Motives, processes and practices of sustainable sourcing: a literature review
Journal of Global Operations and Strategic Sourcing
ISSN: 2398-5364
Article publication date: 11 September 2018
Issue publication date: 14 February 2019
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to attempt to examine pressures, incentives, processes and practices used for sustainable sourcing. Further, it also proposes a framework to provide a composite method for monitoring and controlling the sustainability aspects of supply management. This would enable suppliers to consider buyers’ requirements, translate these into suitable strategies, assess suppliers’ capabilities and also judge the impact of these strategies on suppliers.
Design/methodology/approach
This study opts for literature review as a method. In total, 150 research papers in peer-reviewed English language journals were reviewed to examine the pressures, incentives, processes and practices used for sustainable sourcing.
Findings
This study attempts to answer the “why”-, “what”- and “how”-related questions about sustainable sourcing. It is observed that research in sustainable sourcing is multileveled and involves various functional departments in a firm. It is diverse and fragmented and is more concentrated on certain geographic areas, industries and methodologies.
Practical implications
This study can be helpful to both researchers and practicing managers. It provides a snapshot of the work done on sustainable sourcing, which can be used as a base for research addressing specific aspects of sustainable sourcing or for building strategies related to sustainable sourcing.
Originality/value
This study takes the present reviews available in the literature forward and provides a generic view of sustainable sourcing and proposes a composite method for monitoring and controlling the sustainability aspects of supply management. It attempts to consolidate the diverse literature presently available on sustainable sourcing.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the anonymous referees and the editor for their valuable feedback, which significantly improved the positioning and presentation of this paper. The authors are also thankful to Dr Amit Hiray who painstakingly copy-edited the manuscript.
Citation
Ambekar, S., Kapoor, R., Prakash, A. and Patyal, V.S. (2019), "Motives, processes and practices of sustainable sourcing: a literature review", Journal of Global Operations and Strategic Sourcing, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 2-41. https://doi.org/10.1108/JGOSS-11-2017-0046
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited