A Survey of Environmental Management and Its Implications on Manufacturing Strategy for Manufacturing Firms in Kenya

Abstract

Environmental management concerns are becoming more and more prominent in business due to the continued increase in environmental awareness. Environmental management affects both structural and infrastructural components of operations as it involves choices of product and process technology and underlying management systems. Product technology includes use of recycled raw materials or post-consumer recycling. Process technology involves more efficient production systems. Environmental management therefore is a significant part of manufacturing strategies. The aim of the study was to document environment management practises among manufacturing firms in Kenya and to determine the relationship between environmental management and manufacturing strategy in Kenyan firms. Our findings indicate that the manufacturing strategy's competitive priorities of a firm play a role in determining the level of environmental management proactiveness in Kenyan firms. Our evidence from the Kenyan manufacturing firms indicate that a host of others factors influence tfib adoption of environmentally conscious manufacturing strategies. It is however clear that Kenyan manufacturing firms are moving towards • greater environmental awareness and responsibility. The empirical finding of the study are consistent with empirical studies by (Noble, 1995; Ferdows and De Meyer,1990; Roth and Miller,1992) which suggests that simultaneity of the competitive priorities is possible when based on a sand cone approach. This approach starts with quality and builds up the other priorities via the chosen path.