Understanding manufacturing companies' environmental decision making structures

Abstract

This paper provides an understanding of the current environmental decision structures within companies in the manufacturing sector. Through case study research, we explored the complexity, robustness and decision making processes companies were using in order to cope with ever increasing environmental pressures and choice of environmental technologies. Our research included organisations in UK, Thailand, and Germany. Our research strategy was case study composed of different research methods, namely: focus group, interviews and environmental report analysis. The research methods and their data collection instruments also varied according to the access we had. Our unity of analysis was decision making teams and the scope of our investigation included product development, environment & safety, manufacturing, and supply chain management. This study finds that environmental decision making have been gaining importance over the time as well as complexity when it is starting to move from manufacturing to non,manufacturing activities. Most companies do not have a formal structure to take environmental decisions; hence, they follow a similar path of other corporate decisions, being affected by organizational structures besides the technical competence of the teams. We believe our results will help improving structures in both beginners and leaders teams for environmental decision making across the different departments.

Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School
College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Operations & Information Management
Additional Information: IAMOT conference is the source where it was published.
Event Title: 19th International Conference on Management of Technology
Event Type: Other
Event Dates: 2010-03-08 - 2010-03-11
Uncontrolled Keywords: environmental decision making,environmental strategy,green operations management
ISBN: 0-98158-173-0, 978-0-98158-173-6
Last Modified: 30 Sep 2024 09:00
Date Deposited: 17 Oct 2013 09:48
PURE Output Type: Chapter
Published Date: 2010
Authors: Nunes, Breno (ORCID Profile 0000-0001-8892-2728)
Bennett, David (ORCID Profile 0000-0003-1480-8652)
Shaw, Duncan

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