Track: Sustainable Manufacturing

Abstract

The aim this qualitative research was to verify if the environment factor could be a new competitive priority in the Operations Strategy (OS), together with Cost, Delivery, Flexibility and Quality. The relationship between Environmental Management (EM) and OS in market-leading and ISO-14001 certified industrial companies was analyzed: Natura Cosmetics, Tilibra Stationery Products and Companies X and Y. The data were obtained from bibliographic research, semi-structured interviews, systematic observations and documentary consultation. The approach was deep enough to get yours results. The need to deal strategically with the environmental issue is not incorporated in OS theory. The exemplary companies studied indicate a path to success with any Generic Competitive Strategy (CS). The environmental factor has a strategic potential for competitive differentiation, it allows reducing costs (water, energy, etc.) and attending the stakeholders. Differentiation with a focus on the environmental factor allows greater profit margin, a support for unfeasible environmental measures from the perspective of Low Cost. The environmental factor can compose the OS as a qualifying factor for attend so the legislation, the market, and the customers. Thus, the environmental factor can/must be considered a new competitive priority for Operations; however, it must be combined with Sustainability and the Innovation.