Title: Role of 'green knowledge' in the environmental transformation of the supply chain: the case of Greek manufacturing

Authors: Andreas C.R. Baresel-Bofinger, Panayiotis H. Ketikidis, S.C. Lenny Koh, John Cullen

Addresses: SEERC-South East European Research Centre, 24 Proxeniou Koromila Street, 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece. ' SEERC-South East European Research Centre, 24 Proxeniou Koromila Street, 54622 Thessaloniki, Greece; CITY College – International Faculty of the University of Sheffield, 13 Tsimiski Street, 54624 Thessaloniki, Greece. ' Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) Research Centre, Management School, University of Sheffield, 9 Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 4DT, UK. ' Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) Research Centre, Management School, University of Sheffield, 9 Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 4DT, UK

Abstract: This paper examines the role that the management of green knowledge and the use of environmental intellectual capital play in the implementation process of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in Greek manufacturing companies. Greece is one of the economies with low perceptions of environmental friendliness within the business community. One of the crucial criteria for a company to commit itself seriously to green supply chain management practices is the question of how such an approach affects performance and how much added value can be created through such commitment. Based on a literature review the data for this research were collected through multiple in-depth case studies. The results illustrate that while good management of green knowledge can lead to added value, the definition and implementation of relevant measure items and targets seem indispensable for the improvement of green knowledge quality and as an important driver for implementation of GSCM practices.

Keywords: green SCM; green supply chains; supply chain management; GSCM; environmental SCM; green knowledge management; environmental intellectual capital; sustainability; Greece; South East Europe; sustainable development; manufacturing industry; knowledge-based development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJKBD.2011.040628

International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development, 2011 Vol.2 No.1, pp.107 - 128

Published online: 28 Nov 2014 *

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