IT-enabled sustainable supply chain management capability maturity

Abstract

The increasing importance of sustainability gives rise to the sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). To help organizations develop their SSCM capabilities with IT support, this paper proposes an IT-enabled sustainability supply chain management capability maturity model (SSCM CMM). Based on the previous literature, seven SSCM capabilities and four IT dimensions are identified. A five-level maturity model is then defined based on these two domains. The model is preliminarily examined through an in-depth case study with an Australian company. The case study reveals that the role played by IT is not fully recognized, the integration of IT function for sustainability into other organizational functions should be appropriately guided, and sustainability innovation capability deserves more attention. This study guides future research to systematically explore the role of IT and investigate the progression of IT-enabled SSCM implementation and provides a useful tool for organizations to develop their SSCM capabilities with the support of IT.