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Sustainable Scenario:A Systematic Review of Definitions of Sustainability and Agenda for Future Research


Affiliations
1 Quantitative Methods and Operations Management, Indian Institute of Management Amritsar, Punjab Institute of Technology Building, Government Polytechnic Campus, Polytechnic Campus, P. O. Chheharta, G. T. Road, Amritsar-143105, Punjab, Amritsar, India
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), Hauz Khas New Delhi-110016, India
     

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This paper systematically analyzes the published literature on sustainable supply chain from different perspectives by scrutinizing various published definitions of sustainability, specifically about supply chain and its different facets. In particular, the review focuses on developing critiques of all the definitions to address critical research issues and develop a comprehensive definition for implementing sustainability aspects. The study hence provides a different viewpoint on sustainability in the form of a “sustainable scenario”. It is proposed to undertake research at the tactical levels of organizations owing to the unique set of requirements in their nature of operations. It also presents some important research issues viz., logistics, corporate performance and sustainability, performance measurement and human issues, etc. to be addressed while implementing the sustainability principles in supply chain management.This study also helps the industry professionals to achieve efficient, adaptable and cohesive systems of SSCM using various energy-efficient and cost-effective approaches.

Keywords

Economic Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability, Human Issues, Social Impact, Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM).
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  • Sustainable Scenario:A Systematic Review of Definitions of Sustainability and Agenda for Future Research

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Authors

Neeraj Bhanot
Quantitative Methods and Operations Management, Indian Institute of Management Amritsar, Punjab Institute of Technology Building, Government Polytechnic Campus, Polytechnic Campus, P. O. Chheharta, G. T. Road, Amritsar-143105, Punjab, Amritsar, India
P. Venkateswara Rao
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), Hauz Khas New Delhi-110016, India
S. G. Deshmukh
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD), Hauz Khas New Delhi-110016, India

Abstract


This paper systematically analyzes the published literature on sustainable supply chain from different perspectives by scrutinizing various published definitions of sustainability, specifically about supply chain and its different facets. In particular, the review focuses on developing critiques of all the definitions to address critical research issues and develop a comprehensive definition for implementing sustainability aspects. The study hence provides a different viewpoint on sustainability in the form of a “sustainable scenario”. It is proposed to undertake research at the tactical levels of organizations owing to the unique set of requirements in their nature of operations. It also presents some important research issues viz., logistics, corporate performance and sustainability, performance measurement and human issues, etc. to be addressed while implementing the sustainability principles in supply chain management.This study also helps the industry professionals to achieve efficient, adaptable and cohesive systems of SSCM using various energy-efficient and cost-effective approaches.

Keywords


Economic Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability, Human Issues, Social Impact, Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM).

References