Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 1, 2026
08:26
Spray-Coated Melanin/PEDOT:PSS Films for Sustainable Organic Electrochemical Transistors
Published on: October 28, 2025
570
Building Sustainable Supply Chains for Organizations Based on QFD: A Case Study
Zhifeng Wu1,2, Senjing Zhai3, Jiangtao Hong4
1Institute of Logistics Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 201306, China. wu_zhifeng@suibe.edu.cn.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|December 15, 2018
Summary
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can achieve sustainable supply chain management by focusing on key internal abilities. This study highlights waste avoidance, resource recycling, and sustainable exploitation as crucial for environmental and corporate responsibility.
Area of Science:
- Business Administration
- Environmental Science
- Operations Management
Background:
- Growing emphasis on environmental protection from stakeholders.
- Sustainable supply chain management is a key corporate responsibility and challenge for SMEs.
- Need for practical frameworks to guide SMEs in achieving sustainability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) can achieve sustainable supply chain management.
- To develop a performance measurement system for economic, environmental, and social aspects.
- To identify critical internal abilities for sustainable supply chain practices within SMEs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and established a House of Quality (HOQ) model.
- Developed a performance measurement system with 59 secondary indicators across economic, environmental, and social dimensions.
- Employed Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for indicator weighting and benchmarking for improvement targets.
Main Results:
- The HOQ model integrated various performance indicators for sustainable supply chains.
- AHP provided quantitative weights for each indicator, prioritizing key areas.
- Benchmarking established specific improvement goals for the enterprise.
Conclusions:
- Avoiding waste is a primary internal ability for sustainable supply chain management.
- Recycling resources is identified as a critical factor for SMEs.
- Sustainable exploitation practices are essential for long-term viability and responsibility.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Design Example: Sustainability in Concrete Building
416
As the construction industry moves towards more eco-friendly practices, concrete's adaptability and its ability to incorporate sustainable features make it a key material in the drive towards greener building solutions.
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground...
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground...
416
01:43Sustainable Development
15.1K
As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.
15.1K
03:02Organic Compounds
57.3K
All living things are formed mostly of carbon compounds called organic compounds. The category of organic compounds includes both natural and synthetic compounds that contain carbon. Although a single, precise definition has yet to be identified by the chemistry community, most agree that a defining trait of organic molecules is the presence of carbon as the principal element, bonded to hydrogen and other carbon atoms. However, some carbon-containing compounds such as carbonates, cyanides, and...
57.3K
01:28Electron Transport Chains
112.2K
The final stage of cellular respiration is oxidative phosphorylation that consists of two steps: the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis. The electron transport chain is a set of proteins found in the inner mitochondrial membrane in eukaryotic cells. Its primary function is to establish a proton gradient that can be used during chemiosmosis to produce ATP and generate electron carriers, such as NAD+ and FAD, that are used in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.
The ETC is comprised of...
The ETC is comprised of...
112.2K
01:09Levels of Organization
140.7K
Biological organization is the classification of biological structures, ranging from atoms at the bottom of the hierarchy to the Earth's biosphere. Each level of the hierarchy represents an increase in complexity that builds upon the previous level.
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...
140.7K
01:27Movement Joints in Buildings
348
Movement joints in buildings are essential design elements that accommodate inevitable motions caused by various factors such as temperature changes, moisture content variations, and structural deflections. These motions, if not considered in design and construction, can lead to unsightly or dangerous damage. Movement joints are incorporated in different forms to manage these stresses and allow materials to move without causing distress.
The simplest type of movement joints, working joints, are...
The simplest type of movement joints, working joints, are...
348