Abstract
Nowadays, sustainable development has been introduced and integrated into production and operation management field through the concept of the green supply chain, which concept has become a very important issue amongst industries around the world. The cement industry is regarded as one of the major sources of anthropogenic air pollution. It uses a significant amount of energy while creating a substantial amount of potentially health-threatening carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and dust particles. GSCM has emerged as an important organisational philosophy to achieve targeted economic and market objectives while reducing environmental risk, reducing cost, optimising resources and enhancing operations throughout the supply chain. There has been little discussion in the literature regarding the institutionalisation of GSCM. Very few companies have taken the initiative including South African cement companies to become part of the culture of institutionalising GSCM as a strategy for competitive advantage. The current study addressed this gap by developing a GSCM Institutionalisation framework which included institutional pressures, practices, key internal enablers (organisational culture, change and strategy alignment), challenges and performance outcomes. This framework added a new body of knowledge by addressing the intensity of the environmental impact caused by the cement industry.
The research is informed by the interpretivism research paradigm. The study employed a qualitative exploratory approach to achieve the research objectives. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to interview 23 senior management from cement companies, environmental agencies and academics. A thematic and content analysis was used in this research. The findings of this current study reflect that majority of the participants alluded that eco-design, green production and reverse logistics are green institutional practices. The study also identified internal key enabling factors such as culture, change and strategic fit has an impact on institutionalisation of GSCM. The study also found that common strategic challenges included high cost, lack of advance technology and
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lack of government support. The findings also identified improvement in social, environmental and economic performance of the organisation. The results are important to corporate management in providing a new developed framework that would guide supply chain practitioners, management of the cement companies, environmental law agencies, and NGO’s on adopting GSCM institutionalisation as a culture within their organisation so as to reduce the environmental impact.
Key phrases: Green supply chain management, institutionalisation, culture, change, strategic fit, operational performance.