Desired, Perceived, and Achieved Sustainability: Trade-Offs in Strategic and Operational Packaging Development

Koeijer, Bjorn de; Lange, J. de; Wever, Renee

doi:10.3390/su9101923

Cited by 36 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 62 publications

(66 reference statements)

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“…This provides several indications of a limited alignment of a company's strategic sustainability ambition with the operational activities of multidisciplinary packaging development teams, aligning with other findings [e.g. Cassells and Lewis (2011), De Koeijer et al (2017), Hallstedt et al (2013) and Van Hemel and Cramer (2002)].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…Minimalizing packaging material amounts (an isolative target) acts as the second leading target, mainly for high levels of strategic sustainability. Findings by De Koeijer et al (2017) indicate that the perceived operational considerations of integrated product‐packaging development can be ambiguous in practice. This can be regarded as an indication of the misalignment between the strategic and operational levels of development, which is underlined by this research's findings in Table .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Current literature identifies a misalignment of the strategic and operational levels of sustainable development [e.g. De Koeijer et al (2017), Hallstedt et al (2013) and Van Hemel and Cramer (2002)]. This research focuses on this misalignment, in relation to stakeholder involvement and decision making, and target setting in packaging development processes.…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 96%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Sustainability priorities across the strategic and operational level in packaging development

2019

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Sustainability is well‐established in many companies' strategic postures. However, executing sustainability‐related goals often lags at the operational level. This study analyses how decision‐making processes in packaging development at different hierarchical levels are characterized in achieving a sustainability consensus. This research focuses on the alignment of the strategic and operational levels of packaging development in relation to the integration of sustainability considerations. This materializes in a stakeholder perspective on packaging development and an analysis of targets aiming for the integration of sustainability considerations in such development processes. The involvement and decision making by internal stakeholders, the involvement of external stakeholders and sustainability target setting are considered as conditions causing the outcome of interest: levels of sustainability implementation on both the strategic and the operational levels of packaging development. By using a set‐theoretic method, we address that different compositions of stakeholder involvement and target setting might cause the same level of sustainability priority at the strategic and operational levels. For data analysis, we use a fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) with empirical data derived from survey responses by packaging experts. This approach is motivated by its ability to address the complexity of the interplay of case characteristics within development processes. The research findings provide several indications of a limited alignment of a company's strategic sustainability ambition with the operational activities of multidisciplinary packaging development teams. The insights on the sustainability‐related configurations of stakeholders and target setting provide guidance for managing projects across the strategic and operational levels in improving sustainable packaging development.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Sustainability priorities across the strategic and operational level in packaging development

2019

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“…Moreover, the results of this research mirror some previous results on complex societal challenges in packaging development. A growing body of research has focused on investigating packaging and sustainable development . In general, packaging is perceived as a commodity and necessary cost, and that explains why in many cases, it comes late or is neglected in the overall product development process.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One way of addressing the societal challenges related to packaging is to understand and engage with the industry in developing packaging in complex supply chains . Overall, in packaging supply chains, the brand‐owner manufacturer is the actor legally responsible for the product and its packaging.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards patient‐centered packaging design: An industry perspective on processes, functions, and constraints

Lorenzini

Olsson

2018

Packag Technol Sci

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Medication packaging is essential to provide patients with guidance and correct use of their medicines for effective treatment. This research aims to increase knowledge about the medication packaging innovation process and its uptake towards patient‐centered packaging design. The study applied a qualitative research approach based on data from 25 in‐depth interviews with stakeholders involved in medication packaging design. The empirical data analysis revealed four themes that can improve and advance user‐centered packaging design: medication packaging innovation process, medication packaging functions and features, medication packaging design constraints, and patient‐centered medication packaging design. The findings suggest that medication packaging design is strongly affected by an emphasis on protective and safety packaging functions rather than on patients' needs. Packaging innovation usually is constrained by rigid incremental development processes, where compliance with regulations, extensive documentation, avoidance of manufacturing complexity, and considerations on cost prevail. These findings are discussed in relation to the three most evident trade‐offs for patient‐centered design: protection versus openability, utility versus cost, and complexity of manufacturability versus complexity of use. This research contributes with valuable input and additional evidence about the necessary shift to a user‐centered approach in a field that has not been design driven. This input complements previous research and provides an opportunity for industry decision makers and policy makers to lead patient‐centered packaging design that can benefit patients and relieve overloaded health care systems.

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Investigating sustainability tensions and resolution strategies in the plastic food packaging industry—A paradox theory approach

Farrukh,

Sajjad

2023

Bus Strat Env

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Increasing food waste, natural resource depletion, and climate change issues have forced plastic food packaging (PFP) companies to align their business strategies with sustainability aspects. At the same time, however, companies operating in the food packaging industry continue to face tensions while pursuing divergent sustainability goals simultaneously. Drawing on paradox theory, this study aims to examine paradoxical sustainability tensions in the PFP industry and propose potential resolution strategies to resolve diverse tensions arising from addressing competing social, economic, and environmental concerns simultaneously. To this end, we employed a qualitative research methodology and interviewed 15 senior corporate managers and consultants in the PFP industry. Based on the empirical data, we develop categories of sustainability tensions related to operations and supply chain, recycling, and external stakeholders associated with performing, organizing, learning, and belonging paradoxes. Further, we propose resolution strategies including multi‐stakeholder collaboration, research and innovation, circular economy, and use of integrated business strategies which are aligned with the acceptance, spatial separation, temporal separation, and synthesis approaches of the paradox theory. To the best of our knowledge, it is one of the early studies that embrace a paradox lens to investigate the sustainability tensions and resolution strategies in the PFP industry. Further, the study results could guide practitioners and policymakers in the PFP industry to comprehend underlying paradoxical sustainability tensions and promote resolution strategies to address divergent yet desirable economic, social, and environmental considerations simultaneously.

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Desired, Perceived, and Achieved Sustainability: Trade-Offs in Strategic and Operational Packaging Development

Cited by 36 publications

References 62 publications

Sustainability priorities across the strategic and operational level in packaging development

Sustainability priorities across the strategic and operational level in packaging development

Towards patient‐centered packaging design: An industry perspective on processes, functions, and constraints

Investigating sustainability tensions and resolution strategies in the plastic food packaging industry—A paradox theory approach

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