An Assessment of the Barriers to Social Dimension of SSCM Practice Implementation Using Fuzzy DEMATEL Approach: A Case from Turkey

Abstract

The Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) concept, which establishes a balance between economic, socialand environmental dimensions, provides an extremely important conceptual framework for companies. Although notall of these dimensions have the same significance, researchers mostly focus on economic and environmental aspects.However, it is very difficult to apply the social dimension in the adoption of SSCM due to the barriers encountered inSSCM. Based on this, this paper aims to analyze the social barriers and identify the relationship between the barrierswith the help of Fuzzy DEMATEL. In this study, thirteen barriers to analysis have been determined. As a result of theanalysis, the first major barrier is defined as “Stakeholders’ Negative Influence (B12)”, the second barrier as “Lack ofCulture without Engagement and Support (B8)”, and the third one as “Ignoring the Rights of Stakeholders (B13)”. Thebarrier having the most impact on other barriers was determined as “Lack of State Support” and the barrier whichwas affected most by other barriers is “Low price demand of the community (B6)”.