3.1. Introduction

3.1. Introduction

Industrial ecology aims to develop and transform industrial systems into industrial ecosystems that achieve high levels of closed-loop material exchanges and energy cascade efficiency. Industrial symbiosis, a subfield of industrial ecology, explores ways to build knowledge networks that facilitate the establishment of new material and energy cascade exchanges within and across companies and industries.

 

The effective application of industrial ecology and symbiosis significantly enhances environmental sustainability. Operations management focuses on continuously improving the efficiency and effectiveness of processes for producing goods and delivering services. However, it often relies on a linear transformation process.

 

To successfully transition industrial systems into sustainable industrial ecosystems, the linear transformation mindset must be replaced with closed-loop thinking in operations management.