Does activity sector matter for the relationship between eco-innovation and performance? Implications for cleaner production

Measuring sustainability performance using an integrated model

Vigorously developing high-tech industry has been considered to be an effective way to coordinate economic growth with excessive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, previous studies have not explored the heterogeneous impacts of high-tech industry on CO2 emissions in regions with different levels of high-tech industry development, and not distinguished the direct and indirect impacts. Based on STIRPAT model, this study investigates the impacts of high-tech industry development on CO2 emissions in China between 2005 and 2016. Adopting the K-medians cluster method, effects in regions with high, middle, and low levels of high-tech industry development are considered. Indirect effects of high-tech industry development on CO2 emissions by affecting industry structure upgrades and economic growth are explored. Empirical results illustrate a positive U-shaped nonlinear link between the level of high-tech industry development and CO2 emissions at the national level and regional (high, middle, and low) level. In terms of indirect impacts, high-tech industry development attenuates the reduction of CO2 emissions due to industry structure upgrades, and promotes economic growth to increase CO2 emissions slightly. The indirect impact intensity gradually decreases as the level of high-tech industry development decreases across three regions. Reasonable implications of our findings are proposed.

Direct and indirect impacts of high-tech industry development on CO2 emissions: empirical evidence from China.

Abstract The Industry 4.0 (I4.0) concept paves the way for the circular economy (CE) as advanced digital technologies enable sustainability initiatives. Hence, I4.0-driven CE-oriented supply chains (SCs) have improved sustainable performance, flexibility and interoperability. In order to smoothly embrace circular practices in digitally enabled SCs, quantitative techniques have been identified as crucial. Therefore, the intersection of I4.0, CE, supply chain management (SCM) and quantitative techniques is an emerging research arena worthy of investigation. This article presents a bibliometric analysis to identify the established and evolving research clusters in the topological analysis by identifying collaboration patterns, interrelations and the studies that significantly dominate the intersection of the analysed fields. Further, this study investigates the current research trends and presents potential directions for future research. The bibliometric analysis highlights that additive manufacturing (AM), big data analytics (BDA) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are the most researched technologies within the intersection of CE and sustainable SCM. Evaluation of intellectual, conceptual and social structures revealed that I4.0-driven sustainable operations and manufacturing are emerging research fields. This study provides research directions to guide scholars in the further investigation of these four identified fields while exploring the potential quantitative methods and techniques that can be applied in I4.0-enabled SCs in the CE context. 

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12063-022-00275-7.pdf

Industry 4.0-driven operations and supply chains for the circular economy: a bibliometric analysis

The Industry 4.0 (I4.0) concept comprises advanced digital technologies that facilitate the digitally enabled sustainability approach leading to a Circular Economy (CE). I4.0 driven CE initiative leads to a paradigm shift in supply chain management (SCM), where quantitative methods provide practical solutions to issues that arise when adopting circular practices. Therefore, the intersection of I4.0, CE, SCM and quantitative methods has been identified as an upcoming area worthwhile investigation. Hence, we conduct a bibliometric analysis on extant literature to visualise and unravel the current scholarly discussion while providing insights to the scholars and practitioners who pursue the current dynamics, trends, prospects pertaining to the intersection mentioned above.

Industry 4.0 Driven Quantitative Methods for Circular Supply Chains: A Bibliometric Analysis

In light of the lack of subjective criteria and scientific rationality in current sustainability performance assessment, the purpose of this paper is conducted to improve the sustainability performance assessment of high-tech firms by developing a hybrid approach that integrates quantitative and qualitative research methods.,This study proposed a hybrid approach that integrates word frequency analysis, cluster analysis, grey theory and the decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Specifically, this study identifies useful criteria using quantitative word frequency analysis as well as qualitative literature research. Then, cluster analysis is used to divide these criteria into different categories. Subsequently, this study applies the grey theory associated with the DEMATEL method to assess the sustainability performance of high-tech firms.,The results reveal that the socio-environment is an important aspect underlying the corporate sustainability performance of high-tech firms. Therefore, high-tech firms should enhance their pollution emission control capabilities and increase investment in energy-conservation and emission-reduction technologies to drive sustainable development. In addition, increasing green product sales revenue and improving the guiding capability of green consumption are core issues that firms must address.,This study assesses the sustainability performance of high-tech firms by applying a hybrid method. This method can be used to construct a framework for scientific sustainability performance assessment and to provide a clear direction for the sustainable development of firms.

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Mengru Zhai

Papers

Assessing sustainability performance of high-tech firms through a hybrid approach