Managing Environmental Improvement through Product and Process Innovation: Implications of Environmental Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Klassen, R.D., and Greis, N.P., 1993, Managing environmental improvement through product and process innovation: implications of environmental life cycle assess ment, Industrial & Environmental Crisis Quarterly, 7:4, 293-318.

Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) is being developed by a number of organizations worldwide as a preventative and improvement strategy for managing the environmental burden of product manufacture. The growing international emphasis on LCA has significant strategic implications for the research and development (R&D) and manufacturing functions, particularly the management of product and process innovation. This paper explores the basic definition and objectives of LCA by comparing alternative frameworks being developed by the international community of U.S., Canadian and European organizations. This review serves three important purposes: first, the discussion identifies critical issues and implications for technology man agers ; second, the analysis explores the international differences for manu facturers producing for global markets; and finally, this research establishes the basis for a decision framework to manage environmental improvement through product and process innovation. This decision framework, based on the length of the product's useful life, summarizes the preferred option for manufacturers seeking to improve the environmental compatibility of their products and to reduce the environmental burden of their manufacturing operations.