Market performance and social sustainability practices across manufacturing supply chains: the role of sustainability information exchange and corporate motives

Purpose The burgeoning body of literature on socially sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) is evidence of the growing interest in social practices in firms along supply chains. However, the market benefits associated with collaborative SSCM practices remain unclear, particularly regarding how sustainability motives and sustainability information exchange impact these benefits. This study uses stakeholder theory and the supply chain practice view to empirically investigate the various sustainability motives driving collaborative social SSCM practices. Furthermore, this study aims to explore whether sustainability information exchange and sustainability motives act as mechanisms and boundary conditions influencing the relationship between collaborative social SSCM practices and supply chain market performance. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 262 managers representing firms along manufacturing supply chains in Ghana, a country facing several social sustainability challenges. The survey data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings This study identifies three distinct motives – performance-based motives, stakeholder relationship-induced motives and morally induced motives – that influence collaborative social SSCM practices. Notably, performance-based motives emerge as the most significant driver of collaborative social SSCM practices. Sustainability motives also positively moderate the relationship between sustainability information exchange and market performance across manufacturing supply chains. The results further indicate that collaborative social SSCM practices contribute positively to the market performance of firms across supply chains through effective sustainability information exchange. Originality/value This study presents a novel perspective in social SSCM literature by identifying multiple motives driving collaborative social SSCM practices. It also provides new insight into the boundary conditions and mechanisms through which social SSCM practices influence market performance across manufacturing supply chains.