Influence of external forces on supply chain sustainability goals and decisions in the oil and gas industry

The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework of the influence of external forces on supply chain sustainability goals and decisions. The framework is grounded on systems theory, contingency theory and institutional theory. It will be used to study sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices in the oil and gas (O&G) industry. The industry is facing intense pressure to operate sustainably due to increasing concerns about the impact of its operations and products to the environment and society. Tensions between internal and external demands regarding how sustainability issues should be addressed may arise due to this factor. A study on the influence of external forces on SSCM strategy of O&G will enable us to understand how the industry address the external pressure and the developmental causes of its sustainability-related supply chain goals and decisions. The paper concludes with recommendation for future study.