Question

Read the following articles: Lean and Green: The Move to Environmentally Friendly Manufacturing and Why You Need to Align Your Business With the Biosphere’s Rules. Then, answer the following questions: Does the adoption of manufacturing process innovations create incentives for the adoption of environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies? If yes, explain why, and if no, explain why not. What is the impact of environmentally friendly manufacturing on the sustainability of the organization? Is environmentally friendly manufacturing necessary or just a fad?

Answer 1

Answer 1^st part The sustainability of an entire supply chain and the final product is affected by the sustainability performance of each partner in the chain. The buyer-supplier relationship plays an important role in improving sustainability of the supply chain. This paper aims to provide a systematic review of existing literature on the adoption of sustainability practices through supply relationships. To this end, a structured literature review has been carried out that analyzes published research, evaluates contributions, and summarizes the results. The authors selected only those papers that discussed sustainability practices adoption and relationship management in the supply chain. An in-depth analysis of the supply chain and its processes reveals that a buyer-supplier relationship should be determined on the basis of the capability and capacity of the partner (supplier). In cases where the supplier firm lacks capability or capacity, the focal firm may decide to help or extend support. The buyer-supplier relationship starts with selecting suppliers based on their sustainability standards. In order to give a better understanding of the mechanisms active, and processes involved in the development of a sustainable supply chain, the authors offer a conceptual model. The study also identifies indicators, enablers and barriers to a sustainable supply chain.

Answer 2^nd part : Green innovation has been deemed a key corporate capability to deal with environmental

Issues. The usage of advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) provides important resources

and knowledge for firms’ green innovation. Drawing on a resources-based approach, this study

Contributes to the existing literature by examining how the adoption of specific types of AMT

(Process, design, and planning) influences two dimensions of green innovation (green product

Innovation and green process innovation). In particular, we explore these relationships through

Internal environmental collaboration. Based on data collected from 198 Chinese manufacturing firms,

We found that process, design, and planning AMT can contribute to both green products and process

Innovation. Moreover, the findings confirm the significant mediating role of internal environmental

Collaboration in this relationship. Specifically, internal environmental collaboration mediates the

Relationship between process AMT and green product innovation as well as the relationship between

Design AMT and two dimensions of green innovation; it also partially mediates the relationship

Between process AMT and green process innovation as well as the relationship between planning

AMT and two dimensions of green innovation. These findings provide novel insights into how

Manufacturing firms can use various types of AMT to enhance their green innovation.

Answer 3^rd part : The emergence of the concept of sustainability reflects a decisive change in global thinking, thus forcing firms to reconsider the approach in conducting their business operations. With an aim to boost economic development, firms need to re-establish their corporate strategy by introducing and implementing more integrated sustainable practices. Prior researchers believe that sustainable manufacturing practice (SMP), defined as a firm's intra- and inter organizational practices that integrate environmental, economic and social aspects into operational and business activities, would lead to better firm performance. The research reported in this paper aims to analyze the effect of SMP on economic sustainability (ES) and the mediated effect of SMP on ES through innovation performance (IP). Using survey data collected from 150 Malaysian manufacturers, this paper empirically examines the relationships that exist among SMP (internal and external SMP), IP (product, process, organizational and marketing), and ES. Adopting PLS-SEM technique, the study found that internal SMP has a positive effect on ES and process innovation partially mediates this internal SMP-ES link. Surprisingly, although the relationship between external SMP and ES is not significant, incorporating product and process innovations into this link have changed the significance of the relationship. In general, the results have empirically proven the role of SMP and IP in influencing the economic performance. Thus, it is suggested that instead of acting on well-intentioned impulses or reacting to external pressure, firms should clearly defined and grasp economic opportunities gained from being environmentally friendly and socially responsible.

Answer 4^th PART : Running an environmentally friendly business helps you reduce your impact on the environment and preserves natural resources. Your business can help the environment in many ways. For example, you can:

• use products that reduce your reliance on natural resources (e.g. rainwater tanks, solar hot water systems)
• use products that are made from recycled material (e.g. office supplies made from recycled plastic, furniture made from recycled rubber)
• look at all your business activities to see if you can do anything differently (e.g. reducing air travel by holding conference calls instead of interstate meetings).