Lean and Green – Synergies, Differences, Limitations, and the Need for Six Sigma

Part 1: Knowledge-Based SustainabilityInternational audienceHistorically, profitability and efficiency objectives have been the prevailing interest for organisations. However, the move towards green operations has forced companies to seek alternatives to combine these with green objectives and initiatives. Green lean is the result of this combination. The purpose of this paper is to critically discuss the green lean approach and the potential benefits of integrating Six Sigma to enhance its effectiveness. The paper is based on a literature review that discusses the synergies and differences of lean and green, and its main limitations. Departing from the limitations identified, the paper then proposes Six Sigma, and specially its problem solving methodology DMAIC, as an approach that may help in overcoming the limitations of green lean. Thus, the paper conceptually proposes Green Lean Six Sigma. It intends to offer academics, researchers and practitioners interested in lean and green with some initial conceptual ideas regarding their possible integration with Six Sigma

Oportunidades e desafios para lidar com as barreiras à adoção de práticas de green supply chain management: guidelines à luz de um estudo de múltiplos casos no Brasil

This article aims to discuss how leading companies of the automotive battery industry installed in Brazil are dealing with barriers to the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. From these discussions, we list the opportunities and challenges to the automotive battery sector in incorporating GSCM actions. We conducted a multiple-case study with the top five companies in this sector. The highlight factors are “organizational values” and “human resources” for internal barriers, and “suppliers” and “consumers” for external barriers

Green Supply Chain Management: A review of recent scientific production (2001-2012) Green Supply Chain Management: Uma análise da produção científica recente (2001-2012)

The goal of this study was to analyze international scientific production in the area of constant-production green supply chain management from 2001 to 2012 using the Business Source Complete database (EBSCO Host). The database was checked for cooperation between authors and institutions, author entrants, production and continuity categories, regularity of publication and distribution of publications over time. Ninety articles were included in the sample, and the results showed a reduction in the number of publishing authors, concentrated in one-timers category with 68.90. The highest yield for a single author was 10 articles, and the most prolific periodical was the Journal of Cleaner Production, with 12 articles published on the subject. Clark University (USA) stood out in terms of output, with 12 affiliated authors. It was concluded that the subject had experienced a significant rise in published literature over that time period

Assessing the impact of eco-innovations through sustainability indicators: the case of the commercial tea plantation industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract Innovative processes aimed at sustainable development or eco-innovations have received increasing attention during the past years despite the lack of theoretical and methodological approaches to analyzing their impact. This paper focuses on how sustainability indicators can be used to measure the effects of “non-technical” eco-innovations in the Sri Lankan tea plantation sector. After carrying out an experimental case study on a commercial tea plantation, we employed a combination of physical and monetary sustainability indicators to evaluate the initial results of the eco-innovation. It shows that innovations aimed at improving economic benefits often result in unintentional environmental and social benefits that support a lean-green relationship. It reveals the difficulty in having a standardized set of indicators to measure the impact of eco-innovations owing to the multidimensionality of sustainability. Hence, the case study suggests adopting broad sustainability indicators that represent the wholeness of the system while capturing the long-term impact

The impact of big data on world-class sustainable manufacturing

Big data (BD) has attracted increasing attention from both academics and practitioners. This paper aims at illustrating the role of big data analytics in supporting world-class sustainable manufacturing (WCSM). Using an extensive literature review to identify different factors that enable the achievement of WCSM through BD and 405 usable responses from senior managers gathered through social networking sites (SNS), we propose a conceptual framework using constructs obtained using reduction of gathered data that summarizes this role; test this framework using data which is heterogeneous, diverse, voluminous, and possess high velocity; and highlight the importance for academia and practice. Finally, we conclude our research findings and further outlined future research directions