A micro-level perspective for sustainability implementation in supply management: When operating context fosters opportunistic behaviours

More than having a focus on performance and rational decisions, supply management studies need to emphasise the effects of managers' social relations to implement sustainability. These social relations can be explained by the micro-level analyses and shape managers’ behaviours. Therefore, we explore in this paper whether and how local managers experience sustainability decisions through social capital theory. A qualitative research study involving clothing supply players operating in an emerging economy was developed that relied on semi-structured interviews and secondary data as data sources. Data were inductively analysed using NVivo software and organised into three categories: individuals, interrelationship and structure. The results show that the micro level of sustainability implementation is better explained when cognitive and relational capital are related to experience (e.g. awareness of sustainability scandals) and agency elements. However, structure capital as a component of the micro level triggered unexpected opportunistic behaviours (e.g. misconduct and naturalised child labour). This paper contributes to both theory and practice since it shows how micro-level decisions interfere in sustainability implementation based on (1) actions resulting from existing close relational ties and (2) the influence of the operating context. Unlike previous research, this paper is original by showing that a local supply can generate unexpected consequences, such as opportunistic behaviour camouflaged as cultural norms. •The micro-level analysis explains how to implement sustainability.•Relational ties can lead to unsustainable behaviours.•Operating context plays a key role towards sustainability implementation.•Opportunistic behaviours are camouflaged as cultural norms.