Systems thinking for sustainable global supply chains: coordination and power relationship

In this paper, we honour Professor Suresh Sethi, who is a giant scholar and top leader in operations and supply chain management (OSCM). There is no doubt that sustainability, which emphasises the collaborative efforts among supply chain members to achieve both environmental and social objectives, is a critical issue in various industries. However, power imbalances among these members significantly influence their interactions and dependencies, and pose challenges to sustainable practices. In the field of OSCM, it is also important to consider supply chain coordination challenges to maximise channel efficiency. This study addresses the importance of employing systems thinking approach to explore the dynamics of power relationships in driving sustainability and coordination challenges, which is under-explored in the existing literature. By reviewing relevant literature and conducting a case study of the 'ultra-fast-fashion' company Shein, this study aims to highlight how to foster sustainability and enhance coordination of the supply chain with the consideration of power dynamics. Future research directions that deserve further investigation, such as the use of information and achieving power-relationship based coordination, are also proposed.