Greening of Industry Networks Studies – serie

This book draws on insights that originated from the Circular Economy and Zero Waste initiatives. Together these approaches try to boost the shift from “waste” to “resources” management. The content of this book is partially organized from a stakeholder perspective, revealing the managerial implications for public and private actors. Next to public policies, also illustrations come from the private sector. Petstar, Texperium and Walmart generously shared some of their best practices at in this regard. Cases from China, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands and Romania are discussed in this book. In all of these different contexts they show ways to create collaborative schemes in order to “retain” the resources’ values as much as product quality and financial circumstances permit. The reader can thus take advantage of the pragmatic viewpoints that aim to inspire policy makers, researchers, students, organisations and communities to boost the needed changes towards a Zero Waste Economy.

This book presents a collection of studies on current best practices for delivering sustainable development policies within supply chains. It critiques the limitations of existing business theory and practice on sustainable supply chain management, and discusses opportunities for new conceptual models for businesses to engage with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It examines how businesses can work towards implementing Sustainable Development Goals in the contexts of entrepreneurial initiative, industry collaboration and regional development. SDGs renew the sustainable development agenda for global communities and ask businesses and organisations to reset their sustainable development policies. A strategy to embed sustainable development principles into business operations along the supply chain operations, which has been a conceptual and, in many instances, practitioner, business and industry achievement of the past decades, is not enough to shift the economic and social conditions of poor populations around the world. How would the global supply chains of the future look like? What social relations does it envisage? How will businesses and organisations engage with societies, environments and complex institutional contexts in emerging markets and developing countries, which are faced with issues of population growth, needed leaps in infrastructure provision, educational and health improvements, cultural and institutional shifts?The books challenges current approaches to sustainable supply chain practices guided by discussion on SDGs. It reviews implementation issues of existing sustainable development approaches, assesses the advancement of sustainable development strategies and examines the opportunities for global value chains to increase their positive social and environmental inputs in regions, communities and organisations. The book collects both conceptual and empirical studies set in a variety of business and organisationalcontexts, such as manufacturing, retail, procurement, cities and industrial parks. It contests the accepted axioms of sustainable practices in the global supply chains and proposes new models for organisations and production networks to engage with societies and address market and production effects on communities and institutions.

This book presents a collection of studies on current best practices for delivering sustainable development policies within supply chains. It critiques the limitations of existing business theory and practice on sustainable supply chain management, and discusses opportunities for new conceptual models for businesses to engage with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It examines how businesses can work towards implementing Sustainable Development Goals in the contexts of entrepreneurial initiative, industry collaboration and regional development. SDGs renew the sustainable development agenda for global communities and ask businesses and organisations to reset their sustainable development policies. A strategy to embed sustainable development principles into business operations along the supply chain operations, which has been a conceptual and, in many instances, practitioner, business and industry achievement of the past decades, is not enough to shift the economic and social conditions of poor populations around the world. How would the global supply chains of the future look like? What social relations does it envisage? How will businesses and organisations engage with societies, environments and complex institutional contexts in emerging markets and developing countries, which are faced with issues of population growth, needed leaps in infrastructure provision, educational and health improvements, cultural and institutional shifts?The books challenges current approaches to sustainable supply chain practices guided by discussion on SDGs. It reviews implementation issues of existing sustainable development approaches, assesses the advancement of sustainable development strategies and examines the opportunities for global value chains to increase their positive social and environmental inputs in regions, communities and organisations. The book collects both conceptual and empirical studies set in a variety of business and organisationalcontexts, such as manufacturing, retail, procurement, cities and industrial parks. It contests the accepted axioms of sustainable practices in the global supply chains and proposes new models for organisations and production networks to engage with societies and address market and production effects on communities and institutions.

This book presents a diverse set of decision-making methodologies to solve some of the most important decisions that most organizations face today. It is an excellent demonstration of some great challenges in our society in the area of sustainability. These great challenges, ranging from sustainability in logistics to the use of renewable energies, needs to be urgently addressed. Sustainability has become one of the most important topics in management and many organizations are taking big steps towards sustainability. Organizations are attempting to use cleaner production technologies and renewable energies sources, to improve health and safety issues within their industries and the products and services they offer. These points involve several important strategic and managerial decisions, highlighted in this book. The book can be used by decision-makers and policy-makers as exemplary guidelines to solve sustainability problems.

This book presents a diverse set of decision-making methodologies to solve some of the most important decisions that most organizations face today. It is an excellent demonstration of some great challenges in our society in the area of sustainability. These great challenges, ranging from sustainability in logistics to the use of renewable energies, needs to be urgently addressed. Sustainability has become one of the most important topics in management and many organizations are taking big steps towards sustainability. Organizations are attempting to use cleaner production technologies and renewable energies sources, to improve health and safety issues within their industries and the products and services they offer. These points involve several important strategic and managerial decisions, highlighted in this book. The book can be used by decision-makers and policy-makers as exemplary guidelines to solve sustainability problems.

This book contains a collection of studies on the interactions between businesses in Africa and Global Value Chains (GVCs) in terms of social, environmental and economic sustainability. This is particularly pertinent given the asymmetrical power distribution between the global buyer and the African supplier, their governance relationships and the ongoing competitive pressures to reduce costs and increase flexibility to meet GVC demands. Rather than focusing on the sustainability of a single organization, GVCs address the sustainability of inter-firm value chains and global industries as a whole. With little differentiation between value chain creation and social / environmental degradation extending to people and raw material extraction (upstream) and disposal or recycling (downstream), sustainability issues need to be at the forefront of African business research interests. Nowadays, sustainability is considered a competitive advantage for a firm looking to join a GVC. Whether sustainability is approached from the viewpoint of an exporting firm motivated to join a GVC in its respective industry or whether a firm’s continuing contractual or collaborative relationship with a buyer depends on its compliance with sustainability standards, both approaches focus on the ability of firms in Africa to benefit from joining sustainable GVCs.

This book contains a collection of studies on the interactions between businesses in Africa and Global Value Chains (GVCs) in terms of social, environmental and economic sustainability. This is particularly pertinent given the asymmetrical power distribution between the global buyer and the African supplier, their governance relationships and the ongoing competitive pressures to reduce costs and increase flexibility to meet GVC demands. Rather than focusing on the sustainability of a single organization, GVCs address the sustainability of inter-firm value chains and global industries as a whole. With little differentiation between value chain creation and social / environmental degradation extending to people and raw material extraction (upstream) and disposal or recycling (downstream), sustainability issues need to be at the forefront of African business research interests. Nowadays, sustainability is considered a competitive advantage for a firm looking to join a GVC. Whether sustainability is approached from the viewpoint of an exporting firm motivated to join a GVC in its respective industry or whether a firm’s continuing contractual or collaborative relationship with a buyer depends on its compliance with sustainability standards, both approaches focus on the ability of firms in Africa to benefit from joining sustainable GVCs.

The main theme of this book is the social dimension of the circular economy (CE). This book’s objective is to provide a foundation for the discussion of social aspects of CE that also allows the integration of CE with the UN SDGs. The circular economy is increasingly becoming the consensual pathway for a transition towards sustainable production and consumption that balances the economic and ecological pillars of sustainable development. However, researchers have noted that the social dimension of sustainable development is noticeable missing or, at best, weakly developed in CE ideas and frameworks (Sehnem et al., 2019). The main argument of this book is that CE research and practice needs to embrace its social impacts, not only in terms of understanding and avoiding negative social impacts but also in terms of exploring the potential that CE models have for addressing social challenges.

The main theme of this book is the social dimension of the circular economy (CE). This book’s objective is to provide a foundation for the discussion of social aspects of CE that also allows the integration of CE with the UN SDGs. The circular economy is increasingly becoming the consensual pathway for a transition towards sustainable production and consumption that balances the economic and ecological pillars of sustainable development. However, researchers have noted that the social dimension of sustainable development is noticeable missing or, at best, weakly developed in CE ideas and frameworks (Sehnem et al., 2019). The main argument of this book is that CE research and practice needs to embrace its social impacts, not only in terms of understanding and avoiding negative social impacts but also in terms of exploring the potential that CE models have for addressing social challenges.

The objective of the book is to adopt the application of data analytics to enhance the sustainability and resilience of the green supply chain networks. To demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the method, the book adopts different data analytic models and approaches against the backdrop of case studies. In summary, this book attempts to address the question of methods, tools, and techniques that can be used to create resilient, anti-fragile, reliable, and invulnerable green supply chain networks.

The objective of the book is to adopt the application of data analytics to enhance the sustainability and resilience of the green supply chain networks. To demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the method, the book adopts different data analytic models and approaches against the backdrop of case studies. In summary, this book attempts to address the question of methods, tools, and techniques that can be used to create resilient, anti-fragile, reliable, and invulnerable green supply chain networks.

The book will explore, using multiple perspectives from multiple contributors, two main aspects for circular economy (CE) business and technology (B&T): systems and value perspectives. Going beyond a linear-economic perspective--the traditional perspective--CE needs to develop intentional and integrated paths to help restore physical resources and regenerate the functions of natural and anthropic systems, creating greater economic and social opportunities, with environmentally positive outcomes. Whether this is feasible and possible within the context of CE and B&T is something that will be central to the contributions made in this book.A major objective of the book is to deliver practical and fundamental knowledge of B&T CE insights combining a systems perspective and value creation for socio-technical innovation leading to sustainable transitions and effective transformations.Based on those key aspects, the book is structured in two parts, one from a more theoretical and conceptual basis in Part 1, and a more applied perspective in Part 2. The chapters in Part 1 are presented through the lens of business and systems transitions. In Part 2, the chapters present the opportunities and the journeys from real case studies of companies engaged in circular business strategies, processes, practices, and technologies.

The book will explore, using multiple perspectives from multiple contributors, two main aspects for circular economy (CE) business and technology (B&T): systems and value perspectives. Going beyond a linear-economic perspective--the traditional perspective--CE needs to develop intentional and integrated paths to help restore physical resources and regenerate the functions of natural and anthropic systems, creating greater economic and social opportunities, with environmentally positive outcomes. Whether this is feasible and possible within the context of CE and B&T is something that will be central to the contributions made in this book.A major objective of the book is to deliver practical and fundamental knowledge of B&T CE insights combining a systems perspective and value creation for socio-technical innovation leading to sustainable transitions and effective transformations.Based on those key aspects, the book is structured in two parts, one from a more theoretical and conceptual basis in Part 1, and a more applied perspective in Part 2. The chapters in Part 1 are presented through the lens of business and systems transitions. In Part 2, the chapters present the opportunities and the journeys from real case studies of companies engaged in circular business strategies, processes, practices, and technologies.

This book opens up horizons for designing innovative supply chains of citrus by-products, taking into consideration the current socio-economic situation of the actors, citrus production and distribution infrastructure, consumer preferences, and digitization progress at farmer and production levels. Moreover, the book aims to facilitate an interdisciplinary and systemic understanding of the challenges and opportunities within citrus supply chains, promoting collaborative efforts towards a more sustainable future. While sustainability in food supply chains is a global concern, the book specifically concentrates on the unique challenges and opportunities faced in the Mediterranean region. The diverse climatic conditions, cultural nuances, and market dynamics in this region require context-specific solutions, making this focus a valuable aspect of the book, while keeping the link to the global view on food supply chains.The book emphasizes evidence-based practices and encourages readers to implement data-driven approaches to enhance the sustainability, resilience, and circularity of food supply chains. To facilitate the implementation of data-driven solutions, the authors use advanced data analytics methodologies to forecast crop yields accurately (considering local agrometeorological, soil, typology conditions), optimize supply chain processes (traceability of the citrus by-products, enhancement of production processes through technology overhauling), and minimize crop wastage, while opening new markets for citrus by-products. These data-driven solutions empower stakeholders with valuable insights to make informed decisions and achieve operational excellence, meanwhile offering healthy and sustainable nutrition to the consumers.Beyond theoretical discussions, the book offers practical insights and real-world case studies that highlight successful sustainable practices implemented by various stakeholders in the citrus supply chain. These examples serve as inspirations for readers to initiate positive changes within their own organizations, countries, and cities through implementation of interdisciplinary and systemic transformation pathways within food systems.

This book opens up horizons for designing innovative supply chains of citrus by-products, taking into consideration the current socio-economic situation of the actors, citrus production and distribution infrastructure, consumer preferences, and digitization progress at farmer and production levels. Moreover, the book aims to facilitate an interdisciplinary and systemic understanding of the challenges and opportunities within citrus supply chains, promoting collaborative efforts towards a more sustainable future. While sustainability in food supply chains is a global concern, the book specifically concentrates on the unique challenges and opportunities faced in the Mediterranean region. The diverse climatic conditions, cultural nuances, and market dynamics in this region require context-specific solutions, making this focus a valuable aspect of the book, while keeping the link to the global view on food supply chains.The book emphasizes evidence-based practices and encourages readers to implement data-driven approaches to enhance the sustainability, resilience, and circularity of food supply chains. To facilitate the implementation of data-driven solutions, the authors use advanced data analytics methodologies to forecast crop yields accurately (considering local agrometeorological, soil, typology conditions), optimize supply chain processes (traceability of the citrus by-products, enhancement of production processes through technology overhauling), and minimize crop wastage, while opening new markets for citrus by-products. These data-driven solutions empower stakeholders with valuable insights to make informed decisions and achieve operational excellence, meanwhile offering healthy and sustainable nutrition to the consumers.Beyond theoretical discussions, the book offers practical insights and real-world case studies that highlight successful sustainable practices implemented by various stakeholders in the citrus supply chain. These examples serve as inspirations for readers to initiate positive changes within their own organizations, countries, and cities through implementation of interdisciplinary and systemic transformation pathways within food systems.

This book explores the most efficient transformation pathways of urban logistics, specifically in the bonds of sustainable e-commerce, focusing on efficient, smart and sustainable urban logistics concepts  while introducing circular economy approaches. With the majority of economic activities and resource overconsumption occurring in rapidly growing urban areas, transportation systems lead to a substantial increase in urban road transport, which accounts for 40 % of all CO2 emissions and up to 70 % of other pollutants. Meanwhile, recent years have shown that transportation and mobility systems became extremely vulnerable to disruptions caused by geo-political instabilities, pandemics (COVID), intensified global trade, and new business models across logistics, particularly e-commerce and associated logistics platforms.The logistics market associated with e-commerce is projected to grow significantly, making last-mile efficiency a top priority. Green last mile logistics has been a key topic for the transport researchers since last decade. Research and innovation projects have developed, piloted and evaluated various technical solutions and policy measures to address the challenges by increasing efficiency, transition to zero emission vehicles and cargo bikes, facilitate and integrate reverse and forward material/good flows. However, such research results have been presented as project deliverables, not being included within well disseminated literature. While many books focus on e-commerce growth, few address the specific challenges of last-mile logistics, pointing the actual industrial and political strategies to integrate forward and reverse logistics. This book summarizes state-of-the-art of last mile logistics for e-commerce, and bridges the gap in literature by offering practical solutions, case studies, and future trends. Against this background, the book reviews all innovative solutions, best practices and lessons learnt in the urban logistics sector. It also presents various policy tools and discusses challenges in current urban planning strategies. Recommendations in future urban planning and urban space management conclude the book.

Environmental challenges such as pollution, climate change, water and natural resources depletion and dwindling bio-diversity are true threats to the survival of our civilization, forcing us to learn how to act now. Fortunately this is exactly what this book does: presenting real life cases, along with theory, methodologies and tools demonstrating how eco-innovation can support sustainable economic growth and save our planet for future generations.Following an introduction describing developments and directions of eco-innovation, Section One discusses Models and Frameworks Supporting Eco-Innovation, with chapters on search strategy for radical eco-innovation; and systematic eco-innovation with TRIZ Methodology. Section Two offers surveys and case studies showing eco-innovation in practice, including a sketch of the eco-innovative landscape in the Brazilian Cellulose, Paper and Paper Products Industry; efforts to eco-innovate among large Swedish companies; progress towards joint product-service business models and more. The third section surveys future directions and emerging trends, among them a new methodology for eco-friendly construction; the development of lightweight small inter-island ferries in Scandinavia and BioTRIZ: a win-win methodology for eco-innovation.The book explores eco-innovation as a framework for supporting the development of new business models which consider the entire business ecosystem, on the way to a sustainable world. Moreover, it explores the eco-innovation process in cross-national and cross-sector perspective.

This book identifies and furthers the state of the art in green logistics and transportation with a supply chain focus. It includes discussions on concerns and linkages across policy, corporate strategy and operations and inter-organizational relationships and practices. Separate sections are assigned to discuss issues related to greening of logistics and transportation functions, including green logistics network, green land transportation and green air and water transportation. Linking research with practice is another important feature of the book as various techniques and research methodologies are utilized to explain and analyze green logistics and transportation concepts and issues. The authors come from throughout the world from a variety of backgrounds (e.g. policy, technical, engineering, and management backgrounds) to provide solutions and insights from their regional and global perspectives to some of the world’s most critical green logistics and transportation issues.

This book identifies and furthers the state of the art in green logistics and transportation with a supply chain focus. It includes discussions on concerns and linkages across policy, corporate strategy and operations and inter-organizational relationships and practices. Separate sections are assigned to discuss issues related to greening of logistics and transportation functions, including green logistics network, green land transportation and green air and water transportation. Linking research with practice is another important feature of the book as various techniques and research methodologies are utilized to explain and analyze green logistics and transportation concepts and issues. The authors come from throughout the world from a variety of backgrounds (e.g. policy, technical, engineering, and management backgrounds) to provide solutions and insights from their regional and global perspectives to some of the world’s most critical green logistics and transportation issues.

Environmental challenges such as pollution, climate change, water and natural resources depletion and dwindling bio-diversity are true threats to the survival of our civilization, forcing us to learn how to act now. Fortunately this is exactly what this book does: presenting real life cases, along with theory, methodologies and tools demonstrating how eco-innovation can support sustainable economic growth and save our planet for future generations.Following an introduction describing developments and directions of eco-innovation, Section One discusses Models and Frameworks Supporting Eco-Innovation, with chapters on search strategy for radical eco-innovation; and systematic eco-innovation with TRIZ Methodology. Section Two offers surveys and case studies showing eco-innovation in practice, including a sketch of the eco-innovative landscape in the Brazilian Cellulose, Paper and Paper Products Industry; efforts to eco-innovate among large Swedish companies; progress towards joint product-service business models and more. The third section surveys future directions and emerging trends, among them a new methodology for eco-friendly construction; the development of lightweight small inter-island ferries in Scandinavia and BioTRIZ: a win-win methodology for eco-innovation.The book explores eco-innovation as a framework for supporting the development of new business models which consider the entire business ecosystem, on the way to a sustainable world. Moreover, it explores the eco-innovation process in cross-national and cross-sector perspective.

This book focuses on environmental and social factors in international supply chains and industry networks. It explores whether socially-responsible and environmentally-conscious operations are complementary or conflictive to economic targets. The book elaborates on innovative approaches to manage the economic, ecological and social performance in supply networks from different perspectives. In addition, it links sustainability to operational processes and illustrates specific application contexts. Moreover, it covers the social dimension of sustainability.The rise of sustainability in management forces enterprises to revisit the concept of profitability that drives their operations. Social standards and ecological targets represent critical factors that challenge industry networks. The interplay of these goals requires new insights from scientific research and managerial practice. New approaches and systems are needed to minimize environmental and social harms and to promote sustainability.

This book focuses on environmental and social factors in international supply chains and industry networks. It explores whether socially-responsible and environmentally-conscious operations are complementary or conflictive to economic targets. The book elaborates on innovative approaches to manage the economic, ecological and social performance in supply networks from different perspectives. In addition, it links sustainability to operational processes and illustrates specific application contexts. Moreover, it covers the social dimension of sustainability.The rise of sustainability in management forces enterprises to revisit the concept of profitability that drives their operations. Social standards and ecological targets represent critical factors that challenge industry networks. The interplay of these goals requires new insights from scientific research and managerial practice. New approaches and systems are needed to minimize environmental and social harms and to promote sustainability.

This book draws on insights that originated from the Circular Economy and Zero Waste initiatives. Together these approaches try to boost the shift from “waste” to “resources” management. The content of this book is partially organized from a stakeholder perspective, revealing the managerial implications for public and private actors. Next to public policies, also illustrations come from the private sector. Petstar, Texperium and Walmart generously shared some of their best practices at in this regard. Cases from China, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands and Romania are discussed in this book. In all of these different contexts they show ways to create collaborative schemes in order to “retain” the resources’ values as much as product quality and financial circumstances permit. The reader can thus take advantage of the pragmatic viewpoints that aim to inspire policy makers, researchers, students, organisations and communities to boost the needed changes towards a Zero Waste Economy.

This volume is a practical guide that helps the reader build a quick, evidence-based understanding of green-growth strategies and challenges. Its cogent analysis of real-life case studies enables policy makers and company executives identify successful strategies they can adopt, and pitfalls they can avoid, in drafting and implementing green growth policies. The contributors’ empirical assessment of these studies identifies the structural conditions required for economic growth to be compatible with environmental sustainability and how the transition to a new economic paradigm should be managed. A crucial addition to the debate now beginning in earnest around the world, this volume attempts to understand how we can nurture a new-born model of sustainable growth and help it evolve to maturity.

A number of arguments are made by an international group of authors in this though provoking book about an understudied and socially important context. A future in which financial wealth transfers across the North-South divide from richer to poorer countries is far from sufficient for the relief of poverty and the pursuit of sustainability. Caution must be taken when growth is achieved through the liquidation of the natural wealth of poorer nations, in order to maintain a global economic status quo. Neither poverty reduction nor sustainability will ultimately be achieved. The financial collapse and social upheaval that might result will make the most recent economic downturn look trivial by comparison. What is more urgently needed instead, as argued in this book, is collaboration for sustainability and innovation in the global South, especially building on models originally developed in the South that are transferable to the North. In pursuit of a sustainable and more equitable future, the book examines such topics as Cross-Border Innovation in South-North Fair Trade Supply Chains; Potential Pollution Prevention Programs in Bangladesh; Digital Literacy and Social Inclusion in the South through Collective Storytelling and Eco-innovation at the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid’. Many of these stories and have not been told and need greater visibility. The book contributes in a meaningfully to the discussion of how innovation and sustainability science can benefit both sides in South-North innovation collaborations. It provides useful introduction to the topics, as well as valuable critiques and best practices. This back-and-forth flow of ideas and innovation is itself new and promising in the modern pursuit of a fair and sustainable future for all regions of our planet.

This volume is a practical guide that helps the reader build a quick, evidence-based understanding of green-growth strategies and challenges. Its cogent analysis of real-life case studies enables policy makers and company executives identify successful strategies they can adopt, and pitfalls they can avoid, in drafting and implementing green growth policies. The contributors’ empirical assessment of these studies identifies the structural conditions required for economic growth to be compatible with environmental sustainability and how the transition to a new economic paradigm should be managed. A crucial addition to the debate now beginning in earnest around the world, this volume attempts to understand how we can nurture a new-born model of sustainable growth and help it evolve to maturity.