Environmental effects of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 management system implementation in SSCM

Examining the role of soft dimensions on the implementation of ISO 14000 environmental management systems: a graph-theoretic approach

Organizations worldwide are now embracing different standards while approaching environmental management systems (EMS) to be environmentally and economically sustainable. The ISO 14001 EMS has captured much attention by offering efficient environmental practices organization-wide and throughout the supply chain. Human factors (HFs) are crucial behind implementing ISO 14001 EMS since research articles about ISO 14001 strongly emphasize different HFs. This study proposes a framework that solely focuses on those HFs. Influential HFs are extracted through content analysis of related literature and categorized into 5 main HFs. Opinions from experts in the relevant field about interrelationships and inheritances of the HFs are collected and converted into quantitative data. Incorporating the graph theoretic and matrix approach (GTMA), the data delivered permanent values corresponding to the main HFs and their best and worst possible values. Among the main HFs, EMS Training has been found to have the most scopes for improvement, followed by Employee Empowerment and EMS Teamwork. This study demonstrates a framework about how to assess the role of HFs behind internalizing ISO 14001 EMS and enables organizations to go for competitive benchmarking and to define and adjust goals for environmental management.

Green drivers and green enablers in pharmaceuticals supply chain: in the context of an emerging economy

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to comprehend the current state of green supply chain management (GSCM) and its drivers and enablers in the pharmaceutical supply chains (PSCs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study developed a model consisting of the factors green drivers, green enablers and green practices. For this study, data were collected from 166 supply chain heads from 124 pharmaceutical companies operating in India. The data was empirically analysed using SmartPLS3 software.

Findings

The study revealed that in Indian PSCs, public pressure, supplier pressure and competitor pressure were the major drivers for GSCM practices and coercive pressures such as pressure from government and regulatory bodies were insignificant drivers. The results indicated that the influence of green drivers and green enablers altered with supply chain flow. Green drivers indicated higher influence at the upstream of PSCs whereas the influence of green enablers was higher at the downstream of PSCs. Furthermore, the study revealed that the factor “green enablers” was a good mediator for the relationship between “green drivers” and “GSCM practices” in PSCs.

Research limitations/implications

This study was an extension work with the addition of external green drivers to the self-induced organizational activities. Further investigations can be done by including the “green barriers” construct in the conceptual model.

Practical implications

This research connected the institutional theory with the resource-based view to understanding the role of green drivers and green enablers in greening PSC. For managers and regulators, this study provided clear insights on how to approach different supply chain drivers and enablers to maximize the impact of GSCM practices. Moreover, the findings of this study helped in incorporating knowledge about GSCM into a framework that can be used for defining strategies for setting up a sustainable PSC for pharmaceutical products leading to the development and growth of the pharmaceuticals industry.

Originality/value

Most of the earlier studies on GSCM were at the firm level and some studies were at the supply chain level. To further enhance the scope of GSCM theory, this study was conducted at two different levels, first at the complete supply chain level and second at three different levels: upstream, firm-level and downstream.

Enhancing operations management through smart sensors: measuring and improving well-being, interaction and performance of logistics workers

Purpose

The purpose of the research is to conduct an exploratory investigation of the material handling activities of an Italian logistics hub. Wearable sensors and other smart tools were used for collecting human and environmental features during working activities. These factors were correlated with workers' performance and well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

Human and environmental factors play an important role in operations management activities since they significantly influence employees' performance, well-being and safety. Surprisingly, empirical studies about the impact of such aspects on logistics operations are still very limited. Trying to fill this gap, the research empirically explores human and environmental factors affecting the performance of logistics workers exploiting smart tools.

Findings

Results suggest that human attitudes, interactions, emotions and environmental conditions remarkably influence workers' performance and well-being, however, showing different relationships depending on individual characteristics of each worker.

Practical implications

The authors' research opens up new avenues for profiling employees and adopting an individualized human resource management, providing managers with an operational system capable to potentially check and improve workers' well-being and performance.

Originality/value

The originality of the study comes from the in-depth exploration of human and environmental factors using body-worn sensors during work activities, by recording individual, collaborative and environmental data in real-time. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the current paper is the first time that such a detailed analysis has been carried out in real-world logistics operations.