Develop Problem Statement

The general problem to be addressed is sustainability within supply chain management resulting in a need for practicing good governance. Beginning with suppliers, Ingenbleek and Krampe $(2023)$ note that B$2$B suppliers are not well known for sustainability practices or visibility. Per Feng et al$.(2023)$ there is considerable sustainability concerns in the paper and pulp industry rooted in a muti level need for supply chain process. Noting the devastating effects in supply chain during the Covid$-19$ pandemic, Chatterjee and Ranjan $(2022)$ state of particular importance is the supply chain sustainability quality during turbulent times and Covid proved the industry was not ready. Additional information related to Covid comes from Ngo et al$.(2024)$ noting with topics such as offshoring and technological improvements, supply chain sustainability risk has become more prevalent due to complexity because of Covid. The specific problem to be addressed is sustainability within supply chain management potentially resulting in a more flexible supply chain and better governed impact from social, environmental and economic factors.

Identify Sample

Potential candidates for this research would include supply chain managers, manufacturing officers, category managers, buyers and logistics professionals from various industries such as electronics and technology, automotive, and food. Food is of particular interest because of the delicate nature of the food product life cycle being so short depending on the specific product.

Discuss Research Paradigm

Post$-$positivism notes that man will never truly understand reality and accepts there is a level of unknown that will not understand. However, it is difficult to line this viewpoint within the supply chain sustainability discussion and needs further notation of the topic. Realistically, it would seem, aside from natural disasters that supply chain sustainability is explicable in varying forms.

Discuss Bias as it relates to the Study

Bias could potentially result from the viewpoint on economic and environmental factors depending upon the party. Bias within governance of the supply chain operation would be of interest in this topic. Notably, there would be differing viewpoints on these impacts and the offset or comparison to the cost and benefit analysis.

Provide Leading Theory to use as a Lens

A leading theory on supply chain sustainability and governance comes from the balance of production and social acceptability in conjunction with sustainability factors. According to Hohn and Durach $(2021)$ implementing digital or automated technologies, if not carefully reviewed, can potentially increase social$-$sustainability disputes and deteriorated social governance.

Biblical Integration

From a Christian worldview, sustainability is important to not waste and allow for the ability to operate continuously. According to Nehemiah $9$:$21,$ the wilderness sustained the followers for their needs, much like the supply chain sustainability would continuously feed the needs of customers from that company. Furthermore, per Proverbs $18$:$14,$ if a wounded spirit is not able to sustain a man, then a broken supply chain is not sustainable either. The wound must be healed, much like the fracture in the supply chain repaired to operate. According to $1$ Kings $17$:$9,$ a woman is appointed to sustain in Zarephath, much like resources are in certain places in the world, creating a need for a worldwide supply chain to allow for rotational economic and environmental factors to create a more sustainable supply chain.