Structural Relationship of Sustainable Manufacturing Divers and Incentives

Abstract

This paper is to study the factors that encourage, drive or force companies to alter manufacturing processes in a way that simultaneously minimizes their environmental and social effects and is cost-efficient for the companies. The principal focus of this research is on the relationships of these drivers, and their mutual influence on each other. This research is descriptive, and a case study is conducted in automotive plastic parts industry in Iran. After recognizing the drivers of sustainable manufacturing, they were localized, and finally ten drivers were approved. Then the relationships between the drivers were analyzed applying Grey-DEMATEL method. The most effective and important drivers in the macro-environment are laws and media, and in the micro-environment, competitors and customers are the key drivers. Business benefits and partners transfer the influences of cause drivers to effect divers. Managers, owners and personnel are the most effected drivers.