InImpact: The Journal of Innovation Impact

Publisher Future Technology Press
Vol. 7 No. 2 KES Transactions on SDM I - Sustainable Design and Manufacturing 2014
Volume Editors KES International
Journal ISSN 2051-6002
 
Article TitleCase study of an organisation trying to reimage its place in the supply chain: transformation towards industrial sustainability
Primary AuthorLloyd Fernando, University Of Cambridge
Other Author(s) Steve Evans
Pages 769 - 783
Article ID sdm14-024
Publication Date 01-May-16
AbstractAbstract: Purpose: The paper identifies existing sustainability frameworks that help companies in decision-making, strategy and new thinking. The paper presents a case study to analyse the applicability of the different frameworks for planning for transformation towards industrial sustainability. The most popular frameworks such as cradle to cradle and the natural step are explored as an alternative design and production concept to the strategy of eco-efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach: The paper reports the results of exploratory case studies observed through document analysis and interviews.

Findings: The transformation to industrial sustainable system necessitates a fundamental redesign of products and the production system of industrial material flows within which they circulate. Cradle-to-Cradle design defines a broad framework for creating eco-effective industrial systems, but for businesses to put this framework into practice they need both the right technologies and the right strategies, which implies a need to collaborate with different actors & stakeholders across the system.

Originality/value: It was found that the framework of cradle-to-cradle design can help inspire new thinking and improve shared understanding through structured discussions with other actors in the system.

Keywords: Eco-effective, cradle to cradle, Industrial sustainability, whole system design

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