INNOVATION FOR RESOURCE-EFFICIENT MANUFACTURING: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Abstract
The transition toward sustainable development requires profound changes in how products are conceived, produced, and managed across their entire life cycles. Manufacturing, as one of the most resource-intensive sectors, stands at the center of this transformation. This paper develops a comprehensive methodological framework linking innovation processes with resource-efficiency performance to help industries align competitiveness with environmental responsibility. Drawing on global literature on sustainable manufacturing, circular economy, and life-cycle thinking, as well as empirical evidence from Uzbekistan’s emerging green-economy initiatives, the study identifies key technological, organizational, and policy drivers that foster sustainability-oriented innovation. The framework emphasizes life-cycle assessment (LCA), eco-efficiency indicators, and strategic management principles to evaluate the effectiveness of innovation in achieving measurable reductions in material and energy use. The results suggest that integrating innovation management and resource-efficiency metrics into industrial decision-making can accelerate Uzbekistan’s transition toward a green economy and strengthen its industrial resilience in the face of climate and market challenges.
References
Boons, F., & Lüdeke-Freund, F. (2013). Business models for sustainable innovation: State-of-the-art and steps towards a research agenda. Journal of Cleaner Production, 45, 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.07.007
Duflou, J. R., Sutherland, J. W., Dornfeld, D., Herrmann, C., Jeswiet, J., Kara, S., Hauschild, M., & Kellens, K. (2012). Towards energy and resource efficient manufacturing: A processes and systems approach. CIRP Annals – Manufacturing Technology, 61(2), 587–609. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cirp.2012.05.002
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2021). Completing the picture: How the circular economy tackles climate change. https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
European Environment Agency. (2019). Resource efficiency and circular economy in Europe 2019 – Even more from less. EEA Report No. 26/2019. https://www.eea.europa.eu
Government of Uzbekistan. (2019). Strategy for transition to a green economy 2019–2030. Tashkent.
International Organization for Standardization. (2020). ISO 14006:2020 — Environmental management systems: Guidelines for incorporating eco-design. Geneva, Switzerland: Author.
Pigosso, D. C. A., & McAloone, T. C. (2016). Eco-design maturity model: A management framework to support eco-design implementation into product development. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 282–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2015.07.052
Rennings, K. (2000). Redefining innovation—Eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economics. Ecological Economics, 32(2), 319–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(99)00112-3
Skerlos, S. J. (2015). Promoting effectiveess in sustainable design. Proc. CIRP 29, 13–18. doi: 10.1016/j.procir.2015.02.080
United Nations Industrial Development Organization. (2024). Annual Report 2023: Progress by Innovation. Vienna: UNIDO.
