Abstract

The theme of sustainable supply chains is explored from a particular configuration, Merge-In-Transit (MiT).
Three different operational strategies: Postponement, Mass Customization and Rapid Fulfilment are revisited in the light of MiT. Limitations to current understandings of ‘sustainability’ are recognised and an extension to this concept is explored in the context of Micro-Businesses (MBs).
In order to build operational approaches to this extension, different retailing structures are presented and discussed: direct marketing, supply chain, supply network and supply community. Finally, two languages: of needs and for interactions are presented and exemplified to show alternative approaches to build sustainability in supply chains where MBs participate actively.