A Sustainable Supply Chain Revolution to Improve Service and Cost Reduction: An Empirical Study using fsQCA

Abstract

The present-day corporate landscape is evolving toward sustainability, with firms adopting more ecologically and socially accountable procedures. The concept of a sustainable supply chain has emerged as a significant driver of competitive advantage and long-term performance in this setting. A supply chain which follows sustainability measures, incorporates environmentally sound and moral ideals into every step of the process, including sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, and distribution. Companies that employ such strategies may improve service levels while decreasing expenses, laying the way for a more stable and prosperous future. Existing research on sustainable supply chains highlights possible benefits such as reduced carbon footprints, improved brand reputation, and improved stakeholder relationships. Despite the theoretical characteristics, there is a paucity of empirical evidence to support these claims. To satisfy this need, this study will look at the influence of an environmentally friendly supply chain on service quality as well as cost reduction utilizing fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). FsQCA is a novel methodological approach that enables academics to examine complicated causation completely and systematically. This study's empirical outcomes will be useful to practitioners in planning and executing successful sustainable supply chain techniques that benefit both businesses and the environment. Overall, this work fills an essential research gap by experimentally analyzing the relationships between sustainable supply chain strategies, service improvement, and cost reduction, contributing to the growing body of knowledge on sustainability-driven operations control.