A New Approach to Motivate Micro and Small Enterprises for Resource-Efficient and Cleaner Production in Jordan
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors- The introduction effectively sets the stage for the study, but it could be strengthened by providing a more detailed discussion of the global context of RECP and its relevance to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, the authors should also consider citing recent literature (post-2020) on RECP and SME sustainability to ensure the manuscript reflects the latest developments in the field.
- The methodology is well-described, but the authors should provide more details on the selection criteria for the pilot enterprises. Specifically, how were the enterprises chosen, and what were the key characteristics (e.g., size, sector, location) that made them suitable for this study?
- The results section is comprehensive, but the presentation could be improved by including more visual aids (e.g., graphs, charts) to illustrate the key findings, such as the distribution of RECP measures across different sectors (water, energy, waste, materials). In addition, the authors should also provide a more detailed discussion of the economic benefits of the RECP measures, including the payback period and the potential for long-term cost savings. This would strengthen the argument for the scalability and replicability of the approach.
Author Response
Comment 1: ... but it could be strengthened by providing a more detailed discussion of the global context of RECP and its relevance to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, the authors should also consider citing recent literature (post-2020) on RECP and SME sustainability to ensure the manuscript reflects the latest developments in the field.
response: on page 4 inserted:
On a macro level RECP on a company level is a prerequisite for sustainable growth and industrial development. RECP facilitates compliance with environmental regulations while simultaneously enhancing productivity.
A 2021 study proposes a framework for developing cleaner production, emphasizing the roles of government, scientific research, and industry. It highlights the importance of national policies, legislation, tax incentives, and educational campaigns in encouraging the adoption of cleaner production practices. [22]
Resource efficiency and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are also closely linked. Resource efficiency measures, such as reducing energy and water consumption, improving waste management, and using sustainable materials, help achieve targets under SDG 12, particularly Target 12.2. Resource efficiency plays a central role in SDG 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. By enhancing resource efficiency, companies can reduce their carbon footprint, contributing to SDG 13’s targets. Efficient water use, wastewater treatment, and the conservation of freshwater resources are critical for achieving SDG 6. Resource efficiency is vital in supporting sustainable industrialization (SDG 9) [23].
A 2022 review examines various strategies for waste minimization, focusing on the integration of waste management and cleaner production practices. It emphasizes the importance of reducing waste generation and promoting recycling to achieve environmental sustainability [24]
references 22 -24 are new
comment 2: The methodology is well-described, but the authors should provide more details on the selection criteria for the pilot enterprises. Specifically, how were the enterprises chosen, and what were the key characteristics (e.g., size, sector, location) that made them suitable for this study
response: text from page 17:
Sectors were carefully selected out of a discussion of RSS, the ministries, chambers. For the definition of the selection criteria information was collected from: ...
A sector wide invitation was distributed to companies. The final selection of companies out of the applicants was done according to the criteria in Table 2 ...
comment 3:
The results section is comprehensive, but the presentation could be improved by including more visual aids (e.g., graphs, charts) to illustrate the key findings, such as the distribution of RECP measures across different sectors (water, energy, waste, materials). In addition, the authors should also provide a more detailed discussion of the economic benefits of the RECP measures, including the payback period and the potential for long-term cost savings. This would strengthen the argument for the scalability and replicability of the approach.
Reply: Graphics included in pages 21 and 22 (sectors, payback),
regarding long-term effects:
Follow-up visits to verify the long-term effects still must be planned, as they were not included in the project plan.
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe article should be rejected because it has serious methodological, analytical and literature deficiencies. Below, I provide detailed recommendations for each author, according to their stated contributions. Recommendations for first author: Johannes Fresner, Responsible for: Conceptualization, writing, training and coaching, Conceptualization - necessary refinement of the purpose and research hypothesis
The article does not clearly state the purpose of the study - is it to evaluate the effectiveness of RECP, analyze implementation, or propose a new approach? Clearly formulate the research hypothesis and key research questions. Improve the structure of the article. The introduction should include a literature review and a rationale for the study - currently it looks more like an organizational report. The results and discussion should relate to environmental management theory and previous RECP research. Add a comparison of the companies studied with a control group. Describe in detail how the study sample was selected (criteria for selecting companies, representativeness). Use basic statistical methods to evaluate the effectiveness of RECP. Reinforce the link between the results and environmental management theory. Structure the article according to academic standards.
Recommendations for second author: Christina Krenn, Responsible for: Conceptualization, writing, training and coaching. Refine content and argumentation. The article contains repetition and unnecessary administrative descriptions - focus on relevant results and analysis. Improve the logic of the argument so the reader can easily follow the research process. Prepare a better literature reference. Add more citations from peer-reviewed scientific journals, not just UNIDO, UNEP, GIZ reports. Show how the presented study differs from previous work. Improve academic language. The article has a style that is too descriptive, resembling a report - you need to adjust the language to the standards of an academic publication. Remove repetitions and irrelevant passages. Strengthen references to academic literature.
Recommendations for the third author: Jehan Haddad, Responsible for: business model design, data collection and analysis, Present data more precisely. The article lacks precise information on how the data was collected - the methodology for collecting information from companies should be added. Explain what indicators were measured and why they were chosen. Improve the analysis of the results. RECP performance indicators (e.g., energy savings, waste reduction) should be given with details - over what period? How calculated? Statistical analysis is missing - e.g., comparison charts, regressions, before/after RECP implementation.
Author Response
Comments 1: Clearly formulate the research hypothesis and key research questions. Improve the structure of the article. The introduction should include a literature review and a rationale for the study - currently it looks more like an organizational report. The results and discussion should relate to environmental management theory and previous RECP research. Add a comparison of the companies studied with a control group. Describe in detail how the study sample was selected (criteria for selecting companies, representativeness). Use basic statistical methods to evaluate the effectiveness of RECP. Reinforce the link between the results and environmental management theory. Structure the article according to academic standards.
resonse 1: on page 9:
The research question therefore was to develop a cost-effective approach to implement RECP in MSME in the food sector in Jordan compatible with the skills, personal, and financial resources of MSMEs. The research hypothesis was that the application of management theory (Business canvas, Stage-Gate-Process, PDCA-Cycle) would provide guidance to create such a process model.
A project team led by the Water, Environment and Climate Change Centre (WEC), Cleaner Production Unit (CPU), National Energy Research Centre (NERC), STENUM and national food experts was put together. As project objectives the enhancement of the competitiveness of Jordanian MSMEs by improving efficiency and productivity while minimizing environmental impact through RECP implementation was defined.
The hypothesis was that by developing RECP guidelines for small-scale dairy, bakery, and Arabic sweet enterprises, as well as Self-Assessment Checklists for micro-scale dairy and fruit & vegetable processing businesses, RECP uptake in MSME could be greatly fostered. This initiative was supported by the "Employment Oriented MSME Promotion" project, implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
comment 2: The article contains repetition and unnecessary administrative descriptions - focus on relevant results and analysis. Improve the logic of the argument so the reader can easily follow the research process. Prepare a better literature reference. Add more citations from peer-reviewed scientific journals, not just UNIDO, UNEP, GIZ reports. Show how the presented study differs from previous work. Improve academic language. The article has a style that is too descriptive, resembling a report - you need to adjust the language to the standards of an academic publication. Remove repetitions and irrelevant passages. Strengthen references to academic literature.
response 2: please see changes in red ink. inserted new recent literature (see list of references). Tried to make text more concise. Introduced headline level 2 in chapter 2 to provide more structure; novelty of approach outlined in "research question" and "research hypothesis"
comment 3: resent data more precisely. The article lacks precise information on how the data was collected - the methodology for collecting information from companies should be added. Explain what indicators were measured and why they were chosen. Improve the analysis of the results. RECP performance indicators (e.g., energy savings, waste reduction) should be given with details - over what period? How calculated? Statistical analysis is missing - e.g., comparison charts, regressions, before/after RECP implementation
Graphical representation of data added on pages 20 and 21. Indicators are material consumption, energy consumption, water consumption, waste generation. Measured in ME from discussion of national experts and management, for ME from national experts using international reference data (please see explanation on page 20)
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe paper represents a good addition to the literature on micro- and small- business motivation and resulting business oucomes. The development of RECP dedicated to MSME is based on sound theoretical knowledge and has wide-ranging applications. The methods of analysis are appropriate for micro and small enterprises in Jordan and can be contextulalised to other countries with a similar business profile, so the paper has merit in its potential applications more broadly than just the current area of study. This is a further benefit of the paper. The results are in line with other studies in this space and are worthy of publishing.
Author Response
Thank you very much for your kind words!
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe revised manuscript presents a notable improvement in its approach to addressing the research question of implementing Resource-Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) in Jordanian micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The authors have effectively incorporated relevant literature, refined their methodology, and provided more comprehensive results and discussions. Overall, the manuscript has made significant progress and is approaching a publishable standard. However, there are still some areas that require further attention to fully meet the journal's requirements.
1. While the results are presented in detail, the data analysis could be further enhanced. For example, statistical tests could be used to determine the significance of the observed savings in energy, water, and other resources. Additionally, a more in-depth analysis of the factors influencing the variation in savings across enterprises would be beneficial.
2. The manuscript acknowledges that follow-up visits to verify the long-term effects were not included in the project plan. It would be valuable to discuss how future research could be designed to assess the long-term sustainability of the RECP measures implemented in these enterprises. This could include considerations such as changes in market conditions, technological advancements, and regulatory environment.
3. A more explicit comparison of the new RECP service packages with other existing approaches in Jordan or similar contexts would strengthen the manuscript. This could help to highlight the unique advantages and limitations of the proposed approach and provide a more comprehensive understanding of its potential for replication.
4. Some sections of the manuscript could benefit from improved writing clarity. For instance, the description of the service package elements and the implementation process could be streamlined to make it easier for readers to follow. Additionally, the use of technical jargon should be carefully explained to ensure accessibility for a broader audience.
5. Given the journal's focus on sustainability, a more explicit integration of the three pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) throughout the manuscript would be desirable. While the manuscript touches on these aspects, a more comprehensive analysis of how the RECP implementation contributes to long-term sustainability would enhance its relevance.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageThe authors should conduct a thorough grammar and punctuation check using grammar - checking tools like Grammarly, and also review the manuscript manually to catch any errors that the tools might miss. Replace informal or less - precise words with more appropriate academic vocabulary. Use a thesaurus to find more accurate synonyms when needed. Additionally, eliminate redundant words and phrases to make the writing more concise. When complex sentences become difficult to understand, break them into smaller, more manageable sentences. This will improve the clarity of the manuscript and make it easier for a wider range of readers to follow the arguments.
Author Response
Comment 1:
The revised manuscript presents a notable improvement in its approach to addressing the research question of implementing Resource-Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) in Jordanian micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The authors have effectively incorporated relevant literature, refined their methodology, and provided more comprehensive results and discussions. Overall, the manuscript has made significant progress and is approaching a publishable standard.
Reply: Thank you very much for the positive acknowledgement
Comment 2:
While the results are presented in detail, the data analysis could be further enhanced. For example, statistical tests could be used to determine the significance of the observed savings in energy, water, and other resources. Additionally, a more in-depth analysis of the factors influencing the variation in savings across enterprises would be beneficial.
Response 2: (page 20, in green)
Follow-up visits to verify the long-term effects still must be planned, as they were not included in the project plan. For this project, no (statistical) analysis of daily, weekly or monthly consumption data was done. With the installed meters, this is possible in the future, if the project was continued. Further analysis could surface variables impacting on consumption. Potential variables are: economy of scale, as cleaning in food processing is done daily and resource consumption for cleaning probably is independent of daily production, variation of demand for individual products, e. g. from product preferences because of festivals, and the impact of power-outages. As in Jordan no official statistical goods flow analysis is done, sector specific benchmarks are not available.
Comment 3: The manuscript acknowledges that follow-up visits to verify the long-term effects were not included in the project plan. It would be valuable to discuss how future research could be designed to assess the long-term sustainability of the RECP measures implemented in these enterprises. This could include considerations such as changes in market conditions, technological advancements, and regulatory environment.
Response 3: (page 23, in green):
Future research should monitor the long-term impact of the implemented measures on the consumption of materials and water. Regular in-depth data collection could be done, e. g. by master students and statistical analysis of daily, weekly or monthly consumption data do identify the impact of changes in market conditions, technological advancements, and regulatory environment.
Comment 4: A more explicit comparison of the new RECP service packages with other existing approaches in Jordan or similar contexts would strengthen the manuscript. This could help to highlight the unique advantages and limitations of the proposed approach and provide a more comprehensive understanding of its potential for replication.
Reply 4: please see page 24, table 5 plus explanatory text:
Table 5 shows a comparison of key elements of the RSS approach to the previously used approaches to implement RECP in Jordan. Time required by company staff and external experts is significantly lower. Key elements of an EMS are installed. The prepared checklists cover all the relevant technical and organizational subject. There is less focus on data collection, however instruments for long-term data collection for self-monitoring are provided, if relevant.
Comment 5: Some sections of the manuscript could benefit from improved writing clarity. For instance, the description of the service package elements and the implementation process could be streamlined to make it easier for readers to follow. Additionally, the use of technical jargon should be carefully explained to ensure accessibility for a broader audience.
reply 5: page 13 to 14:
Key elements of the approach are: Self-assessment checklists are used to collect key information for the experts and first ideas for the company teams. The checklist supports the collection of information and data and suggests RECP improvement options [29]. One walkthrough is conducted to analyze the actual processes and familiarize the experts with the enterprise. For the consecutive common training workshop materials and agenda are provided. As a support, an agenda and a checklist tailored for the sector are provided. In a final workshop the findings and learnings are exchanged. The focus is on increasing the productivity of use of materials and energy, improving working conditions were chemicals and heat are used, and improving communication inside the enterprises and with the community.
Words have been changed to more scientific terms, repetitions reduced, number of references reduced (as suggested by the editor)
Comment 6:
Given the journal's focus on sustainability, a more explicit integration of the three pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) throughout the manuscript would be desirable. While the manuscript touches on these aspects, a more comprehensive analysis of how the RECP implementation contributes to long-term sustainability would enhance its relevance.
Response 6: (page 20):
The actual focus of the approach is on increasing the productivity of use of materials and energy. By this, the economic performance of the enterprises is improved. The other two pillars of sustainable development are addressed by the reduction of environmental impacts by minimizing waste and emissions. Working conditions are improved by optimizing consumption of chemicals and development of heat. Social impact is created by improving communication inside the enterprises and with the community.
Comment 7: The authors should conduct a thorough grammar and punctuation check using grammar - checking tools like Grammarly, and also review the manuscript manually to catch any errors that the tools might miss. Replace informal or less - precise words with more appropriate academic vocabulary. Use a thesaurus to find more accurate synonyms when needed. Additionally, eliminate redundant words and phrases to make the writing more concise. When complex sentences become difficult to understand, break them into smaller, more manageable sentences. This will improve the clarity of the manuscript and make it easier for a wider range of readers to follow the arguments.
Several sentences were divided, spellcheck used, manually checked, also for punctuations marks, synonyms applied
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsOK - now it looks corrected
Author Response
Thank you very much for your positive reply!
