact of BCT on SC sustainability, highlighting its multifaceted role. The findings suggest that firms can build their intermediary capabilities instead of exclusively focusing on adopting BCT for SC sustainability. These capabilities can further channel the impact of BCT on improving SC Sustainable. Our findings illustrate that BCT can enhance SC visibility by offering a precise and transparent record of the products, inventory, and transactions. Hence, we strongly suggest that managers consider leveraging BCT to improve their SC visibility, thereby uplifting the sustainability of a supply