Green and Lean Paradigm Shifts in Supply Chain Management: a literature-review based approach

Abstract

Supply chain management (SCM) promotes the inclusion of businesses and related suppliers by fostering ties and cooperation with suppliers. Incorporating the 'lean' and 'green' concepts in supply chain management is a quite well-known topic in academia and industries due to its competitive advantages. In this context, the objective of the study was to: Look up existing studies on the topic of green and lean supply chains and review them; Investigate the connections between green and lean approaches; Advance the understanding of the effects of green and lean paradigm shifts on the productivity (performance) in the supply chains; and A theoretical foundation or way forward for further research. A rigorous literature review was carried out through-out the research because the study's approach was based on a literature review. A systematic literature re-view and Meta-synthesis technique to analyze and interpret the findings were used in the study. The results of the study contained the current concepts of lean and green practices and their further development, cur-rent good practices of the green and lean supply chain paradigm, connections between green and lean approaches and supply chain performance, benefits and influence of the green and lean supply chain paradigm, and paradoxes of the green and lean supply chain paradigm. The common goal of the two paradigms is to fulfill consumer requirements while spending as little as possible. The main distinction between the paradigms is their explicit goals, i.e., the LSC aims to reduce waste, whereas the GSC wants to lessen its environ-mental effects. The feasibility of combining the lean and green paradigms within the SCM environment has also been investigated in this research. Even though green and lean practices may positively impact corporate sustainability, establishing such practices can be challenging for management. Furthermore, most green practices are strategic, while most lean practices are operational. It is, therefore, quite challenging to utilize them as a combined system. Sometimes it might be challenging to convince the stakeholders, partners, and funders to shift to a time-consuming and initially cost-increasing paradigm from a traditional one. A further study on pricing decisions for adopting GSM or LSM or their synergies can be done. Furthermore, adopting or modifying any already established system requires time, investment, positive culture, knowledge, enough data and studies, and the willingness to change and modify- abundance or lacking these may create additional benefits or challenges.