IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/jsd123/v16y2023i1p136.html

The Role of Knowledge Development in Manufacturing Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Massimo Beccarello
  • Giacomo Di Foggia

Abstract

The propensity of industrial firms to build sustainability strategies based on knowledge development is an incentive for strategies driven by environmental, social, and economic criteria. However, although firms are increasingly committed to sustainability, poor engagement may lead to strategic drifts. Energy efficiency is one of the most important targets in industrial firms for reducing emissions primarily generated directly by the firm—emissions that are created by generating electricity or heat needed by firms. We focus on energy efficiency, which—along with technological advancement—is the most critical factor in industrial decarbonization and is a pathway for improving economic competitiveness and sustainability. Advances in technological innovation and stakeholders’ requirements provide a range of reasons for achieving environmental benefits. In our view, the outcomes of environmental strategies are influenced by the commitment of firms to sustainable business and their propensity for R&D. Our results show that 44.1% of firms claim to have an investment plan for energy efficiency. This percentage rises to 65% for firms investing more than 4% of their turnover in R&D. A similar trend can be noticed for investments in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) topics, in which 83.3% of the firms claim to have an investment plan of 4% of their turnover. We argue that ESG strategies require competencies and capability building among employees to be successful; otherwise, the risk of strategic drifts increases.

Suggested Citation

  • Massimo Beccarello & Giacomo Di Foggia, 2023. "The Role of Knowledge Development in Manufacturing Sustainability," Journal of Sustainable Development, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 16(1), pages 136-136, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:jsd123:v:16:y:2023:i:1:p:136
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/download/0/0/48278/51917
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jsd/article/view/0/48278
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bertoldi, Paolo & Mosconi, Rocco, 2020. "Do energy efficiency policies save energy? A new approach based on energy policy indicators (in the EU Member States)," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ünal, Berat Berkan & Onaygil, Sermin & Acuner, Ebru & Cin, Rabia, 2022. "Application of energy efficiency obligation scheme for electricity distribution companies in Turkey," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    2. Hassan, Qusay, 2025. "Assessing energy price imbalances and effects on fuel consumption patterns across sectors," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    3. Tomasz Jałowiec & Henryk Wojtaszek, 2021. "Analysis of the RES Potential in Accordance with the Energy Policy of the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-33, September.
    4. Yuan, Feng & Zhang, Peng, 2024. "Are natural resources, sustainable growth and entrepreneurship matter endogenous growth theory? The strategic role of technical progress," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    5. Yu, Lu & Wu, Shuang & Jiang, Lu & Ding, Bowenpeng & Shi, Xiaonan, 2022. "Do more efficient buildings lead to lower household energy consumption for cooling? Evidence from Guangzhou, China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    6. Wadim Strielkowski & Anna Sherstobitova & Patrik Rovny & Tatiana Evteeva, 2021. "Increasing Energy Efficiency and Modernization of Energy Systems in Russia: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-19, May.
    7. Hille, Erik & Angerpointner, Cian, 2025. "Did geopolitical risks in supplier countries of fossil fuels lead to reduced domestic energy consumption? Evidence from Europe," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    8. Yu, Chenyang & Tan, Yuanfang & Zhou, Yu & Zang, Chuanxiang & Tu, Chenglin, 2022. "Can functional urban specialization improve industrial energy efficiency? Empirical evidence from China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PA).
    9. Kamal, Hasan Zulfiquar & Abu-Hijleh, Bassam, 2022. "Feasibility analysis of implementing an On Bill Financing program to promote energy-efficiency in Dubai-UAE," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    10. Cristian Mardones & Pablo Herreros, 2023. "Ex post evaluation of voluntary environmental policies on the energy intensity in Chilean firms," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 9111-9136, September.
    11. Grzegorz Przekota & Anna Szczepańska-Przekota, 2022. "Pro-Inflationary Impact of the Oil Market—A Study for Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-19, April.
    12. Luo, Kang & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Zhuo, Chong, 2024. "A pathway to coordinated regional development: Energy utilization efficiency and green development - Evidence from China's major national strategic zones," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    13. Wang, Lianghu & Shao, Jun, 2024. "The energy saving effects of digital infrastructure construction: Empirical evidence from Chinese industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    14. Tomasz Rokicki & Radosław Jadczak & Adam Kucharski & Piotr Bórawski & Aneta Bełdycka-Bórawska & András Szeberényi & Aleksandra Perkowska, 2022. "Changes in Energy Consumption and Energy Intensity in EU Countries as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic by Sector and Area Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-26, August.
    15. Edziah, Bless Kofi & Opoku, Eric Evans Osei, 2024. "Enhancing energy efficiency in Asia-Pacific: Comprehensive energy policy analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    16. Li-chen Zhang & Zheng-ai Dong & Zhi-xiong Tan & Jia-hui Luo & De-kui Yan, 2024. "Institutional Performance and Carbon Reduction Effect of High-Quality Development of New Energy: China’s Experience and Policy Implication," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-26, August.
    17. Aktar, Asikha & Alam, Md. Mahmudul & Harun, Mukaramah, 2022. "Energy Efficiency Policies in Malaysia: A Critical Evaluation from the Sustainable Development Perspective," OSF Preprints 9cf3a, Center for Open Science.
    18. Guevara, Zeus & Henriques, SofiaTeives & Sousa, Tânia, 2021. "Driving factors of differences in primary energy intensities of 14 European countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    19. Mohsin Dhali & Shafiqul Hassan & Umashankar Subramaniam, 2023. "Comparative Analysis of Oil and Gas Legal Frameworks in Bangladesh and Nigeria: A Pathway towards Achieving Sustainable Energy through Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-30, October.
    20. Tsemekidi Tzeiranaki, Sofia & Economidou, Marina & Bertoldi, Paolo & Thiel, Christian & Fontaras, Georgios & Clementi, Enrico Luca & Franco De Los Rios, Camilo, 2023. "“The impact of energy efficiency and decarbonisation policies on the European road transport sector”," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ibn:jsd123:v:16:y:2023:i:1:p:136. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.