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Sustainability and Innovation in the Automotive Sector: A Structured Content Analysis

Author

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  • Caroline Rodrigues Vaz

    (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900 Santa Catarina, Brazil)

  • Tania Regina Shoeninger Rauen

    (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900 Santa Catarina, Brazil)

  • Álvaro Guillermo Rojas Lezana

    (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, 88040-900 Santa Catarina, Brazil)

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the scientific literature on sustainability and innovation in the automotive sector in the last 13 years. The research is classified as descriptive and exploratory. The process presented 31 articles in line with the research topic in the Scopus database. The bibliometric analysis identified the most relevant articles, authors, keywords, countries, research centers and journals for the subject from 2004 to 2016 in the Industrial Engineering domain. We concluded, through the systemic analysis, that the automotive sector is well structured on the issue of sustainability and process innovation. Innovations in the sector are of the incremental process type, due to the lower risk, lower costs and less complexity. However, the literature also points out that radical innovations are needed in order to fit the prevailing environmental standards. The selected studies show that environmental practices employed in the automotive sector are: the minimization of greenhouse gas emissions, life-cycle assessment, cleaner production, reverse logistics and eco-innovation. Thus, it displays the need for empirical studies in automotive companies on the environmental practices employed and how these practices impact innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Caroline Rodrigues Vaz & Tania Regina Shoeninger Rauen & Álvaro Guillermo Rojas Lezana, 2017. "Sustainability and Innovation in the Automotive Sector: A Structured Content Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-23, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:6:p:880-:d:99435
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. S. Maryam Masoumi & Nima Kazemi & Salwa Hanim Abdul-Rashid, 2019. "Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Automotive Industry: A Process-Oriented Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-30, July.
    2. Donada, Carole & Mothe, Caroline & Alegre, Joaquín, 2021. "Managing skunkworks to achieve ambidexterity: The Robinson Crusoe effect," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 214-225.
    3. Tihomir Dovramadjiev & Beata Mrugalska, 2023. "Real-time planning and monitoring of the steel pipes towards life cycle sustainability management," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 324(1), pages 1485-1499, May.
    4. Joanna Helman & Maria Rosienkiewicz & Mariusz Cholewa & Mateusz Molasy & Sylwester Oleszek, 2023. "Towards GreenPLM—Key Sustainable Indicators Selection and Assessment Method Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-23, January.
    5. Ashkenazi, Dana, 2019. "How aluminum changed the world: A metallurgical revolution through technological and cultural perspectives," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 101-113.
    6. Andrei, Mariana & Rohdin, Patrik & Thollander, Patrik & Wallin, Johanna & Tångring, Magnus, 2024. "Exploring a decarbonization framework for a Swedish automotive paint shop," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    7. Minja Bolesnikov & Milica Popović Stijačić & Mladen Radišić & Aleksandar Takači & Jelena Borocki & Dragana Bolesnikov & Paula Bajdor & Joanna Dzieńdziora, 2019. "Development of a Business Model by Introducing Sustainable and Tailor-Made Value Proposition for SME Clients," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-16, February.
    8. Jannesar Niri, Anahita & Poelzer, Gregory A. & Zhang, Steven E. & Rosenkranz, Jan & Pettersson, Maria & Ghorbani, Yousef, 2024. "Sustainability challenges throughout the electric vehicle battery value chain," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    9. El-Khalil, Raed & Mezher, Mohamad Ali, 2020. "The mediating impact of sustainability on the relationship between agility and operational performance," Operations Research Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 7(C).
    10. Marcelo Seido Nagano & Antonio Iacono, 2019. "Knowledge Management in Eco-Innovation Practice: An Analysis of the Contribution of Eco-Innovation Tools in the Early Stages of the Product Development Process," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 18(04), pages 1-17, December.
    11. Juan F. Velasco-Muñoz & José A. Aznar-Sánchez & Luis J. Belmonte-Ureña & Isabel M. Román-Sánchez, 2018. "Sustainable Water Use in Agriculture: A Review of Worldwide Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-18, April.
    12. Giampieri, A. & Ling-Chin, J. & Ma, Z. & Smallbone, A. & Roskilly, A.P., 2020. "A review of the current automotive manufacturing practice from an energy perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    13. Alexandru Cernat & Constantin Pana & Niculae Negurescu & Gheorghe Lazaroiu & Cristian Nutu & Dinu Fuiorescu, 2020. "Hydrogen—An Alternative Fuel for Automotive Diesel Engines Used in Transportation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-21, November.
    14. Marco Opazo-Basáez & Ferran Vendrell-Herrero & Oscar F. Bustinza, 2018. "Uncovering Productivity Gains of Digital and Green Servitization: Implications from the Automotive Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-17, May.

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