How does green lean practices effect environmental performance? Evidence from manufacturing industries in India

Abstract

Purpose Industrialisation has contributed to global environmental problems, especially in developed countries, but increasingly so in developing ones as well. The rising public concern for the natural environment is compelling business entities to revise their business models towards green lean (GL) management. Most manufacturing firms have realised that GL implementation is a critical factor that drives their success. Therefore, keeping in view the above said aspects, the purpose of this paper is to empirically assess the complementary impact of GL practices on environmental performance. Design/methodology/approach Data from a sample of 124 Indian manufacturing industries are analysed using a structural equation modelling technique. Findings Evidence suggests that GL practices such as top management commitment, government support, human resource management, health and safety of employees and public pressure and legislature have significantly positive effect on environmental performance of manufacturing industries. Research limitations/implications The sample is limited to Indian manufacturing industries situated in northern region, with a low response rate. Practical implications Successful implementations of GL practices can lead to improved environmental performance. Manufacturing industries within emerging economies like India can improve on their GL practices by incorporating these findings into their business models, while research could be guided to focus their inquiries on this and related genres of scholarly work. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to empirically assess the complementary impact of GL practices on environmental performance within the Indian context.