Exploring Generalisations for Sustainability Assessment in Medicine Manufacturing Networks

Generalisations or ‘rules of thumb’ are widely used in industry to make initial assessments on the sustainability impacts of products. This paper re-examines the principles underpinning these generalisations in assessing the environmental impacts of medicine manufac t ur ing network configura t io ns. Each princip le is illus tra ted through the application of selected methods, tools, and data using an exemplar case of a major non- proprietary analgesic. The findings identify the kind of generalised knowledge claims that are possible using alternative approaches, and which methodological issues may arise.