Impact of supply chain management strategies on firms’ sustainable performance: a case of an emerging economy

In recent times, there has been growing popularity and importance of supply chain management (SCM) among academics and the business fraternity in emerging economies. At present, every company's long-term survival, prosperity, and value chain creation are at risk since they rely on an enterprise's level of supply chain growth. The increasing demand for sustainable development of large companies in emerging economies indeed entails an inclusive array of SCM practices beyond mere logistics enhancement and automation so that these companies can overcome the persistent concerns in the current supply chain ecosystem. Therefore, this study attempts to fill these gaps by examining how sustainable supply chain management strategies can assist firms in emerging economies, especially South Africa, to achieve sustainable growth and a competitive advantage in the global market. The study used a mixed method approach and surveyed 100 JSE-listed companies, supplemented with in-depth interviews from 46 respondent companies. The findings expose a significant positive impact of SCM practices in achieving success and sustainable growth for multinational companies. These results suggest that firms operating within emerging markets should adopt SCM practices in their business processes with a broader consideration of environmental sustainability issues and production cost implications. This study contributes significantly to the literature to assist in planning supply chain practices linked with the UN SDGs. The paper also offers robust insight and an excellent understanding of the implications of the SCM strategies on promoting opportunities for sustainable growth in an emerging economy context.