Question

Your objective for this project is to do an Internet-based literature search and describe in detail, the methods/processes used by GE to design and develop green products, sustainable production processes, and implement its eco-friendly supply chain.

In 1500 -2500 words, your report should address the following topics:

1. Introduction to ecological sustainability
2. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability objectives of GE
3. Green Product Design at GE

3a.            Describe the general guidelines for designing an environmentally friendly product;

3b.            Product design system/methodology used at GE;

3c.             provide some examples of GE’s successful green product designs.

4. Eco-friendly production/manufacturing processes used at GE

4a.             Describe the guidelines used by GE to make their operations/production processes eco-friendly;

4b.            Give examples of some of the successful green manufacturing processes used at GE.

5. Green Supply Chain Management at GE related to

5a.              Suppliers

5b.             Transportation & Distribution  

6. Conclusion

6a.              Discuss how successful GE has been in achieving its environmental sustainability goals. Provide some supporting statistics.

6b.             Describe some of the challenges GE is facing in implementing its sustainability programs in some of the developing countries.

This is a team/group project. The group size is limited to a maximum of three (3) students. Your report should be 1500 – 2500 words (excluding quoted and bibliographic material) long, typewritten, and professional looking. It should be in the APA format and should be written by you in your own words. The “Turnitin” Similarity Index (SI) of your report should be less than 15%.

Answer 1

I. Introduction to ecological sustainability

Ecological sustainability has been defined as a general concept that is easily understood. Sustainability has been defined as “the capacity of an area to provide the present generation with the needed direct, indirect, and spiritual benefits humans derive from ecosystems". Applied to natural ecosystems, this definition implies that: (1) management will not degrade those systems being utilized , and (2) the current generation of humans will leave an equitable share of resources for future generations. More precise definition is required if the concept of ecological sustainability is to move from simple statements of conviction to operational resource management.

Sustainability refers to the capacity of a socio-ecological system to cope with change. Focusing in meeting the needs of the current condition of ecological sustainability of the company without adjusting the ability of future generations to meet their needs .Sustainability determine the company’s ability to endure environmental and friendly businesses or the ability of a business long term state of well-being.  Sustainability builds equality among the people of the present and the future people. The main purpose is to provide a stability between our social, ecological and also our needs.

2.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability objectives of GE.

General Electric Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) are strategically fulfilled into three-branched business strategy that contemplate the environmental, social and governance interests of its stakeholder groups as part of the company’s social responsibility e3orts in the global business This proposal includes the very important ma8er in GE’s business, based on succeeding corporate citizenship principles.. The company’s programs, strategies, organizational culture and its structure, as well as other parts of the business are progressing accordingly. The interest of the employees is focused over the social view of the CSR strategy. The management of the CSR strategy, General Electric follows both initiatives and programs that are related with globalization. Employees, company’s sustainability programs because the company’s group of stakeholders and related corporate sustainability objectives are as follows,

Social (such as employees, customers and communities).    

The social view focus on the interests   of   di3erent   user   considered   as   part   of   the   company,   in   line   with   health, employment and human rights. For example, GE is prioritizing its health concern and employment of employees,   health of the customers, including the human   rights   and   health   of   communities. These   social   views   are   important   since   its stakeholders have   impact on the company’s employee performance, brand image, and customer fulfilment. Thus, GE’s corporate citizenship strategies are created based on CSR principles on social progress.

Environmental (such as natural environment   and resources).   

The   interest   and environmental concerns of stakeholders are part of GE’s CSR. Those interests are important as the   brand   image   and   corporate   image,   including   the   company’s   needed resources for global business. These interests are identified with the company’s corporate social responsibility strategy that is using environmental concerns on sustainability and resource management of stakeholders.

Governance   (investors   and   government).   

General   Electric’s   third   corporate   social responsibility   strategy   includes   business   relation   and   governance   on   government. Stakeholders in this strategy are the investors of the global business and the government.   Governance   is important   because   it   sees   the   company’s leadership and management practices.

Green Product Design at GE.

Product development and design are the best approach to opt for buyer acceptance and customer expansion.   General Electric’s products that are developed in a green system were found   to   produce sustainability   to   environment   with   higher   production . There is a significant amount of investment during the initial stage of implementation of the green ways, but over a period of time proved that the benefits are greater return of investment. Green products are developed for the purpose   of   environmental   strategies that   could be   adapted   for better production   and environmental sustainability. Green product design concept is not to shift to production of new products, but to innovate products in producing a be8er eco-friendly way and if possible, pure environmentally friendly products that benefit nature and humanity.

3a)

Describe the general guidelines for designing an environmentally friendly product

Companies have developed guidelines into their new product development system find ways of specifically designing green products reducing environmental impact of the regular products.   These involve monitoring the stages, including the design before and after   following   the   production   process   that   includes   sources   of   substances   and   the condition of the product after it has gained the end of its life cycle. The following are ways that focus in the design of an environmentally friendly product that will support positive impact on people (customers), planet (environment) and profit (business). The following six general guidelines can help company’s in attaining environmentally and ethical friendly designs:

a. Make   products   recyclable: Several   firms   are   following   this   on   their   own,   but Canada, the EU and U.S., now have taken back laws that influence the different products, such as 'res and automobiles to computers. It is not cars that are recycled but also large portion of plastics, papers and glasses and over half the aluminium cans. Some cases with tires, manufacturers are accountable on the 100% disposal of materials.

b. Use   recycled   materials: Many   products   are   created   to   make   used   of   recycled plastics like park benches. Old clothing and recycled plastics are established for seat fabric for cars including hybrid sport-utilities.

c. Use   of   less   harmful   ingredients: Many   printing   industries   have   removed environmentally dangerous inks switching into soy-based inks that reduce water and air pollution.

d. Use lighter components: Both truck and auto industries continue in expanding the component   of   using   of   plastics   and   aluminium   in   reducing   weight.   Many   are creating   car   exteriors using   banana   plant   fibre   that   is   both   lightweight   and biodegradable. At the same 'me aircraft companies uses epoxy composite, titanium graphite laminate and carbon fibre in reducing weight on their airplanes. It can be expensive; however, they create trucks, aircraft and autos more environmentally friendly by enhancing fuel efficiency and pay load.

e. Use less energy: The auto, truck, and airframe industries are redesigning to improve mileage, General Electric is designing a new generation of refrigerators that requires substantially less electricity during their life time.

f. Use less material: Organizations fight to drive down material use—in the plant and in the packaging. An employee team at a semiconductor plant achieved reduction in the amount of chemicals used in the silicon wafer etching process. This and same successes are reducing both environmental concerns and production costs.

3b)

Product design system/methodology used at GE;

Ecomagination program   is   GE’s   extensive   responsibility   in   the   environmental sustainability using improved investment in technology, product efficiency, for the future including and more rigorous internal environmental standards and alternative energy. The business has been developing di3erent products, from solar panels and turbines to plane engines   and   light   bulbs   that   make   used   of   biogas,   meeting   its   Ecomagination   degree expanded with Green Order. Ecomagination is more than just another   idea   –   it   was aground-breaking strategy that the GE company used in building more efficient and effective equipment that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, produces cleaner energy, clean waterand cut its use, and make money while doing it .

Ecomagination is a business initiative that helps in meeting the demands of the customers   to a more efficient energy products to produce reliable progress for   the company. Ecomagination mirrors GE’s dedication in invesyting the future that is creating innovative solutions towards the challenges of the environment while delivering significantservices and products to its customers while generating profitable success for the company. This document is outlined to state on GE’s growing partnerships with governments, non-governmental organizations,customers, and universities to perform on the company’s services and products to help tackle some of the world’s big challenges.The following are the main commitments of GE in their product design system:

a. Increase revenues from Ecomagination products ;

b. Double investment in R&D:

c. Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve the energy efficiency of GE’s operations;

d. Reduce water use and improve water reuse;

e. Keep the public informed.

3c)

GE’s successful green product designs.

According to Fisher (2005) GE have seen 17 products that follows the quality of giving   importance   and   assessable   performance   advantage   of   the   environment, just how Harmony makes of water-conserving washing machines, Lexan film   change   its   conventional   paint,   the   new   fuel-efficient   GEnx   jet   engine   and   GE's Evolution locomotive, a 208-ton, 4,400hp workhorse that burns 3% less fuel and puts out 40% less pollution than its immediate predecessor.   GE was able to perfect its tungsten-filament light bulb a   century   ago.   These   includes   replacing everything from   light weight plastics to   replace the   steel   in cars   to   $1   billion   coal-fired electricity plants   that emit nothing but water vapor.

Eco-friendly production/manufacturing processes used at GE

The company considered Ecomagination as their growth strategy to increase their resource productivity and decrease environmental effect on the global scale using commercial solutions. GE’s Ecomagination is designed for their operations and customers as part its technique in investing more polished business innova'on and technology an also expanding solutions to allow economic progress while avoiding emissions and lowring water usage, committng to decrease the environmental affect, and develop strategic partnerships in order to resolve the substantial challenges in the environmental at scale to create a smarter and faster cleaner tomorrow.

4a)

Guidelines followed by GE in making their opera'ons/produc'on processes eco-friendly;

GE have created procedures initiating to put Ecomagination at center and front of the product development. At GE, products are not yet launched not until several criteria such as cost benefit to customers, time to market and price tag compared to other industry offerings are assessed and analyzed. Then now managers are giving equal significance to Ecomagina'on criteria, such as environmental effect and efficiency resources.

It’s a simple step to make sure that the goals of engineers (solve problems that benefit customers) match up with the goals of the finance side (maximize profits). To ensure that launches aren’t slowed down by the potential bureaucracy created by all these assessments, GE also changed another process. In the past, the company would do one assessment after another, bringing in, say, the water experts first, followed by the gas team, followed by the environmentalists. Now GE attacks all the assessments simultaneously with a cross-functional team of staffers drawn from all different departments. It’s a faster, more efficient approach, which can iron out problems created by the different priorities of different departments earlier. It also reflects the fact that GE’s customers are more concerned with the environmental impact and resource savings of new purchases than they were in the past. They want that data up front, instead of being surprised by those consequences later.

General Electric is consistent in quality and costs of production and goods and services. Its approach is to give first priority on maintaining the high quality of the products then followed by cost consideration. GE is using advance digital technology to enable reliability on its operations and productions. However, because the GE’s organizational structure is multidivisional, they had stated divisional policies on particular industry type and product design are applied to their corresponding goods and services.

GE Appliances Applies Lean Startup Practices. As the world becomes digital, big and minor companies in different industry including manufacturing, products and services are developed with a speed of production. GE is responding to this approach very fast as they closely work with the needs of the customers through the use of the new technique called FastWorks. Fastworks was developed by GE programmed by GE and authored by Eric Ries where it becomes New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup. This programme is established on Lean Startup principles. Lean manufacturing means companies are creating more value with fewer resources as it drives productivity. The name itself implies that FastWorks combines a set of instruments and behaviors created to deliver better output for customers faster. The first procedure is to identify the problem that is needed to be resolved then to develop a minimum shifting product in order to start the process and learn as quickly as possible. Instead of following the traditional technique where salespeople give design framework and then leave, customers would be involved throughout.

Sigma at GE. The employees of GE are needed to take a training program on how to use Six Sigma methodologies including how to use DMAIC . Through Six Sigma, employees will be able to learn how to identify and define the procedures and proper measurement of output process. They would critically analyze the input process, even when they are devising improvements through modified inputs.

Artificial Intelligence. General Electric is engaged in a broad range of research and development activities in artificial intelligence, with the dual objectives of improving the productivity of its internal operations and of enhancing future products and services in its aerospace, industrial, aircraft engine, commercial, and service sectors. Many of the applications projected for AI within GE will require significant advances in the state of the art in advanced inference, formal logic, and architectures for real-time systems. New software tools for creating expert systems are needed to expedite the construction of knowledge bases.

4b)

Give examples of some of the successful green manufacturing processes used at GE.

Ecomagination technologies are at the cutting edge of resource productivity. For example, consider GE’s GEnx aircraft engines, GE’s turbofan engine family for select wide-body aircraft. GEnx engines use advanced GE propulsion technology to reduce fuel consumption, associated carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, noise, and operating cost, compared to the engines they replace. In comparison with the previous model (GE’s CF6 engine), the GEnx engine reduces fuel consumption by more than 10 percent, which translates to a double-digit reduction in CO2 Jenbacher engines turn waste into value.

Throughout the world, customers are turning to new ways of capturing and utilizing gas to meet their energy needs through on-site power generation. GE’s Jenbacher gas engines are often a key ingredient, helping our customers generate power from a variety of fuel sources that can reduce environmental impact. Healing energy usage at hospitals. 2008 marked the first year that GE Healthcare products have joined the ecomagination porfolio. These products not only provide outstanding clinical performance, but also significant savings. They are part of a broader GE effort to help our hospital customers achieve their efficiency and environmental goals

Fuel efficiency is in the air. Our Aviation business has led the industry in innovation for years, and 2008 was no exception. From boosting our customers’ Hight capabilities to developing a fuel-saving landing approach, GE has enabled a number of success stories to take Hight. Advanced lighting technology with a familiar profile. Light bulbs remain an important part of GE’s heritage, dating back to our founder Thomas Edison. But today, a century after the invention of the first commercially viable light bulb, we continue to advance the technology.