Uta Juettner, Katharina Windler, André Podleisek, Maya Gander and Sandrina Meldau
In a time where stakeholders increasingly demand social, environmental, and economic sustainability, mismanaging suppliers can impose substantial sustainability risks for a…
Abstract
Purpose
In a time where stakeholders increasingly demand social, environmental, and economic sustainability, mismanaging suppliers can impose substantial sustainability risks for a company and harm its reputation and business severely. This research explores the implementation of a corporate sustainable supplier strategy designed to cope with such risks from an agency theory perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study of a multinational enterprise, a provider of leading mobility solutions in the realm of escalators, moving walkways and elevators, is conducted. Data is collected from multiple sources of evidence, including strategy documents, a focus group and semi-structured interviews.
Findings
The study identifies several implementation challenges and coping mechanisms in firstly, the agency relationships between the headquarter and the regional subsidiary units and secondly, the relationships between the regional subsidiary units and their suppliers.
Research limitations/implications
A framework conceptualising the implementation of sustainable supplier strategies is proposed. The framework positions the topic at the interface between supply chain sustainability risk, supplier quality management as well as agency relationships and identifies avenues for further research. The key limitations refer to the single case study methodology and the exclusion of suppliers in the data collection approach.
Practical implications
The proposed framework can support multinational enterprises in developing corporate sustainability strategies and in implementing them in the supplier network.
Originality/value
The originality of the framework lies in the integrated approach combining supply chain sustainability risk, supplier quality management and triadic agency relationships.
Details
Keywords
Ashley Deutsch and Ashley M. Thomas
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the consumerism movement in health care and the implications of price transparency for the cause. A document analysis of supplier-side…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the consumerism movement in health care and the implications of price transparency for the cause. A document analysis of supplier-side sentiments suggests health-care organizations are concerned this move will hinder not help consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
Document analysis of a supplier community has been applied in an analysis of policy-related communication between the US Government and hospital associations.
Findings
Empirical findings suggest that at both the institutional and cultural level, responsibility for health decision-making is obscured with easily misunderstood price information.
Originality/value
This paper explores the applicability of document analysis as a tool to understand cultural and institutional narratives.