Change management for sustainability: Evaluating the role of human, operational and technological factors in leading Indian firms in home appliances sector

Abstract

In green economy, the concepts like sustainable design, green products, clean technologies, eco-friendly processes have pushed the organizations to opt for change management initiatives, to accomplish sustainable development. Organizational sustainability has been defined using a triple bottom concept that addresses environmental issues, economic aspects, and social concerns. In this sense, it becomes imperative for organizations to evaluate the role of human, operational and technological aspects for setting sustainable business practices in a supply chain context. Sustainable operational practices will deliver the products to the society having zero defects and zero effect to the environment. Therefore, the present study targets to extend the change management initiatives to operations and supply management practices in the leading home appliances companies in India. The study identifies the key factors to sustainable operations management based on human-operational-technological aspects underpinned by literature and expert's agreement. The study proposes to use a fuzzy based Analytic Hierarchy Process and Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory techniques to prioritize the factors as well as evaluate the cause and effect relationships among factors. This study can facilitate managers to employ change management initiatives in adopting sustainability oriented human-operational-technological management practices and delivering the sustainable development goals of responsible consumption and production and affordable and clean energy in industrial supply chains. Finally, the recommendations to managers and directions for further research have been highlighted.