Sustainable orientation and purchasing: what about a remanufactured component?

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate how the sustainable orientation (SO) of companies and the strategic importance of components strategic importance may affect the decision to purchase remanufactured items. Design/methodology/approach - This study employed a 2 × 2 full-factorial (combining between and within-subjects), scenario-based, role-playing experiment. Subjects in the study were US managers familiar with purchasing/supply chain topics. The hypotheses were tested using linear regression models. Findings - The findings suggest that before becoming aware of any social benefits, a company's SO directly affects purchasing decisions, especially when the component is strategic. Perceptional aspects also play a significant role. Research limitations/implications - This study may help managers develop strategies for adopting the use of remanufactured components. New studies can benefit from the findings by focusing on how awareness of social benefits may increase the likelihood of using remanufactured components. Originality/value - The findings suggest that before becoming aware of any social benefits, a company's SO directly affects purchasing decisions, especially when the component is strategic. Perceptional aspects also play a significant role.