Determinants of circular supply chain implementation in a resource-constrained country: Evidence from Liberia’s mineral water industry

Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Determinants of circular supply chain implementation in a resource-constrained country: Evidence from Liberia’s mineral water industry
 
Creator Nyema, Samuel M. Mbhele, Thokozani P.
 
Subject Supply Chain Management circular supply chain; resource scarcity; organisational capabilities; government policy; mineral water sector; sustainability
Description Background: Mineral water companies face growing environmental challenges and resource depletion, yet circular supply chain (CSC) adoption remains uneven. In developing economies, structural resource scarcity limits firms’ ability to build capabilities using conventional models, creating a gap in understanding how circular practices emerge under constraints.Objectives: This study examined how internal organisational factors influence CSC implementation in Liberia’s mineral water sector, and how government policy moderates this relationship, focusing on firms operating under resource scarcity.Method: A quantitative approach surveyed 306 respondents from three mineral water companies. Data were collected from supply chain personnel and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to examine the effects of managerial commitment, operational process capability, resource allocation discipline and government policy on CSC adoption.Results: Managerial commitment, operational process capability and disciplined resource allocation significantly influenced CSC implementation. Government policy strengthened the link between internal capabilities and implementation, enhancing adoption when aligned with firm capacities.Conclusion: Internal organisational factors are critical drivers of CSC implementation under scarcity, and supportive policy frameworks amplify their effect. Scarcity can act as a generative condition that reshapes resource prioritisation and allocation for sustainable operations.Contribution: The study extends the resource-based view by demonstrating how firms develop circular capabilities under persistent scarcity. It offers empirical evidence on internal mechanisms and policy interactions that enable CSC implementation in developing economies, providing insights for managers and policymakers seeking to enhance sustainability in resource-constrained contexts.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor University of KwaZulu-Natal
Date 2026-07-08
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — —
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/jtscm.v20i0.1390
 
Source Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management; Vol 20 (2026); 17 pages 1995-5235 2310-8789
 
Language eng
 
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https://jtscm.co.za/index.php/jtscm/article/view/1390/2318 https://jtscm.co.za/index.php/jtscm/article/view/1390/2319 https://jtscm.co.za/index.php/jtscm/article/view/1390/2320 https://jtscm.co.za/index.php/jtscm/article/view/1390/2321
 
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Rights Copyright (c) 2026 Samuel M. Nyema, Thokozani P. Mbhele https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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