Title: Linking moral disengagement to supply chain practices

Authors: David Eriksson; Per Hilletofth; Olli-Pekka Hilmola

Addresses: School of Engineering, University of Borås, SE-501 90 Borås, Sweden ' Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, School of Engineering, Jönköping University, P.O. Box 1026, SE-551 11, Jönköping, Sweden ' Lappeenranta University of Technology, Kouvola Research Unit, Prikaatintie 9, FIN-45100 Kouvola, Finland

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to identify if and how supply chain practices are linked to moral disengagement techniques and thus might cause moral decoupling (MD). The research uses a literature review and multiple case study approach to investigate this issue. The literature review links moral disengagement to supply chain practices, while the case study observes the existence of the practices, and in what supply chain configurations those practices might arise. Identified configurations that might cause MD are suppliers and external partners responsible for upstream activities, division of tasks, aggregation of materials, auction-like settings, long supply chains, production in low-cost countries, production where people are not considered as equals, and configurations made to reduce costs.

Keywords: moral disengagement; moral decoupling; ethics; corporate social responsibility; CSR; supply chain management; SCM; supply chain practices.

DOI: 10.1504/WRITR.2013.058987

World Review of Intermodal Transportation Research, 2013 Vol.4 No.2/3, pp.207 - 225

Received: 28 Feb 2013
Accepted: 20 Sep 2013

Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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