A taxonomy of green supply chain management capability among electronics-related manufacturing firms in Taiwan

This study investigated crucial green supply chain management (GSCM) capability dimensions and firm performance based on electronics-related manufacturing firms in Taiwan. On the basis of a factor analysis, six green supply chain management dimensions were identified: green manufacturing and packaging, environmental participation, green marketing, green suppliers, green stock, and green eco-design. According to their factor scores in the GSCM dimensions, a cluster analysis subsequently assigned responding firms into four groups, namely, the weak GSCM oriented group, the green marketing oriented group, the green supplier oriented group, and the green stock oriented group. Differences in firm performance and GSCM dimensions among groups were examined. Results indicated that the green marketing oriented group performed best. Based on the resource-based view (RBV), the capability of the green marketing oriented group was considered to be the deployment of a collection of resources that enables it to successfully compete against rivals. The importance of green marketing as a GSCM capability and strategic asset/critical resources for electronics-related manufacturing firms to obtain a competitive edge is therefore highlighted in this study.     

Mixed methodology to analyze the relationship between maturity of environmental management and the adoption of green supply chain management in Brazil

The aim of this research is to verify the relationship between the maturity levels of environmental management and the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices by electro-electronic companies in Brazil. In this work a two-phase research was conducted, with one quantitative and the other qualitative. The quantitative phase aimed to test whether a relationship between the maturity levels of environmental management and GSCM exists, while the qualitative phase tried to detail the characteristics of this relationship. The quantitative phase was conducted through a survey with 100 Brazilian electro-electronic companies and the collected data were processed using Structural Equation Modeling. For the qualitative phase, a multiple case study was conducted with three companies located in Brazil. The results indicate that: (1) The main hypothesis was confirmed and considered statistically valid, indicating that, indeed, the maturity level of environmental management influences the adoption of GSCM practices; (2) a coevolution tends to occur between the environmental maturity and the GSCM practices; that is, the more developed is the company's environmental management, more complex GSCM practices are adopted; and (3) the GSCM internal practices tend to present a greater relative adoption than the external practices; these external practices of GSCM tend to be adopted when the company is inserted in a higher environmental stage and/or operates under a scenario of stronger normative environmental pressure. By the way, this is the first research mixing survey and case studies on GSCM in Brazil.     

An analysis of the drivers affecting the implementation of green supply chain management

Green supply chain management has emerged as an important organizational philosophy to reduce environmental risks. We develop a model of the drivers affecting the implementation of green supply chain management using an Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) framework. The various drivers of green supply chain management (GSCM) are identified based on the GSM literature and on consultations with experts in the industry. The model developed is validated on a case study involving a manufacturing firm in southern India.     

企业绿色供应链管理实践的阶段性及其特征研究

本文在总结绿色供应链管理(GSCM)的现有研究成果与实践经验的基础上,提出可将企业在推进GSCM的实践划分为4个阶段:生存需求阶段、初步合作阶段、源头绿色化阶段、自我价值实现阶段。设计了调查问卷,对165家国内企业在推进GSCM的实践情况进行了调研。研究结果表明:这些企业在GSCM方面尚处于初级阶段,具体表现为由"消极应对"向"有所策划和初步实践"过渡;这一阶段的主要实施手段包括"回收利用生产过程中产生的废料"、"要求供应商提供清洁环保的产品"、"为消费者提供产品相关的环境信息"、"推进清洁生产审核"等。通过该实证研究以期为政府有关部门制定促进可持续发展的相关政策提供参考。     

Initiatives and outcomes of green supply chain management implementation by Chinese manufacturers

This paper aims to explore the green supply chain management (GSCM) initiatives (implementation) of various manufacturing industrial sectors in China and examine the links between GSCM initiatives and performance outcomes. We conducted a survey to collect data from four typical manufacturing industrial sectors in China, namely, power generating, chemical/petroleum, electrical/electronic and automobile, and received 171 valid organizational responses for data analysis. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data. The results are consistent with our prediction that the different manufacturing industry types display different levels of GSCM implementation and outcomes. We specifically found that the electrical/electronic industry has relatively higher levels of GSCM implementation and achieves better performance outcomes than the other three manufacturer types. Implications of the results are discussed and suggestions for further research on the implementation of GSCM are offered.     

Role of behavioural factors in green supply chain management implementation in Indian mining industries

Green supply chain management (GSCM) integrates ecological concepts with those of supply chain management in order to minimize energy and material usage and to reduce adverse impacts of supply chain activities on the environment. GSCM implementation in mining industries depends largely upon certain factors which are influenced by human behaviours. Human behaviour is dynamic in nature and the relationships between them continuously evolve and change. In this ever-changing context, therefore, identifying and ranking the behavioural factors that affect GSCM implementation becomes essential. This can be taken as a reference by the decision makers while deciding the hierarchy of action necessary for effective implementation of green practices in mining supply chains. The present research attempts to explore various behavioural factors affecting GCSM practices and their interactions which help to attain green-enabled needs. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) is employed in this research to extract the interrelationships among the identified behavioural factors.     

Development of key performance measures for the automobile green supply chain

The main purpose of this study was to develop a set of measures for evaluating the performance of the automobile green supply chain. This study reviewed various literatures on green supply chain performance measurement, environmental management, traditional supply chain performance measurement, and automobile supply chain management. In order to comprehensively and effectively establish the relevant measures, a suitable framework which considered the automobile green supply chain as a two-in-one chain was adopted. This two-in-one chain comprised a forward and backward chain for the automobile industry. Consequently, 10 measures with 49 metrics and 6 measures with 23 metrics were identified and developed for the forward and backward chains, respectively. Sequel to the development of these measures, a survey was conducted using a four-page questionnaire distributed to experts (including academics and practitioners) to establish their importance and applicability. The findings of this study suggested that the importance and applicability of all the developed measures have been substantiated. For the forward chain, the most crucial measure was customer perspective while the most applicable one was traditional supply chain cost. The reverse chain measures were topped by management commitment in terms of both importance and applicability. This study contributed to the advancement of knowledge by pioneering the development of a set of holistic measures for evaluating the performance of the automobile green supply chain. The study was wrapped up with the proposition of directions for further studies.     

浅议石油企业绿色采购管理

随着环境保护标准的日益严格、公众环境权益要求的不断提高,石油企业实施绿色采购已成为实施节能减排、提高竞争能力、实现又快又好发展的重要途径;这也是建设环境友好型、资源节约型企业的重要内容。石油企业应从推行物资供应各环节监管、实施物资生命周期全过程评估、加强物资产品供应商管理、强化物资流通信息化建设等方面,建立完善的企业绿色采购管理体系。     

Fuzzy multiple-criteria decision-making approach for industrial green engineering

This paper describes a fuzzy hierarchical analytic approach to determine the weighting of subjective judgments. In addition, it presents a nonadditive fuzzy integral technique to evaluate a green engineering industry case as a fuzzy multicriteria decision-making (FMCDM) problem. When the investment strategies are evaluated from various aspects, such as economic effectiveness, technical feasibility, and environmental regulation, it can be regarded as an FMCDM problem. Since stakeholders cannot clearly estimate each considered criterion in terms of numerical values for the anticipated alternatives/strategies, fuzziness is considered to be applicable. Consequently, this paper uses triangular fuzzy numbers to establish weights and anticipated achievement values. By ranking fuzzy weights and fuzzy synthetic utility values, we can determine the relative importance of criteria and decide the best strategies. This paper applies what is called a λ fuzzy measure and nonadditive fuzzy integral technique to evaluate the synthetic performance of green engineering strategies for aquatic products processors in Taiwan. In addition, we demonstrate that the nonadditive fuzzy integral is an effective evaluation and appears to be appropriate, especially when the criteria are not independent.     

Fostering green innovation in achieving sustainable performance

Nowadays, sustainable development has been underlined as critical in relation to firm performance and is becoming a global concern. Green innovation is believed to be a fundamental approach to environmental protection and determines the firms' competitiveness. Many factors drive the success of adopting green innovation. Unfortunately, many studies generally focus on large industries. This study investigates the influence of the firms' external pressure and internal factors simultaneously on the adoption of green innovation in small enterprises in developing countries. We conceptualized the four factors that may determine the successful implementation of green innovation to achieve sustainable performance, including environmental regulations, customer pressure, resources and capabilities, and management commitment. Data were gathered from 160 food sector SMEs in Malang Raya, Indonesia. Data analysis used structural equation modeling with the partial least squares approach (SEM-PLS). The empirical results conclude the positive effects of customer pressure, resources and capabilities, and commitment management on green innovation, which in turn had a positive on sustainable performance. The results also confirmed that environmental regulations did not significantly impact green innovation. The findings provide valuable contributions and encourage SMEs to foster green innovation's potential for better sustainable performance and competitive advantage. The findings also offer integrated perspectives on how firms should be more innovative toward sustainability.     

Certification of environmental management systems—for iso 9000 and competitive advantage

ISO 9000 has become the buzzword of many industries worldwide as they strive to gain competitive advantage by registering their quality systems. At the same time, environmental performance and improvement is becoming increasingly important in the global marketplace. Work has begun to integrate these two important concepts into a new one: certification of environmental management systems. This article explains the new standard and why companies need to recognize and react to their international environmental impact.     

Company engagement with supply chains to protect biodiversity and rare,threatened, and endangered species

Future global megatrends project a population increase of 2 billion people between 2019 and 2050 and at least 1–2 billion people added to the global middle class between 2016 and 2030. In addition, 68% of the world's population is projected to be living in urban areas by 2050. With these projected large population increases and shifts, demand for food, water, and energy is projected to grow by approximately 35, 40, and 50%, respectively, between 2010 and 2030. In addition, between 1970 and 2014 there was an estimated 60% reduction in the number of wildlife in the world and an estimated net loss of 2.9 billion birds, or 29%, in North America between 1970 and 2018. Loss of species populations and number of species is interconnected with reduced health of biodiversity and ecosystems. Human activity has been the main catalyst for these substantial declines primarily through impacts on habitats. These losses are accelerating. Since a company's supply chain environmental impacts are often as great or greater than its own direct environmental impacts, it may be prudent for companies to engage with their supply chains to protect and enhance habitats and biodiversity and protect rare, threatened, and endangered species. As one example, companies may have opportunities and strategic reasons to include requirements in their supplier codes of conduct and supplier standards for suppliers to protect biodiversity and rare, threatened, and endangered species, as well as additional requirements to expand or enhance habitats and ecosystems to increase biodiversity. This article follows one pathway that companies could pursue further and with greater speed—to engage with their supply chains to strengthen supplier codes of conduct to protect biodiversity and rare, threatened, and endangered species. The importance of forests, private land, and landscape partnerships is discussed as means to protect much more of the planet's biodiversity and rare, threatened, and endangered species. Lastly, the article identifies examples of opportunities for companies to more formally incorporate biodiversity into their business, supply chain, and sustainability strategies.     

Supplier codes of conduct: Company authorization of subcontractors

Companies continue to build greater sustainability and transparency in their supply chains to increase their business value and to respond to greater stakeholder pressures and expectations to increase sustainability and transparency. As company supply chains have grown and expanded, which presents increased challenges for building greater transparency, it is possible that the use of subcontractors in supply chains has also increased. The amount and impact of subcontracting conducted in supply chains may be of greater concern to certain companies and/or sectors than others, and it may have an important impact on their sustainability efforts. This article assesses the extent to which supplier codes of conduct apply to the use of subcontractors and include a requirement for suppliers to obtain prior company approval or authorization before subcontractors conduct work. Based on a review of more than 50 supplier codes of conduct, the companies that are highlighted in this article for including this requirement are primarily in the apparel/footwear, food, pharmaceuticals, and/or retail sectors. The article asserts that supplier codes of conduct that include requirements for suppliers to protect and safeguard confidential business information could be strengthened to further protect the company's products, integrity, and reputation/brand and increase its competitiveness and resilience by also including a requirement of prior approval or authorization of a supplier's use of subcontractors.     

Green procurement in Norway; a survey of practices at the municipal and county level

Consumer pressure is usually considered as one of the major drivers for more environmental friendly products. During the last decade an increasing focus on public procurement has emerged as an important contributor to that pressure. In this paper we focus on the role of municipalities and counties in green public procurement. Based on surveys we investigate to what degree green public procurement is implemented in Norwegian municipalities and counties and which capabilities are critical for successful green procurement. We both investigate to what degree environmental information is requested in call for tenders and also to what degree the information is actually used in the final selection of supplier. The information gathered from the municipalities and counties is compared with information obtained from potential suppliers to see if suppliers and purchasers agree on the importance of environmental demands in the selection of suppliers.     

Reverse logistics in Malaysia: Investigating the effect of green product design and resource commitment

Reverse logistics and green product design are green supply chain management practices that are being implemented to demonstrate firm's commitment to environmental sustainability. The generation of waste from electrical and electronic equipments prompts the viability of product recovery to salvage invested material and energy. Selection of various reverse logistics product disposition options relies on products’ residual value and the accessibility of reusable content for re-entry in forward supply chain. This study explores the effect of green product design and resource commitment on reverse logistics product disposition by employing empirical analysis on 89 returned mail survey received from ISO14001 certified electrical and electronic manufacturing firms in Malaysia. The results indicated that design for disassembly is necessary to harvest valuable inventories from every product disposition options except of disposal whereas design for environment and commitment of resources have slight influence on repair and disposal activities. As the evidences show that green product design and reverse logistics product disposition are interrelated, firms ought to undertake environmentally proactive approaches to generate benefits from resources that are undeservingly discarded as landfill waste.     

Resolution of an uncertain closed-loop logistics model: An application to fuzzy linear programs with risk analysis

With the urgency of global warming, green supply chain management, logistics in particular, has drawn the attention of researchers. Although there are closed-loop green logistics models in the literature, most of them do not consider the uncertain environment in general terms. In this study, a generalized model is proposed where the uncertainty is expressed by fuzzy numbers. An interval programming model is proposed by the defined means and mean square imprecision index obtained from the integrated information of all the level cuts of fuzzy numbers. The resolution for interval programming is based on the decision maker (DM)’s preference. The resulting solution provides useful information on the expected solutions under a confidence level containing a degree of risk. The results suggest that the more optimistic the DM is, the better is the resulting solution. However, a higher risk of violation of the resource constraints is also present. By defining this probable risk, a solution procedure was developed with numerical illustrations. This provides a DM trade-off mechanism between logistic cost and the risk.     

The view from below: ‘lock-in’ and local procurement in the African gold mining sector

Through linkage creation, commodity extraction has the capacity to support local industrial production and capabilities building. Drawing on the experience of supplying inputs into the East African gold mining industry, this paper examines the constraints experienced by local suppliers arising from the purchasing procedures of large mining corporations and specialist construction companies contracted to construct these mines. Lead firms become locked-in to particular ways of working which minimise the opportunities that local suppliers have in providing products and services. After reviewing the situation for local mining suppliers in East Africa, the paper examines ways in which lead firms, the suppliers themselves and others (governments and industry associations) can better support local supplier involvement.     

Tracking the implementation of green credit policy in China: top-down perspective and bottom-up reform

The Chinese government has introduced the green credit policy to mitigate the environmental impact of industrialization by reining in credit loans to companies and projects with poor environmental performance. This research investigated the implementation of the green credit policy both at the national and provincial levels. Our results show that the green credit policy is not fully implemented. The wide-ranging impact on high-polluting and high energy-consuming industries, vague policy details unclear implementing standards, and lack of environmental information are the main problems in the implementation of the green credit policy in China. On the other hand, the practice at local level (Jiangsu Province) is more practical by integrating green credit policy with the environmental performance rating system. Finally, suggestions are outlined to improve China's green credit policy.     

面向环境的精益供应链管理

当前,资源紧张和环境恶化已成为全球性的两大难题.在有效控制生产成本的同时,将资源浪费和环境污染降至最低,已成为企业可持续发展的必然选择.文章简介了绿色制造和精益生产的基本内涵,分析了面向环境的精益供应链的构建原则,提出了一种面向环境的精益供应链结构模型,并分析了其运作机制.     

Are EMS environmentally effective? The link between environmental management systems and environmental performance in European companies

Based on the analysis of a large dataset on the environmental performance of European companies in five industrial sectors, this paper examines the question of whether the presence of an environmental management system (EMS) has a positive impact on the eco-efficiency of companies. It begins with a review of evidence about the link between EMS and environmental performance in business organisations, finding that, despite much research, there is still little quantitative evidence. The second part of the paper uses three independent statistical methods (simple correlations, Jaggi-Freedman indices and a ‘trend differences’ approach) to assess whether companies and production sites with EMS perform better than those without and whether performance improves after an EMS has been introduced. The paper shows that there is currently no evidence that EMS have a consistent and significant positive impact on environmental performance. Policy action based on the simple assumption that companies with an EMS perform better than those without therefore seems inappropriate.