Is the term green logistics an oxymoron?
MGMT328: Logistics Management
Assessment 2: Individual Research Report
Is the term ‘Green Logistics’ an oxymoron?
Is the term ‘Green Logistics’ an oxymoron? An oxymoron is a term in which contradictory words appear in conjunction with one another such as bitter sweet or a deafening silence.
In an attempt to answer this question we must first define what the term ‘Green Logistics’ means. When the term is broken down into its composite parts ‘logistics’ is simply defined by Murphy and Wood (2011) as the part of the supply chain which plans, implements and controls both the forward and reverse flows of goods, services and information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in an efficient and effective manner.
However, the term ‘green’ is much more equivocal when defined in a business sense. In
1996 McDonagh and Prothero proposed that there are several dimensions of ‘Green’ which not only cover ecological, sustainability and conservation issues but also political, corporate social responsibility, fair trade and equality matters. Since these topics are very broad it is hard to define ‘Green’ in a logistics sense. As a result of this uncertainty over the definition of ‘green’, it is helpful to look at the definition of ‘Green’ on a consumer product level. Ottman (2006, p.24), suggested that while all products inevitably have some effect on the environment, ‘Green’ products are those which aim to minimise this impact by conserving energy and resources and limiting pollution and waste. This definition builds on
Reinhardt’s (1998, p.46) view that a ‘Green’ business “creates products that provide greater environmental benefits, or that impose smaller environmental costs, than similar products”. When we combine these definitions we can view ‘Green Logistics’ as the activities which facilitate the forward and reverse flows of goods, services and information through a supply chain in a way which is not only efficient and effective in
Assessment 2: Individual Research Report
Is the term ‘Green Logistics’ an oxymoron?
Is the term ‘Green Logistics’ an oxymoron? An oxymoron is a term in which contradictory words appear in conjunction with one another such as bitter sweet or a deafening silence.
In an attempt to answer this question we must first define what the term ‘Green Logistics’ means. When the term is broken down into its composite parts ‘logistics’ is simply defined by Murphy and Wood (2011) as the part of the supply chain which plans, implements and controls both the forward and reverse flows of goods, services and information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in an efficient and effective manner.
However, the term ‘green’ is much more equivocal when defined in a business sense. In
1996 McDonagh and Prothero proposed that there are several dimensions of ‘Green’ which not only cover ecological, sustainability and conservation issues but also political, corporate social responsibility, fair trade and equality matters. Since these topics are very broad it is hard to define ‘Green’ in a logistics sense. As a result of this uncertainty over the definition of ‘green’, it is helpful to look at the definition of ‘Green’ on a consumer product level. Ottman (2006, p.24), suggested that while all products inevitably have some effect on the environment, ‘Green’ products are those which aim to minimise this impact by conserving energy and resources and limiting pollution and waste. This definition builds on
Reinhardt’s (1998, p.46) view that a ‘Green’ business “creates products that provide greater environmental benefits, or that impose smaller environmental costs, than similar products”. When we combine these definitions we can view ‘Green Logistics’ as the activities which facilitate the forward and reverse flows of goods, services and information through a supply chain in a way which is not only efficient and effective in
References: Blanco, E & Cotrill, K, 2013, ‘Delivering on the promise of green logistics’, MITSloan Management Review, December 2013. McDonagh, P & Prothero, A, 1996, Green management: A reader, The Dryden Press, London. McKinnon, A. Browne, M. Whiteing, A. 2012, Green logistics: Improving the environmental sustainability of logistics, Kogan Page, London. Ottman, J, 1997, Green marketing: Opportunity for innovation, TC / Contemporary Books, Lincolnwood. Reinhardt, F.L. 1998, "Environmental product differentiation: Implications for corporate strategy", California management review, vol Tompkins, J, 2010, ‘Reverse logistics is not the reverse of logistics’, Material Handling and Logistics, November 2010. ‘Big jump in container recycling in SA’, AAP General News Wire, July 22, 2010.