The effect of low-carbon supply chain practices on operational excellence : Norma Mohter the mediating roles of resource efficiency and carbon reduction capability in the malaysian automotive industry /

Faculty of Industrial Management

Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy) -- Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah - 2026

Includes bibliographical references

The increasing levels of carbon emission represents a critical challenge that requires effective solutions, particularly within the automotive industry. The automotive industry, as a major contributor to carbon emissions, faces significant pressure to adopt sustainable practices. Using a sample of automotive companies in Malaysia, this research investigates the relationship between low-carbon supply chain (LCSC) practices such low-carbon product design, low-carbon production process, low-carbon logistics management, low-carbon financial management and low-carbon information management on achieving operational excellence (OE), with resource efficiency (RE) and carbon reduction capability (CRC) acting as mediating factors. The questionnaire was distributed to manager and higher position in automotive company, in return 154 respondents has been collected. By using SPSS version 29.0.1.0 and SmartPLS version 4.1.0.9 software as statistical tools in this research, the findings reveal that product design, production process and financial management have a positive and significant effect on OE mediated by RE, while product design have positive and significant effect on OE mediated by CRC. The finding also highlights Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) analysis for automotive company to achieve 100% outcome. These results emphasise the importance of adopting sustainable strategies to meet stakeholder and regulatory demands while enhancing organisational competitiveness and performance outcomes. The study also highlights that transitioning to low carbon supply chain practices enables automotive companies to reduce emissions, align with sustainability goals, and meet evolving stakeholder expectations. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable supply chain management by demonstrating the practical and strategic value of integrating low-carbon practices in supply chain activities. It provides actionable insights for practitioners, suggesting that focusing on resource efficiency can amplify the positive effects of LCSC practices on OE. The study concludes by recommending that automotive companies prioritise low-carbon initiatives to address environmental concerns, gain a competitive advantage, and achieve long-term operational excellence.