A groundbreaking study led by Dr Lord Emmanuel Yamoah of the Procurement and Supply Department, Takoradi Technical University (TTU), in collaboration with Dr. David Ackah of Knutsford University College, has shed new light on the relationship between sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices and performance outcomes in Ghana’s manufacturing sector.
Published in the Integrated Journal of Management Science (IJMS, Volume 5, Issue 1, 2025), the study — titled “Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Performance Outcomes: Examining the Moderating Influence of Dynamic Capabilities” — examined how manufacturing firms integrate sustainability into their supply chain operations and the role dynamic capabilities play in enhancing performance.
Scope of the Research
The research focused on 91 manufacturing firms in the Greater Accra Region, including industry leaders such as Nestlé Ghana, Unilever Ghana, Guinness Ghana Breweries, and Fan Milk Limited. It sought to determine whether firms that integrate sustainability principles — such as green procurement, eco-design, and supplier collaboration — achieve better operational and financial outcomes.
Grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the study explored how internal capabilities such as environmental sensing, strategic agility, and innovation influence sustainable supply chain performance.
Literature Review
The literature review revealed that while numerous global studies affirm a positive link between sustainability and performance, limited empirical evidence exists in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dr Yamoah and Ackah highlighted that institutional, infrastructural, and technological challenges in developing economies can alter how sustainability affects performance.
The review also examined earlier studies (Ahi & Searcy, 2015; Dubey et al., 2017; Teece, 2018) that support the notion that dynamic capabilities — a firm’s ability to sense, seize, and reconfigure resources — are essential for sustainability-driven competitiveness.
Methodology
The study adopted an explanatory research design using a quantitative survey approach. Data were collected via structured online questionnaires distributed through email and digital platforms.
The analysis employed SPSS (Version 26) for descriptive and inferential statistics, including ordinary linear regression and moderated hierarchical regression to test three hypotheses.
Reliability and validity were confirmed through Cronbach’s Alpha (0.91–0.94) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), ensuring strong internal consistency and data quality.
Findings
The study produced three major findings:
• SSCM Practices Positively Affect Supply Chain Performance:
Sustainable product and process design, along with supplier collaboration, significantly improved performance indicators such as reliability, efficiency, and flexibility.
• Dynamic Capabilities Strengthen Performance:
Firms with high adaptability, information management, and strategic agility recorded improved supply chain outcomes, confirming the importance of dynamic capabilities as a performance driver.
• No Moderating Effect Detected:
Contrary to expectations, the study found that dynamic capabilities did not significantly moderate the relationship between SSCM and performance. Yamoah concluded that while capabilities enhance performance independently, their moderating influence might depend on contextual or environmental factors.
Discussion
The findings suggest that while sustainability enhances performance, its success depends on how well firms integrate adaptive and innovative processes. The authors argue that in volatile markets like Ghana, sustainability initiatives must be coupled with technological innovation and strategic flexibility to yield consistent performance improvements.
Their research further enriches the academic discourse by providing context-specific insights from a developing economy — an area underrepresented in global supply chain research.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The study concludes that Ghanaian manufacturers are increasingly embedding sustainability into their operations, with noticeable performance benefits. However, to maximise results, firms should:
• Integrate sustainability principles into supplier selection, contracting, and pricing processes.
• Invest in Industry 4.0 technologies and environmental scanning tools to build stronger dynamic capabilities.
• Conduct feasibility assessments before adopting new sustainability strategies to ensure proper alignment with existing capabilities.
The researchers also recommend that future studies examine the influence of absorptive capacity and supply chain resilience on sustainability performance to deepen understanding of adaptive competitiveness in emerging markets.
