Assessing and weighting key barriers to sustainable manufacturing in Türkiye

Abstract

The rapid depletion of natural resources, environmental pollution through harmful chemical waste, and the continuous rise in greenhouse gas emissions have made it imperative for industries worldwide to adopt sustainable manufacturing methods. While such methods are increasingly implemented in developed countries, businesses in developing economies face significant challenges in adopting sustainable manufacturing practices. In a developing country like Türkiye, various factors contribute to these challenges. To address this issue, the aim of this research was to prioritize the key barriers to adopting sustainable practices in the Turkish manufacturing industry. The Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique, was employed in this study due to its ease of use, minimal requirement for pairwise comparisons, and ability to enhance expert collaboration in the decision-making process. Four experts evaluated a total of 39 sub-criteria under the main categories of Technological (T), Knowledge & Learning (KL), Social & Environmental (SE), Organizational (O), Economic & Managerial (EM), and Supply Chain Management (SCM). The findings revealed that the top five key barriers in the Turkish manufacturing industry are: (1) lack of awareness of sustainability concepts (KL1), (2) unclear or weak business case and vision (O6), (3) lack of locally conducted awareness programs (KL2), (4) lack of knowledge or training for sustainable manufacturing (KL5), and (5) lack of support from top management (O2). For future studies, it is essential to investigate the effectiveness of targeted strategies designed to address these barriers and facilitate the successful integration of sustainability into manufacturing processes.