Understanding The Roles Of Is/It In Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Abstract

A growing focus on sustainability issues has permeated the area of Supply Chain Management (SCM) over the past two decades. The concept of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) has been introduced to reflect a commitment to addressing economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability in managing supply chain activities. The transition from traditional SCM to the new landscape of SSCM implies that the roles of IS/IT supporting SCM may need to be revisited as a result of the shift to a SSCM focus. Currently, the role of IS/IT in SSCM has only been discussed in a fragmented manner in a handful of studies. In this conceptual paper, we therefore explore current understandings of SSCM practices focusing on identifying the way IS/IT roles are played out in supporting SSCM practices. We find that SCCM presents a serious challenge to the IS/IT community for leveraging the transformation role of IS/IT that can help increase the adoption of SSCM practice