Title: Effects of governance structures on sustainability-oriented supplier behaviour: analysis of national action plans and their effects in public procurement

Authors: Andreas H. Glas; Julian Gaus; Michael Essig

Addresses: Procurement and Supply Management Department, Bundeswehr University Munich, W. Heisenberg-Weg 39, 85577 Neubiberg/Munich, Germany ' Procurement and Supply Management Department, Bundeswehr University Munich, W. Heisenberg-Weg 39, 85577 Neubiberg/Munich, Germany ' Procurement and Supply Management Department, Bundeswehr University Munich, W. Heisenberg-Weg 39, 85577 Neubiberg/Munich, Germany

Abstract: Research examining sustainable supply chains usually addresses the question of how companies involve members of their supply chains into their sustainability practices. Overarching governance structures are often not in the core focus, but they play a significant role in creating behavioural responses that promote sustainable practices. This article explains sustainability governance structures through the lenses of the world polity theory and analyses data from a survey on European public supply chains and national action plans. The findings show that suppliers of public authorities in the European Union better meet sustainability targets when national action plans are in place. Thus, suppliers behave according to overarching supply chain sustainability governance structures. This study does not neglect the existence of other motives for sustainable supplier behaviour, but explains the success of sustainability initiatives with a supply chain governance structure.

Keywords: public; regulation; governance; supply chain; sustainability; world society theory.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBE.2018.093325

International Journal of Business Environment, 2018 Vol.10 No.1, pp.75 - 94

Received: 12 Feb 2018
Accepted: 20 Apr 2018
Published online: 24 Jul 2018 *

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