Aug 2026· Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management· 0 citations· 16 references
Abstract
In the context of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and the post–COVID‐19 environment, firms in developing economies face increasing pressure to adopt advanced digital technologies while simultaneously improving their environmental responsibility. Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies are widely recognized as enablers of sustainable operations; however, empirical evidence explaining how these technologies translate into improved environmental performance (EP) through responsible supply chain practices remains limited. Addressing this gap, the present study examines the effect of I4.0 technologies on EP, emphasizing the mediating role of green supply chain management (GSCM) and the moderating influence of government regulation. Using survey data collected from textile manufacturing firms in Pakistan, the proposed moderated mediation model is tested employing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) and importance–performance map analysis (IPMA). The results demonstrate that I4.0 technologies have a significant and positive influence on the EP; while GSCM significantly and positively mediates the association between I4.0 technologies and EP, and government regulation positively moderates the relationship between GSCM and EP. The results highlight the complementary roles of digital transformation, green supply chain practices, and regulatory governance in promoting environmental sustainability. This study offers actionable insights for managers and policymakers seeking to align technological innovation with corporate social responsibility and environmental management objectives in developing economies.
Green supply chain management (GSCM) has become a strategic requirement for industrial firms seeking to reduce environmental harm while improving long-term sustainability performance. Despite growing interest in green procurement, eco-design, green manufacturing, and green distribution, limited empirical evidence explains how these practices are converted into sustainability performance through collaborative environmental action in the Sultanate of Oman. Guided by the Natural Resource-Based View, this study examines the effects of four GSCM practices on environmental collaboration and investigates the mediating role of environmental collaboration in the relationship between GSCM practices and sustainability performance. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among procurement, manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain professionals working in Omani industries. From 520 questionnaires distributed, 342 valid responses were retained for analysis. The data were analyzed using Smart PLS 4.0 and partial least squares structural equation modelling. The measurement model demonstrated acceptable reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The structural results show that eco-design, green procurement, green manufacturing, and green distribution have significant positive effects on environmental collaboration. Environmental collaboration, in turn, has a strong positive effect on sustainability performance. The indirect effects also support the mediation of the relationships between the GSCM practices and the sustainability performance, confirming the mediation chain. The results indicated that green practices are not enough; they have to be integrated with the collaboration of suppliers, customers, logistics and other functions within the company to make green practices produce results in terms of performance. The study adds to GSCM and sustainability literature by providing a relational mechanism that determines the contribution of green practices to the industrial sustainability of the Oman context.
Shahzad Ahmad Khan, D. Muniyanayaka, Khalifa Al Adabi et al.· Journal of Intelligent Decis...· 0 citations
In the context of growing environmental concerns and digital transformation, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies face increasing pressure to improve sustainable performance (SP). Green logistics management (GLM) and Industry 4.0 technologies (ID4.0) have emerged as promising solutions. However, previous studies have often examined these dynamics individually and failed to capture the mediation mechanisms particularly circular economy practices (CEP) and waste management (WM) that transform digital and green capabilities into sustainable outcomes. This study aims to develop and empirically test an integrated model that investigates the direct and indirect effects of green logistics management and ID4.0 on SP, with CEP and WM as mediating variables. The model is evaluated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) conducted in R. Data were collected from 144 respondents representing manufacturing and logistics SMEs in Vietnam. The findings confirm that GLM positively influences both CEP (β = 0.644) and SP (β = 0.276), while ID4.0 significantly impacts WM (β = 0.575) but has only a modest direct effect on SP (β = 0.126). CEP (β = 0.225) and WM (β = 0.388) both play significant mediating roles, reinforcing their importance in sustainable performance. This study contributes to sustainability research by validating a comprehensive framework that connects digitalization, green logistics, and environmental process integration. For practitioners, the results offer a strategic roadmap for SMEs to enhance SP through the simultaneous adoption of ID4.0 technologies, green logistics practices, and circular economy principles.
N. Cuong, Dat Dao, N. Nguyen et al.· European journal of sustaina...· 0 citations
This study analyzes the impact of green supply chain management practices (GSCMP) on the sustainable performance (SP) of manufacturing and exporting enterprises in Vietnam (DNSXXK) across three dimensions: economic performance (ECP), environmental performance (EVP), and social performance (SOP), while simultaneously exploring the moderating role of traceability (TRB) in these relationships. Specifically, the research examines whether TRB amplifies or diminishes the strength of the effect of GSCMP on each type of performance, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of how manufacturing and exporting enterprises in Vietnam can leverage traceability as a supporting tool to optimize economic benefits, mitigate environmental impacts, and enhance social responsibility in the context where sustainable development is increasingly becoming a prevailing trend. The study employs survey data collected from 319 randomly selected manufacturing and exporting enterprises, with the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach used for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The empirical results reveal that GSCMP significantly influence sustainable performance across all three dimensions. This finding underscores the critical role of green supply chain management practices in enhancing the overall operational effectiveness of enterprises, not only in terms of economic gains but also in relation to environmental and social responsibilities. However, the results also indicate that traceability does not play a positive moderating role between GSCMP and SP, primarily due to barriers associated with workforce capacity, technological infrastructure, and financial resources, which limit the effective implementation of traceability in enterprises. Based on these findings, the study proposes several important policy implications, emphasizing the promotion of GSCMP as a strategic tool to enhance sustainable performance, alongside investments in and the development of traceability capabilities to ensure supply chain transparency and sustainability. These measures are intended to minimize pollution and strengthen social obligations in the global trade environment, thereby improving competitiveness and integration capacity in the international marketplace.
Mai Thi Cam Tu, Phan Minh Hau· VNUHCM Journal of Economics,...· 0 citations
This study examines whether the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in response to institutional pressures influences firms' relationships with key stakeholders and the resulting implications for environmental competitive advantage. In addition, it analyzes the moderating role of B2B market characteristics in the relationship between institutional pressures and GSCM adoption.
Theoretical argumentation and hipothesis developments. A sample was taken from the high performance manufacturing (HPM) project, which included 330 manufacturing plants across 16 countries. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was used to test the hypotheses.
Empirical findings shows that supplier collaboration helps companies address institutional pressures and build legitimacy through reinforced stakeholder relationships, thereby gaining a competitive advantage. Although B2B market moderating effect varies by pressure and practice, achieving competitiveness through GSCM practices is independent of market segment.
The original contribution of this study lies in its comprehensive exploration of the interplay among institutional pressures, GSCM practices, and environmental competitive advantage, while considering how the B2B market context shapes this dynamic. Furthermore, incorporating stakeholder relationships as a mediator between GSCM practices and competitive advantage, this study offers evidence that building stakeholder relationships around environmental legitimacy serves as a key source of competitiveness.
Zahra Ahmadi‐Gh, Alejandro Bello‐Pintado, L. Gutierrez· Management Decision· 0 citations
Growing concerns such as resource scarcity and climate change are compelling organizations to reassess their environmental and social responsibilities. In response to these challenges, firms are increasingly embedding long‐term sustainability principles into their operational and strategic activities. However, the effective integration of Industry 4.0 with CSC to achieve sustainable supply chain performance remains limitedly explored in existing studies. To fulfill the research gaps, this study identifies and examines the challenges in integrating Industry 4.0 and Circular Supply Chain (CSC) practices, and develops a strategic framework that enables sustainable supply chain operations in the Indian textile industry. To accomplish this objective, a structured three‐phase research framework is adopted. In the first phase, challenges in integrating Industry 4.0 and CSC practices were identified through an extensive literature review and consultation with domain experts. In the second phase, the study utilized Grey Influence Analysis (GINA) to assess and validate the proposed framework. Data were collected from domain experts through structured questionnaires and in‐depth interviews. In the final phase, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to check the robustness of the result. The findings of GINA offer compelling support for institutional theory and institutional voids. The results provide meaningful theoretical insights by extending the literature on sustainable supply chain integration and offer practical guidance for managers seeking to enhance sustainability performance. Overall, the study supports supply chain practitioners in strategically implementing the integration of CSC and Industry 4.0 to achieve sustainable supply chain operations.
Rupesh Chourasiya, H. Prajapati, R. Malviya· Sustainable Development· 0 citations
This research investigated which strategic factors determine the implementation of Smart Supply Chain (SSC) systems in the automotive sector, while the research specifically examined how Strategic Digital Alignment (SDA) functions as a mediating variable. The research developed an integrated strategic framework that consists of nine organizational strategies that explain Dynamic Capability Theory and Resource-Based View. The researchers employed a mixed-method research design, which combined survey data from managerial professionals in automotive firms in Kerala with qualitative interviews. The results from Structural Equation Modeling (AMOS) analysis demonstrated that all strategic dimensions produced strong positive effects on SDA, while SDA demonstrated a significant impact on SSC adoption (β = 0.65, p < 0.001), which accounted for 61% of the SSC adoption variance. The strategies showed that data-driven decision-making and digital culture were the strongest predictors of SDA, with respective β values of 0.26 and 0.24. The analysis of mediation showed that SDA functioned as a partial mediator between organizational strategies and SSC adoption. The qualitative research demonstrated that leadership-driven vision, organizational readiness, strategic alignment, and continuous learning served as essential factors that enabled SSC implementation. The results demonstrate that SSC implementation functions as a transformation process that businesses execute through strategic development and alignment with their organizational goals rather than through technological advancements.
Ajayakumar V R, S. R. Divahar· International Journal of Mec...· 0 citations