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- P-ISSN1738-3110
- E-ISSN2093-7717
- SCOPUS, ESCI
ISSN : 1738-3110
Social Supply Chain Practices and Companies Performance: An Analysis of Portuguese Industry
Abstract
Purpose: This research aims to study the internal and external social practices of supply chain management along with economic and social performance of eight Portuguese companies from different industrial sectors. Through empirical data derived from eight case studies, five research propositions are suggested and tested. Research, design, data and methodology: The data was collected through 22 semi-structured interviews with general, procurement, and environmental/safety managers from eight companies from different industrial sectors. Secondary data was collected from reports, websites, and companies' internal documentation. Results: The analysis identifies the most important social practices considered by managers, as well as the performance measures that are most appropriate and most widely used to evaluate the influence of social practices on corporate economic and social performance. The results support four of the five propositions of this research. Companies' economic and social performance are affected by the implementation of social practices into the supply chain, namely the internal social practices. Conclusions: The findings confirmed that there is a positive relationship between internal social practices and economic performance. Internal social supply chain practices contribute to improve social performance. It also identifies the social practices which have negative effects on focal company performance.
- keywords
- Social Practices, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Performance, Case Study
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