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Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development
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Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Products and Services".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (16 November 2024) | Viewed by 17695

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Marcin Relich

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Zielona Góra, Zielona Góra, Poland
Interests: data-driven product development; decision support systems; business analytics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Increased environmental changes and customer requirements affect sustainable product development. Hence, many companies are trying to incorporate sustainability into their strategies for managing new products. Today, sustainable product design requires holistic approaches involving the whole product life cycle. These approaches aim to improve models, metrics for sustainability evaluation, and optimization methods at the product, process, and system levels. Sustainable product design is one of crucial challenges for manufacturers to achieve sustainability. However, sustainable product design requires assessing sustainability performance in the product life cycle and optimizing the decision-making process. Consequently, there is the need to elaborate quantitative methods for measuring and monitoring sustainability, supporting sustainable manufacturing processes, and managing sustainable product development.

This Special Issue is concerned with exploring new directions in quantitative approaches dedicated to sustainable product development within the whole product life cycle. Moreover, this Special Issue aims to encourage discussion on developing and deploying quantitative methods for sustainability performance evaluation, sustainable product design, decision making for sustainable development, and product life cycle management. Manuscripts based on integrated and interdisciplinary approaches related to sustainable product development frameworks, technologies, and case studies are particularly welcome.

Prof. Dr. Marcin Relich
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • business models for sustainability
  • circular economy
  • data analytics for sustainable development
  • decision making for sustainability
  • eco-friendly products
  • sustainability evaluation
  • sustainable entrepreneurship
  • sustainable innovation practices
  • sustainable product design
  • sustainable manufacturing
  • sustainable supply chain management

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 12784 KiB  
Article
Analysis and Visualisation of Large Scale Life Cycle Assessment Results: A Case Study on an Adaptive, Multilayer Membrane Façade
by David Borschewski, Tobias Manuel Prenzel, Stefan Albrecht and Philip Leistner
Sustainability 2024, 16(10), 4217; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16104217 - 17 May 2024
Viewed by 1060
Abstract
The importance of visualisations in context of life cycle assessment has been widely discussed and acknowledged in the literature. Especially with the increasing ability to process and create large-scale LCA results, visualisations are vital tools to not only analyse and interpret but also [...] Read more.
The importance of visualisations in context of life cycle assessment has been widely discussed and acknowledged in the literature. Especially with the increasing ability to process and create large-scale LCA results, visualisations are vital tools to not only analyse and interpret but also check and validate underlying datasets. Based on a dataset containing 1.25 million LCA results for all potential configurations within a defined parameter space, different visualisations and analysis methods were applied to identify hotspots, assess parameter sensitivity, gain insights to optimise environmental sustainability, and provide benchmarks for an adaptive, multilayer membrane façade. Box plots for the identification of hotspots, parameter sensitivity, and benchmarking, as well as colour-coded scatter plots, have proven to be incredibly versatile and effective for understanding the results and providing multiple perspectives to gain further insight. The ability to interact directly with interactive visualisation in order to identify and isolate specific areas of interest allows for a very efficient analysis of the relevant aspects of data. However, the usefulness of the proposed visualisations is not only dependant on the quality and characteristic of the underlying data but also on the objectives and scope of the study, as well as the intended medium illustrating the results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development)
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24 pages, 1576 KiB  
Article
Assessing Consumer Behavior in Sustainable Product Markets: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach with Partial Least Squares Analysis
by Qamrul Islam and Syed Md Faisal Ali Khan
Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3400; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083400 - 18 Apr 2024
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 9591
Abstract
The present research investigates the determinants that impact the decision-making process about sustainable purchasing. The study’s conceptual framework encompasses customer attitudes, values, beliefs, environmental awareness, perceived environmental impact, price and value, and product attributes. The study aims to comprehend the inclination toward environmentally [...] Read more.
The present research investigates the determinants that impact the decision-making process about sustainable purchasing. The study’s conceptual framework encompasses customer attitudes, values, beliefs, environmental awareness, perceived environmental impact, price and value, and product attributes. The study aims to comprehend the inclination toward environmentally friendly purchases and the elements that promote their behavior. The study employs quantitative techniques using SEM-PLS, a robust approach for formulating hypotheses and performing mediation and moderation analysis, to comprehend the dynamics of green purchase behavior. The web survey conducted from 30 October 2023 to 16 December 2023 forms the basis of the data analysis. Throughout this period, 744 responses were collected in total. The study’s findings establish correlations between characteristics and the propensity of individuals to buy environmentally friendly products. Personal attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control are factors that are associated with variables that impact the relationship between customer attitudes and the intention to buy environmentally friendly products. The study significantly contributes to domain marketing by establishing a new concept called “sustainable product evaluation”. This concept includes factors such as perceived environmental values and beliefs, perceived environmental impact, and product features. Incorporating a new variable improves the comprehension of the factors that influence environmentally conscious decision-making among Saudi Arabian consumers. While the majority of our sample was university students, we want to understand sustainable consumption behavior. The results may not reflect the general population. Due to this constraint, we advise diligence when interpreting the results in light of public attitudes and experiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development)
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18 pages, 1231 KiB  
Article
Case-Based Reasoning in Achieving Sustainability Targets of New Products
by Marcin Relich, Janusz Adamczyk, Robert Dylewski and Agnieszka Kister
Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1502; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041502 - 9 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1049
Abstract
Improving product sustainability is becoming an increasingly significant challenge for modern enterprises. A growing number of manufacturers are interested in enhancing product sustainability throughout the product life cycle. This study is concerned with using case-based reasoning to identify ways of improving product sustainability [...] Read more.
Improving product sustainability is becoming an increasingly significant challenge for modern enterprises. A growing number of manufacturers are interested in enhancing product sustainability throughout the product life cycle. This study is concerned with using case-based reasoning to identify ways of improving product sustainability and select variables for model specification. Parametric models are applied to search for opportunities to improve product sustainability. This can be achieved through changes introduced at the product design stage. Simulations are performed using constraint-satisfaction modeling to identify conditions for achieving the sustainability targets of new products. Constraint-satisfaction modeling provides a suitable framework for finding all possible sustainability-enhancing changes (if any) during the new product development process. These changes may support R&D specialists in identifying opportunities to improve the sustainability of new products. We demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed approach with an example in which our method enabled a reduction in the product failure rate and an increase of battery lifespan for a robot vacuum cleaner line. We analyzed several factors affecting two targets of product sustainability: minimizing the product failure rate and maximizing battery lifespan. Our findings indicate that R&D staff size is the biggest factor in reducing the product failure rate, and that battery capacity is the most significant factor in battery lifespan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development)
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25 pages, 864 KiB  
Article
Blueprints to Benefits: Towards an Index to Measure the Impact of Sustainable Product Development on the Firm’s Bottom Line
by Muhammed Sajid and Myriam Ertz
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 537; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020537 - 8 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2159
Abstract
This study pioneers the development of the Sustainable Product Impact (SPI) Index, a novel framework designed to bridge the gap in existing sustainability assessment methodologies by focusing specifically on the influence of sustainable product development on a firm’s financial outcomes. For the first [...] Read more.
This study pioneers the development of the Sustainable Product Impact (SPI) Index, a novel framework designed to bridge the gap in existing sustainability assessment methodologies by focusing specifically on the influence of sustainable product development on a firm’s financial outcomes. For the first time, this research draws on the core principles of economics, marketing, and environmental sciences research fields to provide a comprehensive tool that enables businesses to quantify the multifaceted impacts of their sustainability initiatives within a corporate context. The SPI Index is an innovative metric that evaluates various factors, including financial and market performance, operational efficiency, brand perception, regulatory benefits, and long-term strategic advantages. This holistic approach allows for a more nuanced understanding of how sustainable practices influence a company’s bottom line and overall market position. Key findings of this research reveal that integrating sustainable product development into business strategies enhances environmental stewardship and impacts financial performance. The SPI Index has demonstrated its capacity to provide detailed insights into the specific areas of sustainability that most strongly affect profitability, thereby guiding businesses in their strategic planning and decision-making processes. In terms of originality and value, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a unique and practical tool for businesses. The SPI Index stands out in its ability to translate sustainability efforts into quantifiable financial metrics, promoting a more integrated and balanced approach to corporate sustainability and profitability. Hence, this research plays a crucial role in guiding companies toward responsible corporate citizenship while focusing on economic viability in the modern business landscape. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development)
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17 pages, 4484 KiB  
Article
Greening Foundation Industries: Shared Processes and Sustainable Pathways
by Ziyad Sherif, Shoaib Sarfraz, Mark Jolly and Konstantinos Salonitis
Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14422; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914422 - 1 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1723
Abstract
Foundation industries, encompassing metals, ceramics, cement, paper, chemicals, and glass, play a vital role in driving industrial economies. Despite their pivotal role, a comprehensive understanding of shared processes and their impact on resource utilisation remains elusive. This study employs a novel approach, leveraging [...] Read more.
Foundation industries, encompassing metals, ceramics, cement, paper, chemicals, and glass, play a vital role in driving industrial economies. Despite their pivotal role, a comprehensive understanding of shared processes and their impact on resource utilisation remains elusive. This study employs a novel approach, leveraging an adapted Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM), to unveil the core processes commonly utilised among these industries. These processes are then evaluated based on their influence on energy consumption and CO2 emission. The investigation revealed 18 common processes categorised by their processing principles, their expected outcomes, and the equipment used. Remarkably, these processes emerge as significant contributors to both energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Notably, pyroprocessing emerged as a prevalent practice in five out of the six sectors, while the production of dried products and crushers and mills were the most frequently encountered outcomes and equipment used, respectively. This paper discusses the implications of these findings for foundation industries, emphasising potential areas for enhancing manufacturing operations to reduce environmental damage and facilitate knowledge transfer among the various sectors. Furthermore, the study identifies shared abatement options that can be collectively implemented across industries to achieve more substantial reductions in environmental footprint. By identifying and prioritising the most impactful processes in foundation industries, this study provides a strategic footing for advancing sustainable and efficient manufacturing practices within these critical sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development)
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22 pages, 5718 KiB  
Article
Fuzzy Method to Improve Products and Processes Considering the Approach of Sustainable Development (FQE-SD Method)
by Andrzej Pacana, Dominika Siwiec and Jacek Pacana
Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 9927; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139927 - 21 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1062
Abstract
Assumptions of the concept of sustainable development should include actions towards the development of modern, well-managed enterprises. However, making decisions in this area is difficult as it often results from subjective assessments of environmental problems. Hence, there is a motivation to develop a [...] Read more.
Assumptions of the concept of sustainable development should include actions towards the development of modern, well-managed enterprises. However, making decisions in this area is difficult as it often results from subjective assessments of environmental problems. Hence, there is a motivation to develop a method of analysing the search for solutions to environmental problems that supports decisions in the area of improving the quality of products or processes while considering their impacts on the natural environment. In view of the specification of this problem, it was considered that this method should be conducted in a fuzzy decision environment. This method is called FQE-SD (fuzzy qualitatively environmentally sustainable development). This method integrated, in a hybrid way, the selected tools or elements of qualitative and multi-criteria decision methods, i.e., using the SMARTER method, brainstorming (BM), a method to select the team of experts, the Pareto-Lorenz analysis, the fuzzy QE-FMEA method, and the fuzzy AHP method. The main contribution of the FQE-SD method is its hybrid methodology, which supports: (i) a coherent and objective approach during the identification, analyses, and ranking of the causes of incompatibility of products or processes and (ii) the realization of the sustainable development of products or processes. The method was tested using the magnetic-powder test (MT). This control was carried out for producers of an outer bearing made fromAMS6470 steel. The results of this work confirmed the practical possibilities of applying the FQE-SD method. This method can also be applied to other production situations, if appropriate assumptions are made. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantitative Methods for Sustainable Product Development)
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