Antecedents of green supply chain practices in developing economies

Abstract

PurposeThis paper investigates the current state of green supply chain practices (GSCPs) and also introduces a framework for the implementation of GSCPs in India.Design/methodology/approachA case study approach was used for this research in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with three companies. These companies were automobile component manufacturing companies.FindingsIn the three case studies, there were different antecedents depending upon the specific company structure and organization. The ten GSCPs were used as a base for finding the antecedents.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough every step has been taken to ensure the rigour and reliability of case studies, in a field as complex as GSCPs, there are inevitably some limitations. Due to the limited size of the case study approach, the results can only be generalized to a similar size and types of organization. The scope of data collection for all three case studies was the same, but the quality of information gathered varied. As demonstrated earlier, a good-quality cross-case analysis was still possible, but the relative strengths of the three cases varied.Practical implicationsA double contribution has been made to test the theory of GSCPs from a process and output perspective. From a process perspective, a contribution has been made to methodology by developing a robust approach for conducting supply chain research beyond the dyad. From an output perspective, the author has the empirical results from the three individual case studies and their cross-case comparison for dissemination to an academic audience.Originality/valueThe outputs of this research work will pave a path for other automobile component manufacturing companies in India to address and implement GSCPs.