Static supply chain complexity and sustainability practices: A multitier examination
Laura Macchion
Department of Engineering and Management, University of Padova, Vicenza, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Antonella Moretto
Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Correspondence
Antonella Moretto, Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32 - 20133 Milan, Italy.
Email: antonella.moretto@polimi.it
Search for more papers by this authorFederico Caniato
Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorPamela Danese
Department of Engineering and Management, University of Padova, Vicenza, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorAndrea Vinelli
Department of Engineering and Management, University of Padova, Vicenza, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorLaura Macchion
Department of Engineering and Management, University of Padova, Vicenza, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Antonella Moretto
Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Correspondence
Antonella Moretto, Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32 - 20133 Milan, Italy.
Email: antonella.moretto@polimi.it
Search for more papers by this authorFederico Caniato
Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorPamela Danese
Department of Engineering and Management, University of Padova, Vicenza, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorAndrea Vinelli
Department of Engineering and Management, University of Padova, Vicenza, Italy
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The issue of sustainability is receiving increasing attention, and this debate now needs to be extended to consider the perspective of the supply chain. This article aims to investigate sustainability choices made along the supply chain (SC) by considering the static complexity of the SC. It investigates the different perspectives and tensions that can exist between SC partners when sustainability programs are introduced. Through 18 cases, the aarticle addresses the different types of static SC complexity faced by the different tiers of the SC. For the focal company, the complexity is both upstream and downstream: for first-tier suppliers, it is upstream, and for second-tier suppliers, the complexity is largely downstream. These various types of complexity require the adoption of different sustainability practices: for the focal company, these involve sourcing and organizational practices; for the first-tier suppliers, they involve sourcing practices; and for the second-tier suppliers, organizational practices.
Supporting Information
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