Conference Agenda

Traditional supply chain strategy models have long provided valuable frameworks for aligning operational configurations with market and product characteristics. Seminal contributions such as Fisher’s product-based classification (Fisher 1997) and Lee’s uncertainty matrix (Lee 2002) have guided managerial decision-making by linking supply chain strategy to demand and supply uncertainty. However, the growing frequency of global disruptions, increasing regulatory pressure, and the urgent need for environmental responsibility have exposed important limitations in these models. While resilience and sustainability have become central strategic imperatives, existing supply chain strategy frameworks rarely integrate these dimensions in a systematic manner.

This research addresses this gap by proposing an extension of Lee’s uncertainty matrix through the introduction of environmental impact strategic relevance as an additional dimension. The objective is to develop a more comprehensive framework capable of supporting supply chain design in contexts characterized not only by uncertainty, but also by increasing sustainability requirements. The study investigates how traditional supply chain strategy models can be adapted to better reflect the realities of contemporary business environments, where competitiveness increasingly depends on the ability to balance efficiency, resilience, and environmental responsibility.

The research adopts a qualitative multiple case study methodology and was conducted in two steps. The first step is based on published literature. Five sustainability-oriented companies operating in different industries were selected for analysis: Patagonia (apparel), Lush (cosmetics), Fairphone (electronics), Toyota (automotive), and EcorNaturaSì (agri-food). These organizations were chosen due to their strong commitment to environmental and social sustainability and the availability of extensive secondary data. The second step is an empirical investigation conducted through semi-structured interviews with managers from five additional companies (different from those selected for the first step) actively implementing ESG-related supply chain practices. A within-case and cross-case analyses were elaborated with focus on uncertainty management, ethical sourcing, traceability, circular product design, carbon footprint reduction, logistics strategies, and the interaction between sustainability and business performance.

The findings reveal that sustainability is no longer a peripheral operational concern but a strategic driver that fundamentally influences supply chain configuration. Companies increasingly adopt practices that simultaneously enhance resilience and environmental performance, including supplier diversification, transparency mechanisms, circularity initiatives, local sourcing, and collaborative governance structures. At the same time, the study identifies important trade-offs related to costs, technological constraints, and regulatory compliance.

Building on these insights, this study proposes two complementary strategic matrices that integrate environmental impact with demand uncertainty and supply uncertainty, respectively. The resulting framework introduces new interpretative quadrants and operational guidelines that better reflect contemporary supply chain realities. The study contributes to supply chain management literature by extending traditional strategic fit theories and offering a practical tool for organizations seeking to incorporate resilience and sustainability objectives. More broadly, it advances the discussion on how supply chains can evolve from efficiency-oriented systems toward adaptive, responsible, and long-term value-generating networks, despite not encompassing the social dimension, which remains an avenue for future research.