Dr. SZE Lap Ming Spencer, 2019 Graduate

LEUNG, W. K., Sze, S., & Yu, W. (2013). A Study on Green Manufacturing Operations Practices in China. International Journal of Engineering and Industries, 4(3), 8 - 18.

Abstract: Many manufacturers are facing the challenge of balancing the environment cost, social cost and production cost with the advent of global sustainability trends. Although China has been considered as the manufacturing center of the world, many operations in China are still struggling to achieve the goals of green operations due to many non-environmental factors, such as pricing and quality issues driven by customers, the uncertain economy, legal compliance and pressure from special interest groups. Furthermore, consumer’s requirements, legal regulations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the brands are pushing hard on the manufacturing plants to solve environmental issues. This paper investigates the green manufacturing operation initiatives of four reputable manufacturers to gain insights into how to maintain the intricate balance between profit, social cost and environment cost in the garment industry in China. The strategies and practices in achieving green manufacturing operation are identified and analyzed. It is envisioned that the strategies and practices identified can be adapted in other industries and can serve as a guideline for other green manufacturing operations to benchmark their green practices.