Analysis of interactions among barriers of eco-efficiency in electronics packaging industry

Electronics packaging type and its size have an effect on product wastes in stamping, molding and plating operations. Waste streams from these operations like copper, polymerized thermoset plastic, caustic and acidic effluents have non-recyclable hazardous content that are detrimental to cause of environment. Eco-efficiency that stands for reducing the environmental impact added, while increasing value of output produced, assumes great importance in this context. There are a number of barriers that affect eco-efficiency in electronics packaging industries. Existing models have focused on diagnosing these barriers independently and thus lack a holistic view in understanding those hindering eco-efficiency. The ten barriers under consideration in this study have been identified from literature review and opinion of experts, both from electronics packaging industry and academia. Through a nation wide questionnaire survey on Indian electronic packaging industries, the influences of these barriers on eco-efficiency has been identified using interpretive structural modeling. By use of this model, crucial barriers affecting implementation of eco-efficiency programs in an organization can be identified. Through the survey and its results, it is found that barriers like lack of awareness about environmental and sustainability issues, lack of commitment by top management and short-term decision making perspectives are strategic level attributes affecting implementation of eco-efficiency programs. Policy decision makers in a company need to take more concerns about these barriers as they possess high driver power. One of the main managerial implications of this model is that top management of companies must take effective steps on developing strategies to create awareness about eco-efficiency and its related benefits such that desired objectives in eco-efficiency could be achieved. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.