Sustainable Supply Chain Performance Measurement: A Multiple Case Study Approach

Details

Supervisors

Blome, Constantin

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] en sciences de gestion

Abstract

The thesis explores the sustainable supply chain performance measurement (SSC/PM). More precisely, the goal of the research is to find out how companies are measuring sustainability performance along the supply chain and how this process is managed. We get acquained with the topic through a review of the literature and developed our methodology based on Yin (2009). Through a multiple case study research, we studied the SSC/PM approaches of four companies: GSK Vaccines, Solvay, bpost and an anonymous company, "Alpha". We were able to outline several theoretical propositions. Firstly, theoretical propositions were developed regarding the general performance measurement of sustainability. On one hand, larger firms are more likely to have performance indicators which are tracking the progress of their sustainability strategies. On the other hand, the CSR performance of the companies is more likely to be reported with absolute lagging metrics. Secondly, contrasts were observed between the downstream and the upstream sustainable supply chain performance measurements. Indeed, the performance measurement of sustainability within the upstream supply chain is likely to be outsourced with external platforms. Furthermore, the performance measurement of sustainability within the upstream supply chain is more structured than the sustainability performance measurement within the downstream supply chain. Finally, it was observed that industry specific partnerships between companies allow to have a more developed sustainable supply chain performance measurement.

Citations

• APA

Denoël, A. (2015). Sustainable Supply Chain Performance Measurement: A Multiple Case Study Approach.