Supply Chain Paradox: Green-field Architecture for Sustainable Strategy Formulation Petar Radanliev 1 , Hefin Rowlands 2 , Andrew Thomas 3 1 University of South Wales, Faculty of Business and Society, Treforest Campus, Pontypridd, Wales, CF37 1DL, UK petar.radanliev@southwales.ac.uk 2 University of South Wales, Faculty of Business and Society, Treforest Campus, Pontypridd, Wales, CF37 1DL, UK hefin.rowlands@southwales.ac.uk 3 University of South Wales, Faculty of Business and Society, Treforest Campus, Pontypridd, Wales, CF37 1DL, UK andrew.thomas@southwales.ac.uk Abstract The focus of this paper is on supply chain strategy formulation. A conceptual theory approach is used for investigating and identifying the relationship between multiple elements, dimensions, forces and factors that influence and affect the supply chain strategy formulation in Greenfield context, specific to the slate mining industry. The research study involved secondary data review and series of 20 qualitative interviews, followed by 2 group discussions, one with mining and transportation experts external to the supply chain and one group discussion with supply chain internal experts. Through critical analysis, a number of problems emerge and the process of addressing these problems, results in a new framework for evaluating the relationship between business and supply chain strategy, specific to Greenfield project and integration design context. 1. Introduction A Supply chain represents a networked organisation where its performance depends on optimising and coordinating operations towards a common goal. This definition is the basis for identifying the supply chain paradox explored in this paper. The paradox is created when companies are only interested in strengthening their own competitive advantage at the expense of delivering benefit to the whole supply chain. However, in most scenarios a single company cannot singularly perform all operations in the supply chain and unless all parts are optimised towards a common goal the supply chain cannot be enhanced. Therefore, individual companies in a supply chain are part of a larger conceptual system that has a purpose of its own. Following the same logic, if the supply chain KES Transactions on Sustainable Design and Manufacturing I Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2014 : pp.839-850 : Paper sdm14-086 InImpact: The Journal of Innovation Impact | ISSN 2051-6002 | http://www.inimpact.org Copyright © 2014 Future Technology Press and the authors 839