Date of Conferral
2019
Degree
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
School
Management
Advisor
Krista K. Laursen
Abstract
The scarcity of water poses a threat to domestic and global economic sustainability while inhibiting the operational efficiency of food and beverage industry firms. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies some food and beverage industry leaders in the United States used for implementing sustainable water consumption practices to improve operational efficiency. The conceptual framework for the study was stakeholder theory. The primary data source was semistructured interviews with 4 food and beverage industry leaders in Wisconsin who have responsibility for implementing their firms' sustainability practices, and the secondary data source was corporate sustainability reports. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data, which resulted in 4 themes: efficient equipment, stakeholder and sustainability focus, water recycling, and supply chain support. The implications of this study for social change include the potential for leaders in the food and beverage industry to use findings to create more sustainable water supplies and demonstrate greater stewardship of the environment.
Recommended Citation
Weber, Christopher, "Operational Efficiency in the Food and Beverage Industry Through Sustainable Water Consumption" (2019). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 6813.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6813
