| This dissertation addresses the question of how establishments in the U.S. chemical industry can improve their environmental performance. This research assesses how the integration of environmental management with key elements of advanced manufacturing systems, namely lean production, leads to innovation for pollution prevention and improved environmental performance. This dissertation presents the results of a national survey, plant visits, and phone interviews of U.S. chemical plants in the plastics and resins and ink manufacturing sectors. The findings confirm the central hypothesis: plants that integrate their environmental management practices with elements of lean production, such as worker involvement in innovation, research and development for pollution prevention, Total Quality Management for implementing pollution prevention, and collaboration with customers and suppliers, are the most innovative for pollution prevention and have made the greatest improvements in environmental performance. This research does not find support for the hypothesis that strong regional networks result in leadership in environmental performance by the firms in these agglomerations. |
