Title: Integrating sustainability assessments in manufacturing enterprises: a framework approach

Authors: Ibrahim H. Garbie

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al-Khoud 123, Muscat, Oman; Department of Mechanical Engineering at Helwan, Helwan University, P.O. Box 11792, Helwan, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: This paper assesses the linking between the three dimensions of sustainability in the manufacturing enterprises through a proposed framework approach. The major challenge in manufacturing enterprises regarding sustainability is modelling and measuring the integrating performance metrics between sustainability dimensions. The main objectives addressed in this paper are how to model a new assessment framework for measuring integrating sustainability. The dimensions of sustainability are: economic, social and environmental. They are modelled, estimated and linked into new concepts so called "economic-social, social-environmental, and environmental-economic sustainability". The proposed framework is illustrated through a hypothetical example to investigate which integrating sustainability is more significant or influence in the sustainability regarding manufacturing enterprise. The results show that social-environmental sustainability is the highest and sustainability dimensions and their associated aspects and indicators need more attention from academic and industrialists.

Keywords: manufacturing industry; sustainable development; sustainability assessments; modelling; sustainability integration; economic sustainability; social sustainability; environmental sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2015.069922

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2015 Vol.20 No.3, pp.343 - 368

Received: 08 Jan 2014
Accepted: 17 Feb 2014
Published online: 16 Jun 2015 *

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