Purpose

To understand the context surrounding the sustainable supplier management (SSM) process (i.e. selection, development and evaluation), this paper aims to explore institutional logics existing in the Ecuadorian cocoa supply chain (SC). By considering local characteristics and sustainability practices, this study illustrates how competing logic influences SSM.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a multiple-case study method for which the authors interviewed different cocoa SC members in Ecuador and used a ground-up approach to analyse the data and reveal singularities influencing sustainability management.

Findings

The analysis uncovered two main logics operating within the Ecuadorian cocoa SC SSM process: a commercial logic (e.g. potential for market access, product traceability) and a sustainability logic (e.g. local development and traditions/cultural issues). These logics address market demand requirements; however, some local producers’ needs that impact SSM remains unexplored such as the existence of a regional ancestral culture that poses sustainability as a dominant logic with meaning beyond the triple bottom line. While the two logics have influenced supplier sustainability performance, this paper finds that, of the three SSM sub-processes (selection, development and evaluation), supplier development was the most relevant sub-process receiving attention from SC managers in the studied context.

Practical implications

By understanding the differences in logic and needs, SC managers can better develop strategies for SSM.

Originality/value

The study highlighted in this paper investigated the underexplored topic of the effects that competing logic may have on SSM. This paper focusses on the supplier’s point of view regarding sustainability requirements, addressing a consistent research gap in the literature.

中文翻译：

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分析竞争逻辑以实现可持续供应商管理

目的

为了了解围绕可持续供应商管理 (SSM) 流程（即选择、开发和评估）的背景，本文旨在探索厄瓜多尔可可供应链 (SC) 中存在的制度逻辑。通过考虑当地特征和可持续性实践，本研究说明了竞争逻辑如何影响 SSM。

设计/方法/方法

本文采用多案例研究方法，作者采访了厄瓜多尔的不同可可 SC 成员，并使用从头到尾的方法来分析数据并揭示影响可持续发展管理的奇点。

发现

分析揭示了厄瓜多尔可可SC SSM 流程中的两个主要逻辑：商业逻辑（例如市场准入潜力、产品可追溯性）和可持续性逻辑（例如当地发展和传统/文化问题）。这些逻辑解决了市场需求；然而，一些影响 SSM 的当地生产者的需求仍未得到探索，例如区域祖传文化的存在，这种文化将可持续性作为一种主导逻辑，其意义超出了三重底线。虽然这两种逻辑影响了供应商的可持续发展绩效，但本文发现，在 SSM 的三个子流程（选择、开发和评估）中，供应商开发是在研究背景下受到 SC 经理关注的最相关的子流程。

实际影响

通过了解逻辑和需求的差异，SC 经理可以更好地制定 SSM 战略。

原创性/价值

本文强调的研究调查了竞争逻辑可能对 SSM 产生的影响这一未被充分探索的主题。本文重点关注供应商关于可持续性要求的观点，解决文献中一致的研究空白。