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Organizations have developed practices that sustain environmental resources in a circular economy. Yet, practices that enhance resource optimization for long-term survival of organizations and the environment in the developing world remain under researched. The study explores internal practices that sustain an environment in a circular economy in the public sector. Drawing from a resource-based perspective and employing a qualitative interpretivist design, six (n=6) in-depth interviews were conducted with participants involved in sustainability, environmental health and waste management at a local metropolitan municipality in emerging South Africa. The analysis revealed themes around internal organizational capabilities to deploy resources for implementing environmental practices. The study finds that engaging values and promoting learning entrenches ongoing recycling using green infrastructure at a local metropolitan municipality. The study contributes internal sustainable circular resource practices to resource-based perspective. Organizations ought to build valuable internal capabilities by utilizing circular inimitable resources to enhance environmental sustainability in the public sector in the developing world.

The rapid growth of e-commerce has significantly increased product returns, making reverse logistics a critical component of sustainable supply chain management. The purpose of this study is to examine consumer perspectives on reverse logistics in Gauteng, South Africa, where infrastructural constraints and diverse consumer expectations pose unique challenges. A quantitative research method was employed, with data collected from 250 online shoppers through a self-administered questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed five underlying constructs, which are Return policy transparency, Efficiency of return process, Customer support, Customer satisfaction and Trust. Multiple regression analysis tested the construct's predictive power. The findings reveal that Return policy transparency was the strongest predictor of consumer satisfaction, while efficiency and customer support were less influential in this context. The findings highlight that clear, accessible return policies improve consumer trust and satisfaction, even in the presence of operational inefficiencies. This study highlights that the strategic role of transparent communication instils positive return experiences in emerging markets. The study contributes to reverse logistics literature by integrating behavioral dimensions into operational frameworks and offers practical implications for retailers aiming to build consumer trust without heavily investing in infrastructural investments.

Sustainable procurement has become a crucial strategy for attaining the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite the growing emphasis on the concept, understanding the development of sustainable procurement over the last two decades remains limited. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of sustainable procurement, outlining significant research topics, leading authors, relevant countries, and notable publications in the discipline. Nineteen (199) publications from 2004 to 2024 were retrieved from Scopus following the PRISMA protocol. Bibliometric analysis is utilised, followed by the construction of clusters through co-citation analysis. The clusters are analysed to identify emerging themes and potential areas for further research. The co-citation analysis identifies five distinct clusters of research themes: sustainable procurement practices and drivers, environmental management and performance in procurement, sustainable public procurement and implementation challenges, green procurement strategies and supplier management, and sustainable procurement adoption and influencing factors. Publications have been sourced exclusively from one database. Only publications from relevant academic journals have been utilised for the bibliometric analysis. Only articles with high citation counts were selected for co-citation analysis and cluster formation. The analysis of the identified clusters delineates study domains for further exploration aimed at improving the understanding of sustainable procurement and implementing its practices to achieve sustainability..

This study seeks to investigate green supply chain management (GSCM) methods and their impact on enterprise performance in the South African mining industry.  The study specifically examines the mediating influence of organisational factors—employee job satisfaction, operational efficiency, and relational efficiency—in mining businesses located in Rustenburg, Northwest Province. A quantitative research design was employed with a designed survey questionnaire disseminated to supply chain management departments in two platinum mining firms.  The research model connected GSCM practices to enterprise performance, mediated by three organisational characteristics.  The data analysis encompassed reliability and validity assessments, succeeded by correlational analysis and multiple regression models to evaluate the hypotheses. The findings indicated a statistically significant correlation between the deployment of GSCM practices and organisational performance.  The study further established that employee job satisfaction, operational efficiency, and relational efficiency significantly moderate this link.  The findings indicate that the use of GSCM directly improves performance and indirectly boosts essential organisational dynamics.The research offers empirical evidence endorsing the strategic incorporation of GSCM processes within the mining industry.  It underscores the significance of concentrating on internal organisational elements to optimise the advantages of GSCM implementation.  Mining companies can enhance their sustainability and overall performance by emphasising employee satisfaction and operational teamwork. This study enhances the sparse empirical literature on Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) within the mining sector, specifically in the sub-Saharan African context.  Incorporating organisational mediators provides a deeper view of how Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) influences company performance, offering useful insights for both scholars and practitioners seeking to link sustainability with commercial objectives.

Green procurement is one of the major topical issues that have become increasingly popular worldwide as the world embraces sustainability. Zimbabwe is one of the countries in the world that is struggling to adopt the use of green procurement in the health sector. Some identified factors affecting such adoption are lack of technology and infrastructure, training and awareness especially of the procurement officers and those in charge of the sector, policy and regulatory framework, limited supply chain, economic pressures and stakeholder engagement. The study’s objective was toidentify and analyse factors affecting the adaptation of green procurement practices in Zimbabwe’s health sector. The study used qualitative secondary data, and three key documents were analysed in the ATLAS. ti 24. Themes were created and results confirmed the challenges faced by adopting green procurement in the health sector in Zimbabwe. The study found that economic challenges, policy and regulatory framework shortfall, limited supply chain management, lack of stakeholder engagement, technology and infrastructure shortfalls and failure to have training and awareness regarding green procurement. Policymakers should encourage collaborations and partnerships between government and industry can facilitate the sharing of knowledge, best practices and resources. Zimbabwe as a signatory to the Abuja Declaration of 2001, the country can revert to this agreement and meet the suggested 15% of the total country budget set aside only for the health sector to support the adoption of green procurement. The study recommends that the government make use of the monitoring and evaluation systems that will influence policymakers in support of green procurement. The study recommended that the government should enact policies that support sustainable procurement and training should be carried out as Zimbabwe is one of the countries that signed the Sustainable Development Goals especially goal number 3.

The international community faces numerous sustainability challenges. In response, firms tackle these difficulties by adopting and implementing Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) techniques. However, there has been minimal discourse in the literature concerning the institutionalisation of GSCM. This study aimed to enhance our understanding of the institutionalisation of Green Supply Chain Management, specifically concerning South African cement businesses. The study specifically examines institutionalisation from the standpoint of organisational culture. In addition to examining existing literature, the researcher intentionally selected 23 supply chain practitioners from six prominent cement companies, environmental law officials, and academics to provide their insights and perspectives on the influence of organisational culture in institutionalising Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) within the cement industry. Thematic analysis was employed to examine primary data. The study findings indicated that the organisational culture obstructing the institutionalisation of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) factors comprised resistance to green policy implementation, insufficient top management support, and misalignment between green strategy and corporate goals. Conversely, the organisational culture promoting GSCM institutionalisation included human development and investment, effective communication, incentives, and a strong green culture as primary drivers. The study will inform supply chain professionals, cement company managers, environmental regulatory agencies, and NGOs about the significant influence of organisational culture on the institutionalisation of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM). The influence of culture on the institutionalisation of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM).

This systematic review rigorously analyses the impact of Human Resource Management (HRM) methods on enhancing Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) practices in order to accomplish strategic organisational goals. The paper systematically compiles and analyses previous research, specifically examining how HRM methods are incorporated into GSCM environments and how they affect the long-term viability of organisations. Using the PRISMA method, this review rigorously synthesises data to identify and evaluate the effectiveness of several HRM initiatives in supporting sustainable supply chain practices. The findings indicate a significant correlation between strategic human resource management (HRM) initiatives and the operational performance of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. This correlation contributes to the attainment of firms' overarching strategic objectives. The review underscores the need of connecting Human Resource Management (HRM) with Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) to attain environmental and organisational goals. Additionally, it suggests areas for future research, specifically focusing on investigating long-term effects, developments in technology, and applicability across different sectors. The conclusions emphasise the importance of incorporating HRM methods into GSCM to promote sustainable business models and accomplish long-term strategic goals.