Supply chain integration and its impact on sustainability
Industrial Management & Data Systems
ISSN: 0263-5577
Article publication date: 15 August 2018
Issue publication date: 28 September 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of supply chain integration (SCI) in improving sustainability management practices (SMPs) and performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on data collected from 931 manufacturing firms in multiple countries and regions, the authors conducted a structural equation modeling analysis to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
The findings suggest that supplier and customer integration are vital enablers for both intra- and inter-organizational SMPs. The results also reveal that both intra- and inter-organizational SMPs are significantly and positively associated with sustainability performance (i.e. economic, environmental and social performance) and function as complements to jointly enhance environmental and social performance.
Originality/value
This study incorporates SCI into the sustainability literature, providing a new perspective on sustainability and supply chain management research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 71525005, 71372058).
Citation
Kang, M., Yang, M.G.(M)., Park, Y. and Huo, B. (2018), "Supply chain integration and its impact on sustainability", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 118 No. 9, pp. 1749-1765. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-01-2018-0004
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited