Modeling and analyzing critical factors for implementing sustainability in industrial firms

The major goal of this paper is to investigate the underlying network of factors toward implementing sustainability in industrial firms by using social network analysis (SNA). Based on a literature review and in consultation with practitioners in the manufacturing industry, 15 factors were identified as being the most critical. Using two SNA metrics, namely in-degree centrality and out-degree centrality, the factors were then classified in terms of their interdependencies as being autonomous, dependent, linkage, or independent factors. Accordingly, the four factors of awareness of sustainability, attention to globalization and international issues, innovative product design, and continuous performance evaluation were determined to be the most critical factors. The results of this study may be used as a guideline for industrial firms interested in implementing sustainability.