IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i5p1814-d326292.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Transparency for Multi-Tier Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Case Study of a Multi-tier Transparency Approach for SSCM in the Automotive Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Iain J. Fraser

    (Institute of Sustainable Corporate Management, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany)

  • Martin Müller

    (Institute of Sustainable Corporate Management, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany)

  • Julia Schwarzkopf

    (Chair of Sustainability Management, HTW Berlin Business School, 10318 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

Sustainability in supply chain management (SSCM) has become established in both academia and increasingly in practice. As stakeholders continue to require focal companies (FCs) to take more responsibility for their entire supply chains (SCs), this has led to the development of multi-tier SSCM (MT-SSCM). Much extant research has focused on simple supply chains from certain industries. Recently, a comprehensive traceability for sustainability (TfS) framework has been proposed, which outlines how companies could achieve MT-SSCM through traceability. Our research builds on this and responds to calls for cases from the automotive industry by abductively analysing a multi-tier supply chain (MT-SC) transparency case study. This research analyses a raw material SC that is particularly renowned for sustainability problems—the cobalt supply chain for electric vehicles—and finds that the extant literature has oversimplified the operationalisation of transparency in MT-SSCM. We compare the supply chain maps of the MT-SC before and after an auditing and mapping project to demonstrate the transparency achieved. Our findings identify challenges to the operationalisation of SC transparency and we outline how FCs might set to increase MT-SC transparency for sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Iain J. Fraser & Martin Müller & Julia Schwarzkopf, 2020. "Transparency for Multi-Tier Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Case Study of a Multi-tier Transparency Approach for SSCM in the Automotive Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-24, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:5:p:1814-:d:326292
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/5/1814/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/5/1814/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wilhelm, Miriam & Blome, Constantin & Wieck, Ellen & Xiao, Cheng Yong, 2016. "Implementing sustainability in multi-tier supply chains: Strategies and contingencies in managing sub-suppliers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 196-212.
    2. Kembro, Joakim & Näslund, Dag & Olhager, Jan, 2017. "Information sharing across multiple supply chain tiers: A Delphi study on antecedents," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 77-86.
    3. Wanda J. Orlikowski & Jack J. Baroudi, 1991. "Studying Information Technology in Organizations: Research Approaches and Assumptions," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 1-28, March.
    4. Rob Tulder & Jeroen Wijk & Ans Kolk, 2009. "From Chain Liability to Chain Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(2), pages 399-412, April.
    5. Sara Saberi & Mahtab Kouhizadeh & Joseph Sarkis & Lejia Shen, 2019. "Blockchain technology and its relationships to sustainable supply chain management," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(7), pages 2117-2135, April.
    6. Beske, Philip & Land, Anna & Seuring, Stefan, 2014. "Sustainable supply chain management practices and dynamic capabilities in the food industry: A critical analysis of the literature," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 131-143.
    7. Deniz Köksal & Jochen Strähle & Martin Müller & Matthias Freise, 2017. "Social Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Textile and Apparel Industry—A Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-32, January.
    8. Grimm, Jörg H. & Hofstetter, Joerg S. & Sarkis, Joseph, 2014. "Critical factors for sub-supplier management: A sustainable food supply chains perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 159-173.
    9. Jack S. Levy, 2008. "Case Studies: Types, Designs, and Logics of Inference," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 25(1), pages 1-18, February.
    10. Hannes Hofmann & Martin C. Schleper & Constantin Blome, 2018. "Conflict Minerals and Supply Chain Due Diligence: An Exploratory Study of Multi-tier Supply Chains," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(1), pages 115-141, January.
    11. Célestin Banza Lubaba Nkulu & Lidia Casas & Vincent Haufroid & Thierry De Putter & Nelly D. Saenen & Tony Kayembe-Kitenge & Paul Musa Obadia & Daniel Kyanika Wa Mukoma & Jean-Marie Lunda Ilunga & Tim , 2018. "Sustainability of artisanal mining of cobalt in DR Congo," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(9), pages 495-504, September.
    12. David Doorey, 2011. "The Transparent Supply Chain: from Resistance to Implementation at Nike and Levi-Strauss," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 103(4), pages 587-603, November.
    13. Gavin Hilson, 2014. "‘Constructing’ Ethical Mineral Supply Chains in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Malawian Fair Trade Rubies," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 45(1), pages 53-78, January.
    14. Gardner, T.A. & Benzie, M. & Börner, J. & Dawkins, E. & Fick, S. & Garrett, R. & Godar, J. & Grimard, A. & Lake, S. & Larsen, R.K. & Mardas, N. & McDermott, C.L. & Meyfroidt, P. & Osbeck, M. & Persson, 2019. "Transparency and sustainability in global commodity supply chains," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 163-177.
    15. Anne-Kathrin Weber & Lena Partzsch, 2018. "Barking Up the Right Tree? NGOs and Corporate Power for Deforestation-Free Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-18, October.
    16. Juliana Segura-Salazar & Luís Marcelo Tavares, 2018. "Sustainability in the Minerals Industry: Seeking a Consensus on Its Meaning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-38, May.
    17. Gunasekaran, A. & Patel, C. & McGaughey, Ronald E., 2004. "A framework for supply chain performance measurement," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 333-347, February.
    18. Christian Busse & Jan Meinlschmidt & Kai Foerstl, 2017. "Managing Information Processing Needs in Global Supply Chains: A Prerequisite to Sustainable Supply Chain Management," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 53(1), pages 87-113, January.
    19. Julia Wolf, 2014. "The Relationship Between Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Stakeholder Pressure and Corporate Sustainability Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(3), pages 317-328, February.
    20. Craig R. Carter & Dale S. Rogers & Thomas Y. Choi, 2015. "Toward the Theory of the Supply Chain," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 51(2), pages 89-97, April.
    21. Muhammad Amad Saeed & Wolfgang Kersten, 2019. "Drivers of Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Identification and Classification," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-23, February.
    22. Kai Foerstl & Arash Azadegan & Thomas Leppelt & Evi Hartmann, 2015. "Drivers of Supplier Sustainability: Moving Beyond Compliance to Commitment," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 51(1), pages 67-92, January.
    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. Jamalnia, Aboozar & Gong, Yu & Govindan, Kannan, 2023. "Sub-supplier's sustainability management in multi-tier supply chains: A systematic literature review on the contingency variables, and a conceptual framework," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    2. Igor Kabashkin, 2023. "End-to-End Service Availability in Heterogeneous Multi-Tier Cloud–Fog–Edge Networks," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-23, October.
    3. MacCarthy, Bart L. & Ahmed, Wafaa A.H. & Demirel, Guven, 2022. "Mapping the supply chain: Why, what and how?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    4. Naeun L. Kim & Gwia Kim & Lori Rothenberg, 2020. "Is Honesty the Best Policy? Examining the Role of Price and Production Transparency in Fashion Marketing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, August.

    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. Philipp Sauer & Stefan Seuring, 2018. "A three-dimensional framework for multi-tier sustainable supply chain management," Post-Print hal-03926114, HAL.
    3. Sauer, Philipp C. & Seuring, Stefan, 2019. "Extending the reach of multi-tier sustainable supply chain management – Insights from mineral supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 31-43.
    4. Gong, Mengfeng & Gao, Yuan & Koh, Lenny & Sutcliffe, Charles & Cullen, John, 2019. "The role of customer awareness in promoting firm sustainability and sustainable supply chain management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 88-96.
    5. Erik Siems & Stefan Seuring & Lara Schilling, 2023. "Stakeholder roles in sustainable supply chain management: a literature review," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(4), pages 747-775, May.
    6. Iain J. Fraser & Martin Müller & Julia Schwarzkopf, 2020. "Dear supplier, how sustainable are you?," Sustainability Nexus Forum, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 127-149, December.
    7. Gold, Stefan & Schleper, Martin C., 2017. "A pathway towards true sustainability: A recognition foundation of sustainable supply chain management," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 425-429.
    8. Jamalnia, Aboozar & Gong, Yu & Govindan, Kannan, 2023. "Sub-supplier's sustainability management in multi-tier supply chains: A systematic literature review on the contingency variables, and a conceptual framework," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    9. Stefan Gold & Thomas Chesney & Tim Gruchmann & Alexander Trautrims, 2020. "Diffusion of labor standards through supplier–subcontractor networks: An agent‐based model," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1274-1286, December.
    10. Wensi Zhang & Jing Xiao & Lingfei Cai, 2020. "Joint Emission Reduction Strategy in Green Supply Chain under Environmental Regulation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-24, April.
    11. Ehsan Shekarian & Behrang Ijadi & Amirreza Zare & Jukka Majava, 2022. "Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Industrial Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-30, June.
    12. Wenwen Zhu & Zhiqiang Wang, 2018. "The Collaborative Networks and Thematic Trends of Research on Purchasing and Supply Management for Environmental Sustainability: A Bibliometric Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-28, May.
    13. Tracy Van Holt & Martin Delaroche & Ulrich Atz & Kevin Eckerle, 2021. "Financial benefits of reimagined, sustainable, agrifood supply networks," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(1), pages 102-118, March.
    14. Kumar Mangla, Sachin & Börühan, Gülmüş & Ersoy, Pervin & Kazancoglu, Yigit & Song, Malin, 2021. "Impact of information hiding on circular food supply chains in business-to-business context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 1-18.
    15. 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).
    16. Geyi, Dan’Asabe Godwin & Yusuf, Yahaya & Menhat, Masha S. & Abubakar, Tijjani & Ogbuke, Nnamdi J., 2020. "Agile capabilities as necessary conditions for maximising sustainable supply chain performance: An empirical investigation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    17. Karaosman, Hakan & Perry, Patsy & Brun, Alessandro & Morales-Alonso, Gustavo, 2020. "Behind the runway: Extending sustainability in luxury fashion supply chains," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 652-663.
    18. Mejías, Ana M. & Bellas, Roberto & Pardo, Juan E. & Paz, Enrique, 2019. "Traceability management systems and capacity building as new approaches for improving sustainability in the fashion multi-tier supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 143-158.
    19. Enrico Fontana & Muhammad Atif & Huma Sarwar, 2024. "Pressures for sub‐supplier sustainability compliance: The importance of target markets in textile and garment supply chains," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 3794-3810, July.
    20. Alessandro Brun & Hakan Karaosman & Teodosio Barresi, 2020. "Supply Chain Collaboration for Transparency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-21, May.

    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:12:y:2020:i:5:p:1814-:d:326292. 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.