Analysis of enablers on the successful implementation of green manufacturing for Irish SMEs
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
ISSN: 1741-038X
Article publication date: 24 August 2020
Issue publication date: 5 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify a comprehensive list of main enablers of successful implementation of green manufacturing (GM) practices in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Based on the inputs from Irish SMEs' experts, a validated conceptual hierarchy model of the identified enablers is developed to analyse and prioritise the most dominant ones.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using a questionnaire survey responded by various professionals in Irish manufacturing SMEs. Experts' opinions were analysed using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) to distinguish the mutual influences amongst the nine identified enablers.
Findings
The findings revealed that from the Irish SMEs' perspective, strong green supply chain relations are the outcome of successfully implementing GM and not a driver of the other enablers. Furthermore, lower manufacturing costs are found to arise as a result of GM practices in SMEs.
Practical implications
It is discussed that emulating the actions of larger companies will not necessarily yield the same results for SMEs. Innovation will become a cornerstone of remaining competitive in a sustainable environment, which is facilitated by closer green supply chain relations.
Originality/value
The reported findings in this article contribute to theory and practice of GM and SMEs research domains by systematically identified, classified and ranked enablers in a conceptual hierarchal model from the perspective of Irish SMEs. This research lays the foundations for further analysis of the GM practices enablers in a time when UN mandates and EU regulations are increasingly impacting SMEs all around Europe and especially Ireland.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the constructive comments of the reviewers of this article which helped us improve the quality of the paper. Financial support was provided in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61603011), International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program (20170016), and Great Wall Scholar Training Program of Beijing Municipality (CIT and TCD20180305).
Citation
Ghadimi, P., O'Neill, S., Wang, C. and Sutherland, J.W. (2021), "Analysis of enablers on the successful implementation of green manufacturing for Irish SMEs", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 85-109. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-10-2019-0382
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited