The design of global supply networks has evolved from traditional lowest landed cost analysis to include more strategic concepts such as how particular network configurations might support strategic and operational capabilities. An established approach to assessing operational capabilities is the maturity model methodology where the emphasis is on notions of evolution and levels of process formality. More recently, there has been a growing emphasis on sustainable supply networks, driving industrial practitioners to also address energy and resource efficiencies and waste minimisation. However, quantitative measurement approaches such as carbon footprinting beyond the firm boundary are complex and resource intensive and present significant validation challenges. This article proposes a process maturity model-based alternative to supply network carbon measurement approaches, namely, the systematic review of organisational routines and practices relevant to sustainable manufacturing. Furthermore, the incorporation of sustainability dimensions within an established supply chain maturity model architecture provides a basis for potential trade-offs. Application of the maturity model framework in 12 case studies of international manufacturing multinationals is presented, demonstrating feasibility and utility of the approach and identifying potential drivers for manufacturing sustainability linked to the industrial supply network position, including the regulatory context, and consumer sentiment.

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A detailed study has been undertaken on the infrared photofragmentation of SF 6 (NO); cluster ions. A line-tuneable CO 2 laser has been used to excite the J)3 vibrational mode of the SF 6 molecule which is followed by the observation of three separate fragmentation channels: -SF(j, -NO, and -2NO. The relative intensities of the fragments are found to be sensitive to the sign of the charge on the ion, the cluster size, and whether n is either odd or even. Within clusters of the same charge, the most marked transitions in fragmentation pattern are found between odd-and even-sized cluster ions, with the decay channels favoring those processes which lead to the formation of even electron ions. There are also large differences in fragmentation pattern between the negatively and positively charged ions. A summation of fragment ion intensities as a function of laser wavelength is used to determine infrared absorption profiles and their shapes confirm a pronounced difference in behavior between SF 6 (NO); and SF 6 (NO);. The results for the positively charged ions are interpreted in terms of a central (NO): core which serves to fix the position of the SF 6 molecule via an attractive ion-induced dipole interaction. In contrast, observations on the negatively charged ions, suggest that the interaction between the excess electron and the SF 6 is predominantly repulsive and also sufficiently 'diffuse as to keep the molecule comparatively mobile even in large cluster ions. It is suggested that the excess electron in SF 6 (NO); may occupy a surface state and that the state has associated with it approximately 15 NO molecules.

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