Toward the Sustainable Development of Operations: Improving Energy Efficiency as a Means to Sustainability as Practice

Addressing the challenges of sustainable development demands companies to understand the “how” to actualize sustainability-related objectives and cultivating conditions that encourage practicing sustainability. It also demands companies to structure their operations around less costly economic processes while maintaining the efficient use of resources and standards for workers’ well-being at the operational level. Given companies’ reliance on and increasing demand for energy-dependent operational processes to produce and transport products and services, sharp upward pressure on energy bills for industries directly exposed to rising prices, and shortages and supply chain disruptions, requires companies to make unprecedented changes. Therefore, as the need to use alternative energy sources has increased, the importance of accelerating improvements in energy efficiency in operations as an energy source itself has been increasingly acknowledged.In response, this thesis seeks to expand current understandings of improving energy efficiency in operations in order to facilitate sustainability as practice, namely by embedding the concept of sustainable development into the theoretical framework of operations management. First, improving energy efficiency is analyzed as a firm-based practice that results in the actualization of corporate-level objectives for energy efficiency in operations by utilizing resources and influencing individual and/or collective action. Second, operations strategy is the analytical construct used to analyze the strategic–operational alignment of the resources needed to allow engaging in and replicating such an improvement-oriented process constructed and enacted by multiple individuals within and across organizational levels. Third and last, the thesis focuses on development via changes in individual and collective actions and understandings toward promoting sustainability as practice by building up people’s skills and competencies.Drawing from findings in the five appended papers, the thesis first characterizes the improvement of energy efficiency in operations as a practice. \ua0Second, the thesis analyzes strategic–operational alignment in organizations by investigating the improvement of energy efficiency in operations as a practice in relation to organizations’ strategic intentions for sustainability as well as existing operations strategy. The results showcase examples of the bidirectional perspective on synergy between operations management and energy management. Last, whereas energy efficiency indeed requires focusing on the improvement process, the thesis argues that it also sustains such improvement and creates a constellation of practices that result in changes in people’s behavior. Achieving such continuity creates a context for practicing sustainability and gaining leverage to accomplish the sustainable development of operations

Improving energy efficiency in operations: a practice-based study

This article describes a practice-based framework for analysing how development efforts toimprove energy efficiency in operations interact with corporate-level strategies for sustainability,as well as operations strategies, and whether they in fact improve energy efficiency inoperations at the various organisational levels of the company. To develop the framework,a qualitative study following a multiple interview approach was conducted. Based on ananalysis of such efforts at three companies, this article suggests that improving energyefficiency in operations is a dynamic process and involves interactions between the competinglogics of actors. The findings reveal that development efforts to improve energy efficiency inoperations, though varying in origin, can usually be attributed to the motivations of the actorsinitiating them. Therefore, this article proposes that any improvement in energy efficiency inoperations is determined by the cumulative effect of interactions between competing logics ofactors who are officially accountable for or personally interested in improving energy efficiencyin their companies. By extension, by engaging different actors in contributing to continuallyachieving improvement, the process of improving energy efficiency in operations can beregarded as a context for sustainability-as-practice

Sustainable development of operations: Actors’ involvement in the process of energy efficiency improvements

This study empirically investigates the involvement of actors in the process of energyefficiency improvements in operations to align strategic sustainability goals across and within operations. The study analyzes development efforts stemming from actors’ decisions and actions that contribute to the process of energy efficiency improvements using semi-structured interviews and secondary information. Data is analyzed using thematic coding. The study deepens the understanding of how firms undertake the transition towards integrating strategic goals for energy efficiency into operations by strategizing for energy efficiency improvements through actors’ involvement. By exploring actors at both strategic and operational levels, and their decisions and actions, the study includes examples of different approaches, namely, top-down vs. bottom-up and inside-out vs. outside-in, thereby conceptualizing the process of energy-efficiency improvements in terms of a framework that outlines the entities of this process. The study further provides an integrative framework for the development efforts by different actors and presents propositions for incorporating energy-efficiency improvements in daily strategic and operational decisions and actions instead of regarding it as a separate or an add-on process

Logistics service providers\u27 energy efficiency initiatives for environmental sustainability

Purpose: This paper discusses logistics service providers\u27 (LSPs’) energy efficiency initiatives for sustainable development, both from an evolutionary perspective and based on a framework consisting of actions, processes (i.e. at the operations interface) and services (i.e. at the customer interface). Design/methodology/approach: Following a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with sustainability managers at LSPs and the data were analysed via inductive coding. Based on the results and the literature, the authors developed a maturity model for LSPs\u27 transitions to environmental sustainability. Findings: LSPs\u27 sustainable development occurs via operational processes, services at the customer interface, and actions that support those processes and services. Energy efficiency efforts are characterised by process depth that helps LSPs to align with their customers\u27 energy efficiency improvement processes. While services related to energy efficiency connect LSPs and their customers, actions in support vary depending on the logistics activities in which LSPs participate. Research limitations/implications: Further research is needed to test and verify the maturity model and to clarify the interdependency of its three dimensions. Practical implications: By categorising energy efficiency initiatives and proposing a maturity model for LSPs\u27 sustainable development via energy efficiency, the authors have developed a tool for logistics actors to assess their progress towards improved sustainability. Originality/value: The paper contributes to the literature by providing a three-pillar framework to understand the sustainability transitions of LSPs through energy efficiency. Developing a maturity model using this framework also contributes to the literature with an approach to assess sustainability advancement in the logistics industry

Sustainable Manufacturing Strategy; Identifying Gaps in Theory and Practice

Since the introduction of sustainable development in 1972, an increasing number of companies have striven to create a competitive position by means of sustainability in their operations. Sustainability has become part of a firm\u27s business strategy; therefore, strategic alignment of the manufacturing function to the business strategy\u27s vision and goals regarding sustainability has become essential for manufacturing companies. Hence, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate the integration and operationalization of environmental and social sustainability into the manufacturing strategy to obtain a holistic view and to shape an agenda for future research. The research was conducted through four studies. One structured literature review and three exploratory empirical studies were used to collect the data. To investigate the integration of sustainability into the manufacturing strategy and how to close the gap in the operationalization of the sustainable manufacturing strategy, Vickery\u27s (1991) proposed process model of manufacturing strategy based on the production competence theory has been used to analyze the findings. Based on the findings, some gaps in the literature and practice and the future research agenda were identified. The research results show that sustainability is not yet part of the formal manufacturing strategy, and neither social nor environmental sustainability is a top competitive priority for manufacturing firms. However, environmental sustainability supports achieving other competitive priorities, such as cost and quality. Moreover, sustainability is to some extent operationalized in manufacturing firms\u27 day-to-day decisions and activities through improvement programs and initiatives, integrated management systems, and employee involvement. It is also shown that to ensure the operationalization of sustainability, it is necessary to align the sustainability measures with strategic goals and decisions.This study contributes to the literature on sustainable manufacturing strategy by bringing together the current developments concerning the topic in existing literature and practice and extending the perspective of sustainable manufacturing strategy and its operationalization. Moreover, the findings open up new questions and directions for future research in the field

Sustainable Development of Operations: “How to make it happen?”

Improving energy efficiency allows companies to further respond to the challenge ofsustainable development. However, practices herein vary, and the way by which companiesachieve positive results on energy efficiency need to be understood. In this study, multiple casesare analyzed to investigate how organizations do work with sustainable development ofoperations in terms of energy efficiency and what different initiatives they use to mobilizeactions regarding energy efficiency. It is concluded that a considerable part of improvement ofenergy efficiency can be achieved through integrating efforts with already establishedcontinuous improvement processes in the organization and through engaging people

Social Sustainability KPIs in Operations Management: A Gap between the Reactive and the Proactive Stance

Manufacturing companies increasingly evaluate sustainabilityoutcomes using key performance indicators (KPIs). But when it comes to social sustainability, currently established KPIs do not give appropriate decision support to address future challenges proactively. Upcoming demographictrends point to the challenge of a shortage of qualified labour in the manufacturing industry. To counteract this risk, manufacturing companies must set visions to become attractive and socially sustainable workplaces. This paper identifies a set of characteristics for a socially sustainable and attractive workplace based on previous literature, and proposes that a gap must be bridged between the KPI-oriented approach and creating socially sustainable workplaces

Social Sustainability KPIs in Operations Management: A Gap between the Reactive and the Proactive Stance

Manufacturing companies increasingly evaluate sustainabilityoutcomes using key performance indicators (KPIs). But when it comes to social sustainability, currently established KPIs do not give appropriate decision support to address future challenges proactively. Upcoming demographictrends point to the challenge of a shortage of qualified labour in the manufacturing industry. To counteract this risk, manufacturing companies must set visions to become attractive and socially sustainable workplaces. This paper identifies a set of characteristics for a socially sustainable and attractive workplace based on previous literature, and proposes that a gap must be bridged between the KPI-oriented approach and creating socially sustainable workplaces

Sustainable Operations Management; from concept to action

The concept of sustainable development has emerged into manufacturing since late 1990s and has focused on increasing competitiveness by improving environmental and social performance. Considering the global competitive environment, legislations, and customers’ awareness of sustainability issues, companies are expected to be aware of their impact on the triple bottom line i.e. people, planet, and profit. The purpose of this paper is to explore how companies go from vision of sustainability to accomplish sustainable operations management. Multiple case studies are conducted to provide findings on how sustainable operations management can be expressed in terms of the principles, practices, and tools

Sustainable Operations Management; from concept to action

The concept of sustainable development has emerged into manufacturing since late 1990s and has focused on increasing competitiveness by improving environmental and social performance. Considering the global competitive environment, legislations, and customers’ awareness of sustainability issues, companies are expected to be aware of their impact on the triple bottom line i.e. people, planet, and profit. The purpose of this paper is to explore how companies go from vision of sustainability to accomplish sustainable operations management. Multiple case studies are conducted to provide findings on how sustainable operations management can be expressed in terms of the principles, practices, and tools