Sustainable supply chain management: research pathways based on empirical evidence from Chinese automotive companies

China’s current development model presents an over-emphasis on short-term economic gains over long-term sustainable development. As business activities play a crucial role in creating and solving such problems, firms are increasingly encouraged to take the initiative to contribute to the future. However, most companies in emerging economies are competing in the world market based on cost advantages. These firms, being predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources, tend to favour short-term financial gains over long-term sustainability. It is clear that firms with a short-sighted focus on economic gains are not truly sustainable and those aiming for sustaining success need to balance various sustainability initiatives to meet current targets without compromising future prosperity. This chapter aims to provide insights on the status quo of sustainable development in the context of emerging economies’ manufacturing sector. A systematic review of theories and empirical studies was conducted to clarify the research pathways on sustainability. Case studies with eight Chinese automotive companies were also carried out, and future research directions are proposed based on the findings.