Title: Industrial system dynamics for environmental sustainability: a case study on the UK medical technology sector

Authors: Mukesh Kumar; Tomás Seosamh Harrington; Jagjit Singh Srai; Yuto Minakata

Addresses: Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, 17 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK ' Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, 17 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK ' Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, 17 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK ' Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, 17 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK

Abstract: This paper investigates environmental sustainability dynamics of an industrial system through a case study on the UK medical technology sector. This paper builds on an industrial system framework involving institutions, specialist firms, value/supply chains and industrial actors. Environmental sustainability dynamics are explored through infrastructure and structure factors of industrial systems that are primarily developed from theoretical domains of manufacturing systems, production networks and supply chains. Research findings suggest that structural components influence the industry system more radically than the infrastructural components. Environmental sustainability dynamics depend on the size of industrial actors, types/characteristics of product and process, and availability of specialist (funding/technology) firms.

Keywords: environmental sustainability; logistics; healthcare operations management; supply network design; supply networks; UK; United Kingdom; industrial system dynamics; case study; medical technology; manufacturing systems; production networks; supply chain management; SCM; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2017.082024

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2017 Vol.31 No.1/2/3, pp.100 - 132

Received: 02 Oct 2015
Accepted: 29 Jun 2016
Published online: 01 Feb 2017 *

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