Eastman Kodak Implementation of TQEM at Kodak Parkís Utilities Division

The document serves as a teaching guide to evaluate the application of Total Quality Environmental Management (TQEM) at Eastman Kodak's Kodak Park Utilities Division. It examines the challenges of implementing environmental management systems during corporate downsizing, the suitability of a utilities division as a test site, and the use of a TQEM matrix to measure success. Key findings suggest that while TQEM improved audit performance and accountability, its impact on direct cost management was limited due to the division's role as a cost center with little influence over the waste generated by other departments.

• The implementation of TQEM at Kodak Park occurred during a period of corporate restructuring and downsizing, which created a tension where employees feared that a program reducing labor requirements would be poorly received, although the shift toward faster decision-making and delegated responsibility could benefit the program in the long run.
• The Utilities Division was selected for the TQEM pilot because it handles the majority of the site's environmental expenditures and is critical for maintaining compliance, though it lacks authority over the strategic product and process planning that drives waste generation in other divisions.
• The TQEM matrix is considered an effective internal tool for tracking and temporal analysis, but it lacks objectivity when comparing different units and does not account for the incremental costs required to move between performance levels.
• TQEM successfully improved environmental performance and accountability, as evidenced by the 1996 audit where the Utilities Division had no repeat findings and new issues required only 5% of the response hours compared to previous audits.
• Despite improvements in audit results, TQEM did not significantly improve cost management in the Utilities Division, partly because costs were not tracked in detail and the division operates as a cost center where real control of waste costs resides with the generating departments.
• The TQEM matrix aligns with most ISO 14001 certification criteria and can serve as a scoreboard for continuous improvement, although it requires adjustments to cover specific categories such as 'structure and responsibility, and control procedures'.

APA

Lave, L. B., Conway-Schempf, N., & Horvath, A. (1997). Eastman Kodak Implementation of TQEM at Kodak Parkís Utilities Division. World Resources Institute. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-187-x_teaching_note_english.pdf

Chicago

Lave, Lester B., Noelette Conway-Schempf, and Arpad Horvath. Eastman Kodak Implementation of TQEM at Kodak Parkís Utilities Division. World Resources Institute, 1997. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-187-x_teaching_note_english.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lave |first1=Lester B. |last2=Conway-Schempf |first2=Noelette |last3=Horvath |first3=Arpad |title=Eastman Kodak Implementation of TQEM at Kodak Parkís Utilities Division |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=1997 |url=https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-187-x_teaching_note_english.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lave1997eastman, author = {Lave, Lester B. and Conway-Schempf, Noelette and Horvath, Arpad}, title = {{Eastman Kodak Implementation of TQEM at Kodak Parkís Utilities Division}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {1997}, url = {https://pdf.wri.org/bell/tn_1-56973-187-x_teaching_note_english.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }