Twenty-first International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Integrating social and environmental concerns in supply chain operations continues to challenge businesses in developing economies. In some cases, developing economies bear the brunt of the activities of global supply chains and have varying contextual pressures that shape local responses. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine current issues in sustainable supply chain management in a developing economy, Nigeria, in dealing with emissions, conservation of resources, and labor practices in the manufacturing sector. From a practical standpoint, a conceptual framework developed because of the study could help supply chain managers better balance social and environmental imperatives with profitability concerns. This framework could foster a theoretical stakeholder approach to the subject matter in the supply chain discipline. Qualitative methods will be used for this study: data will be collected from over 25 key supply chain practitioners using open-ended interviews, coded, analyzed, and themes generated. Respondent validation, peer debriefing, and thick descriptions will be used to assure trustworthiness. The study is limited to the consumer goods sector, with generalization caveats. Findings could extend the development of supply chain sustainability theories as part of this burgeoning field in response to the growing concerns regarding negative externalities.