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PurposeThe paper's purpose is to outline the potential competitive advantage firms can create through the creation of a sustainable supply chain, and to describe potential measures for managers to use.Design/methodology/approachArguing that firms can increase their competitive advantage as a result of a stronger triple bottom line, propositions are created from a natural‐resource‐based view of the firm perspective that is supported using accounting theory, management strategy, green logistics and supply chain literatures. Secondary data resources that could be used for testing by managers and academicians are identified.FindingsThe paper finds that, as sources of competitive advantage for firm become scarcer, potential new areas of advantage must be explored.Practical implicationsThis research will serve to help managers in the exploration of these possible outlets.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to explore the impact of a sustainable supply chain on the triple‐bottom line of a firm. Not only does this fill a necessary gap, it also serves to bring together the supply chain, sustainability and triple‐bottom‐line literatures to create a potential advantage for future organizations.

Background Although death is a primary motivator of behavior, it is not widely studied in marketing. Focus of the Article Through case analysis, integration of literature, and in-depth interviews of terminally ill patients, we explore the factors that change the consumption of medical treatment and the social issues that arise between themselves and other key stakeholders. Research Question What variables impact the decision-making process of terminally ill patients who choose to use an illegal treatment option? Program Design/Approach We explore the factors influencing consumption practices at the end of life through case analysis, literature integration, and in-depth interviews of terminally ill patients. Importance to Social Marketing Field This research gives social marketers a rare glimpse into the mind of the consumer at a pivotal moment of consumption end-of-life. Our exploration shows that when the conventional medical system fails, medical consumers engage in creative consumption patterns. Understanding these patterns allows social marketers to better understand and engage with terminally or chronically ill consumers. Methods This is a qualitative study using in-depth interviews. Results This study found that having an intimate relationship with mortality eliminates or weakens the constraints of cultural institutions and social groups as a part of the decision-making process.

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify and explain how leadership behaviors of sales managers can enhance the development of salespeople within the context of those interpersonal connections and interactions that is the sales ecosystem.


Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected and analyzed qualitative data from in-depth interviews with a sample of 36 sales professionals. Over 47 hours of interviews were transcribed and analyzed via NVivo. The statements were labeled as particular leader behaviors using the Miles and Huberman (1994) coding system.


Findings
The study identifies coaching, customer engaging, collaborating and championing as the four key leader behaviors that are relevant to the sales ecosystem. Specifically, coaching and customer engaging enhance the individual microsystems of salespeople; and collaborating and championing enhance the corresponding mesosystems. Analysis of the interview statements further revealed that trust, confidence, optimism and resilience are four relational elements that tend to coexist with these leader behaviors in the sales ecosystem.


Practical implications
This study provides a structure for sales organizations to strengthen their sales ecosystem through targeted interventions and training for those that manage salespeople. Past research finds that sales organizations too often neglect this type of managerial training.


Originality/value
This is the first study to examine sales leadership through the lens of Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory. Further, the qualitative methodology, which is relatively unique in sales research, provides rich data that is particularly useful for exploring how and why things have happened.