Sustainable Futures | 2026
Authors: Al Humdan E.
DOI: 10.1016/j.sftr.2026.101804
Journal: Sustainable Futures
Year: 2026
Publisher: Elsevier Ltd
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access
Cited by: 0
Multi-project environments (MPEs) are increasingly characterised by interdependent supply chains (SCs), shared resource pools, and systemic exposure to disruption cascades, yet existing research continues to conceptualise agility primarily at the level of individual projects or firms. This study introduces Meta–Supply Chain Agility (Meta-SCA) as a higher-order dynamic capability that enables coordinated sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring across interconnected project SCs. Drawing on dynamic capabilities theory and multi-project management scholarship, the paper develops a comprehensive conceptual framework explaining how agility emerges at the portfolio level through cross-project visibility, integrated decision-making, and flexible supply-network reallocation. Beyond enhancing responsiveness, Meta-SCA contributes to sustainable outcomes by reducing redundant procurement, minimising material waste, and limiting carbon-intensive recovery actions during disruptions. An illustrative scenario demonstrates how Meta-SCA operates under real-world conditions and highlights the importance of governance maturity, digital integration, and supplier flexibility in strengthening portfolio-wide resilience and environmental efficiency. The study reframes agility as a system-level capability that jointly advances resilience and sustainable performance and identifies avenues for empirical examination across diverse organisational contexts. © 2026 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Dynamic capabilities; Multi-project environments; Portfolio-level coordination; Project-based supply networks; Supply chain agility