Sustainable supply chain management practices and dynamic capabilities in the food industry: A critical analysis of the literature

Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) and Dynamic Capabilities (DCs) are both relatively young research fields examining dynamically changing corporate environments and industries. The food industry is an example of such a dynamic environment. Customers have high expectations for food safety and a growing demand for sustainably produced food. Companies fulfilling these demands target a customer base with high awareness of all three dimensions of sustainability, i.e., the economical, ecological, and social, circumstances in which food is produced and offered. This paper aims at describing how SSCM practices allow companies to maintain control over their supply chain and achieve a competitive advantage with the implementation of dynamic capabilities. Previously identified practices in SSCM are related to DC theory by identifying them as basic routines that form specific DCs. We conduct a literature review, including content analysis, examining publications (52 articles) on sustainable food supply chains published in English, peer-reviewed journals. We form the link between SSCM and DCs by integrating them into the same conceptual context. Specific DCs in the supply chain of a sustainability-oriented industry are also identified, such as knowledge sharing and re-conceptualizing the supply chain. Thereafter, we scrutinize the food industry according to SSCM and DC criteria and offer insights into the strategies used in that business market. The results show that sustainability practices and DCs in the supply chain are used among others to enhance traceability and tracking and to fulfill customer demands. Further research is needed to extend the operationalization of the existing conceptual frameworks. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.