1st Edition

Green Products Perspectives on Innovation and Adoption

Edited By Joao Neiva de Figueiredo, Mauro F Guillen Copyright 2011
    226 Pages 45 B/W Illustrations
    by Productivity Press

    Sharing successful examples of sustainable products from around the world, Green Products: Perspectives on Innovation and Adoption supplies an in-depth analysis of the key factors that influence the adoption of sustainable products. It examines case studies of green production and consumption from a business perspective—considering both technological and public-policy concerns. The text presents stories of success in green production and explains what made them successful. It includes coverage of:

    • Sustainable tourism in the Galapagos Islands
    • The revival of battery-powered electric vehicles in Japan
    • The transition from oil dependency to sustainability in Denmark
    • The promise of sugarcane ethanol as a cleaner fuel alternative
    • Sustainable urban mass transport

    Mapping the universe of green products, this book is the result of a joint effort of researchers affiliated with the Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management & International Studies and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

    Praise for the book:

    ... covers a wide range of topics, from energy to automobiles to tourism, in impressive depth.
    —Michael A. Cusumano, author of Staying Power, and SMR Distinguished Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management

    … should be on the shelf of every manager and educator, as resource and inspiration.
    —Andrew A. King, professor, Tuck School of Business, and co-founder, Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability

    … an excellent starting point in the analysis of production possibilities compatible with the requirements of sustainability and environmental friendliness.
    —Emilio Ontiveros, AFI chairman and board member of Iberdrola Renovables

    Mapping the Universe of Green Products; João Neiva de Figueiredo, Mauro Guillén, and Xiaoting Zheng
    The Need for Sustainable Energy Systems; José Gómez Moreno
    The Transition from Oil Dependency to Sustainability in Denmark; José Gómez Moreno
    The Revival of Battery-Powered Electric Vehicles in Japan; Jan Zelezny
    Sustainable Urban Mass Transport; Farheen Qadir
    The Promise of Sugarcane Ethanol as a Cleaner Combustion Engine Fuel; Jeffrey B. Bryant and María Teresa Burbano
    The Challenge of Sustainable Tourism; Jessica Webster
    Conclusion: Green Product Innovation and Adoption, João Neiva de Figueiredo and Mauro Guillén
    Bibliography

    Appendices:
         The Green Products Universe
         Essential Readings on Green Products

    Biography

    João Neiva de Figueiredo is Assistant Professor in the Department of Management at Saint Joseph’s University’s Haub School of Business and Senior Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. With over 20 years experience in international business, Dr. Neiva was a consultant at McKinsey & Company, a Vice President at Goldman Sachs, and a partner at JPMorgan Partners. His research and teaching focus on the role and effects of sustainability practices in the areas of strategy and international management. Dr. Neiva holds Electrical and Systems Engineering degrees from Rio de Janeiro’s PUC, an MBA with high distinction (Baker Scholar) from the Harvard Business School, and a Ph.D. in Business Economics from Harvard University.

    Mauro F. Guillén is the Director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Joseph H. Lauder Institute of Management and International Studies, and Dr. Felix Zandman Professor of International Management at the Wharton School. He has written extensively about multinational firms, economic development, and the diffusion of innovations. He received his PhD in Sociology from Yale and a doctorate in Political Economy from the University of Oviedo in his native Spain. He serves on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Emerging Market Multinationals.

    ... covers a wide range of topics, from energy to automobiles to tourism, in impressive depth. This book should help managers think creatively not only about the energy footprint of their products and operations, but also about the sustainability and future of their business models.
    —Michael A. Cusumano, author of Staying Power (2010) and SMR Distinguished Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management and Engineering Systems Division

    This is an inspiring book because it provides concise syntheses of the state of the art in important green products. The source of the case studies, MBA students’ research, suggests a heartwarming shift in the attention to this topic by future leaders. It should be on the shelf of every manager and educator, as resource and inspiration.
    —Andrew A. King, Professor, Tuck School of Business, and Co-Founder, Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability

    This book is an excellent starting point in the analysis of production possibilities compatible with the requirements of sustainability and environmental friendliness. The analysis sector by sector makes it an essential reference for any approach to a topic that will surely dominate the business and academic agendas in the coming years.
    —Emilio Ontiveros, Chairman of AFI and Board Member of Iberdrola Renovables