Towards fairness in multi-tier supply chains: Mechanisms of perception differences and pathways to alignment

The concept of fairness has become increasingly important in interfirm exchanges, particularly amid growing demands for more sustainable supply chains. Achieving fairness, however, is especially challenging in complex, multi-tier supply chains, where buyers and suppliers at different tiers often interpret outcomes, processes, and interactions through divergent evaluative frames. This study examines why firms perceive fairness differently across multi-tier supply chains and how these differences can be managed. Drawing on an in-depth qualitative case study of a global food supply chain spanning Africa, South America, and Australasia, the study employs a multi-method research design that combines semi-structured interviews with buyers and first- and second-tier suppliers, site visits, facilitated cross-tier workshops, and documentary analysis. Guided by loose coupling theory, the findings show that heterogeneous evaluative frames, cascading dependencies, misaligned proximities, governance tensions between explicit contracts and implicit understandings, and volatile competitive contexts contribute to divergent perceptions of fairness across tiers. The study further identifies mechanisms through which firms seek to manage these differences, including institutionalising shared fairness standards, fairness education, multi-level stewardship, stakeholder coalitions, and contractual transparency supported by dialogic negotiation. The findings offer theoretical and practical insights into fostering fairer and more sustainable multi-tier supply chain relationships.