Mamorena Lucia Matsoso
Abstract
Despite their critical role in economic development, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often lag large corporations in implementing sustainable performance measures. This study investigates how institutional isomorphic pressures, and managerial attitudes influence sustainable supply chain performance measures (SSCPM) in manufacturing SMEs. Adopting a positivist paradigm and a quantitative research design, the study utilised a structured questionnaire to gather data from manufacturing SMEs based in Cape Town, South Africa. The results indicate that normative and mimetic institutional pressures positively influence SSCPM, while coercive pressures have a negative effect. Furthermore, managerial attitudes emerged as a significant determinant of sustainability performance in SMEs. The findings underscore the need to extend institutional theory to better accommodate the contextual institutional complexities encountered in developing economies. The study highlights the importance of developing alternative, non-coercive mechanisms to promote sustainable practices amongst SMEs, particularly in regions with weak regulatory enforcement.