IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i7p6330-d1117755.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strategic Sustainability and Operational Initiatives in Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturers: An Empirical Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Zulkaif Ahmed Saqib

    (College of Urban Transportation and Logistics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China)

  • Luo Qin

    (College of Urban Transportation and Logistics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China)

  • Rashid Menhas

    (Research Center of Sport Social Sciences, School of Physical Education and Sports, Soochow University China, Suzhou 215006, China)

  • Gong Lei

    (College of Urban Transportation and Logistics, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China)

Abstract

We explored the moderating impacts of product modularity and supply chain visibility for sustainability and operational initiatives, which entails a dramatic rethinking and reorganization of the production processes of manufacturing enterprises. Moderating effects of product modularity and supply chain visibility on links among supply chain pressure, technological pressure, sustainable practices, operational performance, and sustainability performance were included. A conceptual model was developed following the resource-based view and dynamic capability theories. Well-designed questionnaires collected data, and the total sample size for data analysis was 490 responses from small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the proposed hypothesis. The first finding revealed that operational performance and sustainable performance both improve when companies implement sustainable practices. The second finding drawn from the data was that supply chain pressure and technological pressure have a positive effect on sustainable practices. The major finding of this work was grounded in the product modularity perspective, we argue that the relations among supply chain pressure, technological pressure, sustainable practices, operational performance, and sustainability performance are affected and moderated. The moderating effect of supply chain visibility existed and it has a positive moderating effect for the relationships from sustainable practices toward operational and sustainability performance. Surprisingly, moderating impact of visibility on relations from supply chain pressure and technological pressure towards sustainable practices was not significant.

Suggested Citation

  • Zulkaif Ahmed Saqib & Luo Qin & Rashid Menhas & Gong Lei, 2023. "Strategic Sustainability and Operational Initiatives in Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturers: An Empirical Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:7:p:6330-:d:1117755
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/7/6330/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/7/6330/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hair, Joe F. & Howard, Matt C. & Nitzl, Christian, 2020. "Assessing measurement model quality in PLS-SEM using confirmatory composite analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 101-110.
    2. Christoph G. Schmidt & Kai Foerstl & Birte Schaltenbrand, 2017. "The Supply Chain Position Paradox: Green Practices and Firm Performance," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 53(1), pages 3-25, January.
    3. Caridi, Maria & Pero, Margherita & Sianesi, Andrea, 2012. "Linking product modularity and innovativeness to supply chain management in the Italian furniture industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(1), pages 207-217.
    4. Kristoffer Francisco & David Swanson, 2018. "The Supply Chain Has No Clothes: Technology Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 2(1), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Jieqiong Yu & Carlos Wing‐Hung Lo & Pansy Hon Ying Li, 2017. "Organizational Visibility, Stakeholder Environmental Pressure and Corporate Environmental Responsiveness in China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 371-384, March.
    6. Yuen, Kum Fai & Wang, Xueqin & Wong, Yiik Diew & Ma, Fei, 2019. "A contingency view of the effects of sustainable shipping exploitation and exploration on business performance," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 90-103.
    7. Donna Marshall & Lucy McCarthy & Marius Claudy & Paul McGrath, 2019. "Piggy in the Middle: How Direct Customer Power Affects First-Tier Suppliers’ Adoption of Socially Responsible Procurement Practices and Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 1081-1102, February.
    8. Graça Miranda Silva & Paulo J. Gomes & Joseph Sarkis, 2019. "The role of innovation in the implementation of green supply chain management practices," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 819-832, July.
    9. Ma-Lin Song & Ron Fisher & Jian-Lin Wang & Lian-Biao Cui, 2018. "Environmental performance evaluation with big data: theories and methods," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 270(1), pages 459-472, November.
    10. Montecchi, Matteo & Plangger, Kirk & West, Douglas C., 2021. "Supply chain transparency: A bibliometric review and research agenda," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    11. Kamble, Sachin S. & Gunasekaran, Angappa & Gawankar, Shradha A., 2020. "Achieving sustainable performance in a data-driven agriculture supply chain: A review for research and applications," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 179-194.
    12. Bruno Michel Roman Pais Seles & Janaina Mascarenhas & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour & Adriana Hoffman Trevisan, 2022. "Smoothing the circular economy transition: The role of resources and capabilities enablers," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1814-1837, May.
    13. Zhu, Qinghua & Sarkis, Joseph & Lai, Kee-hung, 2008. "Green supply chain management implications for "closing the loop"," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 1-18, January.
    14. Sebastian Kot, 2018. "Sustainable Supply Chain Management in Small and Medium Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-19, April.
    15. David G. Sirmon & Michael A. Hitt, 2009. "Contingencies within dynamic managerial capabilities: interdependent effects of resource investment and deployment on firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(13), pages 1375-1394, December.
    16. Arim Park & Huan Li, 2021. "The Effect of Blockchain Technology on Supply Chain Sustainability Performances," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    17. Shafiq, Asad & Ahmed, Muhammad Usman & Mahmoodi, Farzad, 2020. "Impact of supply chain analytics and customer pressure for ethical conduct on socially responsible practices and performance: An exploratory study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Shaojun Zhou & Yufei Liu & Yuhan Liu, 2024. "A Market Convergence Prediction Framework Based on a Supply Chain Knowledge Graph," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-20, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Heldt, Lisa & Beske-Janssen, Philip, 2023. "Solutions from space? A dynamic capabilities perspective on the growing use of satellite technology for managing sustainability in multi-tier supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    2. Sung Tae Kim & Hong-Hee Lee & Seongbae Lim, 2021. "The Effects of Green SCM Implementation on Business Performance in SMEs: A Longitudinal Study in Electronics Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Chen, Jen-Yi, 2022. "Responsible sourcing and supply chain traceability," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    4. Büşra Ayan & Elif Güner & Semen Son-Turan, 2022. "Blockchain Technology and Sustainability in Supply Chains and a Closer Look at Different Industries: A Mixed Method Approach," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-39, December.
    5. Sharma, Rohit & Jain, Geetika & Paul, Justin, 2023. "Does the world need to change its vaccine distribution strategy for COVID-19?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    6. Daehyeon Park & Doojin Ryu, 2022. "Supply chain ethics and transparency: An agent‐based model approach with Q‐learning agents," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(8), pages 3331-3337, December.
    7. Sini Laari & Tomi Solakivi & Anu Bask & Juuso Töyli & Lauri Ojala, 2021. "Unravelling Mickey Mouse: The Effect of Supply Chain Position and Organisational Slack on the Uneven Balance of Sustainability Dimensions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-16, December.
    8. Rameshwar Dubey & Angappa Gunasekaran & Stephen J. Childe & Thanos Papadopoulos & Zongwei Luo & David Roubaud, 2020. "Upstream supply chain visibility and complexity effect on focal company’s sustainable performance: Indian manufacturers’ perspective," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 290(1), pages 343-367, July.
    9. Teck Ming Tan & Jari Salo, 2023. "Ethical Marketing in the Blockchain-Based Sharing Economy: Theoretical Integration and Guiding Insights," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(4), pages 1113-1140, April.
    10. Trujillo-Gallego, Mariana & Sarache, William & Sousa Jabbour, Ana Beatriz Lopes de, 2022. "Digital technologies and green human resource management: Capabilities for GSCM adoption and enhanced performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    11. Makarenko, Inna & Plastun, Alex & Mazancovа, Jana & Juhaszova, Zuzana & Brin, Pavlo, 2022. "Transparency of agriculture companies: rationale of responsible investment for better decision making under sustainability," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 8(2), June.
    12. Graça Miranda Silva & Paulo J. Gomes & Helena Carvalho & Vera Geraldes, 2021. "Sustainable development in small and medium enterprises: The role of entrepreneurial orientation in supply chain management," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 3804-3820, December.
    13. Yasir Hayat Mughal & Kesavan Sreekantan Nair & Muhammad Arif & Fahad Albejaidi & Ramayah Thurasamy & Muhammad Asif Chuadhry & Saqib Yaqoob Malik, 2023. "Employees’ Perceptions of Green Supply-Chain Management, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Sustainability in Organizations: Mediating Effect of Reflective Moral Attentiveness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-18, July.
    14. Ashkan Pakseresht & Sina Ahmadi Kaliji & Vilma Xhakollari, 2022. "How Blockchain Facilitates the Transition toward Circular Economy in the Food Chain?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-22, September.
    15. Tadesse Kenea Amentae & Girma Gebresenbet, 2021. "Digitalization and Future Agro-Food Supply Chain Management: A Literature-Based Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-24, November.
    16. Vincenzo Varriale & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Mauro Caputo, 2021. "Sustainable Supply Chains with Blockchain, IoT and RFID: A Simulation on Order Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, June.
    17. Xueyan Dong & Jingyu Gao & Sunny Li Sun & Kangtao Ye, 2021. "Doing extreme by doing good," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 291-315, March.
    18. Panagiotis Trivellas & Georgios Malindretos & Panagiotis Reklitis, 2020. "Implications of Green Logistics Management on Sustainable Business and Supply Chain Performance: Evidence from a Survey in the Greek Agri-Food Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-29, December.
    19. Mai Mostafa Awad & Abd‘Elazez Hashem & Hend Mohamed Naguib, 2022. "The Impact of Lean Management Practices on Economic Sustainability in Services Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-27, July.
    20. Chin-Shan Lu & Kuo-Chung Shang & Chi-Chang Lin, 2016. "Examining sustainability performance at ports: port managers’ perspectives on developing sustainable supply chains," Maritime Policy & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(8), pages 909-927, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:7:p:6330-:d:1117755. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.