A Comprehensive Model on the Enablers and Outcomes of Supply Chain Collaboration for Sustainable Growth and Performance in the Garment Value Chain
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to research the enablers and outcomes of collaboration between participants of the supply chain for Sustainable Growth and Performance in the Garment value chain. India’s textiles and apparel industry is strong and diversified across the entire value chain, throughout fibre, yarn, fabric and apparel. The organised textile industry includes ginning, spinning, weaving, knitting, processing, and apparel manufacturing.
A survey of companies from the Indian Texpreneurs Federation in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu was conducted to obtain the data and evaluate the collaboration. The data gathering instrument was a structured questionnaire. The proposed model analysed intra and inter organisational relationship across the value chain, using the instrument that measured variables such as Joint Decision Making, Knowledge Exchange, Strategic Planning, Collaborative Commitment, Relationship Orientation, Goal Congruence, Internal Integration, Technology Integration, Operational Flexibility, Sustainable Supply Chain Engagement, Organizational Trust, Collaborative Culture, Information Integration, Operational Integration, Relational Integration, Social Sustainability, Economic Sustainability and Environmental Sustainability, quantified using a five-point Likert scale.
A set of hypotheses were constructed and tested using one-way ANOVA, regression, and structural equation modelling, among other approaches, in accordance with the proposed model. A matrix approach based on graph theory was utilised to evaluate multi-criteria decision making, and the firm with the highest degree of internal collaboration was determined. The textile industry was ranked using a variety of critical factors. The significance of hypotheses was used to explain the relationship between the constructs.
The study reveals that reliable knowledge sharing happens between supply chain players. Collaboration within an organisation benefits quality control, inventory management, and research and development. Ginning and fabric manufacturers rank highly in terms of intra-organizational collaboration. Spinning mills invested the most in information technology and had the greatest operating costs. Dealers were deemed critical by all participants. In Ginning companies, sustainable supply chain interaction is not a focus. Internal integration, information sharing, and collaborative decision-making are more highly regarded in the spinning industry. In the knitting sector, collaboration and knowledge sharing are highly prioritised. All parties in the supply chain value organisational learning. Cooperative learning occurs at all levels of an organisation, regardless of organisational structure. Collaboration both within and outside an organisation is harmed by the refusal of sharing risk and reward by supply chain partners. Businesses must establish standard operating procedures and policies in order to foster confidence among partners. Collaboration within a company and across the supply chain is facilitated by a collaborative culture. Operational integration has a negligible effect on the performance of the value chain. Not only that, teamwork enhances the performance of the value chain. There is a correlation between social, economic and environmental performance, as well as value chain performance. As a result, the outcome of a single aspect or feature varies significantly between organisations.
While the impact of collaboration on sustainable supply chain practises was studied, the report makes no mention of the factors that lead to such collaboration. The focus of this study is only on intra-organisational practises that help in collaboration, rather than external variables that help in supply chain integration. The study ignores the effects of horizontal collaboration between each layer of the supply chain.
