Stephan Vachon

Recent Refereed Articles

• Vachon, S., Hajmohammad, S., 2016, "Supply Chain Uncertainty and Environmental Management", Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, December 1.

  Abstract: This manuscript examines the impact of supply chain uncertainty on environmental management spending in manufacturing plants. Building on the attention-based view of the firm (ABV), the basic premise is that with increased uncertainty in the supply chain, managers’ attention to environmental management is lessen which in turn leads to (i) fewer resources devoted to green issues within the plant and (ii) a bias to use resources toward less disruptive pollution control approaches rather than pollution prevention approaches. Data from a survey of 251 Canadian manufacturing plants was used to test the link between the level of uncertainty in the supply chain and environmental management decisions. The results indicate that supply chain uncertainty does not have a substantial impact on the level of environmental spending in a plant but has a substantial and significant impact on the allocation of the spending between pollution prevention and pollution control. More particularly, as supply chain uncertainty increases, organizations shift their resources away from pollution prevention to favor pollution control approaches.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s41180-016-0005-0

• Hajmohammad, S., Vachon, S., 2016, "Mitigation, Avoidance, or Acceptance? Managing Supplier Sustainability Risk", Journal of Supply Chain Management, April 52(2): 48 - 65.

  Abstract: This study takes a conceptual theory building approach to develop a framework for managing supplier sustainability risk - the adverse impact on a buying organization from a supplier’s social or environmental misconduct. Using anecdotal evidence and the literature, we present four distinct risk management strategies that supply managers adopt: risk avoidance, monitoring-based risk mitigation, collaboration-based risk mitigation, and risk acceptance. Drawing on agency and resource dependence theories, we study how the interactions of two key risk management predictors—i.e., the supply managers’ perceived risk and the buyer-supplier dependence structure—affect supply managers’ strategy choice. Specifically, we propose that a collaborative-based mitigation strategy, involving direct interaction and solution development with the suppliers, is selected by supply managers in a high perceived risk-buyer dominant context. In a low perceived risk-buyer dominant context, however, a monitoring-based mitigation strategy is preferred. When the buyer and the supplier are not dependent on each other and there is a low perceived risk, the supply managers accept the risk by taking no actions, whereas in a high perceived risk-independent context the supply managers would avoid the risk by terminating the relationship with the supplier. We conclude the paper by describing the theoretical contributions and managerial implications of the study as well as the avenues for future research.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12099

• Gualandris, J., Klassen, R.D., Vachon, S., Kalchschmidt, M., 2015, "Sustainable evaluation and verification in supply chains: Aligning and leveraging accountability to stakeholders", Journal of Operations Management, July 38: 1 - 13.

  Abstract: Managers are being challenged by multiple (and diverse) stakeholders, which have variety of expectations and informational needs about their firm's supply chains. Collectively, these expectations and needs form a multi-faceted view of stakeholder accountability, namely the extent to which a firm justifies behaviors and actions across its extended supply chain to stakeholders. To date, sustainable supply chain management research has largely focused on monitoring as a self-managed set of narrowly defined evaluative activities employed by firms to provide stakeholder accountability. Nevertheless, evidence is emerging that firms have developed a wide variety of monitoring systems in order to align with stakeholders' expectations and leverage accountability to stakeholders. Drawing from the accounting literature, we synthesize a model that proposes how firms might address accountability for sustainability issues in their supply chain. At its core, the construct of sustainable evaluation and verification (SEV) captures three interrelated dimensions: inclusivity, scope, and disclosure. These dimensions characterize how supply chain processes might identify key measures, collect and process data, and finally, verify materiality, reliability and accuracy of any data and resulting information. As a result, the concept of monitoring is significantly extended, while also considering how different stakeholders can play diverse, active roles as metrics are established, audits are conducted, and information is validated. Also, several antecedents of SEV systems are explored. Finally, the means by which an SEV system can create a competitive advantage are investigated.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2015.06.002

• Hajmohammad, S., Vachon, S., 2014, "Safety Culture: A Catalyst for Sustainable Development", Journal of Business Ethics, August 123(2): 263 - 281.

  Abstract: The present paper investigates the potential benefits of a strong safety culture (SC). Specifically, we build on the organizational support theory to explore the direct and indirect effects of SC on firm performance. Partial least squares method is used to analyze the data collected from a survey among 251 Canadian plants. The results show that SC is associated with several performance indicators all linked to sustainable development (i.e., environmental, financial, and safety performance). Importantly, our findings also suggest that the relationships between SC and environmental/safety performance are mediated by the actual level of implemented environmental/safety practices within plants. We conclude the paper by highlighting the study’s limitations and contributions as well as theoretical and managerial implications.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1813-0

• Vachon, S., Hajmohammad, S., Patry, K. , 2013, "Returns management in a business-to-business context: its impact on customer satisfaction", International Journal of Integrated Supply Management 8(4): 173 - 192.

  Abstract: Returns management has become an integral part of operations for several manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Managing the returns process effectively can be linked to cost reduction and revenues increase even if returns management is often considered as a peripheral activity in the supply chain. This paper investigates the relation between returns management and customer satisfaction in a business-to-business (B2B) context. The proposed conceptual model was tested using data collected through a survey of 192 heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) contractors in Canada. Results indicate that (i) the level of administrative support provided by the suppliers to assist the contractors (the buying organizations) with the returns process is predominant in generating customer satisfaction, and (ii) the outcome of a peripheral activity such as returns management is significantly linked to customer satisfaction. Implications for future research and managers are also discussed.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJISM.2013.058511

• Hajmohammad, S., Vachon, S., Klassen, R.D., Gavronski, I., 2013, "Lean Management and Supply Management: Their Role in Green Practices and Performance", Journal of Cleaner Production, January 39: 312 - 320.

  Abstract: Organizations are faced with increasing pressure to engage in sustainable development and to integrate environmental and social dimensions into their traditional performance metrics. Prior research suggests that lean management and supply management are potentially important determinants of environmental performance and can be seen as capabilities that ease the adoption of environmental practices. To help understand the roles of lean and supply management in regards to improving the firm’s environmental performance, a conceptual model proposes that the magnitude of environmental practices mediates the relationship between lean and supply management with environmental performance. To test the model, plant-level survey data from a sample of Canadian manufacturing plants is used. The results indicate that supply management and lean activities provide means by which resources are invested in environmental practices. The empirical analysis also confirms that the impact of lean management, and to a lesser extent supply management, on environmental performance is mediated by environmental practices.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.06.038

• Gavronski, I., Klassen, R.D., Vachon, S., Nascimento, L.F.M., 2012, "A Learning and Knowledge Approach to Sustainable Operations", International Journal of Production Economics, November 140(1): 183 - 192.

  Abstract: Manufacturing’s choice of environmental technologies is expected to be partly driven by the organizational context and receptivity to new ideas and innovation. More specifically, we hypothesize that the organizational learning and knowledge system of a manufacturing plant tends to favor the adoption of pollution prevention technologies and environmental management systems over pollution control technologies of that plant. The organizational learning and knowledge system is hypothesized to be split in two different stages, organizational learning antecedents and organizational learning processes. The choice of environmental technologies is hypothesized to be partially related to the organizational learning antecedents, and mediated by the organizational learning processes. Survey data exploring these relationships are presented from a sample of manufacturing plants in Canada. We found that the actual trade-off is not only between pollution prevention and pollution control, but also between pollution prevention and environmental management systems. The plant’s social climate and external knowledge exchange are positively related to pollution control, while the stock of knowledge of managers, stock of knowledge of workers, and internal knowledge exchange are negatively related to pollution control. Environmental management systems had the opposite results. These results are counterintuitive, since we expected that all constructs from organizational learning culture would contribute to the choice of pollution prevention and environmental management systems. We found, however, no empirical support for the mediated model, and the organizational learning and knowledge system explained very little variance in the choice for pollution control. Our study makes three significant contributions. First, it explains, at least in part, the linkages between the stock of employee knowledge, knowledge exchange and managerial choices of environmental technologies in manufacturing. Second, it refined and validated scales that capture organizational knowledge within operations. Finally, this research highlighted the important role that plant-level social climate has on fostering a greater emphasis on pollution prevention. The managerial implications of this research are twofold. Managers, in order to promote pollution prevention and creating long term value with this kind of technology, should promote both the social climate and the external knowledge exchange in the plant. Managers also should craft their environmental management systems not as a bureaucratic process of documentation and regulatory compliance, or just to fulfill clients’ or parent company requirements, but as a source of process improvement and innovation.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2012.01.037

• Thoumy, M., Vachon, S., 2012, "Environmental Projects and Financial Performance: Exploring the Impact of Projects' Context and Characteristics", International Journal of Production Economics, November 140(1): 28 - 34.

  Abstract: In several manufacturing organizations, environmental management systems are often operationalized through a series of green projects that can lead to a reduction of waste or a more efficient use of the resources. In turn, these types of green projects contribute directly to the bottom line. Using detailed reports of 79 environmental projects that took place in manufacturing organizations in the Province of Quebec over the last decade; this paper examines the influence of four project characteristics on the project’s financial outcome. The results suggest that projects related to the main product or its underlying production process (as opposed to peripheral projects) can be financially more beneficial despite their disruptive nature. Evidence was also found that green projects involving changes in the management systems are more profitable than the ones that entail a structural transformation. Finally, a positive linkage between organizational size and project’s financial performance has been supported, as larger organizations have more capabilities to implement such green initiatives.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2012.01.014

• Gavronski, I., Klassen, R.D., Vachon, S., Nascimento, L.F.M., 2011, "A Resource-Based View of Green Supply Management", Transportation Research Part E - Logistics and Transportation Review, November 47(6): 872 - 885.

  Abstract: Companies are being increasingly pressured to consider environmental concerns in their manufacturing activities and, more recently, with regard to their supply bases. Despite the broad range of literature that links performance to both green manufacturing capabilities such as pollution prevention and green supply management (GSM), managers are having difficulties developing a greener supply chain. The objective of this paper is to provide a model for development of GSM capabilities. Using the resource-based view of the firm (RBV) as the theoretical background, we postulate that plant resources are positively related to green manufacturing capabilities, which in turn are positively related to GSM capabilities. The data from a survey of a sample of manufacturing plants indicates that a managerial philosophy that includes external knowledge exchange directly supports both greener process management and environmental collaboration with suppliers. However, this managerial philosophy is only indirectly related to supplier selection and monitoring. The managerial implications of these findings are twofold: managers seeking to implement GSM need to view internal investment in green process management as a step toward environmental management of their external supply chains. They also must realize that green process management requires the support of other resources, such as environmental investments and top management commitment.

  Link(s) to publication:

  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2011.05.018

• Vachon, S., 2010, "International Operations and Sustainable Development: Should National Culture Matter?", Sustainable Development, November/December 18(6): 350 - 361.

  Abstract: As manufacturers around the world have seen an increasing number of opportunities to produce abroad and to source from low cost regions, they also have had to address growing pressure from non-governmental organizations, consumer groups and even the population in general regarding sustainable development. This paper examines the conjuncture of these two trends by assessing the linkage between national culture and corporate sustainable development practices in 55 countries. The results suggest that two of Hofstede's national culture dimensions are linked to a higher degree of sustainable practices by corporations. In particular, a nation's high degree of individualism and uncertainty avoidance were both related to green corporatism, environmental innovation, fair labor practices and corporate social involvement. The results provide managers with another tool in making decisions about offshoring, global sourcing and international production expansion.

• Vachon, S., Halley, A., Beaulieu, M., 2009, "Aligning Completitive Priorities in the Supply Chain: The Role of Interactions with Suppliers", International Journal of Operations and Production Management 29(4): 332 - 340.

  Abstract: Purpose – Over the last decade, competition in the manufacturing sector has increased as globalization and customer requirements have evolved. Now, organizations are competing not only with their internal capabilities but also on their abilities to leverage capabilities in the supply chain. Recent studies suggest that strategic alignment in the supply chain, assessed by the degree of matching between supply management and market requirements, is critical for the success of organizations in the global marketplace. The purpose of this paper is to examine the possible linkage between strategic alignment (or lack of) in the supply chain, based on the traditional competitive priorities (i.e. cost, quality, flexibility and delivery), and the type of interactions with suppliers. Design/methodology/approach – Strategic alignment in the supply chain was measured by the difference between customer’s requirements and the emphasis that the organization puts on these same requirements in dealing with its suppliers. The types of interactions were assessed by six items, three of them to measure the degree of arm’s length practices and the other three to assess the degree of cooperation with suppliers. The empirical analysis used data from 512 manufacturing companies in Canada surveyed in 2003 and 2005. Linear regressions were conducted to test a series of four hypotheses linking alignment in the supply chain and the type of interactions with suppliers. Findings – Interactions with suppliers that are increasingly based on cooperation were found to be linked with a better alignment of competitive priorities that are characteristic of responsive supply chains. An unexpected result was the positive link between arm’s length interactions and delivery, a dimension that is also associated with responsive supply chains. Research limitations/implications – The choice of interactions with suppliers can be critical in the alignment of competitive priorities in the supply chain. A limitation is that the empirical analysis rests on data collected from one respondent per organization. Originality/value – This paper contributes to research by providing empirical evidence of the link between the type of interactions with suppliers and the alignment of competitive priorities in the supply chain.

• Vachon, S., Mao, Z., 2008, "Linking Supply Chain Strength to Sustainable Development: A Country-Level Analysis", Journal of Cleaner Production, October 16(15): 1552 - 1560.

  Abstract: Several global corporations have been severely criticized by different lobbying groups for the impact of their operations on the natural environment and on the local communities. Because corporate operations cannot be studied in isolation but rather as a part of a large network often referred to as a supply chain, this paper investigates the potential link between supply chain characteristics and sustainable development at the country level. In particular, the linkage between supply chain strength, generally defined as the number and quality of the suppliers and customers in a country, and the three dimensions of sustainable development namely environmental performance, corporate environmental practices, and social sustainability is assessed. Using archival data from The Global Competitiveness Report (2004–2005) and the 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index, a statistical assessment of the linkage was conducted. The results indicate that supply chain strength is positively linked to all three dimensions of sustainable development.

• Vachon, S., Klassen, R.D., 2008, "Environmental Management and Manufacturing Performance: The Role of Collaboration in the Supply Chain", International Journal of Production Economics, February 111(2): 299 - 315.

  Abstract: As corporations attempt to move toward environmental sustainability, management must extend their efforts to improve environmental practices across their supply chain. The literature characterizing environmental management within the supply chain has been slowly building, but remains sparse. Using a survey of North American manufacturers, this paper examines the impact of environmental collaborative activities on manufacturing performance. Environmental collaboration was defined specifically to focus on inter-organizational interactions between supply chain members, including such aspects as joint environmental goal setting, shared environmental planning, and working together to reduce pollution or other environmental impacts. These practices can be directed either upstream toward suppliers or downstream toward customers. The influence of collaboration in each direction was empirically assessed for multiple objective and perceptual measures of manufacturing performance using a sample of plants in the package printing industry. Generally, the benefits of collaborative green practices with suppliers were broadest. In contrast, collaboration with customers yielded mixed outcomes. Overall, evidence emerged that upstream practices were more closely linked with process-based performance, while downstream collaboration was associated with product-based performance.

• Vachon, S., 2007, "Green Supply Chain Practices and the Selection of Environmental Technologies", International Journal of Production Research, September/October 45(18/19): 4357 - 4379.

  Abstract: The pressure on manufacturing organizations to adopt benign processes and to develop greener products has increased significantly over the last decade. As such, several manufacturing organizations have turned to their suppliers and customers to find innovative solutions to environmental issues. Using the data from a survey of the Canadian and United States package printing industry, the linkage between green supply chain practices and the selection of environmental technologies is examined. This paper differs from other studies that have linked supply chain management to environmental technologies as it focuses specifically on green interactions between organizations in the supply chain. In particular, the paper explores the possible relation between environmental collaboration and environmental monitoring in the supply chain and the form of environmental investment characterized by three categories: pollution prevention, pollution control, and management systems. The results suggest that environmental collaboration with suppliers is positively associated with greater investment in pollution prevention technologies while such collaboration with customers has no impact on the adoption and the implementation of pollution prevention technologies. In contrast, environmental collaboration with suppliers is associated with fewer investments in management systems. Overall, green supply chain practices with customers have very little impact on environmental investment decisions

• Vachon, S., Klassen, R.D., 2007, "Supply Chain Management and Environmental Technologies: The Role of Integration", International Journal of Production Research, January 45(2): 401 - 423.

  Abstract: As corporations work to become more environmentally sustainable, management must extend their efforts to improve environmental practices across the supply chain. Moreover, investment by plants in environmental technologies cannot be made independently of other organizations in the supply chain. Using a plant-level survey, we examine the linkage between chain characteristics, such as the degree of integration with suppliers and customers, and investment in different environmental technologies. In general, as plant managers developed greater strategic-level integration with suppliers, including product development and knowledge sharing, more resources were allocated toward pollution prevention. However, this linkage was not mirrored with customers. Instead, greater integration with customers was related with a greater allocation toward pollution control. Collectively, these findings suggested that downstream supply chain members tend to emphasize pollution prevention while simultaneously shifting the burden for control to upstream members.

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