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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2023) | Viewed by 53589

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Lei Xu

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Guest Editor

College of Economics and Management, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, China
Interests: green and sustainable supply chain management; service operation management; e-business; air freight transportation management
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Dr. Xiaochen Sun

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Guest Editor

College of Management and Economics, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
Interests: operations management; green supply chain management; stochastic inventory

Prof. Guihong Zhao

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Guest Editor

College of Economics and Management, Civil Aviation University of China, Tianjin 300300, China
Interests: big data behavior research; digital behavior and marketing management; old aircraft recycling green supply chain

Prof. Xiaohang Yue

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Guest Editor

Sheldon B. Lubar School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA
Interests: supply chain management; manufacturing system design; business analytics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the government’s increasing requirements of corporate social responsibility and the enhancement of consumers’ environmental awareness, sustainable supply chain innovation and operation management (SSCIOM) have attracted more and more attention from the whole of society. To develop SSCIOM, governors may first incentivize firms to undertake more social responsibility. For example, the government can promote advanced environmental technology and green products through subsidy policies or prevent environmental pollution through penalties. Second, firms may take initiatives to reduce the related costs and the environmental impact by employing environmental management systems, and improve social performance of operation and service processes through extended product service, charity, and cooperation with NGOs. Although previous studies have discussed the implementation mechanism and optimization path of SSCIOM to an extent, the new generation of information technology, such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet of Things, currently pose more challenges and opportunities for SSCIOM. These technologies enable modern supply chains to collect, store, analyze, and transfer data more and more effectively, making them realize information sharing and decision-making coordination among multiple agents. The digital innovation and operation management of supply chains have greatly promoted the transmission speed of information and pressure, which will inevitably affect the relevant decisions and practices in the field of SSCIOM.

However, only a few studies focus on the impacts of the development and application of information technology on the SSCIOM. Existing research has not yet conducted in-depth discussions on the path and mechanism of the impact of new generation information technology on the SSCIOM, especially the multiple governance and coordination mechanisms of the complex sustainable supply chain brought about by digital innovation and operation, the dynamic decision-making mechanism of SSCIOM, and overall management of sustainable supply chains under big data. The solution to these problems will have an important positive impact on the SSCIOM.

Prof. Dr. Lei Xu
Dr. Xiaochen Sun
Prof. Guihong Zhao
Prof. Xiaohang Yue
Guest Editors

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Keywords

digital operational innovation of sustainable supply chain management under digital technology
platform operation and innovation mode of sustainable supply chain in internet economy
sustainable supply chain quality management in the Blockchain era
sustainable supply chain financial model innovation in the era of digital economy
artificial intelligence in sustainable supply chain management
sustainable supply chain innovation and value chain reconstruction under Industry 4.0
sustainable supply chain management in the era of big data
sustainable supply chain service model innovation in the era of new retail
sustainable supply chain operation management in the era of the sharing economy
supply chain governance

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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31 pages, 1561 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of China’s Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zones on Sustainable Trade of Host Countries

by Yu Zhang, Zeyu Fu, Lei Xu and Zhenzhen Lu

Sustainability 2023, 15(24), 16951; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152416951 - 18 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1822

Abstract

Under the concept of “government-guided, enterprise-led, and market-oriented” operation, the Chinese Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zones (COCZs) have developed a new type of international production pattern, which has become an effective way for developing countries to integrate into the global production network sustainably. Based on the COCZ data collected manually and country-level panel data from 1997 to 2019, this study innovatively analyzes the sustainable trade effect of COCZs with the difference-in-differences method. The research finds that the establishment of COCZs significantly boosts the import and export of the host country in a sustainable manner. Further analysis finds that COCZs can promote the sustainable trade growth of the host country in three aspects: economic, societal, and environmental. This sustainable trade effect is closely related to the institutional improvement and infrastructure construction generated by COCZs. By providing a comprehensive and rigorous analysis of the impact of COCZs on the host country’s trade performance, the paper effectively responds to the criticisms on China’s “going out” strategy, which is often based on biased assumptions and a lack of empirical evidence. It also provides policy implications for both China and the host countries to enhance the cooperation and mutual benefits of COCZs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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16 pages, 2402 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How to Treat Gossip in Internet Public Carbon Emission Reduction Projects?

by Zhenghong Wu and Yang Sun

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12809; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912809 - 7 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1713

Abstract

Ant Forest is an internet public carbon emission reduction project jointly initiated by the government and enterprises and has successfully made a huge contribution to carbon reduction. As an online project, Ant Forest is more likely to receive public attention and discussion, which will undoubtedly incur a vast amount of gossip. In addition, unlike the offline acquaintance society, people need to frequently deal with heterogeneous interpersonal relationships online, which complicates the role of gossip. In this background, the impact of gossip on internet public carbon emission reduction projects and how to deal with gossip to increase public participation are important research questions. We study the above questions through public goods game. We propose three alternative coping mechanisms of gossip namely: punishment only (P_O), punishment with reputation compensation (P_R) and punishment with monetary compensation (P_M). The research results are shown as follows: Firstly, although the effect of gossip on advancing public participation in public carbon emission reduction projects under heterogeneous interpersonal relationships is inferior to that under homogeneous interpersonal relationship, it is undeniable that gossip also could effectively promote public to take part in internet public carbon emission reduction projects. Secondly, compared with the other two mechanisms, the mechanism P_M is the most effective way to advance public participation in the internet public carbon emission reduction projects. Finally, there is optimal tolerance degree, penalty time and rebirth coefficient to maximize the promotion effect in the P_M. Our research demonstrates that gossip has a positive significance for internet public emission reduction projects, and we also provide policy makers with corresponding suggestions to advance public participation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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14 pages, 1684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Industrial Agroforestry—A Sustainable Value Chain Innovation through a Consortium Approach

by Kallappan Thangamuthu Parthiban, Cruzmuthu Cinthia Fernandaz, Rajadorai Jude Sudhagar, Iyapillai Sekar, Subramani Umesh Kanna, Periyasamy Rajendran, Pachanoor Subbian Devanand, Subramaniam Vennila and Nandhakrishnan Krishna Kumar

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7126; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137126 - 25 Jun 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6432

Abstract

Agroforestry has been practicedtraditionally in India in the form of subsistence farming, but is being increasingly recognized from the economic point of view, in addition to its positive contribution to the wood-based industrial sector, which has recent origin. Low forest cover, poor productivity and legal restrictions coupled with an increasing demand for wood and wood products due to increasing population, industries and associated policy changes have ushered in a total mismatch between demand and supply. This has attracted increasing attention towards agroforestry. The National Forest Policy of India 1988 has directed all wood-based industries to generate their own raw material resources by linking farmers and extending technology and market support. However, these directives were not taken seriously, and consequently, the achievements that should have taken place in industrial agroforestry and plantation establishment are dismally modest for want of suitable institutional mechanism to resolve the research gaps that exist in the entire Production to Consumption System (PCS). Against this backdrop, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has pioneered research by creating a value chain in industrial agroforestry which was initially demonstrated in 200 ha of farmlands through technological, organizational and marketing interventions. Incorporationof high yielding short rotation (HYSR) clones, precision silviculture technology, adoption of multifunctional agroforestry and value addition technology are the major technological interventions that attracted more farmers towards agroforestry development. Conceptualization and successful practice of the contract tree farming model, particularly the quadripartite contract farming model, ensured institutional linkage among the value chain players and facilitated technology transfer, assured buy back, price support system and also institutional credit and insurance. The provision of a market support system for a wide range of pulp wood, plywood, timber, and match wood exerted a significant influence among tree-growing farmers. In order to sustain these value chain innovations and interventions, an institutional mechanism, namely the Consortium of Industrial Agroforestry (CIAF), was established in 2015, which linked all value chain players and aided in resolving the issues in the entire production to consumption system (PCS) of agroforestry on a sustainable basis. Over the years, these innovative interventions have had a significant impact in terms of area increase, productivity and profitability improvement coupled with safeguarding the social and environmental concerns of agroforestry farmers from a holistic perspective. The Consortium-based Value Chain on Industrial Agroforestry model has a very good replication potential not only within India, but also elsewhere across the global landscape. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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26 pages, 2136 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Remanufacturing Policies Options for a Closed-Loop Supply Chain Network

by Yan Zhou, Xue-Qi Liu and Kar-Hung Wong

Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6640; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126640 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2589

Abstract

Due to the need for resource utilization and environmental protection, remanufacturing is used as an effective means to achieve a circular economy. To focus on the production and sales of new products, manufacturers outsource the remanufacturing of used products to remanufacturers. Aiming at helping manufacturers to choose between self-remanufacturing and outsourcing remanufacturing policies, a closed-loop supply chain network equilibrium model considering the remanufacturing policy options is established. The equilibrium decision-making is obtained by using the variational inequality method. Furthermore, the criteria for manufacturers to choose between the two remanufacturing policies based on different factors such as recovery rates of the used products, remanufacturing costs, and environmental impact parameters, are given. Numerical examples show the following results: (1) When compared with self-remanufacturing policy, outsourcing remanufacturing policy can save resources, increase the sales of products, and have a smaller environmental impact. (2) When the recycling rate of used products is low, choosing an outsourcing remanufacturing policy can increase the sales of products. When the recycling rate is high, choosing a self-remanufacturing policy can get more profits. (3) When the costs of a self-remanufacturing policy and an outsource-remanufacturing policy are quite different, choosing the outsourcing remanufacturing policy can save resources and protect the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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13 pages, 270 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Emission Reduction and Pricing in the Tourism Supply Chain Considering Different Market Structures and Word-of-Mouth Effect

by Xijia Huang, Shuai Zhu and Jia Wang

Sustainability 2021, 13(7), 3893; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13073893 - 1 Apr 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2020

Abstract

In the context of carbon tax policy and word-of-mouth, local operators and tour operators in the tourism supply chain need to determine optimal wholesale price, carbon reduction level, and retail price of tour packages strategies. To address these decision-making issues, while considering the word-of-mouth effect, our paper considers a local operator determining wholesale price and carbon reduction level of the tour package and a tour operator determining retail price of the tour package. According to different bargaining powers, we study three scenarios: the local operator leading Stackelberg (LL), the tour operator leading Stackelberg (TL), and the static Nash game (NG). We develop three theoretical models and present some insights. We find that tourist’s sensitivity to word-of-mouth has positive (negative) impacts on optimal wholesale price, carbon reduction level, retail price, demand, and profits if the impact of word-of-mouth is positive (negative), while the impact of word-of-mouth is always having positive impacts on optimal decisions, demand, and profits. Interestingly, the NG market structure contributes the most environmentally-friendly products but mostly hurts the environment. The local operator under LL can obtain the largest profit, which is even larger than the profit of the tour operator, while the tour operator under NG and TL can obtain more profit than the local operator. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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21 pages, 780 KiB

Open AccessReview

How Does Corporate Charitable Giving Affect Enterprise Innovation? A Literature Review and Research Directions

by Lei Xu, Xiaoning Guo, Yan Liu, Xiaochen Sun and Jie Ji

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15603; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315603 - 23 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3508

Abstract

During the past decades, academics and practitioners have basically reached a consensus on the relationship between corporate charitable giving and enterprise innovation. However, so far, few research studies have explored the essential reasons and the influencing mechanisms behind the relationship, through sufficient theoretical or empirical study. To clarify this relationship, this paper collects and reviews 196 related articles which include the topics of corporate philanthropy and corporate innovation over the period of 1966–2022, and analyzes their content in a systematic and comprehensive manner. Based on the literature analysis, it clarifies the current state and the differentiation trends of research topics in this field, then discusses the industry operations and theoretical development of corporate charitable giving. Through literature reviewing and practical analysis, this paper summarizes the mechanism and path of the influence of charitable giving on enterprise innovation from four perspectives: technical network, political reputation, media attention and resource adjustment, and proposes the external factors at macro- and meso-levels. By constructing a multi-level theoretical framework, this paper clarifies the preconditions, key factors and mediating mechanisms of charitable donation affecting enterprise innovation. This paper contributes a novel theoretical perspective for further theoretical development and for effectively managing corporate charitable giving and enterprise innovations. The paper concludes by offering several suggestions for future research on corporate charitable giving. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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22 pages, 1383 KiB

Open AccessReview

Big Data Analytics in Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Focus on Manufacturing Supply Chains

by Joash Mageto

Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7101; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137101 - 24 Jun 2021

Cited by 86 | Viewed by 25108

Abstract

Sustainable supply chain management has been an important research issue for the last two decades due to climate change. From a global perspective, the United Nations have introduced sustainable development goals, which point towards sustainability. Manufacturing supply chains are among those that produce harmful effluents into the environment in addition to social issues that impact societies and economies where they operate. New developments in information and communication technologies, especially big data analytics (BDA), can help create new insights that can detect parts and members of a supply chain whose activities are unsustainable and take corrective action. While many studies have addressed sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), studies on the effect of BDA on SSCM in the context of manufacturing supply chains are limited. This conceptual paper applies Toulmin’s argumentation model to review relevant literature and draw conclusions. The study identifies the elements of big data analytics as data processing, analytics, reporting, integration, security and economic. The aspects of sustainable SCM are transparency, sustainability culture, corporate goals and risk management. It is established that BDA enhances SSCM of manufacturing supply chains. Cyberattacks and information technology skills gap are some of the challenges impeding BDA implementation. The paper makes a conceptual and methodological contribution to supply chain management literature by linking big data analytics and SSCM in manufacturing supply chains by using the rarely used Toulmin’s argumentation model in management studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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25 pages, 13744 KiB

Open AccessReview

Visualizing Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Scientometric Review

by Zhiwen Su, Mingyu Zhang and Wenbing Wu

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4409; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084409 - 15 Apr 2021

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 8064

Abstract

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has been attracting extensive attention from both practitioners and scholars. The main objective of this paper is to visualize and conduct a systematic scientometric review on 9151 articles and reviews published from 2007 to 2021. Research techniques of co-author analysis, co-word analysis, and co-citation analysis are applied to reveal the social structure, conceptual structure, and intellectual structure of the SSCM field, identify main concepts and research hotspots, and illuminate major specialties and emerging trends. The results of this work show that: (1) the top five most productive scholars are Joseph Sarkis, Kannan Govindan, Minglang Tseng, Angappa Gunasekaran, and Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour. The top five most productive institutions are Hong Kong Polytech University, Islamic Azad University, University of Southern Denmark, Dalian University of Technology, and University of Tehran. (2) The main concepts include sustainable supply chain management, green supply chain management, circular economy, corporate social responsibility, and reverse logistics. The research hotspots of the SSCM field, currently, are game theory and circular economy related topics. (3) The leading researchers and influential journals are also identified. The emerging trends include sustainable supplier selection, circular economy, cap-and-trade regulation, blockchain technology, big data analytics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the best-worst method and logistics performance. Finally, limitations and future researches are discussed. We expect this paper will show a big picture of the SSCM field for researchers as well as practitioners. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Innovation and Operation Management)

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