공급사슬이 기업 경쟁력의 중요한 원천이 되면서 기업은 공급사슬에서 발생하는 위험을 줄이고 공급사슬 전체 효과를 높이기 위하여 환경적, 사회적 주제를 통합적으로 다루어야 하는 새로운 도전에 직면하고 있다. 이 연구는 지속가능성 주제와 공급사슬 관리를 통합하는 지속가능 공급사슬 관리 개념을 이용하여 기존에 개별적이고 부분적으로 다루어져 왔던 공급사슬의 거래공정성, 친환경, 사회책임의 통합 모형을 제시하였다. 공급사슬 연구에서 중요하게 활용되는 사회적 자본이론을 활용하여 지속가능 공급사슬 관리가 공급사슬의 환경성과, 생산운영 성과에 어떤 효과를 주는 지 이론 모형을 제시하고 실증 분석을 수행하였다. 우리나라 중소 공급사를 대상으로 한 설문조사를 활용하여 구조방정식 모형을 분석하였다. 연구결과는 지속가능 공급사슬 관리가 구매기업과 공급기업 사이에 관계자본 형성에 기여하고 궁극적으로 환경성과와 생산운영 성과 개선에 효과를 준다는 사실을 확인하였다. 지속가능 공급사슬 관리의 구성 요인 중에는 거래공정성이 관계자본 형성과 성과 개선에 가장 큰 영향을 미쳤다. 이 연구는 공급사슬 관리에 있어 거래공정성, 친환경, 사회책임 주제는 매우 유사한 특성을 갖고 있기 때문에 통합적으로 다루어져야 한다는 점을 강조한다. 또한 지속가능 공급사슬 관리가 단순한 대기업의 단순한 베풀기 활동 또는 중소 공급사가 당연히 제공 받아야 하는 수혜가 아니며 공급사슬의 사회적 자본을 강화하고 경쟁력을 개선하기 위하여 필요한 전략적 활동으로 인식해야 한다는 시사점을 공급사슬의 모든 참여 기업의경영자에게 제공하고 있다.
Firms have increasingly reexamined their supply chains in response to a number of interrelated economic, social, and environmental, collectively named as sustainability, challenges as they have faced a wide range of risks associated with their supply chains. With the emergence of sustainability as a legitimate business concern in supply chain management (SCM), researchers have explored the drivers and the effects sustainable SCM as well as characteristics of sustainable SCM. However, several important aspects have received little attention. First, very few studies have addressed fair, environmental, and social issues simultaneously in the supply chain. Previous studies have generally focused on the environmental dimension of sustainable SCM. Second, the literature has provided mixed results on the relationship between sustainable SCM and performance. This implies that identification of intervening variables may provide a better explanation of the direction of this relationship. Third, most previous studies have more focused on large buying firms’ performance, and thus little attention have paid to suppliers, in particular that of small and medium size (SME) suppliers. In the light of these gaps in the literature, this paper proposed an integrative model of sustainable ScM and empirically analyzed the relationship between sustainable SCM and supplier sustainability performance by considering an important intervening variable of relational social capital. First, this study developed an integrative framework for sustainable SCM by synthesizing fairness, green SCM, and responsible supply chain based on the integration of sustainability and SCM. Second, this study suggested a mediating role of relational social capital in the relationships between sustainable SCM and the environmental and manufacturing performance of the supplier. Third, this study provided empirical validation for the hypotheses suggested in the integrative model. Consistent with the purpose of this study, the study focused on medium-sized suppliers. A total of 197 responses from SME suppliers were used for the empirical analysis. The results of a series of rigorous tests provided support for the validity and reliability of the scales, including three sub-constructs of sustainable SCM: fair, environmental-friendly, and responsible SCM. Overall, the research results indicate that the hypotheses for the relationships between sustainable SCM, relational capital, and supplier environmental and manufacturing performance were supported. First, the results provided strong support for the argument that sustainable SCM can increase relational social capital between the buyer and supplier. As a reciprocal program between a buyer and its suppliers, sustainable SCM facilitates the relational capital accumulation. Second, the results empirically also verified a significant positive effect of sustainable SCM on the environmental and manufacturing performance through relational capital accumulation. In other words, relational capital was found to mediate the effects of sustainable SCM on the sustainability performance of the supplier. Third, fairness among three dimensions of sustainable SCM was shown to have the most significant influence on relational capital and performance. This study provides insightful implications for managers of buyers as well as suppliers who wish to foster stronger environmental performance as well as manufacturing performance. First, integrating fairness, environmental and social issues into conventional SCM practices is advisable, but firms, particularly large buyers, should make efforts to make it work. Second, sustainable SCM practices do not build on an entirely new set of skills, and the three dimensions of sustainable SCM are closely interrelated. Therefore, efforts to foster more sustainable practices should enhance firms’ capabilities. Third, managers should enhance frequent communication, mutual understanding, goal congruence, and benefit sharing with their supply chain partners, which can be a source of relational capital leading to supply chain performance.