| 1. |
- Rex, Emma, 1978, et al.
(författare)
-
Energy efficiency along the value chain – ways of working for increased competitiveness
- 2015
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This report presents a project with the aim to develop methods for large companies on how to work with energy efficiency that stretches along the value chain. By studying organizational conditions and physical effects on energy and climate for six cases in three companies, recommendations are given to businesses and governments on how to work for increased life cycle energy efficiency.The results point to a range of organizational and economic challenges, but also to enablers. Four strategies for progress were identified: A) Find and share the life cycle benefits, B) Enable and encourage understanding and action, C) Get focus and priorities in line, and D) Seek or create a way forward. The study points to the need to be strategic, and to translate this strategy into priorities and operational work. Yet, it must be recognized that life cycle thinking is not the work by one company and there is a call for cross-actor arenas to discuss and develop governance of value chains beyond the act of single companies.
|
|
| 2. |
- Rex, Emma, 1978, et al.
(författare)
-
Organizational challenges and solutions for practical implementation of life cycle improvements.
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Life Cycle Management LCM conference 2015.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Life cycle management is still not fully integrated as a deliberate part of most companies’ product and business strategy operations. Seemingly promising solutions never reach implementation, or potential options are not explored. Many possible reasons for this can be found in the literature. Barriers could stem from gaps in knowledge, data, and tools for identifying and evaluating alternatives, but may also (and possibly to a greater extent) relate to established mindsets, organizational structures and internal and external incentives along the value chain. Implementation of life cycle thinking may challenge existing norms e.g. regarding distribution of values and risks in the life cycle, or conceptions of what technical system to be optimized. Formal and informal management procedures may also act as barriers, such as responsibility-schemes for environmental, energy-related and economic results.While technical solutions for LCM can be found in LCA literature and managerial solutions in the management literature, this study add further insights on organizational challenges and possibilities based on organizational practices having life cycle implications. It explores promising solutions and potential options for mainstreaming life cycle improvements based on observed practices in large production companies.Data is collected through a number of historic and ongoing examples of product and process changes associated with environmental implications in a life cycle perspective. Examples include both deliberate actions of life cycle management and actions with life cycle implications originally based on other rationales. The study focuses large multinational corporations in a range of sectors such as energy, estate, automotive, chemicals and consumer goods. All studied companies have own in-house competence in life cycle thinking. Data and experiences are collected through interviews and workshops with representatives from both the life cycle metric departments and other corporate functions such as sales and marketing, product development etc.Enablers and barriers for mainstreaming life cycle management are described and categorized based on the nature and effects of observed practices. Ways to enhance promising solutions, and overcome identified barriers, are also further analyzed. It leads to a discussion about actual and perceived responsibilities for furthering life cycle improvements, among actors both internal and external to the organization.
|
|
| 3. |
- Rex, Emma, 1978
(författare)
-
Marketing for Life Cycle Thinking
- 2008
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The concept of “life cycle thinking” creates possibilities for major improve¬ments in environ¬mental performance, but compels companies to look beyond their own immediate sites and operations to consider the broader picture of their products’ or services’ environmental impact. This thesis seeks to explore company attempts to implement such life cycle thinking (LCT), and how this connects with their self-inte¬rest in terms of market success. Understanding is sought through qualitative field studies of large Swedish companies, in which data were collected from interviews, observa¬tions, and documents (Papers I, II, and V). Literature on how industry practices are understood in the life cycle community and by organisational theorists, as well as marke¬ting and green marketing theories, are also explored and compared (Papers III and IV). The traditional focus on, for example, a lack of tools and data, is replaced by a focus on organisational processes, including how life cycle goals influ¬ence internal sensemaking about green actions and how consumer and customer interest in environ¬mental matters are perceived and acted on. The results indicate that both life cycle thinking and green marketing are greatly shaped by the perceptions and sensemaking of people adapting their application to local contexts.It is concluded that both internal and external marketing are possible keys to facilitating the spread of life cycle thinking in industry. Internally, pro¬po¬¬nents of life cycle thinking are encouraged to consider the business rationales for their efforts. Commonly, these rationales concern risk mana¬ge¬¬ment; however, these rationales can also concern other matters, such as marketing and business strategies. Externally, it is suggested that compa¬nies may benefit from working more with market interaction (e.g., by means of market research and market creation) to encourage customer considera¬tion of green qualities, rather than by merely providing market information (e.g., by ecolabels) to enable such behaviour.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
