Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Applied Engineering and Technology Management

First Advisor

Minty, Gordon

Abstract

Limited availability of non-renewable resources, global warming, competitive advantage, increased government regulation, compliance and non-compliance costs, public concern, and social responsibility are all general reasons why organizations have recently embarked on campaigns to adopt sustainable, or “green”, practices as a business strategy. Though much of the current research documents the reasons for organizations to pursue sustainable methods, the literature lacks industry specific information on how organizations can, and actually are, making their operations more sustainable. This dissertation describes the sustainable practices and considerations prescribed for all manufacturing industries by means of an extensive literature review. In addition, a case study of sustainable aircraft manufacturing materials and processes in place at a particular aircraft manufacturer was performed via a review of company documentation, interviews, and process observations. The sustainable techniques identified during the course of this research have been compiled into listings which can be utilized by aircraft manufacturers and supply chain members for assessing the sustainability of their own organizations.

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