Impacts of collaboration networks, operational performance and reverse logistics determinants on the performance outcomes of the auto parts industry

The objectives of this study were to develop a framework of the collaboration network, operational performance, and reverse logistics determinants on the performance outcomes of the auto parts industry, and to study the direct, indirect, and overall effects of the factors that influence the performance outcomes of the auto parts industry. This quantitative research utilized a questionnaire as the tool for data collection, which was completed by the managers in the auto parts industry from 320 companies. According to the analysis with the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), it was found that the collaboration networks, operational performance, and reverse logistics positively affect the performance outcomes; whereas, the collaboration networks mainly affect the development of organizations by causing performance outcomes to continue growing unceasingly, including the enhancement of sustainable competitive capacity and the operational results of the auto parts industry.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Closed Loop Supply Chain: Evaluating Ecological Footprint

Purpose:  The purpose of this research is to evaluate the success of the closed-loop E-waste supply chain operations, primarily focused on achieving sustainability objectives related to the manufacturing, distribution, reusing, and discarding of electrical components. Methodology: The supply chain operations reference model offers suggestions and benchmarking tools to monitor the performance of supply chains and enhance the processes. This study illustrates a conceptual framework to show how these standards could be used in the E-waste supply chain to link business processes, metrics, industry standards, and technology to enhance the relationship and coordination between the supply chain members and to increase sustainability throughout the supply chain. Findings: According to an assessment of the literature, insufficient attention has been paid to the SCOR model's sustainability criteria. Consequently, in the wake of portraying the structure of the Supply Chain Operation Reference model, we make sense of which credits should be included in the Supply Chain Operation Reference to reflect manageability and which cycles and practices are related to every standard or should be remembered for Supply Chain Operation Reference to lay out the connection between execution, cycles, and practices. Conclusions: When a company's supply chain has achieved a desirable degree of eco-friendliness in all regards, its performance will be improved and satisfactory from a sustainability perspectiv

Sustainability in Information Systems: Assortment of Current Practices in IS Organizations

The increasing dissemination of information systems into all areas of business and personal life has drawn attention to its environmental effects. IS organizations are becoming aware that they have to take up their responsibility by thinking seriously about sustainability management for information systems. While measures for using computing resources efficiently have received considerable attention, the topic of sustainability in IS management is still lacking theoretical foundation. The purpose of this paper is to explore current environmental efforts in sustainable IS management. Based on fifteen expert interviews with CIOs, IS and environmental managers from IS organizations, the paper provides researchers and practitioners alike with an explorative study on the situation of sustainability in IS operations and, thus, makes a contribution to this emerging IS research topic

Circular economy business models and technology management strategies in the wind industry: Sustainability potential, industrial challenges and opportunities

Circular business models, aimed at narrowing, slowing, and closing resource loops, can potentially generate significant economic and social benefits, promote resource security and improve environmental performance. However, within the wind power industry, sustainability research, including life cycle assessments, has been focused mostly on technology innovation at the material (e.g. permanent magnets), components (e.g. blades) or product level (e.g. new assets). Research analysing the implementation of circular business models in the wind industry is scarce. Such information could, however, support more robust decision-making in the development of system-level innovations for the deployment of more resource-efficient and sustainable wind energy infrastructure. Building upon practical methods for the identification, categorisation and characterisation of business models, 14 circular business models with application to the wind industry were comprehensively evaluated through the revision of 125 documents, including 56 journal papers, 46 industrial business cases and 23 wind technology management reports. Each circular business model is examined according to i) business offering and drivers, ii) value creation, delivery and capture mechanisms, iii) sustainability benefits and trade-offs, and iv) industrial challenges and opportunities. Accordingly, comprehensive guidelines to drive political (legislation design and implementation), industrial (technology and business innovation) and academic (further research) actions, are provided. Though the results are focussed on the wind industry, the general findings and recommendations are relevant across the renewable and low-carbon energy sector

A survey on energy efficiency in information systems

Concerns about energy and sustainability are growing everyday involving a wide range of fields. Even Information Systems (ISs) are being influenced by the issue of reducing pollution and energy consumption and new fields are rising dealing with this topic. One of these fields is Green Information Technology (IT), which deals with energy efficiency with a focus on IT. Researchers have faced this problem according to several points of view. The purpose of this paper is to understand the trends and the future development of Green IT by analyzing the state-of-the-art and classifying existing approaches to understand which are the components that have an impact on energy efficiency in ISs and how this impact can be reduced. At first, we explore some guidelines that can help to understand the efficiency level of an organization and of an IS. Then, we discuss measurement and estimation of energy efficiency and identify which are the components that mainly contribute to energy waste and how it is possible to improve energy efficiency, both at the hardware and at the software level

Treatment and valorization plants in materials recovery supply chain

Aim of industrial symbiosis is to create synergies between industries in order to exchange resources (by-products, water and energy) through geographic proximity and collaboration [1]. By optimizing resource flows in a “whole-system approach”, a minimization of dangerous emissions and of supply needs can be achieved. Resources exchanges are established to facilitate recycling and re-use of industrial waste using a commercial vehicle. Several paths can be identified in order to establish an industrial symbiosis network (Figure 1, left), in relation (i) to the life cycle phase (raw material, component, product) and (ii) to the nature (material, water, energy) of the resource flows to be exchanged. Sometimes by-products and/or waste of an industrial process have to be treated and valorized in order to become the raw materials for others. In particular, two main treatment processes can be identified: refurbishment/upgrade for re-use (Figure 1, center) and recycling for material recovery (Figure 1, right). A brief overview of technological and economic aspects is given, together with their relevance to industrial symbiosis