CONNECTING THE CONCEPTS: OPERATIONS, LEAN, GREEN, AND SUSTAINABILITY

Considering operations management characteristics as well as Lean thinking, sustainability and Green thinking, Table 1.3 presents the fundamental building blocks from the literature and describes the intersection between the main knowledge streams, which provided the foundation for the development of the L&GBM.

HOW LEAN AND GREEN THINKING CAN BE COMBINED INTO ONE CONCEPTUAL BUSINESS MODEL

The previous sections “Concept behind the Model,” “Inputs from Operations Management,” “Power of Lean Production,” and “Sustainable Development and ‘Green’ Thinking” explored the main characteristics, dimensions, and fundamental building blocks of the main bodies of literature that compose this book. The objective of this section is analyzing the gaps and interactions between the individual blocks of literature that compose this work to establish the basis for the L&GBM. Within the text, eight hypotheses will be discussed and analyzed:

  • 1. Lean practices require a higher level of integration with manufacturing integration than Green practices.
  • 2. Green practices should consider a higher level of integration with manufacturing ways in order to achieve better results.
  • 3. Most sustainability/Green practices do not fully contribute to the three core sustainability dimensions.
  • 4. Pure Lean thinking contributes to two sustainability dimensions— (1) profit and (2) people.
  • 5. Although they can support business improvement and strategy (such as reducing costs), environmental practices are often stated to be environmental protection initiatives.
  • 6. There are several examples proving the synergy between Lean and Green practices but none has proposed a different way of thinking.

TABLE 1.3

Fundamental building blocks that compose operations management, Lean thinking, sustainability and Green thinking

Operations

Management

Lean Thinking

Sustainability

Green Thinking

What is it?

Function within the organization responsible for the flow of material through a plant and for developing whatever it takes to get product out the door.

A model of “how to run” an efficient and effective manufacturing organization.

Systemic concept relating to the continuity of economic, social and environmental aspects of human society.

Series of mechanism or practices created to better using natural resources or reducing of environmental impact.

Purpose

Support, implement, and drive business strategy.

“Producing exactly what the customer wants, exactly when (with no delay), at fair price and minimum waste.” (Bicheno, 2000)

“Meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs.” (World Commission on Environment and

Development,

1987)

“Use of natural resources without going beyond the carrying

capacities and the production of pollutants without passing the biodegradation limits of the receiving system” (Lozano, 2008)

Dimensions
  • 1. Quality
  • 2. Delivery
  • 3. Cost
  • 1. Safety
  • 2. Quality
  • 3. Delivery
  • 4. Cost
  • 1. Social
  • 2. Economic
  • 3. Environment

1. Environment

Main

principles

NA
  • 1. Specific value
  • 2. Identify value streams

NA
  • 1. Identify environmental aspects and impacts
  • 2. Measure environmental impact and the use of natural resources

(Continued )

TABLE 1.3 (Continued)

Fundamental building blocks that compose operations management, Lean thinking, sustainability and Green thinking

Operations

Management

Lean Thinking

Sustainability

Green Thinking
  • 3. Make value flow
  • 4. Let the customer pull value
  • 5. Pursue perfection
  • 3. Identify alternatives to
  • (a) impact reduction and
  • (b) resources productivity
  • 4. Continuous improvement

Examples

of

working

tools

Six sigma Industrial engineering tools

Lean thinking tools

Kaizen Problem solving People involvement

Industrial ecology Industrial symbiosis Eco-efficiency Ecoeffectiveness Triple bottom line

Natural capitalism The natural step The biosphere rule

Eco-design design for environment (DFE)

Life cycle analysis (LCA)

Cleaner

production

EMS

EPE

Source: Pampanelli, A., L&GBM, PhD Thesis, School of Engineering, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2013.

  • 7. The application of pure Lean promotes environmental improvement even though there is no direct intention to reduce environmental impact.
  • 8. A new way of thinking can be created by integrating to the pure Lean thinking one new dimension—(3) the planet.

Figure 1.5 presents a schematic representation of what will be reviewed in this section.
 
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