The influence of Postponement Strategies on the Sustainability of Supply Chains in the Consumer Electronics Industry

Background: The supply chains in the consumer electronics industry are becoming longer and more complex. At the same time, the companies need to become more efficient, flexible and sustainable to be able to compete in the future. The postponement concept is an approach which can lead to flexibility, efficiency and sustainability at the same time. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate if and how the postponement strategy can contribute to the sustainability of consumer electronics supply chains. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research follows a deductive approach, using a quantitative survey with questionnaires to gather data from logistics and supply chain professionals in the consumer electronics industry. Findings: Findings show that postponement is used for the purpose of efficiency and flexibility, but not for achieving higher sustainability. Research Limitations/Implications: This research is limited in terms of time and money. Therefore the sample size of the survey is small and not representative to create generalizations from the research findings. Practical Implications: The companies in the consumer electronics industry should pay closer attention the postponement concept to exploit possible supply chain improvements. Originality/Value: The academic literature provides a lot of research about postponement and about sustainability. Research about the combination of both concepts is still missing. This research investigates how both concepts can used together in the consumer electronics industry. Further Research: More survey participants, other industry sectors and additional countries should be considered in future research projects