PurposeContradictory sustainability priorities and perspectives among supply chain actors in greening transportation can be challenging. Several of these contradictions can be described as paradoxes (i.e. interests that are logical in themselves, but become irrational when perceived together). The aim of this study is to increase the understanding of paradoxical tensions hampering the greening of transportation in transport buyer-supplier dyads.Design/methodology/approachA case study method targeting greening transportation in two transport buyer-supplier dyads was applied, followed by an analysis with a point-of-departure in paradox theory.FindingsTensions related to performing, belonging, learning and organizing paradoxes in greening transportation were identified. These tensions arise as a consequence of actions, perspectives and other tensions, within three identified loci in individual companies and in dyads.Research limitations/implicationsBy identifying examples of tensions through the lens of paradoxes in a particular setting, this study provides an increased understanding of why the transition toward green transportation goes slow, despite the high ambitions of involved actors. The suggested framework provides a novel contribution to the literature that further increases the understanding of tensions, by providing additional insights into where tensions arise and how actions, perspectives and tensions in one place of a locus spectrum can disseminate along that spectrum.Originality/valueThis study is original because it applies paradox theory and the four categories of performing, belonging, learning and organizing within the field of greening transportation, and in particular as a lens to study interactions between different actors.

Purpose

Contradictory sustainability priorities and interests among supply chain actors can be challenging in the transition towards greener transportation. Several of these contradictions can be described as paradoxes, e.g., interests that are logical in themselves, but becomes irrational when perceived together. This study aims at increasing the understanding of paradoxes in transport buyers’ and suppliers’ strive towards greener transportation.

Design/methodology/approach

An interview study targeting transport buyer-supplier dyads has been applied, followed by an analysis with a point of departure in the paradox theory.

Findings

Tensions related to performing, belonging, learning, and organizing paradoxes in the greening of transportation have been identified. The tensions arise both within individual companies and within dyads. An explanatory framework with four loci of tensions and related propositions are suggested.

Research limitations/implications

By identifying examples through the lens of paradoxes in the particular setting, the study provides increased understanding to why the transition towards green transportation goes slow, despite involved actors’ high ambitions.

Practical implications

Understanding paradoxes is a necessary first step, before identifying ways to manage contradictions in the greening of transportation.

Social implications

The study provides deep insights on the challenges regarding the greening of transportation, which is fundamental for a long-term sustainable society during global crises.

Original/value

This study is original as it applies paradox theory within the field of green transportation, and in particular as a lens in studying the interactions between different actors.

PurposeSustainability approaches across product supply chains are well-known, while similar knowledge on transport supply chains (TSC) is limited. The purpose of this paper is to explore sustainability approaches and managerial challenges in extending sustainability across a TSC.

Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a case study of a TSC with a shipper, a third-party logistics firm and a hauler. Each actor's views on sustainability-related communication and relations with other TSC actors are analyzed through the lens of agency theory.

FindingsEach dyad in the TSC reveals different, more or less collaboration-based approaches. Challenges are revealed, including the lack of shipper understanding for the TSC context and the use of immature contracts, which disincentivizes sustainability compliance. The multi-tier study object reveals the silencing of distant actors and the need for actors to take on mediating roles to bridge information asymmetries.

Research limitations/implicationsCombining literature perspectives (relations, communication and agency theory) provides a deeper understanding of the approaches applied and identifies different challenges. The inclusion of agency theory reveals principal problems such as information asymmetries between agents and less-informed principals and suggests complementary labels of supply chain actors.

Practical implicationsPractical contributions include the highlighting of managerial challenges, which can aid managers in extending sustainability across TCSs.

Social implicationsThe case study method offers insights into collaboratively improving sustainability in supply chains (such as using contracts), thus having social and environmental implications.

Originality/valueThe paper narrows knowledge gaps about managing sustainability among logistics service providers and analyzes data from multi-tier actors.

Purpose

Research in the supplier development domain is primarily based on studies from the buyer perspective. This supplier development study has a qualitative approach focusing on the supplier perspective. The study aims to identify critical factors for the supplier development program from the supplier perspective.

Design / methodology / approach

In order to create understanding of factors critical for the supplier development program the Critical Incident Technique is applied, since it facilities in-depth explorative studies. The study involves three suppliers to one buyer in the Swedish heavy vehicle industry.  

Findings

The study concludes different critical factors influencing supplier development, such as formal structure of communication and competence level of those employed by the buyer. Further, suppliers stress their own proactivity as a critical factor.

Research limitations / implications

This explorative and primarily empirical study provides additional insights into the areas of critical factors for supplier development by focusing on the supplier perspective.

Practical implications

Supplier development is often enforced by the buyer and in order to succeed, knowledge and understanding of the critical factors from the supplier perspective are essential. This knowledge will allow the buyer to take these critical factors into consideration, will enhance the features and properties of the suppliers and increase the value creation for the end customer.

What is original/value of paper

This explorative study complements previous studies, as it focuses the supplier perspective from an empirical viewpoint

Purpose:  This study investigates supplier development from the supplier perspective. The purpose is to explore the supplier’s experienced challenges of being developed by many buyers simultaneously and over time.

Research Approach:  The research is exploratory, using a qualitative approach. The chosen investigative strategy is a methods triangulation study involving a case study in the heavy vehicles industry and focus groups with supplier representatives from an industrial network. Focus groups were performed in order to validate and further develop the case findings.

Findings and Originality:  The findings point towards challenges in supplier development due to frequent turnover of the buyer’s supplier development and purchasing staff, and the related changes in supplier development agenda.  They also point towards changes and developments of the supplier that does not reach the core of the supplier’s business, as different buyers request different developments at different times. This makes it the management staff’s task to present the right information at the right time to the buyer(s), rather than implementing changes based on the buyers’ supplier development work.

Research Impact: To date there is limited understanding of how suppliers perceive and experience the supplier development and the challenges they are experiencing. Through the network approach an increased understanding of challenges, owing to the many actors and interrelatedness between actors in supplier development have been created.

Practical Impact: This study sheds light on that different buyers affect one another’s possibility to develop the capabilities and resources of the supplier. This interrelatedness is something buyers should consider when implementing their supplier development

Research on inter-organizational supply chain interaction (IOSCI) for sustainability can be described as fast-growing and fragmented. It is uncertain to what extent logistics and supply chain management (SCM) literature has been able to close research gaps regarding e.g., empirical scope and sustainability dimensions addressed. A systematic literature review (SLR) is carried out to synthesize the existing knowledge and ongoing trends, and to propose a research agenda. The trend analysis shows that the gap between the environmental and social dimension is increasing, that Asian studies grow nearly exponentially, and that the focal firm perspective gains more ground. The research agenda calls for participatory studies of multiple actors and for studies addressing, e.g., the invisible logistics service providers. This study provides an important complement to existing literature reviews on sustainable supply chain interaction, primarily by its focus on the development over time, the empirical scope, the focus on publications in logistics/SCM journals, and its narrow focus on the interaction among firms in supply chains.

Purpose– The purpose of the paper is to explore the practices with logistics performance management in two textiles supply chains, and to identify the related best practices and barriers.

Design/methodology/approach– The method is a multiple case study of two textiles supply chains with a special focus on the rarely addressed interface between the manufacturer and the retail chain. The retail chains represent one large, global retail chain and one Nordic, comparably smaller retail chain. This paper is primarily empirical and describes practices for logistics performance management. The analysis discusses and explains best practices and barriers for logistics performance managements in textiles supply chains.

Findings– Differences were identified regarding practices, priorities and collaboration in the logistics performance management process. No textiles industry-specific practices were found. A way of exchanging action plans between the actors is an interesting best practice, which enables improvement projects even with long geographical distances. Barriers in the shape of difficulties in creating a collaborative culture were found; however, IT support seems no longer to be a barrier.

Research limitations/implications– Two cases are explored, why a broader study is necessary to confirm the results. The best practices and barriers identified are similar to those known from manufacturing companies.

Practical implications– The detailed descriptions of logistics performance management practices can provide insights for practitioners. Even if the studied supply chains are important for the respective actors, there is a potential for increased effectiveness in textiles supply chains.

Originality/value– Supply chains for textiles products “starting at a manufacturer and ending in a retail chain” seem to be an unchartered territory and not many studies have been performed.

Supplier development is an important buyer tool for enhancing supplier performanceand capability. However, it does not come with a guarantee for success. The reportedless-than-expected outcomes of supplier-development are sometimes explained by aone-way view of supplier development based in the buyer’s perspective. The supplier’sperspective is seldom considered. This research does the opposite; it takes its startingpoint in the perspective of the supplier, because, for supplier development to besuccessful, the supplier needs to be both able and willing to respond to a buyer’ssupplier-development effort. Complexities, integral to supplier development, andincentives, are investigated in this research.

Little is known about supplier development beyond the dyad. The supplierdevelopmentmay, however, be affected by what goes on elsewhere in the supplier’ snetwork of buyers or by the need to transfer the supplier development further up thesupply chain. This research investigates supplier development within, as well asbeyond, the dyad.

The purpose of this dissertation is to increase the knowledge of supplier developmentwithin and beyond the dyad, based on the experiences of suppliers.

The dissertation is a paper-based compilation of four empirical papers and astructured literature review of interorganizational supply chain interaction forsustainability. The theoretical lens of agency is applied to support the analysis.

The findings suggest a supplier-development interaction based on buyer power,referred to as hierarchical collaboration. Lack of trust, lack of communication andinformation-sharing, and decoupling between individuals are understood as sourcesof complexities and characterize the supplier-development interaction.

The findings suggest five types of complexities: the complexities of contradictorypractices, decoupled relationships, and contradictory incentives, identified within thedyad, and the complexities of contradictory interests in the supplier’s network ofbuyers and Chinese Whispers and other information asymmetries in multi-tiersupply chains, identified beyond the dyad. The complexities are proposed to hinderthe supplier’s ability or willingness to partake and comply with the supplierdevelopmenteffort. Any supplier noncompliance as a result of complexities withinthe dyad are not considered agency problems, instead, they are suggested to be“principal problems”.

Three incentives are identified: the preferred-supplier incentive, and the contractincentive (buyer-provided incentives), and the customer attractiveness incentive. Thebuyer-provided incentives are understood to disincentivize supplier-developmentcompliance. This directs interest towards incentive alignment and how incentives arepresented to suppliers.