TY - JOUR
T1 - Leveraging supply chain networks for sustainability beyond corporate boundaries
T2 - Explorative structural network analysis
AU - Laari, Sini
AU - Wetzel, Philipp
AU - Töyli, Juuso
AU - Solakivi, Tomi
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Prof. Dr. Erik Hofmann for his valuable suggestions and comments to this research. Further, the authors also would like to thank the editor and the anonymous reviewers for their constructive and encouraging feedback that greatly helped to improve this article. Sini Laari has received a grant from the Foundation for Economic Education (grant no. 12-6685 ), which is gratefully acknowledged.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2022/12/1
Y1 - 2022/12/1
N2 - The ability of companies to achieve systemic sustainability goals is influenced by the structure of the larger supply chain network in which they reside. However, managing sustainability throughout multi-tiered global supply chain networks and complying with new supply chain law initiatives has proven to be a great challenge for many firms. This article investigates node- (firm) and network-level network structural characteristics and their implications for sustainability. The empirical study first explores structural patterns in a network of 5458 companies and then focuses on a sub-set of 604 companies associated with the automotive industry. The following four sustainability archetypes were identified: impassive networks, environmentally focused networks, socially focused networks, and orchestrated networks. The article further specifies strategy options for lead firms, suppliers, and regulators in enhancing sustainability in each archetype. The most sustainable firms are typically the most central, not necessarily the ones closest to the customers. Regulators should target central firms for a ripple effect.
AB - The ability of companies to achieve systemic sustainability goals is influenced by the structure of the larger supply chain network in which they reside. However, managing sustainability throughout multi-tiered global supply chain networks and complying with new supply chain law initiatives has proven to be a great challenge for many firms. This article investigates node- (firm) and network-level network structural characteristics and their implications for sustainability. The empirical study first explores structural patterns in a network of 5458 companies and then focuses on a sub-set of 604 companies associated with the automotive industry. The following four sustainability archetypes were identified: impassive networks, environmentally focused networks, socially focused networks, and orchestrated networks. The article further specifies strategy options for lead firms, suppliers, and regulators in enhancing sustainability in each archetype. The most sustainable firms are typically the most central, not necessarily the ones closest to the customers. Regulators should target central firms for a ripple effect.
KW - Automotive industry
KW - Network analysis
KW - Structural analysis
KW - Supply chain network
KW - Sustainable performance
KW - Sustainable supply chain management
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139425766&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134475
DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.134475
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85139425766
VL - 377
JO - Journal of Cleaner Production
JF - Journal of Cleaner Production
SN - 0959-6526
M1 - 134475
ER -
