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Ethical Sourcing and Decision Making in the Fashion Industry: A Longitudinal Qualitative Examination

Author

Listed:
  • Anushree Tandon

    (University of Eastern Finland
    European Forest Institue)

  • Amandeep Dhir

    (University of Agder
    North-West University)

  • Puneet Kaur

    (University of Bergen
    North-West University)

  • Chidiebere Ogbonnaya

    (King’s College)

Abstract

Ethical sourcing is a crucial issue for the fashion industry, which is under intense pressure to build ethical and responsible supply chains. Despite its importance, we know little about how individual employees working in the fashion supply chain view ethical sourcing and the ethical considerations they encounter during their work. We adopted the moral agency theory to address these lacunas and conducted a longitudinal qualitative research study. We collected data from a highly heterogenous sample of employees based in the United Kingdom through open-ended essays in three waves (N1 = 50, N2 = 43, N3 = 30) over 9 months that were analyzed using the grounded theory method. The analysis revealed the following themes: a contemporary outlook on boundaries, external considerations, and three levels of action for ethical considerations: Supplier, organization, and employee (i.e., individual). We offer a revitalized view of ethical sourcing as a concept from a practice perspective and discuss critical ethical issues that affect employees’ moral agency to enact ethical sourcing decisions. Our findings offer insights into avenues to advance theoretical knowledge through a comprehensive framework derived from our results. We also propose significant practical implications to promote the widespread integration of ethical sourcing.

Suggested Citation

  • Anushree Tandon & Amandeep Dhir & Puneet Kaur & Chidiebere Ogbonnaya, 2025. "Ethical Sourcing and Decision Making in the Fashion Industry: A Longitudinal Qualitative Examination," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 196(4), pages 723-751, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:196:y:2025:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-024-05876-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-024-05876-9
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