Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.7
3.3
Journals
Sustainability
Special Issues
Sustainable Enterprise Operation and Supply Chain Management
sustainability-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Sustainable Enterprise Operation and Supply Chain Management

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 19 August 2025 | Viewed by 10473

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Reza Eslamipoor

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Faculty of Business and Law, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK
Interests: operations management; supply chain; knowledge; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increasing concerns regarding environmental issues and the scarcity of resources have prompted both industry and academia to embrace circular practices within their operations and for their supply chain partners. The concept of a circular economy offers a viable solution by promoting the longevity of products and maximizing resource efficiency to alleviate pressure on the natural ecosystem. Achieving this goal requires a systemic approach throughout the entire supply chain, encompassing both upstream and downstream activities.

This Special Issue aims to collate theoretical and empirical research employing qualitative and quantitative methodologies for analysis. The focus is on identifying key practices that can empower the manufacturing and service sectors to cultivate sustainability through their actions, both independently and collectively within the supply chain.

Submissions from a range of disciplines are encouraged, with potential topics including business models for implementing circularity in operations, stakeholders’ roles in promoting sustainable practices, lifecycle analysis supporting systems thinking, material flow analysis for resource longevity, the circular economy's role in fostering sustainability in manufacturing and services, and applying a systems thinking approach to develop closed-loop supply chains.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

operations management; logistics and supply chain management; knowledge management; industry 4.0; environmental sustainability

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Reza Eslamipoor
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • supply chain
  • environmental sustainability
  • operation management

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

20 pages, 1832 KiB  
Article
How Has the Aquaculture Supply Chain’s Competitiveness Changed After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Emerging Countries? The Case of Vietnam
by Thanh-Thuy Nguyen, Chi Minh Pham, Vinh Van Thai, Jackie Yen Tan, Hong-Van Pham and Thu Huong Trinh Thi
Sustainability 2025, 17(4), 1451; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17041451 - 10 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1382
Abstract
Global supply chains are facing many changes after the COVID-19 pandemic. This change impacts the way each supply chain measures its key performance indicators and determinants for its competitiveness. Aquaculture supply chains (SCA) play an essential role in global trading and fluctuated significantly [...] Read more.
Global supply chains are facing many changes after the COVID-19 pandemic. This change impacts the way each supply chain measures its key performance indicators and determinants for its competitiveness. Aquaculture supply chains (SCA) play an essential role in global trading and fluctuated significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic when many aquaculture supply chains from emerging countries faced disruption. Therefore, after the COVID-19 pandemic, these supply chains have changed their measures and determinants to improve global competitiveness. This paper examines the change in this measure and determinants of the aquaculture supply chain in Vietnam, one of the world’s top 10 biggest exporting countries of aquaculture products. The paper reviews the list of measures and determinants of the aquaculture supply chain before and after the COVID-19 pandemic from the literature. It forms the framework under the shade of Resource-Based View theory. A total of 38 interviews with managers and CEOs of 36 enterprises and two government agencies in the aquaculture supply chain in Vietnam were conducted to explore the strategic changes in the measures of determinants to cope with the new circumstances of current global trade. The findings contribute to enriching the theory in the new VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) business environment after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, SCA should be defined by supply chain virtues that are associated with the new business environment, such as SC resilience, SC sustainability, SC reliability, SC integration, etc. This finding implies a new horizon for RBV applications, highlighting their adaptability. It suggests that the measures defining competitive advantage in the new business environment should extend beyond the traditional tangible and intangible resources under business certainty. They should also encompass those that differentiate the firms and their supply chain during business turbulence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Enterprise Operation and Supply Chain Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 3308 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Cloud-Based Big Data Analytics Model for Sustainable Supply Chain Management
by Nenad Stefanovic, Milos Radenkovic, Zorica Bogdanovic, Jelena Plasic and Andrijana Gaborovic
Sustainability 2025, 17(1), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010354 - 6 Jan 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2812
Abstract
Due to uncertain business climate, fierce competition, environmental challenges, regulatory requirements, and the need for responsible business operations, organizations are forced to implement sustainable supply chains. This necessitates the use of proper data analytics methods and tools to monitor economic, environmental, and social [...] Read more.
Due to uncertain business climate, fierce competition, environmental challenges, regulatory requirements, and the need for responsible business operations, organizations are forced to implement sustainable supply chains. This necessitates the use of proper data analytics methods and tools to monitor economic, environmental, and social performance, as well as to manage and optimize supply chain operations. This paper discusses issues, challenges, and the state of the art approaches in supply chain analytics and gives a systematic literature review of big data developments associated with supply chain management (SCM). Even though big data technologies promise many benefits and advantages, the prospective applications of big data technologies in sustainable SCM are still not achieved to a full extent. This necessitates work on several segments like research, the design of new models, architectures, services, and tools for big data analytics. The goal of the paper is to introduce a methodology covering the whole Business Intelligence (BI) lifecycle and a unified model for advanced supply chain big data analytics (BDA). The model is multi-layered, cloud-based, and adaptive in terms of specific big data scenarios. It comprises business process modeling, data ingestion, storage, processing, machine learning, and end-user intelligence and visualization. It enables the creation of next-generation BDA systems that improve supply chain performance and enable sustainable SCM. The proposed supply chain BDA methodology and the model have been successfully applied in practice for the purpose of supplier quality management. The solution based on the real-world dataset and the illustrative supply chain case are presented and discussed. The results demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the big data model for intelligent and insight-driven decision making and sustainable supply chain management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Enterprise Operation and Supply Chain Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

32 pages, 2902 KiB  
Article
Data-Driven Analysis of Supply Chain Integration’s Impact on Procurement Performance in International EPC Projects
by Jiaxin Huang and Shui Ming Li
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10729; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310729 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1834
Abstract
Integrated supply chain management is essential for enhancing procurement efficiency and project outcomes in international engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) projects. Despite its acknowledged importance, there is a paucity of understanding regarding the precise effects of supply chain integration on procurement processes in [...] Read more.
Integrated supply chain management is essential for enhancing procurement efficiency and project outcomes in international engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) projects. Despite its acknowledged importance, there is a paucity of understanding regarding the precise effects of supply chain integration on procurement processes in this context. This research analyzes 45 projects overseen by prominent Chinese international contractors to bridge this gap. The research employs Pearson correlation analysis to identify robust correlations among critical components of supply chain integration, procurement management, and procurement performance. Essential elements, including operational performance, procurement contract management, and stakeholder engagement, are identified as critical determinants of project success. The study seeks to examine how international EPC contractors incorporate the complete procurement management process via supply chain integration. Contractors can improve operational efficiency and procurement management by forming partnerships with stakeholders to acquire and integrate resources, hence enhancing project outcomes. This ongoing enhancement process improves procurement efficiency and bolsters the competitiveness of Chinese contractors in the global EPC market. The study underscores the efficiency and sustainability of procurement processes, demonstrating how optimized supply chain integration advances broader sustainability objectives by minimizing waste, enhancing resource utilization, and promoting environmentally and socially responsible procurement practices in international projects. The research offers significant empirical data and insights for academic inquiries and actual company implementations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Enterprise Operation and Supply Chain Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

34 pages, 5401 KiB  
Review
Supply Chain Management for the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) Model: A Review and Bibliometric Analysis
by Jiaxin Huang, Xiaowen Fu, Xiaoxu Chen and Xin Wen
Sustainability 2024, 16(22), 9748; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229748 - 8 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3873
Abstract
China’s “Going Out” strategy and the “Belt and Road” initiative have significantly propelled the expansion of overseas contractual engagements, with a pronounced impact in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) sector. EPC contracting is increasingly recognized for its superior resource allocation and integration [...] Read more.
China’s “Going Out” strategy and the “Belt and Road” initiative have significantly propelled the expansion of overseas contractual engagements, with a pronounced impact in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) sector. EPC contracting is increasingly recognized for its superior resource allocation and integration efficiency. Within the EPC framework, procurement is pivotal, exerting a direct influence on project cost, schedule, and quality parameters. The biblio-metric analysis of this paper reveals the research trend of EPC projects in the past decade, especially in supply chain integration, procurement management, and stakeholder management. This indicates an increasing interest in efficient project management and supply chain optimization in international engineering EPC projects. Although the application of supply chain integration in the manufacturing industry has been a successful experience, its practical application in construction and EPC projects is still insufficient. Integration strategies mentioned in the literature, such as achieving supply chain transparency through digital platforms, reducing operating costs, and optimizing delivery time, are directions that need to be further explored in this field. Effective supply chain integration and increased maturity of procurement management in EPC projects are still less involved areas. In addition, there is also a lack of research on how to manage high-risk and unpredictable risks in large international engineering projects. This article suggests that future research should focus on developing flexible supply chain management tools and practices to adapt to a project-oriented supply chain environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Enterprise Operation and Supply Chain Management)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop