Business Problem Solving
Sa1_Jyyy
7027-AS1.pptx
Definition of the problem
Client
Founded in 1892, Coca-Cola, based in Atlanta, is a global leader in soft drink production ( Ciafone, 2019).
A key decision-maker has commissioned a project addressing environmental concerns tied to plastic usage, showcasing Coca-Cola's commitment to responsible practices and global sustainability trends.
Problem
Coca-Cola, a global beverage manufacturer and distributor, sells 2,800 items in 200 countries (Smith & Brisman, 2021), contributing to over 200,000 metric tons of plastic waste.
This surge in plastic waste poses a critical problem, demanding immediate attention to align with sustainability expectations and safeguard Coca-Cola's corporate reputation in an era where responsible practices are central to consumer trust.
Definition of the problem
Cause
A recent Tearfund report, "The Burning Question," highlights that major corporations, including Coca-Cola, contribute to the annual burning or dumping of 500,000 tons of plastic waste in six developing nations. Coca-Cola tops the list, generating 200,000 tons of plastic pollution annually, with significant impacts in countries like Mexico. This underscores the urgent need to address the environmental crisis posed by single-use plastic bottles.( CNbeverage,2020).
Problem definition statement
Minimize plastic waste by 70 percent by 2030.
Looking at the graphical representation, it is clear that Coca-Cola is the largest contributor of plastic waste as compared to other companies (Simon, 2019).
Problem structure and components logic tree
That's the structure of the problem and its components.
A significant amount of plastic is extensively used in packaging.
However, after use, these plastic wastes are not effectively recycled and reused.
Solution drivers and hypothesised solutions logic tree
Prioritisation matrix
Difficult to Control
Easy to Control
High Impact
Low Impact
Reducing
Packaging
Layers
Collaboration
with Suppliers
Research and
Development
Eco-friendly
Packaging
Designs
Multimedia
Campaigns
Partnerships
with NGOs
Educational
Workshops
Clear Labeling
on Products
Workplan
| Issue | Hypothesis | Analysis | Source | Responsibility + Timing | End Product |
| Why is the recycling rate so low? | Difficulty in sorting plastic wastes results in low recycling rate | Assess the rate of recycling of different wastes among consumer househollds | ●Government reports on household recycling rates | Wang Ziqing -Every 2 Weeks | ●Pie chart of types of recycled in consumer households; ●Pie chart of challenges encountered by consumers in recycling different types of materials |
| Why is the usage rate of plastic so high in external packaging? | Bio-basedMaterials will lead to an increase in the cost of external packaging. | Evaluate the costs associated with using different materials for external packaging. | ●International raw material prices ●Factory processing quotation | Wang Ziqing -Every month | ●Bar chart comparing different materials for the same external packaging |
Analysis
Research Question: Effectiveness of Minimalist Design
Analysis Technique: Statistical Data Analysis
Undertaking the Analysis:
Advocating for new packaging standards to achieve a 70% reduction in plastic waste by 2030.
Employing statistical data analysis to guide the implementation (Pramanti & Chotim, 2019).
Findings:
100% recyclable packaging minimizes plastic waste.
Reusable containers for 50% of beverages align with sustainability goals (Chua et al., 2020).
Discuss the concept of sustainable packaging and its importance, as well as the balance between environmental protection and economic viability through the selection of environmentally friendly materials, optimization of packaging volume, improvement of packaging recyclability, reduction of packaging print colors and promotion of consumer awareness(JU.2023).
Insights:
New packaging standards offer a direct solution for the company's 70% reduction goal by 2030.
Using recyclable and reusable materials lowers environmental impact, carbon footprint, and conserves resources.
One-day answer
Situation
Complication
Resolution
Founded in 1892, the Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational corporation famous for producing the Coca-Cola drink. This beverage industry company also manufactures, sells, and markets other non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups, as well as alcoholic beverages. (Wikipedia Contributors, 2019).
Coca-Cola's plastic dye ranks NO1
Globally, the organization's volunteers collected more than 475,000 pieces of plastic waste in total. Among these plastics, the most frequently found brand was Coca-Cola, with a collection of 11,732 items. Nestle ranked second, followed by PepsiCo as the third. (Nace, n.d.).
With the progress of society, the importance of environmental protection is becoming more and more important, after technological research simply using plastic recycling is not ideal for reducing plastic waste.
Currently, only 14% of plastics are recycled globally, of which only 2% are reused; the remaining 12% are downgraded and recycled to a lower quality and functionality than raw materials. Williams& Rangel-Buitrago.(2022-2023).
100% recyclable packaging minimizes plastic waste.
Reusable containers for 50% of beverages align with sustainability goals (Chua et al., 2020).
Discuss the concept of sustainable packaging and its importance, as well as the balance between environmental protection and economic viability through the selection of environmentally friendly materials, optimization of packaging volume, improvement of packaging recyclability, reduction of packaging print colors and promotion of consumer awareness(Ju, 2023).
References
Chua, J. Y., Kee, D. M. H., Alhamlan, H. A., Lim, P. Y., Lim, Q. Y., Lim, X. Y., & Singh, N. (2020). Challenges and solutions: A case study of Coca-Cola Company. Journal of the Community Development in Asia, 3(2), 43-54.
Ciafone, A. (2019). Counter-cola: a multinational history of the global corporation. University of California Press.
Lawal, A., & Moerenhout, T. (2022). Coca-Cola and the Environment.
CNbeverage. (2020, April 3). Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Unilever Respond to Pollution Reports. Food and Beverage Industry Micro Journal, 03.04.20
Williams& Rangel-Buitrago.(2022-2023). BUSINESS & SUSTAINABILITY REPORT of Coca-Cola；world plastics council 2023
Wikipedia Contributors (2019). The Coca-Cola Company. [online]Wikipedia.Availableat: https ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ The_Coca-Cola_Company.
JU Lei.(2013). Sustainable Food Packaging Design: Balancing Environmental Protection with Economic Viability - CNKI
References
Phelan, A. A., Meissner, K., Humphrey, J., & Ross, H. (2022). Plastic pollution and packaging: Corporate commitments and actions from the food and beverage sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 331, 129827
Pramanti, A., & Chotim, E. E. (2019). Critical Review of Growth Population, Plastic Waste and the Digital Society in Indonesia. Jurnal Partisipatoris, 1(2), 79-86.
Simon, E. (2019). Plastics from a whole planet perspective. Field Actions Science Reports. The journal of field actions, (Special Issue 19).
Smith, O., & Brisman, A. (2021). Plastic waste and the environmental crisis industry. Critical Criminology, 29, 289-309.
Fakirov, S. (2021). A new approach to plastic recycling via the concept of microfibrillar composites. Advanced Industrial and Engineering Polymer Research, 4(3), 187-198.
Nace, T. (n.d.). Coca-Cola Named The World’s Most Polluting Brand in Plastic Waste Audit. [online] Forbes. Available at: 14.https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2019/10/29/coca-cola-named-the-worlds-most-polluting-brand-in-plastic-waste-audit/?sh=2d521c0f74e0.
References
