IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i6p2625-d1613639.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Sustainable Approach to Boost Resilience in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods: The Critical Role of Suppliers and Transportation Capacity Explored Through PLS-SEM and NCA

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Ali Aslam

    (School of Economics and Management, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China)

  • Zhaolei Li

    (School of Economics and Management, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China)

Abstract

Supply chain resilience (SRES) is essential for firms aiming to alleviate the impact of interruptions and maintain operational continuity and sustainability in performance. In the context of the FMCG industries of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, characterized by intricate and vulnerable supply chains, there exists an urgent necessity for solutions that bolster resilience. This study examines the influence of critical factors resilient suppliers (RS), transportation capacity (TC), flexibility (FLEX), network complexity (NC), and supply chain dynamism (SPD) on SRES. A quantitative methodology was utilized, examining survey data from 611 participants with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). The results indicate that RS and TC are essential for directly improving SRES, whereas FLEX and SPD facilitate increased adaptability and reactivity. The NCA emphasizes the need to control NC to avert bottlenecks that may impede resilience. This study indicates that SRES emerges from the dynamic interplay of several elements, rather than from separate enhancements. Although NC exerts a negligible direct influence, adeptly managing complexity is crucial for reducing disruptions and inefficiencies. The results underscore that fortifying RS, TC, and FLEX in unison improves resilience and adaptation to market volatility and disturbances. This study provides various theoretical and managerial insights. A systems theory approach highlights the interdependence of supply chain components, whereas the Theory of Constraints (TOC) posits that excessive NC can hinder resilience. Management should concentrate on maximizing RS and TC until declining returns are evident, thereafter redirecting efforts towards improving FLEX and minimizing NC. Furthermore, optimizing processes and facilitating swift decision-making are essential for maintaining resilience.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Ali Aslam & Zhaolei Li, 2025. "A Sustainable Approach to Boost Resilience in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods: The Critical Role of Suppliers and Transportation Capacity Explored Through PLS-SEM and NCA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-29, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:6:p:2625-:d:1613639
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/6/2625/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/6/2625/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marko Sarstedt & Christian M. Ringle & Joseph F. Hair, 2022. "Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling," Springer Books, in: Christian Homburg & Martin Klarmann & Arnd Vomberg (ed.), Handbook of Market Research, pages 587-632, Springer.
    2. Wilson, Martha C., 2007. "The impact of transportation disruptions on supply chain performance," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 295-320, July.
    3. Ahmad Ali Atieh Ali & Abdel-Aziz Ahmad Sharabati & Mahmoud Allahham & Ahmad Yacoub Nasereddin, 2024. "The Relationship between Supply Chain Resilience and Digital Supply Chain and the Impact on Sustainability: Supply Chain Dynamism as a Moderator," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Xinqiu Zhu & Yenchun Jim Wu, 2022. "How Does Supply Chain Resilience Affect Supply Chain Performance? The Mediating Effect of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Ruiz-Benítez, Rocío & López, Cristina & Real, Juan C., 2018. "The lean and resilient management of the supply chain and its impact on performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 190-202.
    6. Wissuwa, Florian & Durach, Christian F. & Choi, Thomas Y., 2022. "Selecting resilient suppliers: Supplier complexity and buyer disruption," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    7. Md Shihab Shakur & Maishat Lubaba & Binoy Debnath & A. B. M. Mainul Bari & M. Azizur Rahman, 2024. "Exploring the Challenges of Industry 4.0 Adoption in the FMCG Sector: Implications for Resilient Supply Chain in Emerging Economy," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-28, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Tianjiao Wang & Abdullah Al Mamun & Mohammad Masukujjaman & Qing Yang, 2025. "Synergy of blockchain-enabled supply chains, resilience, and sustainability performance in Chinese logistic firms," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 1067-1087, September.
    2. Shashi & Piera Centobelli & Roberto Cerchione & Myriam Ertz, 2020. "Managing supply chain resilience to pursue business and environmental strategies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1215-1246, March.
    3. Zeyu He & Xuecheng Wang & Junqi Zhang & Jiawei Ma, 2025. "Building Resilient Supply Chains: Evidence from Climate-Adaptive City Construction in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-24, October.
    4. Abroon Qazi & Mecit Can Emre Simsekler & Steven Formaneck, 2023. "Supply chain risk network value at risk assessment using Bayesian belief networks and Monte Carlo simulation," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 322(1), pages 241-272, March.
    5. Chien, Yu-Shyun & Lu, Chung-Cheng, 2025. "Investigating users’ intention to re-use shared electric scooters through a combined behavioral model," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 533-544.
    6. Ahmad Ali Atieh & Alhareth Abu Hussein & Saheer Al-Jaghoub & Ahmad Fathi Alheet & Murad Attiany, 2025. "The Impact of Digital Technology, Automation, and Data Integration on Supply Chain Performance: Exploring the Moderating Role of Digital Transformation," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-24, January.
    7. Dafna Kariv & Carlo Giglio & Vincenzo Corvello, 2025. "Fostering Entrepreneurial intentions: exploring the interplay of education and endogenous factors," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-27, December.
    8. Jihee Han & KwangSup Shin, 2016. "Evaluation mechanism for structural robustness of supply chain considering disruption propagation," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(1), pages 135-151, January.
    9. Antonio Zavala-Alcívar & María-José Verdecho & Juan-José Alfaro-Saiz, 2020. "A Conceptual Framework to Manage Resilience and Increase Sustainability in the Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-38, August.
    10. Jinjing Yang & Cong Cao & Chensang Ye & Yangyan Shi, 2022. "Effects of Interface Design and Live Atmosphere on Consumers’ Impulse-Buying Behaviour from the Perspective of Human–Computer Interaction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-21, June.
    11. Yi Tao & Loo Hay Lee & Ek Peng Chew, 2016. "Quantifying the Effect of Sharing Information in a Supply Chain Facing Supply Disruptions," Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research (APJOR), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 33(04), pages 1-28, August.
    12. Cristina López & Rocío Ruíz-Benítez & Carmen Vargas-Machuca, 2019. "On the Environmental and Social Sustainability of Technological Innovations in Urban Bus Transport: The EU Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-22, March.
    13. Chaeyoung Lim & Jongchang Ahn, 2021. "Social Overload and Discontinuance Intention on Facebook: A Comparative Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.
    14. Huimin Liu & Yupeng Shi & Xuze Yang & Wentao Zhang, 2023. "The Role of Business Environment and Digital Government in Mitigating Supply Chain Vulnerability—Evidence from the COVID-19 Shock," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.
    15. Maureen S. Golan & Laura H. Jernegan & Igor Linkov, 2020. "Trends and applications of resilience analytics in supply chain modeling: systematic literature review in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic," Environment Systems and Decisions, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 222-243, June.
    16. Mohammed Alquraish, 2025. "Digital Transformation, Supply Chain Resilience, and Sustainability: A Comprehensive Review with Implications for Saudi Arabian Manufacturing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-33, May.
    17. Jingfu Huang & Gaoke Wu & Yiju Wang, 2021. "Retailer’s Emergency Ordering Policy When Facing an Impending Supply Disruption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-21, June.
    18. Oliva M. D. Martins & Rocsana Bucea-Manea-Țoniș & Ana Sofia Coelho & Violeta-Elena Simion, 2022. "Sensory Perception Nudge: Insect-Based Food Consumer Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    19. Jianlan Zhong & Han Cheng & Fu Jia, 2024. "Supply chain resilience capability factors in agri-food supply chains," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 850-868, September.
    20. Ubogu, A.E. & Ariyo, J.A. & Mamman, M., 2011. "Port-hinterland trucking constraints in Nigeria," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(1), pages 106-114.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:17:y:2025:i:6:p:2625-:d:1613639. 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.