Closing the gap: The role of distributed manufacturing systems for overcoming the barriers to manufacturing sustainability

GUPTA, Himanshu, LAWAL, Jennifer Nguseer, ORJI, Ifeyinwa Juliet and KUSI-SARPONG, Simonov (2023). Closing the gap: The role of distributed manufacturing systems for overcoming the barriers to manufacturing sustainability. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 70 (5), 1754-1773.

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Abstract

The demand for distributed manufacturing systems (DMS) in the manufacturing sector has notably gained vast popularity as a suitable choice to accomplish sustainability benefits. Manufacturing companies are bound to face critical barriers in their pursuit of sustainability goals. However, the extent to which the DMS attributes relate to sustainable performance and impact critical barriers to sustainability is considerably unknown. To help close this gap, this article proposes a methodology to determine the relative importance of sustainability barriers, the influence of DMS on these barriers, and the relationship between DMS attributes and sustainable performance. Drawing upon a rich data pool from the Chinese manufacturing industry, the best–worst method is used to investigate the relative importance of the sustainability barriers and determine how the DMS attributes influence these barriers and relate to sustainability. The study findings show that “organizational barriers” are the most severe barriers and indicate that “reduced carbon emissions” has the highest impact on “organizational” and “sociocultural barriers” whereas public approval” has the highest impact on “organizational barriers.” The results infer that “reduction of carbon emission” is the DMS strategy strongly linked to improved sustainable performance. Hence, the results can offer in-depth insight to decision-makers, practitioners, and regulatory bodies on the criticality of the barriers and the influence of DMS attributes on the sustainability barriers, and thus, improve sustainable performance for increased global competitiveness. Moreover, our study offers a solid foundation for further studies on the link between DMS and sustainable performance.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	08 Information and Computing Sciences; 09 Engineering; 15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services; Business & Management; 35 Commerce, management, tourism and services; 40 Engineering; 46 Information and computing sciences
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1109/tem.2021.3059231
Page Range:	1754-1773
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Elements
Depositing User:	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited:	02 Oct 2023 10:45
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2023 11:16
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/32468

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