Determining the Stationary Enablers of Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chains

Abstract

One of an organization’s significant challenges in a globalized world is reducing risk by building resilient supply chains (SCs). It is required to realize a competitive advantage in a volatile and fast changing environment. Conversely, the key enablers of such sustainable and resilient supply chain management are not fully analyzed in building projects. This study aims at determining the stationary enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains. For this to happen, a questionnaire survey comprising 32 enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains has been conducted with Egyptian engineers to appraise their degree of importance. The results show that the five most important enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains are: top management support, adaptability, visibility, quality awareness, and responsiveness. This research’s results will allow building administrators to create diverse SCs, while being mindful of how the characteristics of a supply chain decrease or increase its resilience and eventually affect the exposure to risk in the building’s SCs.

1. Introduction

A supply chain (SC) comprises a grid of companies involved in various activities and processes for service delivery to consumers [1,2]. An SC creates value via downstream and upstream connections in services and products conveyed to the consumer. Therefore, an SC comprises many entities: distribution (downstream), supply (upstream) and final end-user [3,4]. Based on the international sustainability drive, academic investigators have freshly concentrated on planning sustainable SC (SSC) systems. These networks of SSCs can possibly influence the efficiency of international SCs [5]. An equilibrium between environmental, social and economic factors has become progressively important for SSCs, as end-users need viable products [6]. In contrast, as global industries and SCs have turned out to be more unpredictable and competitive, sustainability within the SC is threatened, time and again [7,8]. Unexpected conditions regularly interrupt businesses and their SCs, which has raised challenges to the sustainability of the SC. It is hard to achieve sustainability as there is continued disruptions to SCs [9,10]. Thus, to attain reliable SSCs, the flexibility competencies of companies have to be established and enhanced. Hence, it is important to study whether SCs require flexibility to be viable.

Although, the concepts of sustainability and SCs have been researched extensively by different scholars, resilient and sustainable supply chain management (RSSCM) has not been fully investigated [1]. In supply chains, resilience is considered as the ability to predict and endure interruptions, respond to them and recover effectively from interruptions [11,12]. It is also defined as the capacity to anticipate disruptions, withstand them, respond to them, and successfully recover from them [13,14,15]. According to the research, implementing sustainable practices may address or mitigate ecological, economic, and social issues to a greater extent [16]. The RSSCM, on the other hand, is described as the resources’ management concerning the satisfaction of stakeholder expectations to develop high sustainability and resilience in the company’s supply chain [17]. The literature pertaining to SC resilience and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) highlights that no methodical analysis was conducted that integrates sustainability and SC resilience, especially in emerging nations [18]. This is concurrent with the lack of research, which is common in those nations. However, among the pertinent research works, Pettit et al. [19] argued that SC resilience is a requirement for sustainable SCs, which intensifies the complexity of the system. Chowdhury et al. [20] stressed that the establishment of the systems thinking (ST) technique is important to tackle the rising intricacy. Systems thinking is the ability to conceive the ecosphere as a dynamic system; everything is connected to everything else, and a discrete task might not be accomplished in isolation [21,22,23]. Therefore, the RSSCM cannot be realized autonomously, and an all-inclusive evaluation of the system is required. This identifies a gap in the current literature, which is the focus of this study. The fundamental idea of this study is to identify and examine SC resilience through stationary and ranking phases. Hence, this study’s fundamental research question is, ‘what are the major resilience enablers for sustainable SCs?’ It is expected that the results of this study will help to realize a competitive advantage in an erratic building environment where transformation is vital. Additionally, it will reduce a company’s risk by allowing real-time understanding concerning operations within SC linkages. Likewise, it is expected that building companies will be energized to improve and regulate their practices, and logistics, and move towards an RSSCM. In addition, the findings from this research will help to make SCs more sustainable and resilient, leading to cost reduction, improved efficiency of manufacturing and elasticity. Consequently, these benefits would lead to the realization of higher profits for building companies. The concomitant RSSCM can handle chaotic occasions, act speedily and recommence regular operations after disruption. Based on a brief review of the relevant literature, this study has detailed the methodology applied to carry out the current research. Subsequently, the study’s expected results are discussed within the context of the relevant literature. The study’s final section highlights the major findings and recommendations for future research.

2. Genesis of the Problem

Many emerging countries’ building industries have experienced substantial transformations in order to satisfy their national economic goals [24]. However, these nations’ construction sectors are mostly uncompetitive due to their poor capacity to meet global sustainability norms. Projects in these construction cultures generally face a variety of challenges, including non-completion, timetable delays, budget overruns, insufficient quality, and a high chance of failing to meet the target goals [25,26]. Moreover, because of the restricted scale of investment in this industry, many initiatives are eventually placed on hold or terminated [27]. Taken as a whole, the construction sector in emerging nations does not match up to the objectives of their governments, clients, and society, and hence, lags considerably behind other industries in those countries and their counterparts [28].

Egypt is a highly populated country (about 95 million people, with a 2% annual increase rate) [29]. Despite variations in the economic and social conditions, construction in Egypt is severely hampered by the aforementioned challenges. Indeed, because of low worker earnings, significant unemployment, and security risks, construction is a high-risk market [30]. The risk is generated by abrupt currency swings (instability), a lack of informed business decisions, and limits in investment patterns/models [31]. In a broader sense, Abd El-Razek et al. [32] identified the main factors responsible for project delays as: funding complications during construction, client (owner) anomalies in terms of steady payment and ad hoc design modifications, and a lack of competent construction management.

In view of the foregoing observations, the role of RSSCM is instrumental. In fact, RSSCM is a sound technique for solving the above-mentioned issues, which is adopted as common practice in most developed countries. It is geared towards increasing efficiency and value for money, in order to collectively maximize value without compromising quality [33]. The level of adoption and implementation of RSSCM is apparently far more modest in developing countries. Despite the escalating calls for RSSCM adoption in these countries, the response on the ground is inadequate to change construction market mechanics.

3. Originality of the Study

The aim of this study is unusual in that it seeks to assist decision makers in eliminating unnecessary expenses and improving the quality of building projects, in order to, ultimately, accomplish their sustainable goals. This is of particular importance for developing countries, where there is little appreciation and understanding of the impact of activities on the phases of RSSCM. It is paramount to note that there is a research gap in this area. The Egyptian construction industry is no exception. It has been reported that most construction practitioners and stakeholders in Egypt do not have sufficient RSSCM knowledge, which hinders RSSCM adoption activities. Subsequently, the implementation of the standard RSSCM in Egypt is unachievable. Unsurprisingly, this encourages ad hoc approaches, including uncoordinated team formulation which fails to reduce the cost of construction.

In this study, the partial stationary approach is proposed for the first time to examine the key enablers of resilience in SSCM in construction. As such, this approach could be a game changer in the field of building projects, particularly in developing countries. Although the study was performed in Egypt, this paradigm shift is believed to be applicable to similar situations and model constraints in other countries.

4. Research Background

4.1. Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM)

A supply chain (SC) is a linkage that links all the people, resources, organizations and activities involved in the production and distribution of product(s) [34]. It comprises everything from the source of supply of the materials (i.e., the supplier) to the producer (i.e., the manufacturer), and the final distribution to the consumer [35]. It is the process of supervising how services and goods progress from the idea to the manufactured product [36]. Recent SCs are complex systems where numerous companies work jointly at different phases to supply various products to end-users [37]. To reduce the risk of disruptions and uncertainties, and increase the flexibility and resilience of SCs, autonomous companies have to collaborate [38]. The SCM comprises all aspects of a company’s operation incorporated into a single system [39]. The SSCM incorporates all three sustainability pillars, i.e., financial, social and environmental, during the course of the manufacturing lifecycle. The lifecycle comprises product design and manufacturing, to sourcing the raw material, processing, packaging, warehousing, shipping, distribution, utilization, return, and discarding [40,41]. The SSCM can efficiently and effectively manage interconnected economic, social and environmental aspects in international supply chains [42]. To achieve sustainable SCs, stakeholders have to meet, social, economic and environmental requirements [43]. The theory is that competition would be conserved by satisfying consumer demands and the accompanying criteria. The SSCM has achieved considerable recognition with increased scholarly research outputs in recent years. Such sustainable SCs enhance value management (VM) [44]. The SSCM is a methodical process for increasing the product’s value. It is an approach to examining and optimizing the function of discrete items and the related costs, to enhance the product’s value [45]. Concerning building projects, an SSCM can be very advantageous. Early use of SSCM in projects can save money and time in the long-term, leading to higher revenues from investments and increased cost savings [46]. An SSCM boosts substituting cheaper material and technologies without upsetting the functionality of the product [47]. An SSCM assists in improving the functioning of building SCs by reducing costs via supply chain incorporation, while sustaining high-quality service delivery, hence making them more viable [48]. In the SCM, the social facet of sustainability has been tackled more than the economic and environmental dimensions [49]. The SCs’ sustainability aim is to incorporate social, economic and environmental aspects into conventional, cost effective SCM approaches. Sustainable SC is defined as an interface between companies in an SC that provides holistic social and environmental benefits to all SC associates [50,51]. It comprises companies’ efforts to tackle the human and environmental impact of their product’s path via the SCs, i.e., from the sourcing of the raw material to production, storing, and distribution [49,52,53].

4.2. Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) Implementation

Mukherjee and Mandal [54] used the interpretive structural modeling (ISM) technique to analyze pertinent concerns in managing the photocopier remanufacturing business in the field of sustainable practices. The effects of the work environment, the way returns are used, and problems with the marketing of remanufactured goods were shown to have the most influence. The factors with the highest degree of dependency on product design were: the level of remanufacturing of technology and equipment, challenges with proper planning on disassembly and reassembly, and the role of skill and experience in the workforce. By examining the interactions between key enablers that aid in transforming a supply chain into a truly sustainable entity, Faisal [55] provided a method for successfully integrating sustainable practices into a supply chain. A hierarchically based model was presented using the ISM technique. The factors with the strongest driving and dependency power were discovered, which include consumer concern about sustainable practices, the regulatory framework, the knowledge on sustainable practices in a supply chain, and the measures to quantify sustainability advantages in a supply chain. Grzybowska [56] defined the supply chains’ (SC) facilitators of sustainability and looked into how they relate to one another. There were 16 enablers found, with top management commitment and acceptable reverse logistic practice adoption (environmental performance) having the strongest driving and reliance power. Hussain [57] offered a modeling framework for several supply chain enablers, examined how they interacted with one another, and suggested options for the creation of sustainable supply networks. The triple bottom line notion of sustainability (environment, social and economic) was explained and enablers were discovered. The relationship between various enablers for each sustainability dimension was established using an ISM approach, and the results of the ISM were inputted into an analytical network process (ANP), along with a potential list of alternatives to determine the best alternative(s) for developing sustainable supply chains. The factors with the most driving and reliance power were discovered to be the voice of the consumer, governmental restrictions, and risk management. Using an ISM methodology, Diabat et al. [58] created a model of the factors influencing the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) techniques by enterprises. The three factors with the strongest driving and reliance power were government regulation and law, reverse logistics and green design, and integrating quality. The examination of the application of GSCM concepts by Mathiyazhagan et al. [59] was separated into two phases: the identification of impediments and qualitative analysis. In order to comprehend the mutual impacts among the 26 obstacles that were found in the literature, by industrial specialists and academicians, ISM analysis was applied. A hierarchical sustainable framework for evaluating the obstacles to GSCM adoption within an organization was proposed by Dashore and Sohani [60,61]. A structural model was developed using the ISM approach after a total of 14 barriers were found. The hurdles with the most pushing and dependency power were the lack of a government initiative structure for GSCM practitioners and suppliers’ flexibility to move towards GSCM. In order to meet the demands of Indian mining industries for green-enabled practices, Muduli et al. [61] investigated numerous behavioral aspects impacting GCSM practices and their interconnections. The interrelationships among the identified behavioral components were extracted using the ISM technique. The elements with the highest influence and dependent power were found to be top management support and green innovation. Several variables crucial for adopting GSCM, relevant to the Indian manufacturing industry, were highlighted by Luthra et al. [62]. Using the ISM approach, a contextual link between these factors was created. International environmental accords and cutting-edge green practices have the highest driving and dependency power out of the 10 criteria that were evaluated. As part of an empirical study technique, Kumar et al. [63] gathered primary data to rank several factors for successful consumer engagement in green idea implementation in a supply chain. To build contextual links among the variables, an ISM-based model was implemented. Ten factors were found for the investigation, and the two with the highest driving and reliance power were the amount of customer awareness and green labeling [64]. (RL). To comprehend how the obstacles interact with one another, the ISM technique was applied. The strongest driving and dependency forces were caused by poor knowledge and inadequate planning and forecasting. A multi-criteria group decision making (MCGDM) model in a fuzzy environment was created by Kannan et al. [65] to direct the selection of the best third-party reverse logistics provider (3PRLP). The ISM methodology and the fuzzy approach based on the order of preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) were used for the analysis. Reverse logistics cost had the largest reliance and the biggest driving force, in comparison to the technical/engineering capability requirement. In order to discover and summarize the relationships between important variables for choosing the best third-party reverse logistics provider, Kannan et al. [65] employed the ISM technique. It was determined that qualities with the highest driving and reliance power were reverse logistics functions and third-party logistics services. Using an ISM approach, Sarkis et al. [66] examined 11 obstacles to the implementation of environmentally friendly manufacturing (ECM) methods. The strongest driving and dependent factors were inadequate design for environment (DFE) interfaces, and inappropriate assessment and appraisal approaches. Using the ISM methodology, Raut et al. [16] identified the factors that influence and hinder the implementation of GSCM practices in Nigerian construction enterprises. The study found that the primary obstacles to the adoption of GSCM practices were a lack of public awareness, a lack of understanding of the environmental implications, a lack of commitment on the part of senior management, and a lack of legal enforcement and government. Using the ISM approach, Balasubramanian [39] proposed a hierarchical sustainability framework for assessing the 12 obstacles to the implementation of GSCM in the construction industry of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The two factors with the greatest ability to influence a situation were determined to be a lack of resources and a lack of understanding among stakeholders. In order to integrate GSCM methods in the Indian car sector, Luthra et al. [40] identified 11 barriers, and a contextual link between these barriers was established. The absence of government assistance programs, market competition, and uncertainty had the strongest driving and reliance power, according to a hierarchy structural model created using the ISM approach. Using ISM, Sandeep et al. [41] identified 15 key enablers for integrating green principles into the Indian automotive supply chain. The greatest influencing factors were government assistance, regulation, and relative advantage. Eswarlal et al. [42] used the ISM technique to assess 14 crucial aspects of sustainable development in India with regard to the implementation of renewable energy projects. The most motivating factors and dependencies were leadership, sustainable growth, and return on investment. Eswarlal et al. [43] identified the 14 main CSFs for implementing renewable energy for sustainable development, and it was discovered that sustainable growth, return on investment, and public awareness were having the strongest driving and dependency power. To choose an appropriate location for the development of a wind farm, Kang et al. [44] created a thorough evaluation model. The aspects that needed to be taken into account were determined, and by using the ISM approach, the linkages between the requirements for each merit were determined. The significance of the criteria was determined using a fuzzy analytic network technique, and the predicted total performance of the wind farm projects was also assessed. Using an ISM approach, Muduli and Barve [45] identified possible obstacles to greening efforts in the Indian mining industry. The two factors with the highest driving and dependency power were operational waste management plan and a lack of senior management commitment. To create an institutional model suitable for the circumstances surrounding the coral reefs, turtles, and the variety of pelagic fish at the Bunaken Marine Park, and manage it as a sustainable tourism destination, Kholil and Tangian [46] used the ISM technique. For the research project, nine primary criteria and fifteen supporting criteria were established. The parts of control with the highest driving power and the highest reliance power were determined to be setting the number of visits and enhancing community engagement. In terms of the sub-criteria, the national park’s board had the strongest motivating force, and the public, environmental and marine NGOs had the strongest enabling forces. According to Muduli et al. [61], human behaviors have been impacted by GSCM performance in the mining sector. In their study, these behavioral characteristics were discovered and graded. In their study of 10 hurdles to the adoption of GSCM techniques in the foundry industry, Manikanda Prasath [67] employed an ISM methodology to identify how the barriers interacted with one another. Lack of governmental oversight and legislation was the most motivating factor, while a lack of adoption of new technologies had the strongest reliance. The relationships between the 13 main obstacles that prevent the implementation of energy conservation in China were examined by Wang et al. [68]. A lack of technological experience and a lack of knowledge of energy conservation had the most influence. In order for Taipei Metropolitan Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) operations to lower air pollution, dos Muchangos et al. [69] established 18 criteria. The largest driving and reliance power was discovered to be associated with fuel or non-renewable energy usage, air pollutants and waste generation. The nine key considerations for choosing a supplier based on corporate social responsibility (CSR) were established by [70] and were supported by an ISM methodology. Underage labor and safety measures were determined to have the strongest driving and dependency forces. Different performance-focused criteria for GSCM deployment in their company were established by Mangla et al. [71]. In their empirical investigation into the GSCM methods used by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India, Mohanty and Mohanty et al. [72] made the claim that Indian MSMEs are under tremendous pressure from outside stakeholders to embrace GSCM practices. Muduli et al. [53] used the literature review technique, graph-theoretic approach and matrix approach to identify and quantify the negative effect of hurdles impeding GSCM adoption. The main success elements for achieving environmental sustainability in the supply chains of the Indian car sector were examined by Luthra et al. [73]. Using factor analysis, four anticipated performance measurements for the adoption of GSCM practices were discovered, along with six CSFs to execute GSCM for attaining sustainability. To further analyze the contextual linkages among CSFs and rank them in reference to performance indicators, the interpretative ranking process modeling technique was used. The influence of existing GSCM procedures used by the Indian car industry on anticipated organizational performance outcomes was empirically studied by Luthra et al. [74]. According to the study’s findings, GSCM methods are helping to improve operational, social, economic and environmental performance. Several criteria for enhancing performance in GSCM acceptance and implementation in the Indian setting were discovered and examined by Mangla et al. [75]. The effective implementation of SSCM faces a number of obstacles, although not all of them have an equal influence on SSCM practices. Therefore, it is important to identify the key elements needed to implement SSCM methods, and their effects [76]. It can be concluded from the aforementioned analysis of the literature that previous research studies on the adoption of sustainable practices have been carried out in many nations and industries. Studies on the significance of SSCM implementation techniques/issues in the Egyptian sector are rare in number, and even fewer have addressed sustainable implementation practices. It demonstrates the need for more study on how to use sustainable practices in Egyptian business. The purpose of this research study is to identify the many stationary enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains in order to address this issue.

4.3. Key Enablers of Resilience in SSCM

Resilience is the adaptive capability of a supply chain to plan for unexpected events, and react to and recover from interruptions by sustaining operational steadiness at the optimum level of connectivity, and regulate the function and structure [77]. In simpler terms, resilience is the ability to recover from adversity [78]. A resilient SC can avoid or withstand the effects of SC disruptions and recover from disruptions rapidly. Resilience is at the center of the current thoughts concerning SCM [79,80]. Thus, a resilient SC can prevent or withstand the effects of disruption and recover in a timely and economical manner [40]. Resilience has continually been a major factor in ensuring companies’ success. Moreover, SC resilience no longer exclusively means risk management [78,81]. It is now accepted that risk management includes being better situated than competitors to address disruptions in the SCs. Additionally, resilient SCs offer a benefit to companies via competitive gains [39]. It is essential to note the dimension of resilience to establishing a resilient system. The level of resilience required by a company depends largely on the context [82]. Additionally, SC resilience tends to be influenced by the antecedents of vulnerability, capability, and SC design and orientation [83,84]. Disruptions of SCs are unanticipated events interfering with the normal flows and operations among the SC players: materials, components and products [85]. These SC disruptions are branded by a high level of pensiveness that might start from different sources, including natural disasters, individual events, communication disruptions, physical hazards, acts of terror, and political instability [86,87]. Companies are more likely to encounter different forms of unanticipated vulnerabilities, creating slight to significant disruptions across their SCs [88]. Therefore, these companies have to identify and focus on the integral SC components, and policymakers need to reassess techniques for establishing more resilient international SCs [89]. For instance, digital technologies have caused some interruption in the building industry and related areas [47,48]. Thus, project managers have concentrated on establishing more resilient SCs to alleviate the impacts of interruptions [88]. The adverse impacts of disruptions can be tackled by SCs and significantly lessen the recovery time needed for building companies to return to usual operations [90]. An RSSCM involves the management of resources to meet the stakeholder’s requirements to realize high sustainability and resilience in SCs [91,92]. A major feature of the RSSCM is risk management. According to Mohandes et al. [89], the resilience of the SC is the fundamental component of SC management that aids quick recovery from interruptions. Different approaches are applied to attain the RSSCM, which include analysis of the transaction costs, network perspectives, the ST approach and total quality management [93,94]. At the phase of strategic network design, there tend to be connections between sustainability performance and SC resilience [95,96]. Fahimnia and Jabbarzadeh [97] illustrated how differences at the level of resilience influences social, economic and environmental sustainability of an SC. Likewise, the model-based prediction recommended by Ivanov [98] revealed how SC resilience can be related to sustainability factors in many ways. Jabbarzadeh et al. [95] analyzed a scenario in which the aims of resilience and sustainability are in contradiction. However, the protection of the facility need to be considered simultaneously to enhance resilience and sustainability [99]. Based on the fundamental concepts of RSSCM and SCM in building schemes, this study sheds more light on the major enablers of resilience in SSCM as presented in

Table 1. Key enablers of resilience in SSCM.

Code	Enablers	Studies
E1	Top Management Support	[1,100]
E2	Adaptability	[101,102]
E3	Visibility	[1,101,102,103]
E4	Health	[100,104]
E5	Compatibility	[1,100]
E6	Quality Awareness	[105]
E7	Responsiveness	[105,106]
E8	Technological Capability	[105,106,107]
E9	Agility	[100,104]
E10	Supply Chain Security	[104]
E11	Collaboration	[102,103]
E12	Swift Trust	[100,101]
E13	Risk and Revenue Sharing	[108,109]
E14	Information Sharing	[110,111]
E15	Flexible Structure	[106,112]
E16	Risk Management Culture	[105,106]
E17	Information Security	[113]
E18	Strategic Risk Planning	[94,114]
E19	Corporate Social	[115]
E20	Responsibility	[112,116]
E21	Contingency Planning	[105]
E22	Safety Stock	[106]
E23	Flexible Transportation	[105]
E24	Resource Efficiency	[100,104]
E25	Transparency	[105,106,107]
E26	Self-Regulation	[105]
E27	Market Sensitivity	[110,111]
E28	Tenacity	[101,102]
E29	Leadership	[1,101,102,103]
E30	Just in Time	[94,114]
E31	Proper Scheduling	[102,103]
E32	Composure	[106]

.

5. Research Methods

The aim of this study is to identify the stationary resilient and sustainable enablers. An (exploratory) study was utilized to investigate the critical literature review technique, and several stages of data collection, reorganization, and categorization were also employed. [117]. A critical review shows that the author has carefully read and reread the literature, and goes beyond a mere listing of well-known articles to include some conceptual innovation and insight [118]. To obtain a more thorough knowledge and understanding, the data for this study was compiled via the consideration of several materials, including published articles, research papers, official documents, green building codes, etc. As a result, from 1995 to 2022, a total of 32 enablers of resilient and sustainable practices were extracted from academic databases, including Scopus, and Web of Science. To do so, we performed a questionnaire poll to determine the importance of enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains. For this storm drainage industry research, participants were chosen from Cairo and Giza, Egypt’s two states that host the majority of the country’s development initiatives [119]. The survey questionnaire was divided into three sections, the first of which was intended to gather information on the participants’ backgrounds and the degrees of acquaintance with sustainable supply chains. Meanwhile, the next two parts were open-ended questions designed to encompass any criteria that participants thought were important, such as the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains. Participants rated each criterion using the Likert scale depending on their degree of competence and familiarity. The scale is a five-point scale “with 5 being extremely high, 4 being high, 3 being normal, 2 being low, and 1 being no or very low”. This five-point scale has been used in several previous studies [120,121,122,123,124,125,126,127]. The significance of the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains was quantified using this scale. In addition, the sample size was based on the aim of the analysis [128]. “More than thirty cases would be sufficient for a descriptive analysis such as mean, mode, and median for a normal distribution curve” [129]. As a result, 100 questionnaires were distributed, with 60 of them being totally completed. Accordingly, the return rate was 60%, which is considered usual and suggests that there was no problem with the questionnaire [130,131]. It is crucial to highlight that the sample size employed in this study is consistent with previous stationary analysis research [132,133,134,135,136,137]. Figure 1 depicts the research framework of this study, which was adapted from El-Kholy and Akal [138] and Al-Atesh et al. [139].

5.1. Common Method Variance

The bias resulting from the common methods variance (CMV) is known as common method bias (CMB) [140] and makes clear the findings of the error inquiry [141]. The data collection may frequently raise the severity of trigger problems like bias relationships [142,143]. Consequently, it is essential to recognize these problems in order to discover any CMV using a formal systematic one-factor analysis, which was carried out as advised by Harman [144] and Podsakoff et al. [141]. Factor analysis shows the degree of variance explained by the variable [143].

5.2. Relative Importance Index (RII)

In addition to identifying the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains, this study employed a mean rating and a list of relative importance index (RII) based characteristics to disclose the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains in the Egyptian industry. As a popular strategy for sorting and assessing variables [31,32,33], the RII was first found by Salleh [145] “as a statistical technique for prioritizing causes. Event frequency will be evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale and RII, while intensity will be evaluated using Equation (1)” [146,147].

$$RII=\frac{\sum \mathrm{w}}{A\times N}=\frac{5n_5+4n_4+3n_3+2n_2+1n_1}{5\times N}$$

(1)

where w is the participant’s weighting of each feature, A represents the maximum weight, and N represents the total number of participants. The statistical averages, standard deviations, and RII values computed from these inputs are shown in

Table 2. Relative importance index (RII) of the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains.

1	0.8 < RII < 1.0	High (H)
2	0.6 < RII < 0.8	High-Medium (H-M)
3	0.4 < RII < 0.6	Medium (M)
4	0.2 < RII < 0.4	Medium-Low (M-L)
5	0.0 < RII < 0.2	Low (L)

. The resulting ranking is then used to compare respondents’ assessments of the relevance of the items across the three categories they have established (consultants, owners and contractors). As a result of this research, the most essential characteristics that contribute to the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains in Egypt have been identified.

5.3. Stationary Analysis (Gini’s Mean)

This research followed the same methodology developed by Samuel and Ovie [148] to identify the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains that contribute to the demise of Egyptian contracting organizations. This approach entails the following procedures:

(a) Using the Gini’s mean difference measure of dispersion, we can calculate the mean of dispersion of the RII values [149] as shown in Equation (2):

$$G.M=\frac{G}{M}$$

(2)

where G.M is the Gini’s mean difference measure of dispersion, G is the sum of the differences in the values of all possible pairs of variables, and M is the total number of differences, where N is the number of variables and M is the total number of differences.

$$M=\frac{N\left(N-1\right)}{2}$$

(3)

(b) Using Equation (4), determine a weight for each RII number based on the derived Gini’s mean difference measure of dispersion:

$$Wi=G.M\times \frac{RIIi}{\mathrm{RII}1}$$

(4)

where RIIi is the relative index number of any cause, RII1 is the greatest relative index number, and Wi is the weight assigned to each RII number.

(c) In order to represent the stationary central value and match the RII calibration to reflect the stationary value, the weighted geometric mean (G.M. (w)) of the RII numbers must be specified (see Equation (5)):

$$G:M. \left(w\right)=Antilog\frac{\sum \mathrm{w}.\mathrm{logRII}}{\sum \mathrm{w}}$$

(5)

where ∑w is the sum of the weights assigned to the RII numbers.

6. Results

6.1. Consistency of the Collected Data

We utilized the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to evaluate our findings across the two domains of 32 enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains, after collecting questionnaires from 60 participants. The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.811 over the threshold value of 0.70 [150]. As a result, the gathered questionnaire data was considered to meet the standards for internal consistency, and to be trustworthy and valid for analysis.

6.2. Common Method Bias

The measurement of variance known as the common method bias, which affects the validity of the research, is the variance of error connected with the measured variables [141,151]. Single-factor analysis has been used in this work to determine the standard method variance [144]. The common technique bias has no impact on the data that has been obtained if the total variance of the components is less than 50% [152]. The results show that the first set of components accounts for 31.7% of the overall variation, hence the common method variance has no bearing on the outcomes [152].

6.3. Relative Importance Index (RII)

This study has revealed the 32 enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains. The data from the questionnaires was inputted into an SPSS computer using the RII method (relative importance index). The technique was utilized in this study to measure the importance of factors that impact the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains. The RII scales range from 0 to 1, with 0 not being included. The greater the significance of an RII value, the more the weight that criterion should be given, and vice versa. In line with the suggestions of Yap et al. [153], the transformation matrix is an RII assessment that considers both the initial significance and the importance created by the RII, as presented in Table 2.

Figure 2 and

Table 3. Relative importance of the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains.

Enablers	RII	Importance Level	Rank
E1	0.707	H-M	1
E7	0.690	H-M	2
E2	0.690	H-M	3
E3	0.690	H-M	4
E6	0.683	H-M	5
E9	0.673	H-M	6
E5	0.670	H-M	7
E16	0.660	H-M	8
E18	0.655	H-M	9
E31	0.653	H-M	10
E4	0.652	H-M	11
E14	0.651	H-M	12
E26	0.650	H-M	13
E30	0.650	H-M	14
E32	0.650	H-M	15
E8	0.640	H-M	16
E15	0.640	H-M	17
E28	0.640	H-M	18
E17	0.638	H-M	19
E20	0.631	H-M	20
E27	0.630	H-M	21
E11	0.627	H-M	22
E23	0.627	H-M	23
E13	0.623	H-M	24
E10	0.620	H-M	25
E29	0.607	H-M	26
E24	0.600	H-M	27
E21	0.590	H	28
E25	0.590	H	29
E22	0.577	H	30
E12	0.567	H	31
E19	0.547	H	32

present the relative importance index’s (RII) results concerning the enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains together with the associated rating and importance level. The analysis of the ranking confirmed that all the criteria were apportioned ‘High-Medium’ importance levels, except for the E12, E19, E21, E22 and E25 activities, which were apportioned ‘High’ importance level. Table 3 summarizes the relative importance of 32 enablers of resilient and sustainable supply chains.

6.4. Enablers of Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chains

The computation of Gini’s coefficient of mean difference requires an understanding of the RII number for each individual criterion. This can be estimated using Figure 3 and Equation (4). The Gini’s coefficient of mean difference (G.M) can be computed by summing up the variances between the values of the entire viable pairs of autonomous variables. Variances among the entire pairs of RII values are clearly presented in Figure 3. The value sum of variances among the entire imaginable pairs of variables was 496, the total of theses variations (G) was 20.74 and the G.M was 0.042 after computation using Equation (5). Moreover, as shown in

Table 4. Calculations of the weighted geometric mean.

Enablers	RII	Wi	Log RII	Wi. Log RII
E1	0.71	0.0418	−0.15078539	−0.006
E7	0.69	0.0408	−0.16115091	−0.007
E2	0.69	0.0408	−0.16115091	−0.007
E3	0.69	0.0408	−0.16115091	−0.007
E6	0.68	0.0404	−0.16536739	−0.007
E9	0.67	0.0398	−0.17176989	−0.007
E5	0.67	0.0396	−0.17392520	−0.007
E16	0.66	0.0390	−0.18045606	−0.007
E18	0.66	0.0387	−0.18375870	−0.007
E31	0.65	0.0387	−0.18486518	−0.007
E4	0.65	0.0386	−0.18575240	−0.007
E14	0.65	0.0385	−0.18641901	−0.007
E26	0.65	0.0385	−0.18708664	−0.007
E30	0.65	0.0385	−0.18708664	−0.007
E32	0.65	0.0385	−0.18708664	−0.007
E8	0.64	0.0379	−0.19382003	−0.007
E15	0.64	0.0379	−0.19382003	−0.007
E28	0.64	0.0379	−0.19382003	−0.007
E17	0.64	0.0377	−0.19517932	−0.007
E20	0.63	0.0373	−0.19997064	−0.007
E27	0.63	0.0373	−0.20065945	−0.007
E11	0.63	0.0371	−0.20296341	−0.008
E23	0.63	0.0371	−0.20296341	−0.008
E13	0.62	0.0369	−0.20527965	−0.008
E10	0.62	0.0367	−0.20760831	−0.008
E29	0.61	0.0359	−0.21704987	−0.008
E24	0.60	0.0355	−0.22184875	−0.008
E21	0.59	0.0349	−0.22914799	−0.008
E25	0.59	0.0349	−0.22914799	−0.008
E22	0.58	0.0349	−0.23907515	−0.008
E12	0.57	0.0000	−0.24667233	0.000
E19	0.55	0.0000	−0.262277407	0.000
Sum		1.142812		−0.2099

, the weighted geometric mean G.M (w) was 0.655 since $\sum w=1.143$ and $\sum w. Log RII=-0.2099$. It is implied that the RII values coincided with the values of RII in Table 4. Therefore, this enabler is the stationary resilient enabler in sustainable supply chains in Egypt.

7. Discussion

Stationary and Critical Enablers of Resilient and Sustainable Supply Chains

This study’s geometric mean of the RII values of the selected resilient enablers of sustainable supply chains (SCs) was 0.655. It implied that the stationary resilient enablers of SSCs in Egyptian building projects is ‘Strategic Risk Planning’. This finding concurred with Lam et al. [154]. It further elucidates that when corporate social responsibility is reinforced by the leadership, concerning the strategic risk planning, a flexible SC structure will be achieved. It will lead to a just-in-time technique. This type of technique will make the SC more visible and quicker [1]. Generally, the just-in-time technique and adaptability play a central role in supporting the RSSCM, since they stimulate the use of minimal raw materials, which can enhance sustainability. Different from a standard supply chain, the risks connected with SSCs (sustainable supply chains) comprise those caused by natural calamities, such as flooding and earthquakes. Poor management of natural calamity risks will likewise cause significant losses to the company. For instance, in 2011, Toyota’s production was reduced by 40,000 cars because of a tsunami and earthquake in Japan, and a resultant nuclear disaster, which led to estimated revenue losses totaling USD 72 million daily [155]. The supply chain for automobile and computer manufacturers was affected by floods in Thailand Sodhi and Chopra in 2011. The high-risk supply chain is infective and unstable. Once interrupted, it will cause significant losses. To maintain the long-term strategic benefits of the SSC, it is pertinent to lessen the threats and risks. Social responsibility and environmental issues might lead to SSC risks. Concerning environmental issues, contamination or resources waste can destroy the reputation of the company. Harm to reputation can influence the company’s revenues and destroy the brand’s image. Likewise low carbon strategies are essential. Many efforts have been made by governments since the Paris accord to lessen the emission of greenhouse gas (GHG), however, it has brought other threats to the supply chain of various businesses. For instance, agriculture, transportation and tourism are sectors strictly related to CO₂. Besides, attaining sustainability goals generates fresh risks to the conventional supply chain; thus, studying these risks is imperative. Some research was conducted based on industrial perspectives. For instance, reference [156] investigated supply chain risk management in agriculture. The findings revealed that there was less focus on risk management to realize a sustainable system of supply chains. Chowdhury and Quaddus [157] evaluated SSC risks within the context of the garment industry. The study identified some preferred strategies for resilience to alleviate the vulnerabilities. These comprised establishing contact between suppliers and buyers, backup capacity, the development of skills and efficiency, quality control, the adoption of ICT, improvement of the security system, forecasting demand, and responding to buyers. Thus, different studies have their own features. For instance, the foremost risk in the fabric industry are the utilization of labor and extended working hours. Some researchers have established risk detection, evaluation and management analysis. Abdel-Basset and Mohamed [158] have applied the TOPSIS-CRITIC approach to detect and evaluate SSC risks. The findings highlighted the importance of every criterion to assess the SSCRM. Hsu et al. [159] used the QFD-MCDM technique to moderate the SSC risks. Kusi-Sarpong et al. [160] utilized big data to analyze major SSC risks. Most of the risks are caused by pressure from external forces including buyers, the government and other stakeholders [161]. Consequently, risk planning has received increased attention in response to these pressures globally, hence a study on SSRCM is needed. A review by de Oliveira et al. [162] has highlighted the SSC risks factors in the form of a review that looks at the risk factors of a risky operational environment. Many studies have regularly ignored this risk factor, and a conducive operational environment can avoid several needless risks to SSCs.

Additionally, the RII results demonstrate that support from top management and flexibility are the essential facilitators of resilient and sustainable supply chains. The resilience of any SC may be increased with the help of top management backing, CSR initiatives, and solid strategic risk management. The RSSCM will grow as a result of information sharing, exchange, and integration across SC partners, according to the same conclusion reached by Katsaliaki et al. [163]. This is in accordance with Lam et al. [154] and underlines that a flexible SC structure would result from strategic risk planning, enabling a just-in-time approach when leadership strengthens corporate social responsibility. A strategy like this will increase the SC’s speed and visibility [1]. Furthermore, the balancing effect of strategic risk planning will increase adaptability [1]. In general, the RSSCM is made possible by flexibility and a just-in-time strategy, because they encourage the use of the fewest raw resources, which increases sustainability [164].

8. Conclusions and Recommendations

In numerous developing and developed nations, supplying outstanding sustainable and resilient supply chains has been enormously challenging. Resilience is central to companies’ capability to attain sustainability in the present volatile global conditions. To establish a more sustainable and resilient SC system, this study shows the critical enablers of resilience for RSSCM. Thirty-two enablers were derived from the existing literature. Subsequently, data was obtained from participants in the building business in developing countries. To aid in alleviating this problem, new enablers need to be implemented on choosing sustainable and resilient supply chains. Hence, this is the focus of the current research. Sustainable and resilient supply chains were evaluated by deriving 32 enablers. An RII approach was applied to rank the enablers and the best criteria were identified and selected. Additionally, the stationary enabler was explored to assess the sustainable and resilient supply chains. This study contributes to the existing literature by presenting useful results that could help investigators better understand the enablers of sustainable and resilient supply chains. Likewise, it lays a sound foundation for upcoming research on the subject. Based on this study’s results, it is suggested that industries should boost these enablers and present opportunities for professionals to polish their abilities for sustainable practice implementation. Seminars and training can help stakeholders understand the concept behind the topic, and hands-on experience using the skill itself can help them understand the details. Using a quantitative research technique, this study revealed 32 enablers for assessing sustainable and resilient supply chains in Giza and Cairo, Egypt. These findings could aid the industry in Egypt to become more ecologically friendly. The results could also assist companies in handling SC interferences, through obtaining inputs from a flexible supply base that enables them to change suppliers when manufacturing is endangered. There is little or no published research, which has used the stationary and ranking approach for similar purposes. Therefore, this research’s procedure is ground-breaking, and is the first piece of research to address the intricacies in the building industry in emerging nations concerning RSSCM.

9. Theoretical and Managerial Implications

This study has many theoretical and practical implications for use in industry and academia. The stagnation of Egyptian building projects delivery can largely be attributed to the fact that they are still executed using traditional old-style methods used previously. Similarly, it can be attributed to an over-all averseness to agreeing to take up innovation. Making these adjustments requires stakeholders to be open to approving new alternative designs, especially those that have an impact on real project delivery. The findings of this study show that sustainable supply chains have not been applied in Egyptian industry and support the significance of doing so. Participants should be made conscious of the significance of implementing new designs via workshops and seminars for successful project delivery. It will ease customers’ worries and unblock their misunderstandings concerning increasing costs. Results of this study will further aid managers and clients to recognize and eliminate the critical obstacle to the adoption of resilient and sustainable supply chains. Professionals in the supply chain domain should learn the methods, principles and ideas, delineated in ecologically approachable procedures.

Furthermore, companies in Egypt with a role in supply chains must offer regular green workshops for their participants and incorporate those conferences into their constant evaluations of worker growth and development. The role of government in executing public projects, and developing and enforcing regulations and policies, over a broader scope of industries is likewise imperative. Therefore, the government should be working to enact regulations and laws that would facilitate the application of enablers of sustainable supply chains in local industry.

Environmental concerns are now an integral part of strategy planning in organizations as a result of stringent governmental and environmental restrictions and the expectations on environmental accountability [150]. Thinking sustainably is imperative right now; it will be important for Egyptian industry to consider both the socioeconomic and environmental aspects of sustainability. Over the last few decades, Egyptian industry has achieved noteworthy strides in the areas of social responsibility, safety, and environmental preservation. There is, however, a lot of room for improvement. Aspects such as pollution management, biodiversity conservation, and global climate change, should be consistently prioritized by Egyptian industrial businesses. The efficiency of collaborations with other stakeholders or shareholders, and the amount of company commitment, will determine how well social responsibility initiatives perform. The problems are very complex, and future success will depend on more than just technological fixes; it will also undoubtedly require the ability to listen to and negotiate with a wide variety of partners, such as governments and community organizations [165]. Egyptian industry’s contributions to sustainable development should aim: 1. To satisfy the demands of society on industry safety and economy until substitute energy sources are accessible by providing the necessary technology, funds, and trained staff; 2. To lessen the negative effects of activities on the environment; 3. To collaborate with all facets of civil societies in a constructive and good manner; 4. To help in achieving the communities’ social goals; 5. To exhibit a high level of moral character [166]. In the coming years, a sustainable supply chain may aid firms in gaining a competitive edge and securing the loyalty of all stakeholders, including shareholders and investors [167]. In general, poor nations enforce sustainable practices through the appropriate legislation [168], whereas wealthy nations utilize sustainability as a marketing technique to attract consumers who are socially and ecologically sensitive and to create a positive brand image [55]. Until other adequate energy sources are available, the Egyptian industry’s responsibility in regard to sustainable development should be to satisfy the demands of the world and society at a fair cost, safely, and with the least negative environmental effects [55].

10. Limitations and Future Research

This work has made a substantial contribution, but it also has several shortcomings that should be acknowledged for future research areas. So, first of all, the study had geographical restrictions, thus its results cannot be broadly applied. Only Cairo-based construction industry experts received the surveys. To improve the generalizability of the research findings, future studies should take into account extending the study’s scope to cover other countries and states in Egypt. Secondly, because it is cross-sectional, the research is unable to account for organizational and historical factors that are unique to RSSCM implementation. In order to fully understand the relationship between RSSCM implementation enablers and sustained project performance across the project lifespan, future research should be longitudinal. Thirdly, the study was limited to employing a stationary technique to emphasize the key theoretical conceptualization enablers. Future studies can focus on determining the extent of these enablers by applying technology adoption theories, such the innovation diffusion theory, the technology organization and environment model (TOEM), sensitivity analysis, and the technology acceptance model (TAM).