Journal of Management and Sustainability; Vol. 7, No. 2; 2017 ISSN1925-4725 E-ISSN 1925-4733 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 135 The Factors Affecting Green Supply Chains: Empirical Study of Agricultural Chains in Vietnam Thị Mai Yến Phạm 1 & Thị Minh Khuyên Phạm 1 1 Thái Nguyên University of Technology, Thai Nguyen city, Vietnam Correspondence: Thị Mai Yến Phạm, Thái Nguyên University of Technology, Thai Nguyen city, Vietnam. E-mail: yen.phammai@tnut.edu.vn or khuyenqlcn@gmail.com Received: March 15, 2017 Accepted: April 3, 2017 Online Published: May 29, 2017 doi:10.5539/jms.v7n2p135 URL: http://doi.org/10.5539/jms.v7n2p135 Abstract This paper aims at identifying the factors affecting green supply chain in agriculture in Vietnam currently. The literature indicates 14 factors affecting green supply chains in agriculture including: (i) manager commitment, (ii) IT system, (iii) new technology, (iv) organizational culture, (v) HR quality, (vi) energy & waste management, (vii) market & competition, (viii) political supports, (ix) knowledge & experience, (x) actors’ participation, (xi) costs, (xii) suppliers, (xiii) logistics management, and (xiv) consumer awareness. Our regression model with 14 independent variables was established to determine the factors affecting the success of green supply chains in Vietnam agriculture. The regression results show six factors affecting significantly and positively green supply chain in agriculture in Vietnam, including: (i) manager commitment, (ii) new technology, (iii) HR quality, (iv) knowledge & experience, (v) logistic management, and (vi) consumer awareness. Hence, the paper suggests some recommendations to Vietnam firms and State for improving green supply chain in agriculture. Keywords: supply chain, green supply chain, agriculture, firm, Vietnam 1. Introduction A supply chain is the sequence of processes involved in the production and distribution of a product, with the participation of organizations and individuals for changing materials into products and delivering to consumers through transport services (Tomohiro, 2011). Since 1990, manufacturers have had to be confronted with the pressure to solve the environmental issues in their supply chains so as to reduce to a minimum the environmental impacts of a product or service. Green supply chains were created and developed widely in most developing countries and then spread out into the surrounding areas. The 2009 survey results on 13.000 in more than 17 Asian countries by Global Intelligence Alliance Group (GIA—a market consultant) indicate that consumers are willing to spend more on green products. Specially, in Japan, 70% of consumers are willing to accept 5% higher prices; that of Australia is 57% and Singapore 55%. Also, under GIA’s survey, the stringent regulations of some countries like Europe, United States of America, on the restriction of hazardous substances promote the development of green supply chains. Green supply chain plays an important role in the world’s economy currently, especially in agriculture. In addition, consumers’ health has received much more attention by managing the contents of hazards substances and agricultural by-products. Vietnam is a country in which agriculture makes up a high proportion and its agricultural products for export are expanding to European countries where the product quality requirements are rather stringent. Joining the tendency towards applying green supply chain, Vietnam is attaching special importance to develop green supply chains in agriculture to improve the competitive capacity of its agricultural products in the world market. According to the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, as of November 2016, 50 Vietnam provinces and cities apply the model of safe food supply chain with a total of 144 chains (144 chains were granted certificates). Nevertheless, as assessed by the economic experts, Vietnam’s agricultural products have less competitiveness compared to those of other countries in the global market. Also, the links among participants in Vietnam green supply chains are weak due to the numerous factors affecting green supply chain in agriculture. For the reasons above, we decided to study the subject that focuses on “The factors affecting green supply chains: empirical study of agricultural chains in Vietnam”. This research aims to assess the current situation of Vietnam