Eco-design strategy among ISO 14001 certified manufacturing firms in Malaysia: Green drivers and its relationship to performance outcomes

Economic growth, industrialization and growing population in developing countries such as Malaysia are causing damaging effect to the environment along with radical climate changes. Businesses are under increasing pressure to reduce their environmental footprint and improve their green credentials. Going `green' is the National Green Technology Policy (NGTP2009) of Malaysia, which marks the key milestone of Malaysia's green development and government's full commitment to promote low carbon technology in conserving natural environment and resources. The prospect of being green in Malaysia is very much encouraging. Green supply chains surfaced as a new approach that extends environmental responsibility of businesses throughout their entire supply chains and is gaining its popularity in Malaysia. Eco-design is a valuable approach that permits businesses to move beyond end-end-of-the-pipe solutions towards sustainable development. Technologies have infused in most business processes and supply chains, and Green IT/IS has therefore become one of the latest considerations to improve environmental problems. Despite the importance, little is known about eco-design practice in terms of its strategies used in supply chain and its dynamic linkages to technological and non-technological green drivers and its relationship to the performance of the firm, particularly in the context of Malaysia. The study attempts to bridge the gaps by proposing an integrative framework using Technology Organization Environment (TOE) framework and G-Readiness Framework.