EMBA Dissertation Proposal: Green Supply Chain Practices in India

This dissertation proposal examines green supply chain management within the electronics manufacturing sector in India. It investigates the integration of sustainable environmental practices into the supply chain, focusing on procurement policies and e-waste management. The proposal includes an introduction outlining the research background, objectives, and questions, followed by a comprehensive literature review covering the concept of green supply chain management, current practices in India, procurement policies, e-waste management, and the associated advantages and challenges. The methodology section details the research approach, including methodological considerations, justification for the chosen paradigm, research design, and data collection methods. The proposal also addresses ethical considerations and includes a Gantt chart for project timeline management. The research aims to analyze how electronics manufacturing units in India engage in green supply chain practices, providing valuable insights into sustainable business operations and environmental responsibility. The study's findings are expected to contribute to the development of knowledge and best practices in the field.

Dissertation Proposal

Executive Summary
Green supply chain management denotes to the concept of integrating sustainable
environmental activities into the conventional supply chain. It can be demonstrated as the
process of product design, material sourcing and selection, manufacturing and production,
operation and end of life administration. This dissertation proposal consider information about
research area of the electronics manufacturing units in India engage in green supply chain
practices -analysis of procurement policies and E-Waste management. It also explains regarding
literature review and methodologies of research in order to collect information.
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TOPIC
“How do electronics manufacturing units in India engage in green supply chain practices -
analysis of procurement policies and E-Waste management?”
1. Introduction
1.1 Background to the research
Green supply chain management can emerge as an imperative organisational conception to
make easy organisational performance and efficiency by falling ecological risks and bearings.
All over the world, companies are attempting hard to develop their competitiveness and progress
of any firm. With maximising population, excessive utilisation of electrical and electronic
commodities and high demand of resources have induced the liner economy to transform into
circular economy. In context of e-waste management, it has become the top priority of all the
developed and developing nations especially those in the transition stage (Deters, 2020). The
generation of e-waste has maximised proportionally crosswise the globe and created a strong
force on the electronics manufacturing firms. In order to apply sustainable activities to redesign
and recycle the goods to manage e-waste produced and the only possible solution is to reduce the
waste generation and practising recycling procedures. This study is based on the engagement of
green supply chain practices in electronics manufacturing units in India and analysis of
procurement policies and E-waste management. Waste discharge technique for decreasing fee,
consideration of ecological trouble inside the system of production planning or control, most
advantageous electricity intake for the duration of manufacturing procedure and plenty of extra.
All these sports and practices are considered with the aid of Indian electronics production task in
context of inexperienced deliver chain control. An extensive literature review will cover
information about the understanding of green supply chain management concept, practice used in
India regarding green supply chain management, and procurement policies and merits or
demerits challenges connected with the implementation of green supply chain management.
Further, it will consider information regarding methodologies which will use by the surveyor in
order to collect appropriate and systematic data.
1.3 Variables to be measured
1.3 Hypothesis
 The concept of green supply chain management will crucial for the knowledge.
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 The current practices use by Indian companies regarding green supply chain
management.
 Provision of education to suppliers on ecological matters and recylcing will be the
procurement policies and E-Waste management in green supply chain management
respectively.
 Sustainability of resources and lack of skills and experience respectively will be the main
advantage and challenge associated with the implementation of green supply chain
management.
1.4 Justification for the research
This research area will be beneficial for the development of knowledge and information as
it will assist in offering information about the way electronics manufacturing units in India
engage in green supply chain practices -analysis of procurement policies and E-Waste
management (Russell-Pinson and Harris, 2019). Also, it offers deep information with the support
of benefits and challenges of green supply chain management. This will support in personal
development of researcher in order to enhance the knowledge about particular area. Along with
this, when the individual will perform these kind of research project in future then it will provide
an effective to organize the work most adequately.
Research aim
The aim of the research is, “To analyse the ways through which electronics manufacturing
units in India engage in green supply chain practices -analysis of procurement policies and E-
Waste management.”
1.5 Objectives of the study
It is the main section of the research project. It is segmented into two variables such as
dependent and independent. Thus research objective is more crucial and important
components for the investigator to achieve objective and aim of research efficiently and
systematically.
 To understand the concept of green supply chain management.
 Optimum energy consumption during manufacturing process is the best practice which
will use by Indian companies regarding green supply chain management.
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 To analyse the procurement policies and E-Waste management in green supply chain
management.
 To study the advantages and challenges associated with the implementation of green
supply chain management.
Research questions
 What is the concept of green supply chain management?
 What are the current practices used in India regarding green supply chain management?
 What are the procurement policies and E-Waste management in green supply chain
management?
 What are the challenges and benefits related with the implementation of green supply
chain management?
1.6 Summary
In the above explained information, it has been analysed about the brief information of the
research background such as green supply chain management involvement in electronics
manufacturing units in India (Reiter, 2019). Apart from this, it include about hypotheses,
research aim, objectives and questions which play an effective function in the completion of the
research project by offering information about research area.
2. Literature review
2.1 Introduction
It is the body of the test whose main objective and purpose is to review significant points
of the current information on specific topic. It is an activity of current reliable literature
associated to particular subject area or research topic. The literature review is useful in context of
providing the critical assessment of the work. In context of it, the research considers different
survey books, articles, journals, magazines, company websites, blogs and many more sources
which is reliable to a particular area of research as well as provides a description, summary and
critical assessment of these works in context of the research problem being investigated.
2.2 Variable 1
The concept of green supply chain management
As per the view of Syed (2018), the term green supply chain management denotes to the
idea of integrating sustainable environmental processes in to the traditional supply chain. It can
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consider and involve activities like product design, material sourcing and selection, production
and manufacturing, operation and end of life administration. Green supply chain management
engages driving value creation throughout the supply chain companies to minimise total
ecological influence (Bloomberg and Volpe, 2018). Whereas the main aim of green supply chain
management is often the minimisation of CO2 emissions whereas other tangible advantages for a
firm consists: higher effectiveness of assets, less waste production, greater innovation,
minimisation of production costs, maximised profitability and insights of added value to
consumer base etc. While the specific aim of GSCM is often the reduction of CO2 emissions,
other tangible advantages for an employer consist of; extra efficiency of property, much less
waste production, greater innovation, reduction of production fees, reuse of uncooked materials,
elevated profitability, notion of added cost to the client base, and so forth.
2.3 Variable 2
The current practices use by Indian companies regarding green supply chain management
According to Kumar S., Chattopadhyaya S. and Sharma V. (2012), there are several
practices which are used of Indian organisations in order to green supply chain management.
Waste discharge method for reducing cost, consideration of ecological issue in the process of
production planning or control, optimum energy consumption during manufacturing process and
many more (Tucker, 2018). All these activities and practices are considered by Indian electronics
manufacturing venture in context of green supply chain management. Along with this, the
business enterprises also make focus on the selection of right dealers and select most ecological
accountable suppliers. This also implies that current suppliers be trained in to becoming
environmentally responsible.
2.4 Variable 3
The procurement policies and E-Waste management in green supply chain management
There are different procurement policies and dimensions are considered by Indian
electronics manufacturing companies in context of green supply chain management.
Implementation of eco-labelling, provision of education to suppliers on ecological matters,
procurement mainly from ISO 14000 certified suppliers and co-operation with consumers for
eco-friendly packaging etc. are some effective dimensions and polices are considering venture in
term of green supply chain administration (Green Supply Chain Management: A Case Study
from Indian Electrical and Electronics Industry, 2012). With the involvement and
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implementation of these aspects, the firm can make an effective production without creating any
harm regarding atmosphere. Also, the firm consider different practices of E-waste management
like recycling, reuse and waste reduction etc. These all enable in managing the waste of the form
as well as support in cost management during manufacturing process.
2.5 Variable 4
The advantages and challenges associated with the implementation of green supply chain
management
There are several benefits and challenges of green supply chain management. The
description of them as:
Benefits of Green supply chain
Cost reduction- The minimisation in operational costs is attributed to the innovations
which made by such firms in their behaviours to achieve pollution free supply chain (Green
Supply Chain Advantages and Challenges. 2020). The innovation provides way to effectiveness
that in turn directs to high revenue for the ventures.
Sustainability of resources- Green supply chain initiative is lead regarding establishing
effective use of the limited assets, which are accessible to a form by increasing the gains
accruable for the exploitation of assets.
Challenges of Green supply chain management
Lack of skills and experience- The key challenge facing by most of firms in the
implementation of green supply chain management is the inadequacy of knowledge regarding the
best practices to be utilised to execute a credible green supply chain appropriately.
Resources and technological shortfalls- The implementation of a green supply chain in a
company needs a change in the activities considered in production and distribution. These kinds
of changes need a huge investment in context of machinery, research, and staff training.
2.5 Literature Gaps
It is a research problem and issues which faced by researcher during a literature search that
has scope for research or further exploration. To find out literature gap, the investigator needs to
do a thorough review of current literature in both the broad and particular areas of the research
topic (Action, 2019). In this current literature review to explain and provide more specific
information, the research can face issues and in order to fill the gap the person consider different
other sources like magazines, company website and many more.
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2.6.1 Limitations of the study
There are several limitations or complexities which are generally witnessed during
conducting research. As per the research area and subject topic, time is find out as one of the key
limitation as research topic is vast or large for getting effective response from the
representative’s side. For this, investigator requires appropriate time and cost to find out
effective response of responders. So in the entire it can be defined that time is not sufficient for
all actions of research. Along with the research face the limitation of insufficient information in
to completion the research.
2.6 Summary
This has been summarised from the above defined information that an effective literature
review is organised which consider effective information about the research area or topic
(Sánchez-Martín and Seloni, 2019). By briefing information about effective green supply chain
management, benefits as well as challenges of implementation of green supply chain
administration and many more in more developed and amended manner. Along with this,
knowledge can be gain about the policies and challenges or benefits associated with the
implementation of green supply chain management from the above literature review.
3. Methodology
3.1 Introduction
Research methodology signifies as an efficient and main activity in Dissertation. It is
utilised by a researcher with the aim of collect information and data with the motive of making
accurate business decisions. It can also be explaining as that tool which is associated to method.
The method is utilised by the investigator in context of defines about method which uses by
surveyor in context are of execute research and assemble information. It can be explaining as
function which aims to collect and determine reliable information by research methodology.
3.2 Methodological considerations
Methodological considerations are associated to several context or cue manipulations
consider questions of randomisation and most significantly, the selection of an appropriate
context for the critical ROF test. In order to collect appropriate information, the researcher
considers either quantitative or qualitative research method. Qualitative research method can
be signified as tool which is basically used by researcher in order to collect numerical and
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statistical information. It is generally used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviours and other
explained variables and generalise outcomes from a large sample population. This method is
basically considered to assess information to develop facts and uncover patterns in research. This
tool is much more systematic and structured than qualitative data collection methods (Sharma,
Saboo and Kumar, 2018). In order to collect information with the support of this method, the
surveyor can consider different form of surveys like online survey, paper survey, face to face
interview, telephonic interview, longitudinal studies, website interceptors, online polls and
systematic observations.
Qualitative research method is used in a manner which discloses the behaviour and
insights of a customer regarding a topic. It is basically exploratory research and utilised to gain
an understanding of highlighting reasons, perceptions, insights and motivations. It offers
opinions into the problem or enables to develop ideas or hypotheses for potential quantitative
research. Qualitative research is also utilised to uncover trends in ideas or opinions as well dive
deeper into the problem (Joyner, Rouse and Glatthorn, 2018). With the consideration of this
research method, the researcher can consist different tools like interviews, focus groups,
observations, document analysis and many more. Within this current research project, the
research will consider and make use of quantitative research method in order to collect
information.
3.3 Justification for the selected paradigm and methodology
From the above defined research methodologies, it can be determined that the researcher
will consider quantitative research method for the gathering of reliable information in order to
completion of the research project. The reason behind the selection of this tool is that the data
which is collected with the use of quantitative method can be analysed with statistical analysis
and viewed as scientifically objective or rational. Along with this, it uses highly structured tools
like structured observation utilising questionnaire and surveys. Another reason behind the
selection of this tool is that it uses a randomised pastime to gather facts, preventing bias from
entering in to the information. With the use of these particular selected methods and tools, the
researcher can collect information in more detailed and appropriate manner.
3.4 Rejected methodologies and research methods
From the above mentioned information, it can be summarised that the researcher will not
consider other research methods like qualitative method in term of collecting information for the
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completion of the research. Because due to involvement of the time and costs, this method does
not generally draw samples from large scale data sets. Another reason is that the problem of the
subjective nature of qualitative data and its origin in single contexts; it is complex and hard to
apply conventional standards of reliability and validity (Brennan, 2019). The key reason behind
the rejection of this tool is that it consume more time in order to analysis and interpretation.
3.5 Research design
It is signifying as the set of processes and methods utilised in collecting and assessing
measures of the research issues. Each and every process of research is highly based on research
design which is performed by an investigator for analysing and monitoring the influence. There
are three types of research design, namely: descriptive, experimental and exploratory. All these
are support the surveyor in order to asses variables specified in the research issue. As per the
research and the topic, descriptive research design is more suitable, reliable and valuable as it
will be support them in driving appropriate conclusion. Descriptive research permits for the
studies to be performed within the respondent’s herbal surroundings, which ensures that high-
quality and sincere information is gathered.
3.5.1 Research Instrument
It is an important method which considers several instruments like interview,
questionnaire, observation, group focus and many more (Kennedy, Altman and Pizano, 2018).
All these instrument are crucial for research, but questionnaire is most significant among them as
per to the subject of research topic. Because it take less time in compare to other instruments and
it also enable in gathering statistical information. Along with this, it is crucial as many humans
can be examined quickly. It is straightforward to generate quantitative facts and easy to examine.
It support in measuring the behavior, attitudes, choices, critiques and, intentions of highly huge
numbers of subjects greater cost effectively and quickly than other techniques
3.6 Research methods/procedures
In context of present research, there is use research onion framework which enables in
providing brief information about research methods and performing research activities as per
them.
Research philosophies- It is the primary layer of research onion that has do with set of
beliefs concerned with nature of reality which being determined. There are different research
philosophies such as positivism and interpretivism philosophy. Positive philosophy support to
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the idea on which scientific knowledge is segmented by hypotheses testing that forced from
current knowledge concept. While interpretivism underlines on the use of qualitative research
method to obtain outcomes. In current research, the research will consider positivism philosophy
for the effective accomplishment of document.
Research approach- It is based on prior made choices and provide the positive outcomes.
There is inductive and deductive two research approach. Inductive is important when there is
small research area and researcher moves in opposite direction for the observation of the
analysis. Whereas deductive tool tend to flow from the general to detailed (Kar, 2018). The
investigator will be considered to inductive approach because it offers possibility to completing
the work and gain effective understanding in context of specific area of research in an adequate
and appropriate form.
Research strategy- It can be signified as the mindset of the investigator that is connected
to approach which is utilised by the firm. It considers experiment, action research survey, case
study and many more. All these are the suggestions which can consider by surveyor in context of
execute the investigation project. In respect to current document, the research will use survey as
a key and useful strategy. It is used in this research as it is a relevant tool where it offers valid
data. Thus, it will assist in meeting demands and performing research in appropriate manner.
Data collection- It is associated with the collection of information with the use of the
reliable and authentic source in an appropriate manner. These are primary and secondary method
of datacollection that supports in providing relevant information in order to particular area. In
context of this research, primary method of data collection will be considered as it is more
effective because it provide the first hand and pure information so that positive outcomes can be
analysed.
3.7 Sampling methods
It refers back to the system of choosing a specific quantity of human beings from a
extensive population with the intention of collecting statistics for the completion of research.
Under this research, the surveyor will take into account simple random sampling technique and
acquire records with the attention of 30 human beings as the employees of electronics
manufacturing companies from India.
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3.8 Summary
From the above mentioned information it can be analysed that methodology is an effective
and important section of the research. With the help and support of different aspects of research
methodologies, the investigator can perform an effective research. These all tools also assist in
gleaning reliable and accurate information which assist in the accomplishment of research
project in more developed manner (Govindrajan, 2018). Also, with the use of effective tools of
research methodologies, the surveyor can perform a systematic research with appropriate
information.
Ethical considerations
Investigator has to assure that there's a proper conversation some of the pattern and
researcher if you want to guide to examine suitable consequences, Apart from this, researcher
has to fulfil with facts protection act that assist to shield the non-public facts to third celebration.
The research ethics principles are majorly connected with informed consent, confidentiality and
anonymity (Deters, 2020). Entire this are find out as a function of researcher to communicate
data about research objectives in clear and appropriate form to the representatives. Within it,
research should ask simple and easy questions to the respondents and assure that such questions
not harm and effect on individual.
GANTT chart
It is a tool which considered to time management and management all research activities on
the base of set time frame. It is a timeline which utilised to exemplify how project will be
operate. It provides graphical presentation of timetable which aids to plan, conduct and also track
the particular works in project. Gantt chart is beneficial to acknowledge activities to determine
project appropriately (Russell-Pinson and Harris, 2019). In research, teams can consider this tool
to replace the meeting and develop status update. It provides the ability to groups to centre on
work at task timeline. It also maintains administration updated and aware about additional
resources that require managing the dependencies among tasks.
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