How can supplier relationship management facilitate and improve the implementation of an ecodesign project in an SME ?

Details

Supervisors

Blome, Constantin

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

Environmental considerations in today's society are increasingly pushing companies to try to reduce the ecological impact of their activities. Some companies therefore choose to engage in ecodesign in order to offer products that have a lower environmental impact. Yet, it is still quite complicated for SMEs to develop ecodesigned products due to a lack of knowledge and financial means. This thesis therefore aims to understand how supplier relationship management activities enable SMEs to overcome the barriers encountered in their ecodesign process. In order to answer this question, the choice was made to carry out a multiple-case study analysis of five SMEs evolving in different sectors of activity. Once these five cases were analyzed, they were compared to develop propositions of answers to the research question. It emerges from these propositions that environmental criteria are not the first supplier selection criteria used by SMEs involved in ecodesign. It also appears that it is complicated to set up a concrete supplier evaluation system but that other means more adapted to SMEs still allow to verify the supplier's activity. Finally, this thesis reflects well how the supplier can remedy the lack of knowledge of the SME thanks to a strong collaboration. The propositions of answers are only hypotheses and would need to be verified by further analysis.