An application of interpretive structural modeling in sustainable supply chain management

Abstract

The advent of globalization in the market has led to huge competition among the companies in various fields to achieve best supply chain practices. Increasing focus on environmental concerns has driven critical changes in industries’ strategy by incorporating sustainability in their supply chain. A supply chain which does not threaten the opportunities for future generations by considering environmental and social impact in addition to the economic impact leads to the concept of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM). Firms adopt sustainability by implementing specific practices-named as SSCM practices, in supply chain. However they struggle to identify the influential practices.This Paper intends to analyze the SSCM practices in plywood Industries in Visakhapatnam using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). ISM method is used to develop a structural model to identify the influential practices. The SSCM practices are identified through literature review and from domain experts and managers of industries. Then practices are grouped under the dimensions of sustainability namely economic, environmental and social. And ISM model is built through which the most dominant practice among them in each dimension is identified.