DPU Working Paper - No. 120

A Study of Environmental Management Mechanisms In The Context of Industralisation: An analysis of The Case of Thailand From Industry's Perspective

Author: Makiko Hisatomi

Publication Date: 2002

Industry has the potential to play an important role in economic growth. Successful cases of Asian countries in achieving remarkable economic growth by industrialising their countries have already shown some evidence for this potential. However, observing the environmental states in these countries, it seems that it is difficult to incorporate effective pollution control in the process of industrialisation.

Does this imply that industrial pollution has to be accepted as the price of industrialisation? Although there are unfavourable factors for the environment such as lack of financial resources by focusing exclusively on economic achievement, this report argues that environmental management can be incorporated in the process of industrialisation if appropriate policy mechanisms are implemented.

Hence industrial pollution should not be accepted as the price of industrialisation. There are a number of environmental management mechanisms available now and they can be used in the process of industrialisation. Despite the efforts put in by governments, it seems that these mechanisms which had been developed in industrialised countries (ICs) do not fit in the context of developing countries (DCs). There is a gap between what mechanisms are meant to do in theory and how they are operating in reality. It could be argued that this gap is caused because of the gap between policy-makers’ understanding of industry and the industry’s understanding of environmental management. If there is such a gap, then it is necessary to understand environmental management from industry’s perspective. This report will take this industry’s perspective to examine environmental management mechanisms. In order for industry to improve their environmental management, it is necessary for industry to make a change in their attitude and behaviour. Hence it is necessary to understand how organisational changes take place and, for this purpose, some management theories are introduced. 

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