Uncovering Barriers for Industrial Symbiosis: Assessing Prospects for Eco-Industrialization through Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Developing Regions

Abstract

Industrialization is indispensable for socio-economic development but poses far-reaching implications for resources and the environment. Consequently, industrial symbiosis-based collaborations are gaining recognition as a viable strategy to manage resource consumption for mitigating environmental distress. However, these types of synergistic collaborations are more prevalent in developed regions and are linked to larger-sized industries. Admittedly, such collaborative partnerships are less focused in developing regions and small- to medium-size enterprises (SMEs). This calls for discovering the potentials for synergistic partnerships among the small and medium scaled industrial entities in developing economies. Therefore, the study was designed to identify, assess and explore the prospects of symbiotic collaborations among SMEs in Pakistan. Moreover, the inputs are equally relevant for developing and expanding such productive associations in developing regions. Data regarding inputs and outputs was collected from sixty-one (61) SMEs through field survey during the year 2019. It was processed and analyzed to uncover existing and potential synergies among SMEs. The significant findings transpired that the majority of collaborative linkages are bilateral and are driven to maximize economic gains. However, informal networks of recyclers and absence of a stringent regulatory regime are the ground realities in developing/transforming economies. These factors symptomatically interfere with the process of formal/informal exchanges between and among firms. Furthermore, it was observed that the lack of awareness and impulsiveness of SMEs, as well as the inconsistent supply of by-products, act as barriers for such partnerships in developing countries. It calls for proactive engagements and facilitations from the state institutions through policy instruments. The study addresses a broad audience including industrialists, investors, policy makers and researchers engaged in IS studies. Moreover, the inputs will provide impetus for stimulating eco-industrial progress in developing regions such as Pakistan.

Industrial Symbiosis in the Balkan-Mediterranean Region: The Case of Solid Waste

“…Other papers examine specific barriers which may be found in the case of emerging and frontier markets and some of their findings may be applicable in our case. Those barriers include, among others, financial barriers to promoting, lack of awareness of industrial symbiosis projects, deficiency of regulatory frameworks and lack of infrastructure [27,28]. Hence, looking into the data already collected, through a PESTLE questionnaire in the margins of the SWAN project, in the light of the recent findings on generic and specific barriers to industrial symbiosis and the ways of removing them [25] seems a very interesting and promising research area.…”

“…Over the last few years, this development has slowed down in Europe due to several, mostly financial, barriers (e.g., new infrastructure and physical space required, economic crisis and strict financial budget implemented for the majority of companies) [25]. Recent research, however, has identified a number of other generic IS barriers (i.e., governmental, technological, organizational) [26] but also country-specific barriers (i.e., low awareness, lack of infrastructure, absence of regulatory framework) [27,28] which may be found mainly in emerging and frontier economies and can be applicable in the case of the Balkan countries. Thus, there is currently the need for national or regional policy frameworks that will facilitate the implementation of IS, resulting in economic benefits for all stakeholders involved and improvement in the environmental performance of the system.…”

Modern planning strategy and a course in achieving the competitive advantage in the mixed sector institutions in the Republic of Yemen

“…This percentage is less than 50%, which means agreement with the answers of the study sample. Table ( 5) contains the mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation for the environment dimension Where paragraph (4) ranked first, which is represented by "the company works to employ its human capabilities and exploit them positively" with an arithmetic mean of (3.78), which is greater than the general arithmetic mean of (3.45) and a standard deviation of (0.971). This is logical because most companies work to employ their human potential and exploit it positively for its survival and achieving its goals.…”

“…Therefore, a company's strategy needs to be developed and modified accordingly to keep firms competitive in the long run. Hence, firms that can deliver real superior value to the customer experience via an innovative corporate strategy built on a long-term viable, sustainable basis will endure and be sustained for a long time [4,5]. Likewise, the importance of strategic planning has led to the success of thousands of large, small and medium companies and it caused an excellent competitive advantage between companies and business organizations [6].…”

Strategic Planning and Performance of Women’s Small Sized Business in Rwanda: A Case of Kigali City

“…A strong correlation was established between worker's quality and organizational success. Finally, Akhtar, et al, (2022) undertook a research on critical problems restricting SMEs in Nigeria and assessed factors influencing the level of firm success. Therefore, small enterprises were deemed to be source of job and contribute fully to gross domestic product.…”