Research opportunities for integrating the natural environment into operations management

Following an extensive literature review, a focus group comprising researchers with interest and experience in environmental issues and operations management (OM) was used to identify promising avenues for future research. The literature review indicated that the limited environmental research in OM has tended to focus on process technologies, quality, and new product development. However, the focus group's new framework was structured along two somewhat different dimensions: process of environmental improvement and level of analysis. Research opportunities identified by the focus group were subsequently mapped onto this framework. Strong opportunities for building theory and improving practice in environmental management and OM were reported in operations strategy, quality, supply chain management and technology management. However, the greatest potential areas for contribution, although also the most challenging because of its integrative nature, is research on the measurement of environmental performance, intra- and inter-firm diffusion of best practice, and environmental technology transfer and.