Buyers and suppliers of healthcare products and services are more dependent on each other than ever before for the provision of scarce and unique resources, which highlights the need to implement supply chain sustainability practices. Firms controlling these resources hold excessive power over others. This study adopted resource dependence theory as a theoretical lens to explore the role of relationship power in supply chain sustainability practices between a South African private healthcare provider and its suppliers. The study employed a generic qualitative single-case study design. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 12 participants at various levels of the case organisation’s hierarchy. The main findings revealed several types of environmental and social practice used in the supply chain of the private healthcare provider. Some of the environmental practices were effective waste management and recycling, while the social practices included supplier selection and periodic reviews. The healthcare provider exercised extensive power over its suppliers to implement these practices. By exploring the advantages and disadvantages of sustainability practices, the findings showed that relationship power acted as a driver of supply chain sustainability. Mutual commitment, continuous communication, and training support these practices. Healthcare managers must be aware of the importance of relationship power for supply chain sustainability practices implementation, and are advised to invest time and effort in building buyer—supplier relationships to aid sustainability. This study expands the literature on relationship power in supply chain sustainability practices in an underexplored developing country healthcare context.
Kopers en verskaffers van gesondheidsorgprodukte en -dienste is meer afhanklik van mekaar as tevore vir die voorsiening van skaars en unieke hulpbronne wat die implementering van voorsieningsketting-volhoubaarheidspraktyke aanspoor. Maatskappye wat hierdie hulpbronne beheer het buitensporige mag oor ander. Hierdie studie het hulpbronafhanklikheidsteorie as ’n teoretiese lens gebruik om die rol van verhoudingsmag in voorsieningsketting volhoubaarheidspraktyke tussen ’n Suid-Afrikaanse private gesondheidsorgverskaffer en sy leweransiers te ondersoek. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude was uitgevoer om data in te samel van 12 individue op verskeie vlakke van die gevallestudie onderneming se hierargie. Die studie het verskeie soorte omgewings- en sosiale praktyke geïdentifiseer. Van die geïdentifiseerde omgewingspraktyke is sluit effektiewe afvalbestuur en herwinning in, terwyl sosiale praktyke leweransier selektering en gereëlde hersienning ingesluit het. Die studie toon dat die groep mag uitoefen oor sy leweransiers om voorsieningskettingbestuur-volhoubaarheidspraktyke te implementeer. Die resultate van die studie dui aan dat verhoudingsmag ’n drywer van hierdie praktyke is. Gemeenskaplike getrouheid, voordurende kommunikasie, en opleiding ondersteun die praktyke. Gesondheidsorg bestuurders moet bewus wees van hoe belangrik verhoudingsmag vir hierdie praktyke se implementering is. Daar moet tyd belê word in die bou van koper-en-leweransier verhoudings om by te dra tot volhoubaarheid.
