Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices and Dynamic Capabilities in the Food Industry: A Critical Analysis of the Literature

Philip Beske, Anna Land, Stefan Seuring

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

707 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) and Dynamic Capabilities (DCs) are both relatively young research fields examining dynamically changing corporate environments and industries. The food industry is an example of such a dynamic environment. Customers have high expectations for food safety and a growing demand for sustainably produced food. Companies fulfilling these demands target a customer base with high awareness of all three dimensions of sustainability, i.e., the economical, ecological, and social, circumstances in which food is produced and offered. This paper aims at describing how SSCM practices allow companies to maintain control over their supply chain and achieve a competitive advantage with the implementation of dynamic capabilities. Previously identified practices in SSCM are related to DC theory by identifying them as basic routines that form specific DCs. We conduct a literature review, including content analysis, examining publications (52 articles) on sustainable food supply chains published in English, peer-reviewed journals. We form the link between SSCM and DCs by integrating them into the same conceptual context. Specific DCs in the supply chain of a sustainability-oriented industry are also identified, such as knowledge sharing and re-conceptualizing the supply chain. Thereafter, we scrutinize the food industry according to SSCM and DC criteria and offer insights into the strategies used in that business market. The results show that sustainability practices and DCs in the supply chain are used among others to enhance traceability and tracking and to fulfill customer demands. Further research is needed to extend the operationalization of the existing conceptual frameworks.
Original languageAmerican English
JournalInternational Journal of Production Economics
Volume152
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • dynamic capabilities
  • food industry
  • literature review
  • sustainable supply chain management

EGS Disciplines

  • Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • Technology and Innovation

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