Supplier social standard (non-)compliance: A multi-perspective approach focusing on emerging economies

The upholding of labor issues in supply chains is increasingly debated in the business sphere, in the political arena and within civil society. Hence, this thesis aims to study supplier social standard (non-)compliance from the suppliers’ and buyers’ perspectives informed by three organizational theories that guide three quantitative studies. The results largely confirm the predictions that (1) emerging market suppliers amend their social standard compliance by referring to their past and competitors’ social standard compliance, (2) the intensity of the tensions between commercial and social objectives shape supplier social standard (non-)compliance, (3) socially responsible supplier selection is a key capability to influence supplier social standard compliance. The research contributes to the behavioral theory of the firm and the institutional logics perspective. It offers implications for buyers, policy makers and standard setters.