Title: An analysis and modelling of selected barriers for a sustainable manufacturing system using ISM technique

Authors: Subrata Kumar Patra; Tilak Raj; B.B. Arora

Addresses: Department of Production Engineering, G.B. Pant Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, YMCAUST, Faridabad, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delhi Technological University, Delhi, India

Abstract: Traditional manufacturing is largely focused on economics but are attributable for environmental degradation, ecological imbalance and several other negative connotations. To cope up with these challenges, manufacturers have to adopt manufacturing practices amenable to sustainable manufacturing system (SMS). However, transitioning to SMS is a challenging task because a gamut of complex barriers hinders its successful implementation. Data extracted from the reviewed literatures and aptly complimented by the responses of experts, helped in identifying various barriers that are considered as critical from sustainability viewpoint. A focused group discussion (FGD) group consisting of a few experts from steel industry prepared a questionnaire incorporating these barriers. An analysis using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) reveal that lack of government support towards developing new technologies is the most important barrier towards the attainment of SMS. Insights from this analysis will benefit decision-makers in formulating suitable strategies to mitigate the ill-effects of these barriers.

Keywords: traditional manufacturing; barriers; sustainable development; sustainability; sustainable manufacturing system; SMS; interpretive structural modelling; ISM; transitivity.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOR.2021.116251

International Journal of Operational Research, 2021 Vol.41 No.3, pp.373 - 398

Received: 17 Mar 2018
Accepted: 19 Dec 2018
Published online: 15 Jul 2021 *

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