Integrating environmental issues into the mainstream: an agenda for research in operations management

Abstract Research related to the natural environment in operations management is still in its infancy. The relatively few studies to date have primarily emphasized environmental issues relating to process technologies, quality, new product development, and supply chain management. This paper reports on the work of a focus group of environmental and operations management researchers, which generated a broad framework useful for identifying fruitful research opportunities. This framework is structured along two dimensions: level of analysis and process of environmental improvement. Research areas identified by the focus group to be most promising subsequently were mapped onto this framework. Strong opportunities for building our understanding of environmental issues and improving practice are evident in the areas of manufacturing strategy, quality, supply chain management, and technology management. Research on intra‐ and inter‐firm diffusion of best practices, environmental technology investment and transfer, and measurement of environmental performance promises to lead to a more integrative view of environmental operations management.