Degree

Master of Science in Management

Faculty / School

School of Business Studies (SBS)

Department

Department of Management

Date of Submission

Summer 2025-9-16

Supervisor

Dr. Ashar Saleem, Assistant Professor and Director Graduate Programs SBS

Committee Member 1

Dr. Hatim Fassi Fihri, Assistant Professor, Department of Management

Committee Member 2

Dr. Muhammad Ayaz, Assistant Professor, Department of Management

Project Type

MS Management Research Project

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

Inclusive Supply Chain, CPEC, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Community Development, Sustainability

Abstract

We examine the challenge of building inclusive supply chains within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), focusing on its implementation in the port city of Gwadar. The study assesses the disconnect between the project's macro-level economic ambitions and the micro-level experiences of the local community, using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for poverty, infrastructure, and inequality as a benchmark. Adopting a qualitative approach, this research draws on in-depth interviews with diverse local stakeholders, including fishers, traders, and community leaders, to capture the "voices from the ground." The findings reveal that CPEC must do substantial work in order to achieve inclusive supply chain benchmarks. Instead of integrating local actors, the project has fostered a "wall of mistrust" rooted in a lack of communication and the systematic exclusion of local businesses and labor from economic opportunities. This has disrupted traditional livelihoods, particularly the local fishing industry, while new infrastructure developments have not addressed the community's needs for basic services like water and electricity. These outcomes are in direct conflict with CPEC's potential to reduce poverty and inequality as envisioned by the SDGs. The study concludes that while the local population is not against development, their unaddressed grievances create a significant strategic risk, as their discontent could be exploited by hostile actors. For CPEC to achieve long-term success, a fundamental shift toward a community-centric and genuinely inclusive supply chain strategy is essential.

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