Exploring Process Management as a Means for Greening Road Freight Transport

Sammanfattning: Research has proven that we need to reduce our environmental impact. Sweden has set a goal to become fossil free by 2045. The increasing amount of transport and the need to reduce its environmental effects has put pressure on the companies of the road freight transport sector. Therefore, this business sector needs research actions to find tools that will assist in the greening of its services and operations. My research is a contribution to these efforts from a managerial point of view.Process management is a methodology taken from Total Quality Management (TQM) that has been used in several business sectors to improve business performance. Its process orientation and focus on customers allow companies to identify and satisfy the current and latent needs of their customers. Until now, TQM has targeted customer needs. However, it is experiencing a shift towards incorporating societal needs into the equation. Environmental sustainability is becoming a societal requirement for companies in all sectors. Hence, the purpose of my research is to explore the possibilities of using process management to support the greening of small and medium-sized companies within the road freight transport sector.The frame of reference for my study is based on three well-established domains in academia and their intersections. These domains are: process management, road freight transport and environmental sustainability. I have used qualitative methods for my research. Specifically, I performed a case study at two medium-sized Swedish companies within the road freight transport business sector. The data collection methods involved document studies, observations and interviews at each case company. The case study was performed using an action research approach, which involved setting up meetings, seminars and workshops with each case company. Additionally, joint workshops were performed, which allowed me to observe and obtain results from the interactions between the companies. The analysis is presented for each case separately and then for their interactions. The results are compared with the existing literature from the three domains.I based my research on three research questions. The first was intended to identify the principles and tools within process management that may be applied to road freight transport companies interested in implementing this methodology to enhance their environmental sustainability. I concluded that these principles were present in the companies and are needed for the implementation of process management. The tools included in this methodology can be associated with environmental initiatives performed by the companies in support of their greening.The second research question refers to the benefits and challenges that companies in this business sector may face when implementing process management methodology. I conclude that most of the expected benefits of process management were confirmed. Additionally, a new benefit was observed: reducing the environmental effect of their services can interest current customers and attract new customers to road freight transport companies. The challenges identified during the case study include: resistance to change, lack of knowledge and resource allocation limitations. I also confirmed that a stepwise implementation of process management increases the likelihood of the success of the methodology. Hence, underdeveloped management systems are also a challenge when this methodology is used in freight transport companies.The third and final research question involves the adaptations required for process management to enhance environmental sustainability in companies in this business sector. I refer to each of the challenges found and suggest certain requirements for the companies to apply this methodology. Clear communication from top management, the training of employees and the involvement of all employees are some of these requirements. Moreover, to incorporate the environmental aspects clearly, I suggest environmental efforts for each step in the implementation of process management. By including these efforts in the process maturity model, I conclude that road freight transport companies could use process management as a means of enhancing environmental sustainability.