Strategies and Executive's Attitude in Sustainability Supply Chain Management: Empirical Study of UK Multinational SMES (Dissertation Sample)

Strategies and Executive’s Attitude in Sustainability Supply Chain Management: Empirical Study of UK Multinational SMES
A dissertation presented By
[Your Name]
To
[Your Supervisors]
In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree
[Name of the Degree your Pursue]
At
[Name of your University]
2014
© Your Name (2014)
Abstract
This study explores the attitude and perception of the executives of small and medium sized enterprises towards sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). A qualitative study involving use of qualitative questionnaire issued to of seven SME executives in UK was used to collect data. The study establishes that SSCM is highly valued among the executives, even though it is not prioritised currently and that it fall short of meeting triple-bottom line requirements. While the executives make efforts attain some sustainable supply chain practices, there are only so here there are compelling economic gains associated with the practice, or where there are substantial reputation, legal or economic risk of non-compliance. The approach is predominantly risk-based, with minimal employment of opportunity-based approach. The findings also point to the fact that the UK-based SMEs’ executives are greatly willing to have their companies adopt SSCM, but the only reasons counting for low priority is not a negative attitude towards SSCM practices, but resource limitation. The study underscores a need o address economic issues, broaden SSCM approaches and ensure comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
Key WORDS: Supply chain management (SCM) , sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), SMEs,
Dedication
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Acknowledgments
I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to a number of individuals without whom my dream to obtain a [level of the degree eg. Bachelors , masters ,doctoral] degree would have been aborted.
I would like to acknowledge my awesome dissertation committee members, [Names] for their professionalism, advice, and support, particularly throughout the dissertation process.
Sincere thanks also to my wonderful and [Friends and relatives]
I am eternally grateful to you all and will never be able to repay you for all you have done to help me make my commitment a reality.
Table of Contents
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc400536002 \h ii
Dedication PAGEREF _Toc400536003 \h iii
Acknowledgments PAGEREF _Toc400536004 \h iv
Chapter 1: Introduction PAGEREF _Toc400536005 \h 1
1.1. Introduction to the Research Topic PAGEREF _Toc400536006 \h 1
1.2. Background Information PAGEREF _Toc400536007 \h 1
1.2.1. Sustainable Supply Chain Management PAGEREF _Toc400536008 \h 1
1.2.2. Small and Medium Sized Organizations in UK PAGEREF _Toc400536009 \h 2
1.3. Problem Statement and Justification PAGEREF _Toc400536010 \h 4
1.4. Research Aims and Objectives PAGEREF _Toc400536011 \h 4
1.4.1. Main aim PAGEREF _Toc400536012 \h 5
1.4.2. Specific Objectives PAGEREF _Toc400536013 \h 5
1.4.3. Research Questions PAGEREF _Toc400536014 \h 5
Chapter 2: Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc400536015 \h 6
2.1. Introduction PAGEREF _Toc400536016 \h 6
2.2. Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Meaning and Definition PAGEREF _Toc400536017 \h 6
2.3 Distinctions Between SMEs and LEs Concerning Sustainable Supply Management Chain PAGEREF _Toc400536018 \h 8
Double bottom approach to sustainability decisions in SMEs PAGEREF _Toc400536019 \h 9
2.4 Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the International Context PAGEREF _Toc400536020 \h 9
2.4.1. Nature of Competition PAGEREF _Toc400536021 \h 10
2.5. Strategies and Approaches Adopted in Sustainable Supply Management PAGEREF _Toc400536022 \h 11
2.5.1. Risk Oriented Strategy PAGEREF _Toc400536023 \h 12
2.5.2. Opportunity Oriented Approach PAGEREF _Toc400536024 \h 13
2.5.3. Triple Bottom Line Approach PAGEREF _Toc400536025 \h 13
2.5.4. Double Bottom Line Approach PAGEREF _Toc400536026 \h 14
2.6. State of Sustainable Supply Chain Management in Multinational SMEs PAGEREF _Toc400536027 \h 15
2.7. Role of SMEs Executives in Management of Supplies PAGEREF _Toc400536028 \h 16
2.8. Challenges Observed In the Implementation of Supply Chain Sustainable Practices PAGEREF _Toc400536029 \h 18
2.8.1. Inadequate Resources PAGEREF _Toc400536030 \h 18
2.8.2. Poor Management Attitude PAGEREF _Toc400536031 \h 19
2.9. Summary, Research Gap and Study Contribution PAGEREF _Toc400536032 \h 19
Chapter 3: Methodology PAGEREF _Toc400536033 \h 21
3.1. Introduction PAGEREF _Toc400536034 \h 21
3.2. Research philosophy PAGEREF _Toc400536035 \h 21
3.2. Research Approach PAGEREF _Toc400536036 \h 22
3.3. Research Design PAGEREF _Toc400536037 \h 22
3.4. Type of Data and Data Collection Method PAGEREF _Toc400536038 \h 23
3.6. Data Collection Methods PAGEREF _Toc400536039 \h 23
3.5. Data Analysis PAGEREF _Toc400536040 \h 24
3.6. Validity and Reliability of Data PAGEREF _Toc400536041 \h 25
3.7. Ethical Issues Consideration PAGEREF _Toc400536042 \h 25
Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis PAGEREF _Toc400536043 \h 27
4.1 Priority given to sustainable supply chain management by the executives PAGEREF _Toc400536044 \h 27
4.2 The role of the executives in the implementation of sustainable supply chain activities PAGEREF _Toc400536045 \h 31
4.3 Adequacy of Funds PAGEREF _Toc400536046 \h 32
4.4 The strategies adopted by the organization towards sustainable supply chain management PAGEREF _Toc400536048 \h 33
5.0 Chapter 5: Discussions PAGEREF _Toc400536049 \h 36
5.2 The Role and Attitude of Executives PAGEREF _Toc400536050 \h 37
5.3 Strategy PAGEREF _Toc400536051 \h 38
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc400536052 \h 41
6.1 Summary of Findings and Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc400536053 \h 41
6.2 Recommendations for Practice PAGEREF _Toc400536054 \h 42
6.3 Limitation of the Study and Implications for Further Research PAGEREF _Toc400536055 \h 43
References PAGEREF _Toc400536056 \h 44
APPENDICES PAGEREF _Toc400536057 \h 49
Appendix 1: Qualitative questionnaire PAGEREF _Toc400536058 \h 49
Appendix 2: Organizations sampled for the Study PAGEREF _Toc400536059 \h 51
Appendix 3: Qualitative questionnaire 001 PAGEREF _Toc400536060 \h 52
Appendix 4: Qualitative questionnaire 002 PAGEREF _Toc400536061 \h 54
Appendix 5: Qualitative Questionnaire 003 PAGEREF _Toc400536062 \h 56
Appendix 06: Qualitative questionnaire 004 PAGEREF _Toc400536063 \h 58
Appendix 07: Qualitative questionnaire 005 PAGEREF _Toc400536064 \h 60
Appendix 08: Qualitative questionnaire 006 PAGEREF _Toc400536065 \h 62
Appendix 09: Qualitative questionnaire 007 PAGEREF _Toc400536066 \h 64
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1. Introduction to the Research Topic
It is evident that the future sustainability of any business enterprise is dependent on its ability to manage all the organization activities in a sustainable manner. Effective strategies should be adopted in the management process such that all the departmental activities within the business from the human resource to the production are sustainable (Abbasi and Nilsson, 2011). Supply chain management is one critical area in business enterprises that ought to be controlled in a sustainable manner. The concept of sustainable supply chain management advocates for the management of all the activities along the supply chain in a manner that they are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. This entails the control of the activities such that they have minimal negative impacts on the society, and the environment as well as adequately saves on the organizations resources (Trkman and Groznik, 2010). According to Wang and Sarkis (2012) positive results and higher performance have been reported by organizations that adopts the sustainable supply chain management concept. However, some organizations have failed to embrace this concept in their operations despite the positive results recorded by the other organizations that have adopted it. This is more evident with the small and medium sized enterprises operating within the international market (Trkman and Groznik, 2010). According to Howarth and Fredericks (2011) the small and medium sized organizations operating within the United Kingdom economy have not fully adopted the concept of sustainable supply chain management. This is due to the reasoning by the management that the process is costly and will not enable them, face the stiff competition presented within these markets. The executives to these organizations have failed to implement the sustainable practices that will see the overall sustainability of supply chain activities being achieved (Craig, Carter and Liane, 2011). It is therefore important that drastic measures be taken to enhance the adoption of this concept within the SME in UK. The current paper analyzes the attitude and perceptions of the executives of the small and medium sized enterprises towards sustainable supply chain management and the strategies they have adopted for adequate recommendations to be provided on the way forward for these institutions.
1.2. Background Information
1.2.1. Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Sustainable supply chain management is a concept in business management that focus on the analysis of the impacts of the supply chain activities on the environment, economy and the society. According to Winter and Knemeyer (2011) sustainable supply chain management advocates for the control of the activities along the supply chain in a way that they have negligible negative impacts of the environment, the society and the entire economy. This process begins from the acquisition of raw materials, to the storage, to the production stage and to the distribution and d...