Objective: The study aims to review the development of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by examining the extent of adoption, strategic drivers and barriers, and performance outcomes across different contexts. Methods: A scoping review was performed to identify, analyze, and synthesize peer-reviewed studies published from 2008 to 2024. The literature search used Google Scholar via Publish or Perish and the Uganda Management Institute Library databases (EBSCOhost, JSTOR, Emerald, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, and Elsevier). Thematic synthesis was used to combine conceptual and empirical insights. Results: Findings show that SMEs’ involvement in GSCM shifts from compliance-based to capability-driven sustainability. Adoption is primarily driven by regulatory and stakeholder pressures, but is sustained by managerial commitment, collaboration, and digital preparedness. Significant challenges include financial limitations, capability gaps, and policy inconsistencies. Conclusion: The study finds that GSCM adoption in SMEs involves a complex interaction among institutional pressures, managerial perceptions, and capabilities, which vary significantly across different contexts, sectors, and resource conditions. The review suggests a step-by-step capability-building approach in which SMEs must strategically align regulatory compliance with innovation, analytics, and supplier collaboration to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.
AGWOT, K. ROBERT. (2025). Small is Green? A Scoping Review of Green Supply Chain Management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Journal of Optimization and Supply Chain Management, 2(4), 255–271. https://doi.org/10.22034/ISS.2026.10054.1067
MLA
AGWOT, K. ROBERT. "Small is Green? A Scoping Review of Green Supply Chain Management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)", Journal of Optimization and Supply Chain Management, 2, 4, 2025, 255–271. doi: 10.22034/ISS.2026.10054.1067
HARVARD
AGWOT, K. ROBERT. (2025). 'Small is Green? A Scoping Review of Green Supply Chain Management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)', Journal of Optimization and Supply Chain Management, 2(4), pp. 255–271. doi: 10.22034/ISS.2026.10054.1067
CHICAGO
AGWOT, K. ROBERT, "Small is Green? A Scoping Review of Green Supply Chain Management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)." Journal of Optimization and Supply Chain Management, 2 4 (2025): 255–271, doi: 10.22034/ISS.2026.10054.1067
VANCOUVER
AGWOT K. ROBERT. Small is Green? A Scoping Review of Green Supply Chain Management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). JOSCM. 2025;2(4):255–271. doi: 10.22034/ISS.2026.10054.1067
