Green Logistics Development Decision-Making: Factor Identification and Hierarchical Framework Construction

Abstract

The influential factors of green logistics development have been an important research topic for academics. However, little attention has been devoted to studying the issue of the prioritization and the hierarchical structure of these factors. The purpose of this study is to identify the key factors influencing the development of green logistics, and to explore the prioritization and the hierarchical structure of the influential factors. An indicator system for influential factors of green logistics development is first developed based on the theory of triple bottom line, including sixteen indicators or factors. The comprehensive influences and the prioritization of these sixteen factors are then analyzed using the DEMATEL method and the multi-level hierarchical structure of these factors is constructed by applying the ISM method. The results indicate that government policies, public supports, laws and regulations, green education, green technology innovations, consumer green demands, quantity and quality of green logistics talents are more influential than the other factors. Social factors including laws and regulations and government policies, public supports and green education are the underlying factors affecting the development of green logistics. Economic factors are at the middle levels and environmental factors are at the surface-level of the hierarchical structure. Recommendations are finally given to governmental agencies and business firms. These findings will be beneficial to promoting the sustainable development of green logistics.

Multi-objective optimization for a combined location-routing-inventory system considering carbon-capped differences

“…Due to the increasing concerns on environmental issues, changes are foreseen in the future in supply chain operations, regardless of whether business firms are voluntarily or are forced by new legislations to reduce carbon emissions (Hoen et al [17]; Xin et al [51]; Zhang et al [56]). Many publications have appeared in the literature in recent years focusing on low carbon supply chains.…”

“…Green production; green purchasing; coordination mechanism; life cycle assessment Palmer [31]; Jaber et al [19]; Du et al [13]; Xu et al [52]; Zhang et al [56].…”

“…As pointed out by Martí et al [26], the supply chain approaches aiming to ensure effective carbon management should make the environmental and operational trade-offs in the various processes, including purchasing, transportation and inventory. The regulations and policies on low carbon emissions play an important role in the low carbon supply chain management (Xin et al [51]; Zhang et al [56]). Saxena et al [34] established a tactical planning model for a tyre remanufacturing supply chain considering the carbon emission cost.…”

“…The governmental agency should allocate a small carbon cap if its policy emphasizes environment protection, or should allocate a large carbon cap for the CLRIS to reduce cost if its policy emphasizes economic development. Therefore, a proper government intervention is necessary in encouraging the CLRIS to make appropriate decisions [56].…”

“…These supports show the determination of the governments to control pollution. The environmental damage caused by business activities leads to governmental legislations and environmentally conscious consumers [56]. Hence, consumers and the governments put pressures on business firms to mitigate the environmental impact from production and processes [9].…”