Greener logistics through resource sharing — A resource dependency lens on supply chain interaction

The greening of logistics requires extensive resources in order for actors to implement green logistics practices (GLPs) and become more environmentally sustainable. As no actors in the supply chain are self-sustained and must gather resources from other actors, “the greening” of our supply chains needs to be considered holistically. The interactive nature of supply chains, where actors must interact with other actors, also gives them a platform to exchange resources. This paper sets out to explore how resources can be shared between actors and support the greening of logistics, by studying a dyadic relationship between a shipper and an LSP, applying a resource dependency theory perspective. The paper suggests that GLPs will require resources to be gathered from other actors to be implemented and explore how the greening of logistics involves several actors, and why these actors need to be included. It suggests that some types of resources are more central than others, such as knowledge or technology; and that some actors are more central than others, especially shippers and LSPs. This study illustrates how different GLPs will require different combinations and quantities of resources, which suggests various degrees of dependency on different actors.