Evaluating sustainable purchasing processes in the hotel industry

M.F. Morales Contreras, P. Bilbao Calabuig, C. Meneses Falcón, V. Labajo

Sustainability Vol. 11, nº. 16, pp. 4262-1 - 4262-24

Summary:

Managing sustainability along the supply chain has gained significant relevance in recent years, in both academic and business environments. The aim of this research paper is to describe and evaluate the degree of implementation of sustainable purchasing (SP) in the supply chain of the hotel sector in Spain, as well as to identify the main drivers and barriers to effective implementation. This is done from the double perspective of hotel chains and suppliers (industrial laundries). An exploratory and inductive qualitative methodology has been adopted, consisting of (a) observation; (b) collection, review, and analysis of primary sources; and (c) in-depth interviews with 15 managers of hotel chains and suppliers. This triangulation of data sources provides validity and credibility to the results and reduces any potential bias. Evidence is found to support that SP is at an early stage of implementation in the hotel sector in Spain, with big differences among companies. The results suggest that the main drivers and barriers to effective implementation are final customers, governments, market conditions, management commitment, and conflicts in customer/supplier interests. The authors propose a new classification of companies based on the size, type, and degree of implementation of SP. 

Keywords: sustainability; purchasing; supply chain; qualitative methodology; hotel industry

JCR Impact Factor and WoS quartile: 2,576 - Q2 (2019); 3,900 - Q2 (2022)

DOI reference: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11164262

Published on paper: August 2019.

Published on-line: August 2019.

Citation:
M.F. Morales Contreras, P. Bilbao Calabuig, C. Meneses Falcón, V. Labajo, Evaluating sustainable purchasing processes in the hotel industry. Sustainability. Vol. 11, nº. 16, pp. 4262-1 - 4262-24, August 2019. [Online: August 2019]