Does green purchasing mediate the relationship between smart supply chain and green performance of pharmaceutical companies in Sudan: implications for underdevelopment countries

Purpose This study examined the mediating role of green purchasing in the relationship between smart supply chains and green performance in Sudan’s pharmaceutical industry. Design/methodology/approach The current study is a descriptive study examining smart supply chains and the pharmaceutical industry’s green performance in Sudan. Based on a nonprobability sample of 138 respondents from logistics and operations in the pharmaceutical industry, data were collected using a five-point scale. SEM was employed for the analysis and hypothesis testing. Findings The results indicate that smart supply chains have no positive influence on green performance. While the smart supply chain has a positive relationship with green purchasing, the findings confirm that green purchasing mediates the relationship between the smart supply chain and green performance, whereas the front end has a negative effect on green performance. Research limitations/implications This study had some limitations that may reduce the generalizability of the results. This study investigated a unique sector, but it is a small segment in the Sudanese economy. Practical implications This study shows the significant effect of smart supply chains on the green performance of Sudanese pharmaceutical companies. This study provides practical evidence of how smart supply chains can indirectly lead to better green performance, especially in the pharmaceutical sector. Social implications Green performance helps establish workforce safety by identifying, assessing and controlling work hazards or other threats to ensure workforce safety. Companies that follow green purchasing are increasingly obtaining input from suppliers that adhere to social and ethical standards. The smart supply chain has drawbacks, especially in terms of the intensity of energy and power usage, which may have a negative impact on the environment. Originality/value This study evaluates smart supply chain practices and their levels in an underdeveloped country in a sector with unique features. This study offers managers’ perceptions and practices related to green performance and how digital technologies, through green purchasing, can help enhance the green pharmaceutical sector’s performance.