Journal article
Identifying Strategies for Balancing Profitability and Sustainability: An Exploratory Case from the Apparel Supply Chain
Sustainability, Vol.18(13), pp.1-26
06/07/2026
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Abstract
Business models have historically prioritized efficiency and profitability, often at the expense of environmental and social concerns. Balancing profitability and sustainability remain a central challenge in global apparel supply chains, amid increasing competitive, regulatory, and consumer scrutiny. This study explores how organizations navigate this tension through an interpretive case study of a South Asia-based apparel manufacturer that piloted multi-tier traceability technologies, combining physical and digital tracking to ensure a traceable chain of custody. In-depth interviews with senior decision-makers, guided by a deductive approach using strategic duality theory as a sensitizing device, identified four mechanisms for reconciling economic and environmental goals: (1) achieving economies of scale through digital platformatization; (2) enhancing authentication and verification; (3) creating benchmarking matrices linking sustainability and performance; and (4) enabling data-driven decision making. The study contributes to theory and practice by demonstrating how traceability technologies position sustainability as a long-term driver of profitability, innovation, and ethical value creation.
Details
- Title
- Identifying Strategies for Balancing Profitability and Sustainability: An Exploratory Case from the Apparel Supply Chain
- Creators
- Anuradha Colombage - Southern Cross UniversityDarshana Sedera - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Sustainability, Vol.18(13), pp.1-26
- Publisher
- MDPI; BASEL
- Grant note
This research received no external funding.
- Identifiers
- 991013389950502368
- Copyright
- © 2026 by the authors.
- Academic Unit
- Management; Faculty of Business, Law and Arts
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article