Environmental Efficiency, Innovation and Economic Performances

Environmental Efficiency, Innovation and Economic Performances
Author: Anna Montini
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 270
Release: 2010-07-02
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1136962190

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This volume brings together microeconomics studies on firms’ eco and economic performance both in the industrial and service sector; by considering a sector based perspective rooted mainly in the exploitation of NAMEA data; at regional level, and a macroeconomic analysis of the environment, income and welfare.

Environmental Innovation and Firm Performance

Environmental Innovation and Firm Performance
Author: Javier Amores Salvadó
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 175
Release: 2012-10-29
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1137264047

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The links between a firm's competitiveness and the natural environment have been studied since the mid 90's. This volume explores, both theoretically and empirically, the relationships between environmental product innovation, green image and firm performance.

Sustainability and company performance

Sustainability and company performance
Author: Lujie Chen
Publisher: Linköping University Electronic Press
Total Pages: 67
Release: 2015-09-03
Genre:
ISBN: 9176859673

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This dissertation approaches the question of sustainability and its influence on company performance, with special focus on the manufacturing industry. In the contemporary production environment, manufacturing operations must take into account not only profit, but also environmental and social performance, in order to ensure the long-term development of the company. Companies have to decide whether they should allocate resources to environmental and social practices in order to improve their competitive advantage. Consequently, in decision-making processes concerning operations, it is important for companies to understand how to coordinate profit, people, and planet. The objective of this dissertation was to investigate the current situation regarding manufacturers’ sustainable initiatives, and to explore the relationship between these sustainable practices and companies’ performance, including financial performance, operational performance, innovation performance, environmental performance, and social performance. First of all, a structured literature review was conducted to identify sustainable factors considered to be important in the decision making of manufacturing operations. The findings were synthesized into a conceptual model, which was then adopted as the basis for designing the survey instrument used in this dissertation. Drawing on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reports, empirical research was performed to explore the relationship between environmental management practices and company performance. Interestingly, the findings showed that many environmental management practices had a strong positive impact on innovation performance. Sustainability disclosures and financial performance were further analyzed using extended data from the GRI reports. The results also showed that several sustainability performance indicators, such as product responsibility, human rights, and society, displayed a significant and positive correlation with return on equity in the sample companies. In order to further explore the research area and to verify these findings, a triangulation approach was adopted and new data were collected via a survey conducted among middle and large sample companies in the Swedish manufacturing industry. The results indicated that the sustainable improvement practices had a positive impact on company performance. Some environmental and social improvement practices had a direct and positive correlation with product and process innovation. Furthermore, findings suggested that better cooperation with suppliers on environmental work could help to strengthen the organizational green capabilities of the focal companies. When considering the company’s general approach to implementing sustainable practices, some interesting findings emerged. There were limited significant differences in sustainable practices when comparing different manufacturing sectors, and different countries and regions. However, the results showed that Swedish manufacturing companies often place higher priority on implementing economic and environmental sustainability practices than on social ones. This dissertation contributes to the literature on manufacturing sustainability. The study expands the understanding of how environmental, social, or economic perspectives as a triple bottom line can influence company performance and to a certain extent the supply chain. Identifying and understanding such relationships gives companies the opportunity to integrate sustainability into their manufacturing operations strategy in order to sustain their manufacturing operations over the long term.

Eco-efficiency

Eco-efficiency
Author: Livio D. DeSimone
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 312
Release: 2000
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780262541091

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This book outlines the principles of eco-efficiency and presents case studies of their application from a number of international companies, including 3M and the Dow Chemical Company. The term "eco-efficiency" describes business activities that create economic value while reducing ecological impact and resource use. This book outlines the principles of eco-efficiency and presents case studies of their application from a number of international companies, including 3M and the Dow Chemical Company. It also discusses the value of partnerships--with other companies, business associations, communities, regulators, and environmental and other nongovernmental groups. In the conclusion, the authors argue that business must become more eco-efficient and that governments need to change the conditions under which business operates, including tax and regulatory regimes, to make them more conducive to eco-efficiency.

The Dynamics of Environmental and Economic Systems

The Dynamics of Environmental and Economic Systems
Author: Valeria Costantini
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 246
Release: 2012-10-30
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9400750897

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Exploiting econometric techniques aimed at dealing with the dynamics of economic systems and the heterogeneity of agents performances, the volume integrates innovation-based reasoning with ex-post analyses, and presents ex-ante analyses able to evaluate the role of climate change policies by using computable general equilibrium models such as the Global Trade Analysis Project for Energy (GTAP-E). The authors merge and use a range of datasets, including OECD-PATSTAT and STAN, to test novel techniques informed by evolutionary economic theories and the Porter hypothesis. The immediate relevance and applicability of the models will strengthen the hand of policy analysts for whom the dynamic efficiency of environmental policy is a new, high-profile evaluation criterion.

Product Innovation and Eco-Efficiency

Product Innovation and Eco-Efficiency
Author: Judith E.M. Klostermann
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 280
Release: 2013-03-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9401589453

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Prefaced by Björn Stigson, President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, this book is one of the few that treats this topic by putting representatives of industry at centre stage. The book systematically addresses the drivers, the tools, and sector-specific elements that play a role in this process. The five chapters in Part I are devoted to a general introduction to eco-efficiency and the related challenges to industry in its implementation. Part II contains 23 case studies, almost all written by industrial experts who tell how they deal with the challenge: what the motivators are, what tools can be used and how they can be implemented, and what are the specific elements in sectors like building, electronics and packaging. These contributions come from multinationals like Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Akzo Nobel, Philips and Ciba-Geigy, as well as small and medium sized enterprises from such sectors as the building and furniture trades.

Innovation for Sustainability

Innovation for Sustainability
Author: Nancy Bocken
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 468
Release: 2019-02-22
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 3319973851

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The aim of this edited book is to provide a comprehensive overview of the opportunities and challenges related to innovation for sustainability. Combining work from both emerging and established scholars in different academic fields, this book provides an integrated understanding of the topic from four perspectives. First, the big picture: frameworks, types, and drivers; second, strategy and leadership; third, measurement and assessment and fourth, tools, methods and technologies. Chapter 11 of this book is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com. The editors donate their remuneration for this book to conservation organisation the WWF.

Eco-Innovation

Eco-Innovation
Author: Javier Carrillo-Hermosilla
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2009-08-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0230244858

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Eco-Innovation considers the impact industry has on our environmental surroundings whilst exploring the need for more sustainable development. The concept of sustainable development and the general understanding of the interdependence of the environment and the economy are both examined in this thought-provoking new book.

Managing the Business Case for Sustainability

Managing the Business Case for Sustainability
Author: Stefan Schaltegger
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 809
Release: 2017-09-08
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1351280503

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The difficulties in moving towards corporate sustainability raise the question of how environmental and social management can be integrated better with economic business goals. Over the last decade, the relationship between environmental and economic performance, and more recently the interaction between sustainability performance and business competitiveness, have received considerable attention in both theory and practice. However, to date, only partial aspects of the relationship between sustainability performance, competitiveness and economic performance have been studied from a theoretical as well as an empirical perspective. And, to date, no unique relationship has prevailed in empirical studies. A number of explanations have been put forward to explain this, including methodological reasons, such as the lack of statistical data, the low quality of that data, or the fact that such data is often available for short time periods only. Other theoretical explanations have been developed, such as the influence of different corporate strategies or the relatively small influence of environmental or sustainability issues as one factor among many on the economic or financial success of firms. So, how should the business case for sustainability be managed? This is the starting point for this book, which compiles insights on a large number of aspects of the link between sustainability performance, business competitiveness and economic success in an attempt to provide a comprehensive and structured view of this relationship. The book provides an unrivalled body of knowledge on the state of theory and practice in this field and identifies prospective future fields of work. The book includes: conceptual frameworks for the interaction of social, environmental and economic issues in business environments; case studies of companies that have successfully integrated social, environmental and economic issues; analyses of the causal and empirical relationship between environmental and/or social performance, business performance and firm-level competitiveness; concepts and tools useful for improving business value with proactive operational strategies; assessment of the factors influencing operational sustainability strategies and their economic impact; and comparisons of interactions between sustainability performance and firm competitiveness across industry sectors and countries. Managing the Business Case for Sustainability is the definitive work in its field: the most comprehensive book yet published on the theory and practice of managing sustainability performance, competitiveness, environmental, social and economic performance in an integrated way. It will be essential reading for managers, academics, consultants, fund managers, governments and government agencies, NGOs and international bodies who need a broad and comprehensive overview of the business case for sustainability.

Eco-Innovation in Industry Enabling Green Growth

Eco-Innovation in Industry Enabling Green Growth
Author: OECD
Publisher: OECD Publishing
Total Pages: 279
Release: 2010-01-13
Genre:
ISBN: 9264077227

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This book provides benchmarking tools on sustainable manufacturing and aims to spur eco-innovation through better understanding of innovation mechanisms.