Carter Et Al 2004 Journal Of Business Logistics
JOURNAL OF BUSINESS LOGISTICS, Vol. 25, No. 1, 2004
145
THE ROLE OF PURCHASING IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:
A STRUCTURAL EQUATION ANALYSIS by Craig R. Carter
University of Nevada, Reno and Marianne M. Jennings
Arizona State University
Researchers over the past several years have advocated that the role of logistics must expand to encompass social responsibility (Bowersox 1998; Poist 1989; Stock 1990). Most recently, Murphy and Poist (2002) noted that research in the area of socially responsible logistics has lagged behind that of other functional areas of the firm, despite logistics managers’ beliefs that social responsibility is an important component of logistics that will increase in importance over time. Somewhat similarly, the subject of purchasing and supply management has received insufficient coverage in the past (La
Londe 1988) and continues to be underrepresented vis-à-vis other logistics topics (Miyazaki,
Phillips, and Phillips 1999), despite the key role that purchasing plays in a firm’s overall logistics system including product design and selection, procurement of transportation and third-party logistics services, supplier selection, and the management of inventory and supplier relationships (Bowersox et al. 1992; Cavinato 1992; Gentry and Farris 1992; Lambert and Stock 1993).
Purchasing managers span the boundary between the firm’s internal functions and its external stakeholders, including suppliers and third parties (Cavinato 1992; Webster 1992). These managers are advantageously positioned to affect a firm’s involvement in socially responsible activities.
The literature in the area of purchasing and supply management has begun to investigate several issues relating to socially responsible logistics, including environmental purchasing (Carter and Carter 1998), purchasing from minority/women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) suppliers (Dollinger, Enz, and
Daily 1991), labor conditions at supplier plants (Emmelhainz and Adams 1999), and
145
THE ROLE OF PURCHASING IN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:
A STRUCTURAL EQUATION ANALYSIS by Craig R. Carter
University of Nevada, Reno and Marianne M. Jennings
Arizona State University
Researchers over the past several years have advocated that the role of logistics must expand to encompass social responsibility (Bowersox 1998; Poist 1989; Stock 1990). Most recently, Murphy and Poist (2002) noted that research in the area of socially responsible logistics has lagged behind that of other functional areas of the firm, despite logistics managers’ beliefs that social responsibility is an important component of logistics that will increase in importance over time. Somewhat similarly, the subject of purchasing and supply management has received insufficient coverage in the past (La
Londe 1988) and continues to be underrepresented vis-à-vis other logistics topics (Miyazaki,
Phillips, and Phillips 1999), despite the key role that purchasing plays in a firm’s overall logistics system including product design and selection, procurement of transportation and third-party logistics services, supplier selection, and the management of inventory and supplier relationships (Bowersox et al. 1992; Cavinato 1992; Gentry and Farris 1992; Lambert and Stock 1993).
Purchasing managers span the boundary between the firm’s internal functions and its external stakeholders, including suppliers and third parties (Cavinato 1992; Webster 1992). These managers are advantageously positioned to affect a firm’s involvement in socially responsible activities.
The literature in the area of purchasing and supply management has begun to investigate several issues relating to socially responsible logistics, including environmental purchasing (Carter and Carter 1998), purchasing from minority/women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) suppliers (Dollinger, Enz, and
Daily 1991), labor conditions at supplier plants (Emmelhainz and Adams 1999), and