Transformation toward Sustainable Operations for Firms in Developing Economies

Abstract

In view of its vital importance for building lasting competitive advantage and long-term success for firms, sustainable operations have aroused extensive interest in academia and industry. Drawing on a real-world case, the purpose of this study is to explore transformation of sustainable operations in Chinese enterprises. The case study also systematically investigated the logic behind processes and mechanisms of Lean-and-Green enabled sustainability vis-a-vis firms in developing countries. The research reveals that the key strongpoint of Lean-and-Green enabled sustainability for firms in developing economies is the well-configured model of Green Embedded Lean Deployment System (GELDS). It has addressed the theoretical gap of achieving enterprise sustainability driven by Lean and Green implementations in developing economies. The proposed GELDS model is driven by the strategy operations manipulations fit and a variety of novel concepts, thoughts, and tools. In conclusion, this research provides considerable reference value for enterprises in developing countries to attain sustainable operations and durable competitive advantage.