Exploring Industrial Engineering Knowledge and Environmental Sustainability

Meelan Roopa (), Rajenlall Siriram and Rojanette Coetzee
Additional contact information
Meelan Roopa: Department of Industrial Engineering, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa
Rajenlall Siriram: School of Industrial Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa
Rojanette Coetzee: School of Industrial Engineering, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-27

Abstract: This research identifies the relationship between industrial engineering and environmental sustainability knowledge components. A combination of a systematic literature review (SLR) and applied thematic analysis (ATA) is employed to uncover the pertinent literature associated with the purpose of this research. Whilst various forms of strategies, theories, methods, and practices were uncovered in each of the knowledge components, only a few were overlapping. These overlapping components include green supply chain operations, circular economy, and technology management. This study is the first in a series of studies contextualising industrial engineering knowledge in terms of its applicability to environmental sustainability. These results reveal concepts from industrial engineering and environmental sustainability knowledge components that can be used to systematically design methodologies or practically implement them in an industry or organisation. Methods and practices were a dedicated theme in the analysis, and these can be used by practitioners. A circle packing diagram is crafted using the IISE Body of Knowledge as a means of categorisation. This study considered industrial engineering as a catalyst in creating new forms of transdisciplinary knowledge areas. It also considers how industrial engineering knowledge can contribute to meeting environmental challenges.

Keywords: industrial engineering; environmental sustainability; transdisciplinary knowledge; systematic literature review; applied thematic analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/17/7392/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/17/7392/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:17:p:7392-:d:1465420

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().