Abstract
The purpose of this document is to present the evolution of the supply chain with different points of view, from the perspective of the main authors on the subject, in order to show the benefits and difficulties faced in carrying out the sustainable orientation of the supply chain (SSCO). For this research, it is necessary to take into account from which point each of the definitions that helped reach the concept of SSCO was born and how the concept has changed over the years. It is interesting to note that currently the concept does not have a specific definition, because it is in a boom in recent years, which makes it an attractive topic to investigate and learn more in depth. In Colombia it has very few exponents of the subject. Therefore, researching SSCO can generate a competitive advantage in the industry for supply chains that compete in the interior and exterior of the country.
TopJustification
The research is born from the need to know the evolution that the supply chain has had up to the concept of Sustainability Supply Chain Orientation (SSCO), because in Colombia there is no knowledge about this concept which can contribute to the development of the industry as a competitive advantage. According to Srivastava (2007), based on the environmental dimension, he considers that it is a driver of the business and not a cost, (Min and Kim, 2012) proposed that the competitive advantages in the supply chains result from the corporate differentiation based on the positioning of the sustainability since this translates into results for companies through cost savings, greater market share and a stronger brand positioning (Min and Kim, 2012)
Key Terms in this Chapter
Supply Chain Management: The essential processes are planning, sourcing, production, delivery or distribution and reverse logistics. However, the number of processes established for companies will correspond to the particular needs of each one. There will not be an exact number determined for the logistic processes, but it will be based on the particular need of each organization ( Chopra & Meindl, 2013 ).
Supply Chain Orientation: Represented a shared value and a belief system that has the purpose of helping the organization to strategically manage its supply and the norms of behavior within the organization, taking to see the supply chain in a holistic way in order to seek integration, synchronization and convergence of operational activities and strategic capacity ( Esper et al., 2010 ).
Sustainability: Is a challenge for large companies due to the geographic distance between buyers and sellers and the different levels that make up the supply chain, generating a challenge to ensure sustainability at each level, because that managers cannot have visibility beyond first-tier suppliers, the importance of sustainability in the global supply chain includes government entities, suppliers, shareholders and customers due to the importance, size of the companies that they compose it and the visibility they have before the market (Koberg et al., 2019 AU100: The in-text citation "Koberg et al., 2019" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Sustainability Outcomes: Describes adoption of environmentally and socially responsible practice and/or improvement of environmental, social or economic performance.
Sustainability Supply Chain Orientation: The strategic integration of the supply chain oriented to environmental, economic and social considerations ( Reefke, Ahmed, & Sundaram, 2014 ).