The benefits of SRSS appear heterogeneous across
the three culturally and economically diverse countries
in our sample. For example, in China’s early stage of
SRSS adoption, companies may seek short-term rents,
while in later stages companies might seek competitive
advantage by adopting such practices. From a
general management perspective, our results suggest
that the adoption of SRSS is a multidimensional and
gradual process rather than a static bundle of policies
and practices related to choosing the right suppliers
for today. Differences in level of adoption (infancy vs.
strategic) of SRSS as well as the differences in potential
mediating variables, drivers, and business systems
between countries lead to different impact of SRSS on
organizational performance. On the basis of our current
observations, we can argue that companies in culturally
different countries and in different stages of
adoption of management practices may reap different
advantages. This observation leads to several new
opportunities for future research.Specifically, based on our observations, it became
apparent that more research is needed to explore the
concept of SRSS and its impact on firm performance
in different national settings beyond our selected
nations. Although the current study examined the
phenomenon in three distinct countries, our study is
not at all exhaustive in terms of addressing the multitude
of cultural and national approaches to SRSS in
particular and CSR in general. Yet, our results provide
the foundation on which future research can build.
Different methodologies should be employed in any
such future studies, as they would facilitate different
types of research questions and/or hypotheses. For
example, qualitative methods such as case studies
would provide additional insight into how and whyfirms generate and implement SRSS initiatives in different
national settings. A better understanding of the
SRSS process can better explain the performance outcomes
associated with it.
Furthermore, additional quantitative research should
also explore additional antecedents of SRSS and
dimensions of firm performance. This would reveal
much more about firms’ motivation behind the adoption
of SRSS practices, as well as the factors that
enable its development. Methodologically, such
research would benefit from the use of a multiple
hierarchical moderated regression analysis to better
evaluate cause and effect relations. In conjunction
with additional theoretical lenses (e.g., SSP), such an
approach can lead to further theory building as pertains
to SRSS implementation and outcomes.
Some purchasing development models might propose
that CSR practices may not be the prime driver
of financial performance. For example, Van Weele
and Rozemeijer (1998) introduce a purchasing
model that groups purchasing capabilities (e.g., organization,
processes/routines, technology enabled,
peoples’ skills) into six levels of maturity. These levels
are considered to each determine the organization’s
performance potential. Therefore, future
research could attempt to explore the relationship
between CSR practices and financial performance in
the context of a purchasing maturity model. Perhaps
organizations that are more advanced in general, and
experience substantial economic revenue, will also be
the ones with the most developed CSR practices.
As with all empirical research, a number of limitations
exist and our results should be viewed cautiously.
First, our study is based on perceptual data;
follow-up studies based on objective data regarding
organizational performance are advisable and would
serve to create a dialog that would improve our
understanding of the focal issues. Also, our samples
and the responses collected in the three countries are
relatively small, and there may be more information
gleaned from larger scale assessments. In addition,
our cross-sectional research design limits the extent to
which cause–effect relations can be inferred. Future
research using longitudinal data could help address
this limitation.
Although this study provides evidence of the
impacts of SRSS on organizational performance, it
does not sufficiently explain the gamut of potential
mediating or moderating factors of such relationships,
nor does it systematically investigate the
causes of differential SRSS impacts between countries.
The academy should welcome an in-depth
analysis of causal factors that explain significant variance
in such impacts. Finally, this study is based
on data from a single developed country and two
different emerging economy countries on the continuum
of economic development; caution must be
exercised when generalizing the results of this study
to other developed and emerging economy contexts.
Countries from Europe, South America, and Africa
could be included in future studies. Specific nations
could be selected to ensure an economically and
culturally diverse sample. Replicating this study in a
variety of country contexts would provide the building
blocks needed to gain a deeper understanding
of the SRSS concept. Although this study provides
an initial step toward understanding the impact of
SRSS on financial outcomes, researchers and practicing
managers still have much to learn in this supply
chain management arena.