published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-03T18:35:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silvia_Barbosa_de_Melo.pdf: 1125982 bytes, checksum: 9d8ce4381a15c88b13edc2b93821dff5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-04 / This paper presents a study of an industry of large sugar-alcohol sector. The aim of this study was to find the perception of managers on the process of ISO 14001certification and its impacts on environmental management practices. This is a qualitative research through a case study, the instruments for data collection was to document analysis and semi-structured interview. The interviews were conducted individually whit 13 managers who work in various sectors of the organization, but correlated to the environmental management system. Aiming to support the concepts and information in the development of research, has taken up the theoretical basis from literature and semi- structured. Through interviews generated by the graphic analysis of speeches, it was shown that there is a bi commitment, involvement and concern of managers of the practices that improve the management of environmental performance of industry. It was also observed that the management of environmental impacts of providing environmental, social and economic, as management, seeks to address problems related to environment, from in the production and consumption of goods that generate physical contamination and/or negatives externalities, an therefore benefits society, it generate economic benefits with increased profits, reduced costs and increased competitiveness. / Empres??rios, no mundo todo, est??o sob grande press??o para adotar pol??ticas ambientalistas e incorpor??-las ao seu planejamento estrat??gico como uma mat??ria de rotina. Uma das maneiras mais usuais de iniciar pr??ticas de gest??o ambiental tem sido mediante a implanta????o de um sistema de gest??o ambiental (SGA) com vistas ?? certifica????o. Esse processo ?? balizado e orientado segundo as normas internacionais e, dentre elas, a ISO 14001. Essa pesquisa objetiva conhecer e analisar a percep????o dos gestores sobre o processo de certifica????o ISO 14001 nas pr??ticas de gest??o ambiental em uma ind??stria sucroalcooleira do Estado de Minas Gerais, a fim de identificar e evidenciar a fun????o da certifica????o ambiental no contexto estrat??gico das pr??ticas de gest??o, e, assim, no desenvolvimento, agrega????o de valor e competividade da organiza????o. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa descritiva que teve como instrumento de coleta de dados a entrevista semiestruturada com 13 gestores que atuam nos diversos setores da empresa, dentre esses, o setor ambiental. Verificou-se que h?? um grande envolvimento, comprometimento e preocupa????o dos gestores com as praticas que melhoram o desempenho ambiental da ind??stria. Os sistemas de gest??o integrada dos aspectos ambientais proporcionam efic??cia ??s pr??ticas e influenciam, positivamente, n??o somente os aspectos de ordem ambiental, mas social e econ??mico, pois a gest??o integrada visa corrigir problemas relacionados ao meio ambiente, decorrentes da produ????o e consumo de bens que geram contamina????es f??sicas e/ou externalidades negativas e, consequentemente, beneficia a sociedade, gera vantagens econ??micas com o aumento da lucratividade, redu????o de custos e maior competitividade.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Education / Master / Master of Education

Environmental management is one of the voluntary tools for environmental policy, which provides instructions to organizations, how they can coordinate their products, activities and services to minimize their negative environmental impacts. This work describes and compares two basic approaches for environmental management system (EMS) implementation - ISO 14001 Standard and EMAS II Regulation in terms of requirements for an organization. Attention is paid to advantages and disadvantages of EMS implementation in an organization too. In analytical part of this work, environmental management is analyzed in light of a number of certified and certifying organizations, after that follows cost-benefit analysis of EMS focused on organizations and SWOT analysis. The goal of this work is to find out on the basis of the results of these analyses, whether environmental management system implementation is a competitive advantage of an organization, or not.

Companies in South Africa who have implemented the ISO 14001 environmental management system have claimed that it offered benefits such as an improved environmental performance and a business advantage. However, to date the commercial benefits associated with ISO 14001 in South Africa have not been quantified so the claims of a financial advantage cannot be verified. This study therefore sought to assess the financial benefits accruing to various manufacturing enterprises in Kwa-Zulu Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape provinces of South Africa who have implemented ISO 14001. There was a particular focus on determining the cost savings and return on investment which resulted from the purchase of „environmentally friendlier‟ raw materials; the reduction of process waste (by the reuse, reduction and recycling of waste) as well as the more efficient use of resources such as electricity, water and fuel. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire survey sent to key decision makers in the selected organisations, as well as follow-up in-depth interviews with selected individuals within each organisation. The results of the study showed that the benefits of ISO 14001 certification included improved environmental awareness among employees; enhanced responsibility for environmental concerns by employees; better data management; reduced operational and production costs; and new income streams linked to re-use and recycling initiatives. Consequently it can be said that the long-term financial benefits justify the relatively high cost; the time intensive obligations and the human resource requirements of ISO 14001 certification. That said, it was also found that smaller companies face relatively more financial hurdles in implementing an EMS, and thus, it is recommended that tax incentives for such firms to implement and EMS be considered. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)