The impact of sustainable supplier management practices on buyer-supplier performance : An empirical study in China

Purpose This paper aims to present an empirical study on the multidimensional relationships between sustainable supplier management (SSM) practices and buyer–supplier performance from the buying firms’ perspective. Specifically, the authors focus on four SSM practices, namely, sustainable supplier selection, sustainable supplier monitoring, sustainable supplier development and sustainable supplier collaboration, and test their effects on three buyer–supplier performance measures, namely, supplier performance, buyer–supplier relationship and buyer competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach Based on data collected from 256 manufacturers across different geographical areas and industrial branches in Greater China. A conceptual model was proposed and tested using structural equation modeling technique with the help of SmartPLS 3.0. Findings The sustainable supplier development and sustainable supplier collaboration have positive relationships with supplier performance, while sustainable supplier selection, sustainable supplier monitoring and sustainable supplier collaboration have positive influence on buyer–supplier relationship and buyer competitive advantage. Furthermore, the relative importance and contributions of the individual measures was also identified. Originality/value This study simultaneously integrates the constructs of SSM practices and buyer–supplier performance. Moreover, it seeks to make a contribution to existing literature from a theoretical perspective by investigating the sub-dimensions of SSM practices and buyer–supplier performance.