Does Green Matter? A Study of Perception of Manufacturers and Consumers of a Developing Country about Green Supply Chains

Abstract

Green Supply Chain Management (GrSCM) has received increased attention from both academia and industry in recent years in the industrial nations. It focuses on reducing the adverse impact of business processes on the environment. These business processes include product design, material sourcing and selection, manufacturing processes, product delivery and end-of-life management of the product. The research studying interactions between environment and businesses in Pakistan has been scarce. This study is conducted to set a platform for GrSCM research in Pakistan as it aims to investigate the perceptions of the manufacturers and consumers regarding their understanding about GrSCM and green products. A qualitative research design including indepth interviews from senior managers of three manufacturing firms and a focus group of customers has been conducted for this purpose. A list of critical factors of GrSCM has been developed based on survey of the literature. The comparison between the GrSCM literature, manufacturer perception about GrSCM and consumer perception about green products lead towards the conclusions regarding; how consumers perceive green products? Do they really demand such products? Do the manufacturers think there is a need for GrSCM? How do they think GrSCM can lead to competitiveness and better economic performance? Basic understanding regarding these issues leads to the future direction for research and practice in this area.