Xia, Guijin
(2022)
The Implementation of Supply Chain Collaboration for Green Supply Chain: The Qualitative Case Study Research for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Sector.
[Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)]
Abstract
The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry is criticized for severe environmental pollution problems, so achieving environmentally sustainable operations is a focal point within the industry. This dissertation aims to identify how companies in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector achieve a green supply chain through supply chain collaboration.
This dissertation uses a qualitative analysis approach to conduct the case study and selects four companies as case studies: Coca-Cola, Unilever, Tesco, and Wal-Mart. The case study is guided by a strategy of 'relying on theoretical propositions', and draws 'logic models' to sort out the theoretical models and present the final case study findings. Specifically, in addition to presenting the practices of the four case companies, this dissertation also compares the practices with the theoretical models collated in the literature review.
It is found that the practice of green collaboration in the supply chain within the FMCG industry embodies an industry recipe, implying that there is a collective consensus among industry executives on the practices in this area. The recipe can be divided into five perspectives: drivers, enablers, green relationships, green practices, and desired outcome：(a). The practice of green supply chain collaboration is driven by economic interests, market competition, CSR requirements, local environmental policy requirements, unforeseen risks, supply chain resilience requirements, and public pressure from consumers and society; (b). The enablers of the practice include internal senior support, social recognition, long-term partnerships, trust in partners, information sharing platforms, technology availability, and the involvement and knowledge of employees; (c). Companies' green partners include internal partners, suppliers, customers, competitors and other organisations (governments, NGOs, third-party service providers, charities, civil society, etc.), in which collaboration with suppliers is the most emphasized green relationship for case companies; (d). Each green relationship corresponds to a different green practice, and a green practice may need to be carried out simultaneously in more than two green relationships. There are six green practice that all four companies emphasize, including environmentally sustainable agriculture, green procurement, green transportation, eco-design (the case companies focus on eco-design of packaging materials), the formation of internal cross-functional teams, and supplier management; (e). These practices' main objectives are water governance, waste management (e.g., plastics), preservation of natural renewable energy, and GHG emissions management, which are the desired outputs shared by the all case companies.
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