A scientometric review on green manufacturing systems for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)

Abstract

[EN] This paper will discuss the current state, barriers, and potential opportunities that small and medium-sized enterprises face in an ever-changing need for sustainable innovation in manufacturing industrial processes. A scientometric literature review has been conducted to provide a solid understanding of green manufacturing systems, specifically on developing manufacturing businesses which may lack intellectual capital, resources and technology as opposed to multinational settled corporations. This literature review also examines potential advantages, drawbacks, and solutions for those SMEs who adopt these sustainable and green manufacturing practices. The employment of the software CiteSpace has aided to deliver this methodology and demonstrate a bigger picture of the prevailing scientific literature that is currently available. The key findings reveal a range of challenges faced by SMEs depending on their geographical positioning. A step-bystep approach beginning with the implementation of cost-efficient management techniques and advancing towards investments in green technologies can facilitate this transition.