Green process innovation: Where we are and where we are going

Environmental pollution has worsened in the past few decades, and increasing pressure is being put on firms by different regulatory bodies, customer groups, NGOs and other media outlets to adopt green process innovations (GPcIs), which include clean technologies and end-of-pipe solutions. Although considerable studies have been published on GPcI, the literature is disjointed, and as such, a comprehensive understanding of the issues, challenges and gaps is lacking. A systematic literature review (SLR) involving 80 relevant studies was conducted to extract seven themes: strategic response, organisational learning, institutional pressures, structural issues, outcomes, barriers and methodological choices. The review thus highlights the various gaps in the GPcI literature and illuminates the pathways for future research by proposing a series of potential research questions. This study is of vital importance to business strategy as it provides a comprehensive framework to help firms understand the various contours of GPcI. Likewise, policymakers can use the findings of this study to fill in the loopholes in the existing regulations that firms are exploiting to circumvent taxes and other penalties by locating their operations to emerging economies with less stringent environmental regulations.publishedVersio

Manufacturing and Supply Chain Flexibility: Building an Integrative Conceptual Model Through Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to establish the current themes on the topic of manufacturing and supply chain flexibility (MSCF), assess their level of maturity in relation to each other, identify the emerging ones and reflect on how they can inform each other, and second, to develop a conceptual model of MSCF that links different themes connect and highlight future research opportunities. The study builds on a sample of 222 articles published from 1996 to 2018 in international, peer-reviewed journals. The analysis of the sample involves two complementary approaches: the co-word technique to identify the thematic clusters as well as their relative standing and a critical reflection on the papers to explain the intellectual content of these thematic clusters. The results of the co-word analysis show that MSCF is a dynamic topic with a rich and complex structure that comprises five thematic clusters. The value chain, capability and volatility clusters showed research topics that were taking a central role in the discussion on MSCF but were not mature yet. The SC purchasing practices and SC planning clusters involved work that was more focused and could be considered more mature. These clusters were then integrated in a framework that built on the competence–capability perspective and identified the major structural and infrastructural elements of MSCF as well as its antecedents and consequences. This paper proposes an integrative framework helping managers keep track the various decisions they need to make to increase flexibility from the viewpoint of the entire value chain

The Behavioural Effects of Extreme Events in Global Supply Chains

Part 1: Knowledge-Based SustainabilityInternational audienceExtreme events and disasters have always been part of our lives, however as the world has become increasingly globalized over the past few decades in an attempt to reduce production costs and access new markets, these events are more likely than ever to affect businesses. It is therefore important for business to understand how these events affect their supply chains. This paper identifies behavioural patterns of manufacturing supply chains under the effects of extreme events such as financial crises and big earthquakes. A simulation model is then used to expose the underlying structure of each behavioural pattern

Comparing service, product, and process innovations: Insights from the internal supply chain network of a European steel manufacturing firm

A case research approach is employed for investigating and comparing managerial perceptions of the three types of innovation (service, product, and process innovations) within the context of cross-functional network of a European steel manufacturing firm. The insights result in the development of a typology of innovation projects based on origin, context, scope, benefits, and degree of complexity. The findings embedded in Resource Based View and Service Dominant Logic, reveal divergent aspects of the three types of innovation such as disparate reasons for undertaking each type of innovation and distinct internal and external success factors, as well as convergent aspects of the innovation types such as similar challenges. This research explores the three types of innovation in a single firm in a single study and provides a middle ground for the two extant schools of thought (one viewing product, service, and process innovations as entirely different processes and the other viewing all three as essentially same processes)