Agency Theory and Sustainability in the Global Supply Chain (SpringerBriefs in Business)

Annotation This book analyzes how and under what conditions collaborating corporations can effectively manage relationships with their suppliers in order to decrease the risk of suppliers' noncompliance with codes of conduct and standards. In so doing, it represents an important addition to the management literature on corporate social responsibility in global supply chains - which is highly topical at a time when companies are increasingly aware of the social and environmental aspects of global sourcing. After an opening systematic review of the literature on agency theory and supply chain management, it explores the rationale underlying collaboration among competitors, and the most critical aspects of such collaboration, in depth. Thanks to the book's use of real-life examples, readers will learn how agency theory can help improve relationship management and address the major issues in sustainable global sourcing "As corporations have increased outsourcing and global sourcing from low-cost countries in Eastern Europe and the Far East, a number of different stakeholders have expressed growing concerns about the ethical, social and environmental impacts of production and consumption in global supply chains. At the same time, global supply chain management literature has shown a renewed interest in issues related to environmental management, green supply chains, sustainable sourcing and social responsibility ... The aim of this study is to analyse the impacts of corporate responsibility collaboration among MNCs [multinational corporations] on the suppliers' degree of compliance with sustainability requirements. Anecdotal evidence shows that -- despite the growing efforts of MNCs in extending the concept and practice of sustainability to other actors in the supply chain -- poor suppliers' social and environmental performance and audit frauds in developing countries have escalated. Suppliers' opportunistic behaviour raises questions about what buyers from developing countries should do to enforce CSR implementation . This study intends to answer these questions by adopting an agency theory perspective, which is specifically focused on the relationship between two agents that are engaged in cooperative behaviour but have differing goals and asymmetric information"--Preface Front Matter ....Pages i-x Agency Theory and Supply Chain Management: A Literature Review (Emanuela Delbufalo)....Pages 1-15 Extending Sustainability to Suppliers: The Role of Codes of Conduct (Emanuela Delbufalo)....Pages 17-32 Agency Theory and Sustainability in Global Supply Chain (Emanuela Delbufalo)....Pages 33-54