Power in sustainable supply chain management: A systematic literature review

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) is becoming a strategic necessity for multiple companies. Successful implementation of SSCM is dependent upon inter-firm relationships and inter-organisational coordination instruments. This work aims to explore the role of power in diffusing sustainability along supply chains. A systematic literature review covering 63 publications in peer-reviewed academic journals was conducted. The literature is reviewed according to several perspectives, including methodologies, units of analysis and theories adopted. The core of the literature explores power in the context of SSCM, contextualising findings against the power matrix and the bases of power, which are adopted as theoretical lenses. Findings reveal that: (i) power is predominantly viewed as a dyadic concept, with fewer studies exploring power dynamics in multi-tier sustainable supply chains; (ii) buyer dominance is considered an enabler to SSCM and supplier dominance is considered a barrier to SSCM, as a result of focal company-driven SSCM programs and prevailing commercial logics being applied to the sustainability domain; (iii) power symmetries, particularly independence between supply chain organisations, and related implications for SSCM are under-researched themes; (iv) mediated bases of power, particularly coercive power, are effective to diffuse sustainability under context-specific conditions, but limit long-term sustainability management development; (v) non-mediated bases of power favouring a more relational approach are widely considered as an enabler to the diffusion of SSCM. This work contributes to the sustainable supply chain management literature by providing the first contextualised understanding of the role of power in SSCM, elaborating on the power-related circumstances that enable or impair the diffusion of sustainability in supply chains. The theoretical anchoring of the review allows to elaborate on what power positions and through which mediated and non-mediated bases of power, supply chain sustainability diffusion occurs. • Role of power in diffusing sustainability in supply chains in 63 publications • Power extensively explored in dyads, with fewer studies in multi-tier supply chains • Enabling role of buyer dominance and inhibiting role of supplier dominance to SSCM • Non-mediated power more effective for long-term supply chain sustainability • Focal company-centric perspective and commercial logic dominant in SSCM