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Do Lean and Green Manufacturing Practices Lead to Sustainability? A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Shariat Ullah
  • Md. Nazmus Sakib
  • Ramjanul Ahsan
  • Jakowan

Abstract

Despite the extensive literature on lean and green manufacturing separately, there is a gap in understanding their combined effect on firms' sustainability. To address this gap, performance analysis, science mapping, and network analysis were conducted on 1566 publications from the Scopus and Web of Science databases using the Package for R and VOSviewer. The performance analyses revealed steady growth in the field since 2006, with a 22.84% growth rate. Thematic exploration identified prominent clusters, establishing that the underlying themes of the publications on lean and green manufacturing practices are strongly connected with sustainability. This is further supported by a systematic literature review of 112 documents. Drawing insights from the literature review, this research also proposes a framework for integrating lean and green manufacturing practices. Managerially, the findings, as well as the framework, offer insights and a roadmap to facilitate transitions towards a sustainable economy. Academically, this study contributes to knowledge extraction, identifies research directions, and justifies future studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Shariat Ullah & Md. Nazmus Sakib & Ramjanul Ahsan & Jakowan, 2026. "Do Lean and Green Manufacturing Practices Lead to Sustainability? A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(5), pages 6321-6344, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:35:y:2026:i:5:p:6321-6344
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.70504
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