Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Over the last few years consumers have become more environmentally focused and have transferred this pressure upwards through the supply chain to retailers and manufacturers in turn. One of the areas under scrutiny is food packaging, as this does not form part of the product being consumed or used. Packaging's primary function is to protect the contents from the time of manufacture until it is used and the environmental footprint of packaging is only a small portion of the overall food chains'. In a study conducted by Oki and Sasaki (2000) they concluded that, a shortage of packaging materials in nations with inadequate social infrastructures causes extremely heavy losses of foodstuffs. In developed countries foodstuff waste is close to 1 %, whereas in less developed countries the waste can be as high as 50% to 75%. Functional packaging contributes to minimising this waste. Packaging media are often chosen for their ability to satisfy the product's requirements, but different materials are perceived by the public to be more or Jess environmentally friendly, independent of the functional requirements. The products with the better environmental reputation are generally those that are recycled and where companies have promoted the recycling efforts. However the perception does not necessarily reflect the actual environmental impact of the product type. In many instances, when one considers all of the energy costs and pollution effects associated with a particular product's manufacture and recycling, it can have a harsher impact than a single-use product that is disposed of after use. The long term business success of companies in the packaging industry will be linked to consumer preferences for functionally suitable, environmentally friendly packaging. To determine a product's environmental effect, a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is often used. LCA is a quantitative procedure to assess the environmental burdens associated with the life cycle of a product, process or service. The complete life cycle of a product includes the extraction of raw materials (including water), processing, transportation, manufacturing, distribution, the use and reuse of materials, maintenance, recycling and waste disposal. (Brent, A.C.: 2003, 115). In this report LCI's were compiled for three South African product categories, selected on the basis of volume used in the consumer market and suitable comparison products being available. Having completed the LCI based on realistic packaging products and production methods, the results per category can be presented. For a functional unit comparison of two cup types, a volume of 1000 litres was used. The results show that per functional unit, expanded polystyrene cups use 27% less energy, but produce 32% more C02 emissions than paper cups. The paper cups however use 51% more water. Neither product shows a significant overall environmental benefit over the other. For a functional unit comparison of two burger boxes, a functional number of 10 000 boxes was used. The results show that per functional unit the carton board boxes use 89% more energy, produce 268% more CO2 emissions and use 239% more water. Overall, the polystyrene burger box has a lower environmental impact. For a functional unit comparison of two protein packaging trays, a functional number of 10 000 trays was used. The results show that per unit, polypropylene trays use 94% more energy, produce 197% more C02 emissions, but only use 76% of the water compared to a foamed polystyrene tray. The LCI study has produced suitable data to provide a summary where aspects of the environmental impacts of the products can be compared. This information can be used to understand and improve the environmental footprint of the products or to educate the stakeholders who are involved in the packaging decisions. The LCI results differ from similar international studies due to the importation of most raw materials and high air emissions from local electricity production. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verbruikers het die afgelope paar jaar baie meer omgewingsbewus geword en plaas dus al hoe meer opwaardse druk via die verskaffingsketting op kleinhandelaars en vervaardigers. Een van die areas onder verdenking is voedselverpakking, want dit vorm nie deel van die produk wat verbruik word nie. Verpakking se primere funksie is die beskerming van die inhoud daarvan vanaf vervaardiging tot dit verbruik word. Die omgewingsimpak van verpakking is slegs 'n klein gedeelte van die algehele voedselketting. Navorsing deur Oki en Sasaki (2000) toon dat 'n tekort aan verpakkingsmateriaal in nasies met skaars sosiale infrastrukture veroorsaak geweldige verliese in voedsel. In ontwikkelde lande is voedselvermorsing ongeveer 1% terwyl minder ontwikkelde lande se voedselvermorsing so hoog as 50% tot 75% is. Funksionele verpakking help om die vermorsing te verminder. Verpakkingsmedia word dikwels gekies vir hul vermoee om aan die produk se vereistes te voldoen, maar verskillende materiale word onafhanklik van hul funksionele vereistes deur die publiek as meer of minder omgewingsvriendelik beskou. Die produkte met die beter omgewingsvriendelike reputasie is gewoonlik die wat herwin word en ook waar die herwinningspogins deur die maatskappye bemark word. Die persepsie weerspieel egter nie noodwendig die eintlike omgewingsimpak van die produktipe nie. Dit gebeur dikwels dat wanneer al die energiekostes en besoedelingsgevolge wat met die vervaardiging en herwinning van 'n spesifieke produk in ag geneem word, dit 'n erger impak as 'n produk wat slegs eenmalig gebruik en dan weggegooi word, het. Die langtermyn sukses van maatskappye in die verpakkingsindustrie sal gekoppel word aan verbruikersvoorkeure vir funksionele gepaste, omgewingsvriendelike verpakking. 'n Lewensiklus Analise word dikwels gebruik om 'n produk se omgewingsimpak te bepaal. Dit is 'n kwantitatiewe prosedure wat die omgewingslaste wat met die lewensiklus van ' n produk, proses of diens verband hou assesseer. Die volledige lewensiklus van 'n produk sluit die ekstraksie van rou materiaal (water ingesluit), prossesering, vervoer, vervaardiging, verspreiding, die gebruik en hergebruik van materiaal, instandhouding, herwinning en afval verwydering in (Brent. A.C.: 2003. 115). In hierdie verslag word die Lewensiklus Analise van drie Suid-Afrikaanse produkkategoriee saamgestel. Die kategoriee is geselekteer op grond van die volume gebruik in die verbruikersmark en ook die gepaste vergelykbare produkte wat beskikbaar is. Nadat die Lewensiklus Analise afgehandel is, gebaseer op realistiese verpakkingsprodukte en produksiemetodes, is dit moontlik om die resultate per kategorie voor te stel. 'n Volume van 1000 liter was gebruik vir die funksionele eenheidsvergelyking van twee houertipes. Die resultate toon dat, per funksionele eendheid, die polistireen houers 27% minder energie verbruik, maar dit produseer 32% meer C02 uitlatings as papierhouers. Die papierhouers gebruik egter 51 % meer water. Nie een van die produkte toon egter 'n beduidende algehele omgewingsvoordeel oor die ander nie. 'n Funksionele nommer van 10000 houers was gebruik vir 'n funksionele eenheidssvergelyking van burgerhouers. Die resultate wys dat die kartonhouers, per funksionele eeheid, 89% meer energie verbruik, 268% meer C02 uitlatings produseer en 239% meer water gebruik. Die polistireen bugerhouer het oor die algemeen 'n laer omgewingsimpak. 'n Funksionele nommer van 10 000 houers is gebruik vir die funksionele eenheidsvergelyking van twee protiene verpakkinghouers. Die resultate toon dat, per eenheid, polypropylene houers 94% meer energie verbruik, 197% meer C02 uitlatings produseer, maar net 76% water gebruik in vergelyking met die polistireen houer. Die Lewensiklus eenheidsvergelyking het gepaste data voorsien wat 'n opsomming verskaf waar die aspekte van die omgewingsimpak van die produkte vergelyk kan word. Hierdie inligting kan gebruik word om die omgewingsinvloed van die produkte te verstaan en te verbeter en ook om die deelnemers betrokke by die verpakkingsbesluite op te voed. Die Lewensiklus Analise resultate verskil van soortgelyke internasionale studies as gevolg van die invoer van die meeste rou materiale en groter lug besoedeling van plaaslike elektrisiteitsproduksie.

Magistro darbe vertinamas antrinių žaliavų tvarkymo situacijos Vilniaus mieste valdymas ir valdymo efektyvumas. Pirmajame skyriuje yra apžvelgiami svarbiausi komunalinių atliekų tvarkymą reglamentuojantys Europos sąjungos ir Lietuvos Respublikos teisės aktai, klasifikuojamos antrinių žaliavų ir aptariami jų tvarkymo budai, vertinama institucinė atsakomybė atliekų tvarkymo srityje. Antrajame skyriuje, remiantis Vilniaus miesto savivaldybės administracijos medžiaga, nagrinėjama antrinių žaliavų tvarkymo situacija Vilniaus mieste, komunalinių atliekų tvarkymo sistemos kontekste, apžvelgiama Vilniaus miesto antrinių žaliavų sistema. Analizuojama antrinių žaliavų surinkimo ir tvarkymo situacija Lietuvoje ir Vilniuje, vertinami antrinių žaliavų sutvarkymo kaštai. Trečiajame skyriuje, remiantis gyventojų apklausos rezultatu bei interviu su Savivaldybės ir atliekas tvarkančių įmonių ekspertais duomenimis, analizuojama antrinių žaliavų tvarkymo sistema, šios sistemos valdymas ir efektyvumas. Analizė parodė, kad Vilniaus miesto antrinių žaliavų tvarkymo sistema nėra pakankamai efektyvi. Pagrindinė grandis, kuri organizuoja savo teritorijoje susidarančių komunalinių atliekų ir antrinių žaliavų tvarkymą, yra Savivaldybė. Savivaldybė atsakinga už šių atliekų tvarkymo sistemos sukūrimą ir valdymą – reglamentavimą, plėtojimą ir administravimą. Tačiau atlikta analizė parodė, kad antrinių žaliavų tvarkymo sistemos valdymas yra nepakankamai efektyvus... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Master's work evaluated the processing of secondary raw material situation in Vilnius city management and management efficiency. The first chapter provides an overview of the most important municipal waste management regulations of the European Union and the Lithuanian legal acts of secondary materials are classified and discussed their management techniques; assess the institutional responsibility for waste management. The second chapter, on the basis of the Vilnius City Municipality Administration material issue in the processing of secondary raw material situation in the city of Vilnius, municipal waste management systems in the context of an overview of the city of Vilnius secondary materials system. Analyzing the collection of secondary raw materials and processing situation in Lithuania and Vilnius, evaluates the recycled material clean-up costs. The third chapter, on the basis of the survey results and interviews with municipal waste-management companies and experts in data analysis of secondary raw materials handling system, the system management and efficiency. The analysis showed that the city of Vilnius secondary raw materials handling system is not sufficiently effective. The main chains, which organizes its own territory due to municipal waste and secondary raw materials processing is the municipality. Municipality responsible for the waste management system development and management - regulation, development and... [to full text]

This master´s thesis focuses on prediction of presence of reusable material components in municipal waste with special focus on packaging materials. This prediction is based on analysis of financial costs of individual products according to the so-called market basket. Research of packaging´s life cycle and involving legislature is also a part of this thesis.

Plastic was initially designed to enhance human well-being, but now it has become a threat to us and the planet. The plastic industry faces significant scrutiny due to the sustainability challenges associated with plastic products. The purpose of this study is to understand how organisations in the plastic industry manage its legitimacy and ensure the industry's survival. We employ organisational legitimacy as a lens and the three pillars of institutions - regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive - as an analytic framework, to understand the roles of legitimacy in shaping an organisation's sustainability practices. Site Zero, Europe's largest plastic packaging waste sorting facility in Motala, Sweden has caught our attention. Utilising a qualitative research strategy and a case study research design, this paper explores how the multifaceted nature of legitimacy impacts Site Zero on its sustainability practices. Besides the site visit, we have conducted seven semi-structured interviews with five key members of Swedish Plastic Recycling and two material experts from a public agency and a producer responsibility organisation. Through this case study, we conclude that there is a gap between legitimacy and sustainability. Pursuing legitimacy increases the chance of organisations' survival in the plastic industry, however, it may also hinder them from achieving sustainability. Additionally, while high-quality recycling plays a crucial role in handling plastic packaging waste, it has its limitations in making plastic sustainable with the current profit-driven market and an overconsumption lifestyle.

<p>U okviru disertacije, kori&scaron;ćenjem ve&scaron;tačkih neuronskih mreža razvijeni su modeli za predviđanje količina ambalažnog i biorazgradivog komunalnog otpada u Republici Srbiji do kraja 2030. godine. Razvoj modela baziran je na zavisnosti između ukupne potro&scaron;nje domaćinstva i generisane količine dva posmatrana toka otpada. Pored toga, na bazi zavisnosti sa bruto domaćim proizvodom (BDP), definisan je i model za projekciju zastupljenosti osnovnih opcija tretmana komunalnog otpada u Republici Srbiji za isti period. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata, stvorene su polazne osnove za procenu potencijala za reciklažu ambalažnog otpada, kao i za procenu u kojoj meri se može očekivati da određene količine biorazgradivog otpada u narednom periodu ne budu odložene na deponije, &scaron;to je u skladu sa savremenim principima upravljanja otpadom i postojećim zahtevima EU u ovoj oblasti.</p> / <p>By using artificial neural networks, models for prediction of the quantity of<br />packaging and biodegradable municipal waste in the Republic of Serbia by<br />the end of 2030, were developed. Models were based on dependence<br />between total household consumption and generated quantities of two<br />observed waste streams. In addition, based on dependence with the Gross<br />Domestic Product (GDP), a model for the projection of share of different<br />municipal solid waste treatment options in the Republic of Serbia for the same<br />period, was created. Obtained results represent a starting point for assessing<br />the potential for recycling of packaging waste, and determination of<br />biodegradable municipal waste quantities which expected that in the future<br />period will not be disposed at landfills, in accordance with modern principles<br />of waste management and existing EU requirements in this area.</p>

Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to set up a closed-loop supply chain model for B2C online subscription box retailers and to develop a business case evaluating the model’s sustainability. Method This explorative thesis has an abductive research approach. Multiple-case studies are conducted and data from four cases and an expert are collected by conducting interviews. The research contains both qualitative and quantitative data. Findings A closed-loop SC model is created with regards to transport packaging. The model suggests that once the package is received by the consumer it can be returned in an empty state. After being cleaned it should be reused by the 3PL. The model’s sustainability is evaluated by developing a business case. Sustainable performance measures with regards to economic, social and environmental practice are assembled. The model enhances general social performance and environmental performance. Economic performance is mostly positively influenced. Options for cost savings in order to improve the economic performance of the model are suggested by the researchers. Practical implications The work provides businesses within the online B2C subscription box retail with a model for a possible closed-loop supply chain with regards to transport packaging. The business case for sustainability can be applied as a guideline to evaluate the model or similar ones. Researchers give suggestions on adapting packaging to enhance economic performance. Societal implications This thesis points out possible environmental and social benefits that may be achieved by a closedloop supply chain model. Besides waste and emission reduction, social performance such as employee motivation is positively influenced. Theoretical implications The thesis provides a model developed from theory and empirical data. The model does not only have practical implementations but also complements theory where a gap has earlier been identified. Through the business case for sustainability researchers contribute to theory since literature is scarce.

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Notre recherche porte sur l’influence du cadre institutionnel sur les comportements des organisations. D'une manière particulière, elle s'intéresse à la manière dont les acteurs s'adaptent au cadre institutionnel du champ organisationnel dans lequel ils opèrent. Ces acteurs peuvent même être amenés à tenter de modifier ce cadre pour qu'il corresponde à leurs intérêts. La RSE est appréhendée dans notre réflexion comme un phénomène institutionnel, susceptible d'être mis en œuvre par le biais des pressions normatives, coercitives et mimétiques. Le champ d’observation de cette recherche porte sur les déchets d’emballages ménagers et les véhicules hors d’usage. Les résultats obtenus indiquent que le type de déchet, la taille des producteurs, le degré d’institutionnalisation et les caractéristiques du champ organisationnel influencent fortement l’action des institutions et des organisations encastrées dans le champ étudié. Les résultats se traduisent par les apports théoriques suivants : contribution aux études sur la formation des champs organisationnels ; contribution à l’étude du changement institutionnel à travers la confrontation institutionnelle ; contribution au courant théorique qui définit la RSE comme stratégie de business case ; mise en lumière du principe REP comme extension particulière de la RSE. / Our research concerns the influence of the institutional framework on the behavior of organizations. In a particular way, she is interested in the way the actors adapt themselves to the institutional framework of the organizational field in which they operate. These actors can be even brought to try to modify this framework so that he corresponds to their interests. The RSE is arrested in our reflection as an institutional phenomenon, susceptible to be implemented by means of the normative, coercive and mimetic pressures. The field of observation of this research concerns the waste of domestic packagings and end-of-life vehicles. The obtained results indicate that the type of waste, the size of the producers, the degree of institutionalization and the characteristics of the organizational field strongly influence the action of the institutions and organizations embedded in the studied field. The results are reflected in the following theoretical contributions: contribution to studies on the formation of organizational fields; contribution to the study of institutional change through institutional confrontation; contribution to the theoretical current that defines CSR as a business case strategy; the REP principle as a particular extension of CSR.