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Sustainable procurement of minor items - exploring limits to sustainability

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  • Hans Haake

    (Ecological Economics, University of Oldenburg, Germany)

  • Stefan Seuring

    (International Management, University of Kassel, Germany)

Abstract

The field of sustainable supply chain management has seen a rapid expansion of corporate activities as well as academic research over the last few years. This paper points to an obvious shortcoming in the way the topic is being addressed in almost all contributions: major, well known, product related goods and services are almost exclusively targeted, leading to definitions, frameworks and empirical research that fail to include more minor items and related purchasing processes. This has various reasons, but is an inadequate approach when overall impacts along an entire supply chain are considered and the basic tenets of sustainability respected. The paper discusses the reasons for such shortcomings and suggests some measures by which they could be overcome, thereby also stimulating future research. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Hans Haake & Stefan Seuring, 2009. "Sustainable procurement of minor items - exploring limits to sustainability," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(5), pages 284-294.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:17:y:2009:i:5:p:284-294
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.424
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ghanbarzadeh-Shams, M. & Ghasemy Yaghin, R. & Sadeghi, A.H., 2022. "A hybrid fuzzy multi-objective model for carpet production planning with reverse logistics under uncertainty," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Gadenne, David & Sharma, Bishnu & Kerr, Don & Smith, Tim, 2011. "The influence of consumers' environmental beliefs and attitudes on energy saving behaviours," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(12), pages 7684-7694.
    4. Enrico Massaroni & Alessandra Cozzolino & Mario Calabrese & Ewa Wankowicz & Maura Fiore, 2016. "Reporting di sostenibilit? degli operatori logistici in Europa: analisi degli indicatori," ECONOMIA E DIRITTO DEL TERZIARIO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(2), pages 303-334.
    5. André Tchokogué & Jean Nollet & Nathalie Merminod & Gilles Paché & Véronique Goupil, 2018. "Is Supply's Actual Contribution to Sustainable Development Strategic and Operational?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 336-358, March.
    6. Magnus Boström, 2015. "Between Monitoring and Trust: Commitment to Extended Upstream Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(1), pages 239-255, September.
    7. Kogg, Beatrice & Mont, Oksana, 2012. "Environmental and social responsibility in supply chains: The practise of choice and inter-organisational management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 154-163.
    8. Mari, Sonia Irshad & Lee, Young Hae & Memon, Muhammad Saad & Cho, Su Yeon, 2014. "A Three-level Sustainable and Resilient Supply Chain Network Design under Disruption," MPRA Paper 58228, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Stefan Seuring, 2011. "Supply chain management for sustainable products – insights from research applying mixed methodologies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(7), pages 471-484, November.

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