Implementing Zero Impact Factories in Volkswagen’s Global Automotive Manufacturing System: A Discussion of Opportunities and Challenges from Integrating Current Science into Strategic Management
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe review is attached.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsTitle: Management strategies to implement zero impact factories in a global automotive manufacturing system
The objective of this paper is to reach absolute sustainability in the automotive production environment by creating a methodology to develop zero impact factories. The authors had presented a top-down approach where the management shares a series of strategies based on novel scientific technologies and methodologies that will help industrial manufacturing systems to reach sustainability goals. Here are few comments to improve the paper:
(1) The strategy is a top-down approach while a bottom-up approach would be an appropriate one to reach sustainability goal.
(2) The authors don’t give much detail on how they are going to approach different sub-systems such as energy, materials, water, and production. Using green electricity, fresh water, plastic free factory, and recycling of waste is a very generic strategy. The write-up must answer the question that whether it is possible to implement this strategy at a sub-system level. Is there any assessment at a particular factory site?
(3) Impact points is an interesting tool that helps to keep track of the development but a more detailed assessment about the possibility of implementation with a bottom-up approach or kaizen approach with agile methodologies is needed to make it work. For e.g. Every sub-system will have various machinery operating under it. The problem with each machinery could be unique. Without a clear understanding of various aspects of a sub-system, it will be difficult to implement a generic solution based on overall sub-system findings.
(4) What about the cost involved with implementing Zero impact factory. Is there a life cycle cost analysis involved? A clear-cut understanding of the cost analysis and reduction of cost is very much needed to implement these strategies which affect the profitability of the operating unit.
(5) Please increase the text size in all figures. It is hard to read.
(6) Line 206-222. Authors give references of various papers. Rather the authors can talk about how the methodology in these papers will help authors achieve their set goals.
(7) Line 407. Will be conducted.
Overall, the authors give a generic management strategy to attain sustainability in automotive production sites. A clear-cut understanding of the problems incurred with each sub-system is essential in implementing these strategies. A bottom-up approach will be a more appropriate one. The paper could be accepted if the authors give a clear explanation about their methodology and why a top-down approach will be more appropriate than bottom up to achieve zero impact factory.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe authors have given reasonable and comprehensive answers to the previous review. I have no other questions or comments, so I would recommend the article be published.
