Sustainability In Operations Management

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Every organisations nowadays are concerned in managing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability as an essential matter of their operations management (OM). The demand to address sustainability in OM is driven by climate change and environmental issues, the workers well-being and communities, and other broad social demands defined as the triple bottom line [TBL] (Walker, Klassen, Sarkis, Seuring, 2014) the pursuit of social, economic and environmental objectives – within operations of a specific firm and operational linkages that extend beyond the firm to include the supply chain and communities. Different aspects of sustainable OM as mentioned in a recent study (Walker et al, 2014, p. 1) includes product design and eco-design, adoption of environmental and social standards, process improvement and lean operations, purchasing, supply chain management (SCM), logistics including recycling and closed-loop systems, performance measurement, and risk management.
In the recent research (Walker, Klassen, Sarkis, Seuring, 2014, p. 1), it was found that the research regarding sustainable OM has been increasing in last two decades which can be considered as a sensible changes in recent business and society. The underlying concern was that if we continue to consume resources at current rates, we would need over three planets worth of resources (Weizsacker et al. 1997, cited in Walker et al, 2014, p. 1). Consumers are concerned about how products are sourced and firms are being pressured to address the TBL.
This research paper analyses the articles appeared in International Journal of Operations and Production Management (IJOPM) which shows that sustainability research has inclined to be atheoretical in recent research. Out of a...

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...nagement, energy optimization, transportation optimization, technology upgrades, air quality, sustainable product design. Social sustainability in practice includes product safety, workforce health and safety, ethics and governance, community and economic aspects includes performance excellence, financial management, resource management, emergency preparedness.
Sustainability represents broad and, to many, a new paradigm for organizational performance. OM plays a vital role in helping organizations accomplish these goals.

Reference List:
Walker, H., Klassen, R., Sarkis, J., Seuring, S. (2014). Sustainable operations management: recent trends and future directions, International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 34(5), 1-11.
Collier, D. A., Evans, J. R., (2013), OM (4th ed.). Student Edition, United States of America, South-Western Cengage Learning.

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