Identification and evaluation of the contextual relationship among barriers to the circular supply chain in the Pakistani context – an interpretive structural modelling approach

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the potential barriers to the implementation of circular supply chain management (CSCM) in developing countries by considering a case of the Pakistani fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. By using literature review and expert panel input, this study found fourteen barriers to the implementation of the circular supply chain (CSC) and established the contextual relationship among the identified and validated barriers using interpretive structural modelling (ISM). The barriers were then classified into different categories using the MICMAC technique based on their driving and dependence power. The results helped to explore the direct and indirect effect of barriers on each other. The study also developed a hierarchical relationship among the barriers using an integrated ISM-MICMAC methodology in an emerging economy context. The results of the hierarchical model shall help to understand the impact of one particular barrier over others. Managers and organizations can use this study to inhibit the effects of barriers for successful implementation of the CSC.

Keywords:

• Interpretive structural modelling
• MICMAC
• circular supply chain management
• CSCM barriers

Acknowledgment

Valuable comments and help from the panel of experts are highly appreciated. We also acknowledge the efforts and suggestions of the Editor and reviewers to further refine the research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Further Readings

Ali, Imran. “The impact of industry 4.0 on the nexus between supply chain risks and firm performance.” Academy of management proceedings. Vol. 2019. No. 1. Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management, 2019.

Shaikh, Abdul Rehman, and Khalil Ahmed Channa. “Drivers and deterrents of sustainable procurement practices–an exploratory study in context of Pakistani HEIs.” Journal of Public Procurement ahead-of-print (2022).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abdul Rehman Shaikh

Abdul Rehman Shaikh is based at Sukkur IBA University, Pakistan, having diversified industry and academic experience in supply chain management and marketing management. As a supply chain professional, his expertise lies in public procurement, warehouse design & development, planning, and logistics execution in fully integrated SAP/Oracle environment. His areas of interest are industrial marketing, circular supply chain management, and circular procurement.

Asad Ali Qazi

Asad Ali Qazi is an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management at Sukkur IBA University, Pakistan. His research interest includes circular supply chain, sustainable procurement, and inclusive procurement. He has published in peer reviewed international journals.

Andrea Appolloni

Dr. Andrea Appolloni is Associate Professor in Operations Management and Sustainability at Tor Vergata University in Rome, Italy. He is Permanent Visiting Fellow at Cranfield University (UK) and Research Associate at the Italian Research Council. His teaching areas focussed on Operations, Supply Chain and Procurement Management and Sustainability courses at undergraduate and executive level. He was visiting in several Universities in the last years. He has published and presented articles in several international journals and conferences. He is coordinator of the European Project Marie Curie Hosrizon 2020 on Sustainable Public Procurement. He is expert member in Sustainability at the Global SCP Clearinghouse is a unique one-stop hub dedicated to Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and he is part of the 10 Year Framework of Programs on SCP (10YFP on SCP), convened by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). He was visiting scholars at Tianjin University (China), at University of Tennessee in Knoxville (USA) and at ETH Zurich (CH).