Abstract
The European report 'Vision for 2020' calls for an
understanding of manufacturing as a network of complex
development-oriented relationships. The significance of
the manufacturing industry in Europe is widely known and
accepted. Directly and through services, manufacturing
companies generate wealth and jobs in every country in
Europe. Globalisation has sparked a novel industrial
revolution, leading to a new worldwide distribution of
production and markets. Increasing demands for
sustainability, however, have created new challenges and
emerging opportunities for society and for business. The
traditional transnational product and service solutions
cannot be sustained in the emerging eco-sensitive
business environments, where growing volumes of trade and
the patterns of commercial operations impose significant
environmental challenges all over Europe.
Much of the opportunity to address sustainability is
found in enhanced network management. Therefore, leading
companies are looking for new approaches, so as to manage
sustainability impacts effectively - from sourcing and
production to distribution, product logistics support,
and 'afterlife'. If the partners in the manufacturing
network do not manage the future challenges surrounding
regulation, reporting and compliance assurance, scarcity
of resources, or the effects of climate change on their
business, their ability to operate as a network partner
could be dramatically affected. That could be fatal to
their business.
To be successful and resilient in this changing business
environment, manufacturers must be proactive. Industrial
practitioners need to be creative in recognising the
opportunities that the sustainable economy will present
for the development of new products and services, the
identification of changes in markets, and the
optimisation of their internationally operating network
in view of the new sustainability criteria. A concrete
way of exploiting these opportunities involves the
development and implementation of new sustainability
based industrial models and concepts.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Highlights in service research |
| Place of Publication | Espoo |
| Publisher | VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland |
| Pages | 68-73 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 978-951-38-7969-3 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-951-38-7968-6 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |
| MoE publication type | Not Eligible |
Publication series
| Series | VTT Research Highlights |
|---|---|
| Number | 6 |
| ISSN | 2242-1173 |
UN SDGs
This output contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goal(s)
