bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards Evaluation the Cornerstone of Smart City Development: Case Study in Dalat City, Vietnam
Authors: Hoang Viet Bach Khoa , Kim Sung-Kyun
Published: December 2019

Over the past decade, the process of urbanization in Vietnam has taken place rapidly, leading to strong social disturbances and causing cities to face many problems. All these challenges have put pressure on urban planning and governance to make adjustments to allow cities to become livable. Moreover, the quality of urbanization is reflected not only in growth but also in harmonious development in all aspects. The urban development process must accordingly be handled by more smart solutions. Smart city development is becoming a trend not only in urban areas all over the world but also in Vietnam. The paper aims to assess the initial phases of the smart city development process in Dalat City. It first evaluated a four-dimensional smart city’s strategic elements of city vision and transformation known as Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats. Then, based on these analytical characteristics, an adaptive model for development is suggested. This paper extends the previous research on smart cities and draws attention to further study on smart city development in Vietnam.
Special Issue Sustainable Interdisciplinarity: Human–Nature Relations
Authors: Cirella Giuseppe T. , Russo Alessio
Published: December 2019

Sustainable interdisciplinarity focuses on human–nature relations and a multitude of contemporary overlapping research between society and the environment. A variety of disciplines have played a large part in better understanding sustainable development since its high-profile emergence approximately a quarter century ago. At present, the forefront of sustainability research is an array of methods, techniques, and growing knowledge-base that considers past, present, and future pathways. Specific multi-disciplinary concentrations within the scope of societal changes, urban landscape transformations, international environmental comparative studies as well as key theories and dynamics relating to sustainable performance are explored. Specializations in complex sustainability issues address international governance arrangements, rules, and organizations—both public and private—within the scope of four themes: sustainability, human geography, environment, and interdisciplinary societal studies. This book contains eleven thoroughly refereed contributions concerning pressing issues that interlink sustainable interdisciplinarity with the presented themes in respect of the human–nature interface.
Vernacular Farm Buildings and Rural Landscape: A Geospatial Approach for Their Integrated Management
Authors: Cillis Giuseppe , Statuto Dina , Picuno Pietro
Published: December 2019

Over the centuries, farm buildings, which accompany the development of agriculture, have played an important role in defining spatial and environmental planning. In some European countries in particular, these rural structures have been built based on traditional agricultural needs and typical land characteristics. Considering the land abandonment that has occurred over the last five decades, with farmers moving to more comfortable residences in neighboring urban settlements, historical farm buildings have often been abandoned, thus causing a leakage of the historical-cultural heritage of the rural landscape. Nowadays, open data and geographic technologies together with advanced technological tools allow us to gather multidisciplinary information about the specific characteristics of each farm building, thus improving our knowledge. This information can greatly support the protection of those buildings and landscapes that have high cultural and naturalistic value. In this paper, the potential of Geographic Information Systems to catalogue the farm buildings of the Basilicata region (Southern Italy) is explored. The analysis of these buildings, traditionally known as masserie, integrates some typical aspects of landscape studies, paving the way for sustainable management of the important cultural heritage represented by vernacular farm buildings and the rural landscape.
Energy–Finance–Growth Nexus in ASEAN-5 Countries: An ARDL Bounds Test Approach
Authors: Mahi Masnun , Phoong Seuk Wai , Ismail Izlin , Isa Che Ruhana
Published: December 2019

This study examines the relationship between energy consumption, financial development and economic growth for ASEAN-5 countries, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, over the period from 1980 to 2017. Finance–growth and energy–growth relationships have been well researched; however, the energy–finance–growth nexus is an equally important but less explored area. Our Auto Regressive Distributed Lags (ARDL) bounds test for cointegration results suggests that the variables tend to move together in the long run for all countries, apart from Indonesia. Our study also considers the effect of a structural break due to financial crisis and confirms that the break does not affect the long-term relationship among the variables; in other words, the financial crisis does not affect the energy–finance–growth nexus. Hence, considering the consistency of energy consumption, the importance of the energy sector must not be undermined, and appropriate energy policies are instrumental in maintaining a well-managed financial sector for sustainable economic growth.
The Impact of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Incident on Tourism Risk Perception and Attitude Change of Chinese Tourists Traveling to South Korea
Authors: Zhang Hao , Cho Taeyoung , Wang Huanjiong
Published: December 2019

The crisis event, which is one of the factors that occur most frequently, affects the sustainable development of tourism. Aiming to investigate the impact of a terminal high altitude area defense (THAAD) incident on tourism risk perception, destination image, attitude change and behavior intention of Chinese citizens planning to travel to South Korea, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 1000 Chinese citizens. By using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and a structural equation model on the survey data, the results showed that (1) tourist destination risk perception exerted a negative effect on tourism image, culture image, and stability image of the destination; (2) the risk perception of tourists on tourism destinations would lead to a change in tourism attitudes, as Chinese citizens who planned to travel to South Korea considered changing their tourist destinations due to the THAAD incident; and (3) the increased risk perception of tourists on destinations had negative effects on behavior intention. Chinese citizens’ intention to travel to Korea was reduced after the THAAD incident. This study is of great importance for the sustainable development of tourism between China and Korea and provided a reference for improving risk management strategy for a tourism destination.
The Potential Application of Microorganisms for Sustainable Petroleum Recovery from Heavy Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Nazina Tamara , Sokolova Diyana , Grouzdev Denis , Semenova Ekaterina , Babich Tamara , Bidzhieva Salimat , Serdukov Dmitriy , Volkov Dmitriy , Bugaev Konstantin , Ershov Alexey , Khisametdinov Marat , Borzenkov Igor
Published: December 2019

A microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) technique was tested at low-temperature heavy oil reservoirs (Russia). The bioaugmentation approach used is based on the introduction of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria into the oilfield in combination with an injection of oxygen as a H2O2 solution in order to initiate the first stage of hydrocarbon oxidation and of (NH4)2HPO4 as a source of biogenic elements. Before the pilot trials, the microorganisms of petroleum reservoirs were investigated by high-throughput sequencing, as well as by culture-base and radioisotope techniques. Molecular studies revealed the differences in microbial composition of the carbonate and terrigenous oil reservoirs and the communities of injection and formation water. Aerobic bacteria Rhodococcus erythropolis HO-KS22 and Gordonia amicalis 6-1 isolated from oilfields oxidized oil and produced biosurfactants. Fermentative enrichment and pure cultures produced considerable amounts of low fatty acids and alcohols from sacchariferous substrates. In core-flooding tests, 43.0–53.5% of additional heavy oil was displaced by aerobic bacteria, producing biosurfactants, and 13.4–45.5% of oil was displaced by fermentative bacteria, producing low fatty acids, alcohols, and gas. A total of 1250 t additional oil was recovered as a result of the application of an MEOR technique at the Cheremukhovskoe heavy oil reservoir and Vostochno-Anzirskoe reservoir with light conventional oil.
The Trends of the Energy Intensity and CO2 Emissions Related to Final Energy Consumption in Ecuador: Scenarios of National and Worldwide Strategies
Authors: Arroyo M. Flavio R. , Miguel Luis J.
Published: December 2019

Climate change and global warming are related to the demand for energy, energy efficiency, and CO2 emissions. In this research, in order to project the trends in final energy demand, energy intensity, and CO2 emission production in Ecuador during a period between 2000 and 2030, a model has been developed based on the dynamics of the systems supported by Vensim simulation models. The energy matrix of Ecuador has changed in recent years, giving more importance to hydropower. It is conclusive that, if industrialized country policies or trends on the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency were applied, the production of CO2 emissions by 2030 in Ecuador would reach 42,191.4 KTCO2, a value well below the 75,182.6 KTCO2 that would be seen if the current conditions are maintained. In the same way, by 2030, energy intensity would be reduced to 54% compared to the beginning of the simulation period.
Dynamic Monitoring and Analysis of Ecological Quality of Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone, a New Type of Sea Island City, Based on RSEI
Authors: Wen Xiaole , Ming Yanli , Gao Yonggang , Hu Xinyu
Published: December 2019

Islands face increasingly prominent environmental problems with rapid urbanization. Hence, timely and objective monitoring and evaluation of island ecology is of great significance. This study took the Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone (PZ) in the east sea of Fujian Province of China as the research object. Based on remote sensing technology, four Landsat images from 2007 to 2017 and the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) were used to explore the ecological status and space–time change. The results showed that from 2007 to 2011, the average RSEI decreased from 0.519 to 0.506, indicating that the ecological quality generally showed a slight downward trend, mainly due to large-scale development brought by the construction; by 2014, although the ecology of the original area improved, the overall ecology was still declining with 0.502 mean RSEI mainly because of large-scale reclamation projects; by 2017, the average RSEI rebounded to 0.523, which was attributed to the fact that ecological construction and protection were emphasized in the construction of PZ, especially in reclamation areas. In conclusion, the increase of large area bare soil will lead to the decline of regional ecology, but the implementation of scientific ecological planning is conducive to ecological restoration and construction.
Evaluation of Lifelong Learning Centers in Higher Education: A Sustainable Leadership Perspective
Authors: Taşçı Gülşah , Titrek Osman
Published: December 2019

Technological developments that have taken place in the 21st century have also affected higher education institutions. These changes have created an obligation to respond to the effects and needs of globalization. In response to these developments, the emphasis on lifelong learning and individuals who “learn how to learn” in higher education institutions has become more and more important in order to educate individuals to fulfill the needs of the century. In general, studies on topics such as the development of lifelong learning in higher education and the role of leaders are limited in Turkey. Regarding this point of view, the current study aims at examining the perceptions of sustainability leaders studying in the higher education sector in Turkey in terms of the lifelong learning provided, the strategies applied, the difficulties faced, the experiences shared, and the sustainability practiced. Therefore, the study uses a descriptive phenomenological pattern under a qualitative research method. The study group was established with maximum diversity, using a purposeful sampling technique. The study group consisted of 10 middle-level managers working at the universities in the Marmara region. The topic was discussed with the study group members in depth. In this study, the data were collected with a semi-structured interview form created by the researchers. In the analysis of data, a content analysis method was used. As a result of the research, it was found out about those observed that administrators in higher education institutions define lifelong learning in a similar way to the definitions in the literature. In addition, the strategies of administrators for lifelong learning, their views concerning their experiences, and their views on the difficulties they encountered are revealed in the research. In the last part, practical recommendations suggestions are made using with regard to the results of the research.
Residents’ Green Purchasing Intentions in a Developing-Country Context: Integrating PLS-SEM and MGA Methods
Authors: Wang Bin , Li Jionghua , Sun Ao , Wang Yongming , Wu Dianting
Published: December 2019

This paper aims to examine the determinants of green purchasing intentions among different resident groups in a developing-country context. We first expand the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and build a theoretical model based on green purchasing intention, including attitude, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, environmental concern, habit, and socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, residential area, and educational level). Following this, we collect 552 questionnaires from residents in Tianjin Municipality, China. We use partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to analyse the green purchasing intention of the population sample and then employ a multi-group analysis (MGA) to explore the group differences in residents’ green purchasing intention. The results show that green purchasing intention is significantly and positively influenced by attitude, perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and environmental concern but not by habit. The relationship chain of environmental concern→subjective norms→purchasing intention is the strongest. The results of the MGA show that for residential-area groups, the relationships between attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and habits and purchasing intention differ significantly between the downtown group and the outside-the-city group. For the educational-level groups, the relationship between environmental concern and subjective norms differs significantly between the high-education group and the low-education group. Finally, these findings contribute to the literature on the TPB model on green purchasing intention and provide some suggestions for the local government and green marketers.
Optimisation of Ecological Leisure Industrial Planning Based on Improved GIS-AHP: A Case Study in Shapingba District, Chongqing, China
Authors: Du Tongyun , Vejre Henrik , Fertner Christian , Xiang Pengcheng
Published: December 2019

This study seeks a scientific methodology for ecological leisure industry planners to contribute to a more ecologically friendly leisure industry. This study creates an environment suitability model (LIDES) for leisure industry development. This model sees the natural ecological environment as just as important as the artificial environment. This study identifies the following factors: suitable land, unsuitable land, park plaza, scenic spot, river system, global network reachability, local network reachability, business impact, industrial impact. The Spatial Syntax method is used to account for effects of the urban road network. This method is incorporated into a geographic information system-analytic hierarchy process (GIS-AHP) approach, thus developing this method further. The method is demonstrated in the leisure industry in Shapingba District of Chongqing, China. The final suitability index map for ecological leisure industry is divided into four types: highly suitable, moderately suitable, marginally suitable, and low suitability areas. As a result, 8.08% (42.55 km2) of the study area has low suitability, 82.61% (435.15 km2) has marginal suitability, 8.62% (45.42 km2) has moderate suitability and 0.69% (3.65 km2) has the best suitability for creating an ecological leisure industry area. Discussion and relevant suggestions are given for further research.
Meta-Responsibility in Corporate Research and Innovation: A Bioeconomic Case Study
Authors: Sonck Matti , Asveld Lotte , Osseweijer Patricia
Published: December 2019

The term “responsibility” embodies many meanings, also in the context of corporate research and innovation (R&I). The approach of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) has emerged as a promoter for responsible conduct of innovation but so far lacks a systematic framework for describing, inventorying, and eventually managing different responsibilities that R&I units hold in companies and further in society. In this paper we take forward the idea of developing RRI into a “meta-responsibility” approach, for orchestrating responsibilities in corporate R&I. First, we introduce a frame for defining responsibility, which is inclusive of four elements (care, liability, accountability, and responsiveness), and is attentive to the intrinsic uncertainty of the R&I setting. Drawing on empirical data from interviews, we then examine how these responsibility elements become operationalised in an actual R&I project. As a result, we develop a meta-responsibility map for corporate R&I, bringing various and sometimes contradicting principles, expectations and obligations under the common terminology of responsibility. We suggest that such integrative outlook on responsibilities increases theoretical solidity and practical applicability of RRI as an innovation management approach. Regarding R&I practices, we conclude that the meta-responsibility map can support R&I units in exploring their co-existing and sometimes conflicting responsibilities, and in managing those responsibilities in the highly uncertain R&I setting. In particular, meta-responsibility shows applicability in (i) balancing risk and precaution, (ii) exposing and addressing concerns about the goals and impacts of innovation, and (iii) accelerating sectoral transition whilst securing one’s own competitive advantage in it.
Sewage Sludge Bottom Ash Characteristics and Potential Application in Road Embankment
Authors: Zabielska-Adamska Katarzyna
Published: December 2019

The paper focuses on sustainability-related applications in civil engineering by using environmentally friendly, alternative construction materials. The paper presents geotechnical properties of thermally converted, municipal sewage sludge in a grate furnace in an incineration plant. Bottom ash and its mixture with sand have been tested to show that they can be considered as a substitute for natural soil built-in road embankments. The product of sewage sludge combustion and its combination with sand meet all code requirements for material suitable for road embankments. As a result of the 30% reduction of resistance to failure values after waste soaking, which causes relatively low California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values of soaked waste, waste should be built into places isolated from groundwater and precipitation. That is also indicated by the possibility of heavy metals leaching from the waste because such content is much higher than in uncontaminated soils, although leaching does not exceed the limits commonly quoted for natural soil solutions. Tested bottom ash as a product of combustion in a grate furnace is a more preferred material for earthworks than fly ash generated during incineration in a furnace with fluidized bed due to the particle size and heavy metal concentrations.
Social Factors Affecting Sustainable Shark Conservation and Management in Belize
Authors: Sabbagh Stephanie M. , Hickey Gordon M.
Published: December 2019

Predatory sharks contribute to healthy coral reef ecosystems; however their populations are declining. This paper explores some of the important social factors affecting shark conservation outcomes in Belize through a qualitative analysis of the shark-related activities, attitudes and perceptions among local stakeholders and their perceived relative ability to influence shark conservation policies. Drawing on key informant interviews and focus groups, respondents suggested that considerable demand for shark meat originates from markets in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras, especially during Lent, driving larger-scale shark fishing operations within Belize waters. Different stakeholders reported a wide range of uses for shark products, and reported diverging perceptions concerning the status and value of shark populations in Belize, with conflicting attitudes towards their conservation. Such conflicting perceptions among stakeholders can pose a serious challenge to sustainable shark conservation and management, and ultimately undermine collaborative governance objectives. Belize shark conservation issues likely need to be addressed at the scale of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, perhaps by taking a transboundary approach that better accounts for the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders from Belize, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.
The Effect of Selected Parameters on Spelt Dehulling in a Wire Mesh Cylinder
Authors: Anders Andrzej , Kolankowska Ewelina , Choszcz Dariusz Jan , Konopka Stanisław , Kaliniewicz Zdzisław
Published: December 2019

A spelt dehuller with an innovative structural design is described in the study. In the developed solution, spelt kernels are separated by the mechanical impact of friction in a wire mesh cylinder with 4 × 4 mm openings. The dehuller is powered by a motor with a rotating impeller with an adjustable blade angle. In the experimental part of the study, spelt kernels are dehulled at five rotational speeds of the shaft: 160 to 400 rpm at intervals of 60 rpm, and five rotor blade angles: 50° to 90° at intervals of 10°. The efficiency of spelt dehulling (removal of glumes and glumelles) is evaluated based on kernel separation efficiency, husk separation efficiency, and the proportion of damaged kernels.
The Development of Mobile Tourism in the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Area of Poland
Authors: Naramski Mateusz , Herman Krzysztof
Published: December 2019

Smart tourism is a concept that is becoming more and more popular worldwide in modern tourism. It is a tourism orientated part of the smart city concept, which can also be treated as a specific type of business model. Support and presence of tourist attractions for smartphone users through various apps is one of the first technological stages in the process of adapting this concept in a touristic region. Therefore, the paper’s aim was to observe and measure the development of touristic sites’ presence in mobile applications, in a developing touristic region. In order to do so, we compared data obtained from mobile applications in the years 2015 and 2019. The selected apps contain databases of touristic sites and allow tourists to search for attractions, hotels and restaurants. The comparison showed quantitative changes in the number of those types of objects found by mobile apps in the Upper Silesian metropolitan area, picturing the development and use of those apps in this given region.
Wind Power and Job Creation
Authors: Aldieri Luigi , Grafström Jonas , Sundström Kristoffer , Vinci Concetto Paolo
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this paper is to provide a global overview of job effects per MW of wind power installations, which will enable improved decision-making and modeling of future wind-power projects. We found indications that job creation connected to wind-power installations is rather limited. In total, 17 peer-reviewed articles and 10 reports/non-peer-reviewed papers between 2001 and 2019 were assessed. Our three major policy conclusions are as follows: (a) job creation seems to be limited; (b) each new project should consider a unique assessment, since all projects have been undertaken within different institutional frameworks, labor markets, and during separate years, meaning that the technology is not comparable; and (c) the number of jobs depends on the labor intensity of the country.
Land Use Change Impacts on Water Erosion in Rwanda
Authors: Nambajimana Jean de Dieu , He Xiubin , Zhou Ji , Justine Meta Francis , Li Jinlin , Khurram Dil , Mind’je Richard , Nsabimana Gratien
Published: December 2019

Rwanda has experienced accelerated soil erosion as a result of unsustainable human activities and changes in land use. Therefore, this study aimed at applying the RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) model using GIS (Geographical Information System) and remote sensing to assess water erosion in Rwanda, focusing on the erosion-prone lands for the time span 2000 to 2015. The estimated mean annual soil losses were 48.6 t ha−1 y−1 and 39.2 t ha−1 y−1 in 2000 and 2015, respectively, resulting in total nationwide losses of approximately 110 and 89 million tons. Over the 15 years, 34.6% of the total area of evaluated LULC (land use/land cover) types have undergone changes. The highest mean soil loss of 91.6 t ha−1 y−1 occurred in the area changing from grassland to forestland (0.5%) while a mean soil loss of 10.0 t ha−1 y−1 was observed for grassland converting to cropland (4.4%). An attempt has been made to identify the embedded driving forces of soil erosion in Rwanda. As a result, we found that mean soil loss for Rwanda’s districts in 2015 was significantly correlated with poverty (r = 0.45, p = 0.013), increased use of chemical fertilizers (r = 0.77, p = 0.005), and especially was related to extreme poverty (r = 0.77, p = 0.000). The soil conservation scenario analysis for Rwanda’s cropland in 2015 revealed that terracing could reduce the soil loss by 24.8% (from 14.6 t ha−1 y−1 to 11.7 t ha−1 y−1). Most importantly, the study suggests that (1) terracing integrated with mulching and cover crops could effectively control water erosion while ameliorating soil quality and fertility, and (2) reforestation schemes targeting the rapid-growing tree species are therefore recommended as an important feature for erosion control in the study area.
Choice Behavior of Autonomous Vehicles Based on Logistic Models
Authors: Tan Limin , Ma Changxi , Xu Xuecai , Xu Jin
Published: December 2019

To understand the public’s acceptance of autonomous vehicles, studies were conducted from the perspectives of personal attributes, travel demand and cognitions of autonomous vehicles based on 403 valid questionnaires. Influencing factors of whether travelers are purchasing autonomous vehicles, whether travelers without a driver’s license intend to take a driver’s license in the future and whether travelers are choosing an autonomous private car if travelers can only take a taxi or drive a private car are analyzed by building Logistic regression models. The results show that personal monthly income, driver’s license, driving confidence, preference for autonomous vehicles and convenience of arriving at public transport stations will affect the purchase decision of autonomous vehicles; teenagers, long-distance travelers, students and employees of enterprises and institutions, those who believe that traditional taxis/taxi-hailing are unsafe, and those who lack confidence in driving have a higher probability of choosing autonomous vehicles. This research can be used to predict the probability of future purchase and use decisions for autonomous vehicles based on data from other populations.
Effective Ecological and Cheap Heating of Dwelling Spaces
Authors: Koštial Pavel , Vlček Jozef , Koštialová Jančíková Zora , Špačková Hana , David Jiří , Frischer Robert , Ružiak Ivan
Published: December 2019

The sustainability of human civilization depends largely on green energy management. This work represents one way to achieve this goal. The work is devoted to converting microwave radiation to heat. The article analyses different ways of heating residential and utility areas. Materials suitable for converting microwave radiation to heat from ceramic composites, concretes, fire clays, and bauxite with water glass are enclosed. For all materials we have measured DTA/TG (Differential Thermal Analysis/Thermogravimetric Analysis) curves, XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) patterns, chemical composition of samples, the specific heat capacity cp [J/kg.K], thermal conductivity k [W/m.K] and diffusivity α [m2/s-1]. The cooling curves of these materials after microwave heating are characterized in detail. The paper also presents a description and construction of a microwave reactor together with the parameters of the living space heating.
Managerial Overconfidence, Corporate Social Responsibility Activities, and Financial Constraints
Authors: Park Kyung-Hee , Byun Jinho , Choi Paul Moon Sub
Published: December 2019

Managerial overconfidence refers to managers’ cognitive bias, according to which they demonstrate unwarranted belief in their own judgments and capabilities. This study provides a new measurement of CEO overconfidence through textual analysis of management discussion and analysis (MD&A) in 10-K documents by making use of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) EDGAR database. Overconfidence was obtained from “optimism” using the Diction program. From a sample of 19,367 US firms from 1994 to 2016, we found that CEO overconfidence was negatively related to corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Since overconfident CEOs are likely to consider CSR activities less important than their own ability, they seem to reduce CSR activities. Also, CSR activities initiated by overconfident CEOs were negatively related to firms’ long-term performance. However, CSR activities led to positive long-term performance in firms that were financially constrained. Our findings show that CSR activities undertaken as a result of CEO overconfidence by financially unconstrained firms could be harmful to shareholder value in the long term.
Environmental Values and Technology Preferences of First-Year University Students
Authors: Stöckert Alexandra , Bogner Franz X.
Published: December 2019

Environmental and technological preferences correlate. Both are empirically accessible via established instruments such as the Two Major Environmental Value model (2-MEV) with “preservation” (PRE) and “utilization” (UTL), and the technology questionnaire with “interest in technology” (INT) and “social aspects of technology” (SOC). Additionally, “appreciation of nature” (APR) was monitored with a seven-item scale. We used these instruments to assess the preferences of freshmen in five different areas of study (law, economics, science, pedagogy, cultural studies). All subsequent analyses unveiled positive relations between appreciation and preservation, between the two technology subscales, as well as between utilization and social aspects of technology. Negative relationships appeared between preservation and utilization, preservation and both technology factors, as well as appreciation and social aspects of technology. In all subsamples, preservers (individuals with preservation preferences) showed little interest in technology or its social aspects; utilizers scored high in social aspects of technology, whereas appreciators displayed no interest in it. The freshmen’s areas of study seem to predict consistent tendencies to (biocentric) preservation or (anthropocentric) utilization. Moreover, females were more likely to preserve and appreciate nature whereas males preferred utilization along with interest in technology as well as in the social implications of technology. The observed differences can be used to develop new and improve existing educational programs; recommendations are discussed.
Implementation of a Mathematical Model to Improve Sustainability in the Handling of Transport Costs in a Distribution Network
Authors: Velarde José Manuel , García Susana , López Mauricio , Bueno-Solano Alfredo
Published: December 2019

This work considers the application of a mathematical model using mixed-integer linear programming for the vehicle routing problem. The model aims at establishing the distribution routes departing from a distribution center to each customer in order to reduce the transport cost associated with these routes. The study considers the use of a fleet of different capacities in the distribution network, which presents the special characteristic of a star network and which must meet different efficiency criteria, such as the fulfillment of each customer’s demand, the vehicle carrying capacity, work schedule, and sustainable use of resources. The intention is to find the amount of equipment suitable to satisfy the demand, thus improving the level of customer service, optimizing the use of both human and economic resources in the distribution area, and leveraging maximum vehicle capacity usage. The MILP mixed-integer linear programming mathematical model of the case study is presented, as well as the corresponding numerical study.
Influence of Microtopography and Alluvial Lowland Characteristics on Location and Development of Residential Areas in the Kuji River Basin of Japan
Authors: Itsukushima Rei , Ohtsuki Kazuaki , Sato Tatsuro
Published: December 2019

Adopting a comprehensive, basin-wide method for preventing flood disasters would be effective to deflect the climate-change-induced intensified water-related disasters. This study considers the land use and settlement patterns based on microtopography and flood risks. The influence of the microtopography and alluvial lowland characteristics on the location and development of residential areas in the Kuji River basin, Japan, is a fundamental aspect of historical knowledge. Investigating the relation between the microtopography and the location of antiquities shows that most of the relics dating to or before the third century were situated in the terraces near the lowlands. The development of lowlands near the mainstream of the Kuji River began around the third century. Furthermore, the relation between the microtopography and development of residential areas is investigated using building density as the development indicator. The results confirm the increase in building density in the alluvial surface, proving a history of flood damage and delayed development compared to other regions. This investigation reveals land development in areas, including the former river bed on the mouth of the Kuji River and the flood plain on the margins of the Hitachiota urban distinct, with no confirmed inhabitation before modern times because of elevated flooding risk.
Tree Water Status in Apple Orchards Measured by Means of Land Surface Temperature and Vegetation Index (LST–NDVI) Trapezoidal Space Derived from Landsat 8 Satellite Images
Authors: Zare Mohammad , Drastig Katrin , Zude-Sasse Manuela
Published: December 2019

In this study, the split window (SW) method was applied for land surface temperature (LST) retrieval using Landsat 8 in two apple orchards (Glindow, Altlandsberg). Four images were acquired during high demand of irrigation water from July to August 2018. After pre-processing images, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and LST were calculated by red, NIR, and thermal bands. The results were validated by interpolated infrared thermometer (IRT) measurements using the inverse distance weighting (IDW) method. In the next step, the temperature vegetation index (TVDI) was calculated based on the trapezoidal NDVI/LST space to determine the water status of apple trees in the case studies. Results show good agreement between interpolated LST using IRT measurements and remotely sensed LST calculation using SW in all satellite overpasses, where the absolute mean error was between 0.08 to 4.00 K and root mean square error (RMSE) values ranged between 0.71 and 4.23 K. The TVDI spatial distribution indicated that the trees suffered from water stress on 7 and 23 July and 8 August 2018 in Glindow apple orchard with the mean value of 0.69, 0.57, and 0.73, whereas in the Altlandsberg orchard on 17 August, the irrigation system compensated the water deficit as indicated by the TVDI value of 0.34. Moreover, a negative correlation between TVDI and vegetation water content (VWC) with correlation coefficient (r) of −0.81 was observed. The corresponding r for LST and VWC was equal to −0.89, which shows the inverse relation between water status and temperature-based indices. The results indicate that the LST and/or TVDI calculation using the proposed methods can be effectively applied for monitoring tree water status and support irrigation management in orchards using Landsat 8 satellite images without requiring ground measurements.
Strategic Analysis of the Online Recycler’s Reselling Channel Selection: Agency or Self-Run
Authors: Guo Qiang , Li Zenglu , Nie Jiajia
Published: December 2019

With the rapid development of the internet, many WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) online recyclers have emerged and developed. They improve recycling efficiency significantly and bring hope for sustainable development. Unfortunately, few works in the literature are concerned about it, with many questions still unanswered. The WEEE online recyclers always face a challenge with regard to how to strategically design their reselling channel structure in fact. In this paper, we examined this challenge by two decision models: agency and self-run. We derived the performance of the self-run model and agency model by backward induction and then examined the desirability from different stakeholders’ perspective. The results suggested that WEEE online recyclers prefer the self-run model to the agency model when the unit recycling cost is low and a conflict exists between the WEEE online recycler and e-retailer for the resale channel preference. Interestingly, the manufacturer shows consistent resale channel preference with the WEEE online recycler when the unit recycling cost is low. Our further analysis revealed that all players can agree on the agency model in a certain case. In addition, we found that the consumer surplus and the recovery ratio in the self-run model are always better than that in the agency model. Our work provides insight into the promotion of the WEEE online recycling industry and into the resale channel selection for online recyclers. The study also generates managerial insights for environmental sustainability.
Bridging Worlds: Utilizing a Multi-Stakeholder Framework to Create Extension–Tourism Partnerships
Authors: Feyers Shane , Stein Taylor , Klizentyte Kotryna
Published: December 2019

Some counties in the United States are turning to visions of sustainable development in response to increasing environmental problems caused by land use expansion and intensification. Sustainable tourism is one industry capable of fostering this change because of its relationship to all facets of a destination, from transportation and culture to natural resource management. This paper addresses a study that examined what support tourism destinations in Florida need from the Cooperative Extension Service to better utilize natural areas as responsible tourism attractions to benefit the local community, economy, and biodiversity (i.e., ecotourism). A nominal group technique, questionnaires, and interviews with local tourism professionals were used to investigate needs and support for ecotourism development. Results show, when nature-based tourism products are present, growth in ecotourism market supply is desired by tourism providers. Results also indicate that this growth is possible with the help of Extension agents, who would serve as educators on responsible tourism topics and facilitate partnerships between government, businesses, local residents, and visitors. Integrating these results into the (2013) multi-stakeholder framework developed by Waligo et al. for sustainable tourism development, this paper outlines reasoning and process for the Cooperative Extension Service to provide important support for a prevalent natural resource use.
Outdoor Recreation, Nature-Based Tourism, and Sustainability
Authors: Winter Patricia L. , Selin Steven , Cerveny Lee , Bricker Kelly
Published: December 2019

This Special Issue addresses the intersections of outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism, and sustainability. Outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism provide essential benefits to individuals, communities, and society and thereby contribute to sustainability. Equitable provision of opportunities, cultural variations in desired experiences, barriers to outdoor recreation, and diverse perceptions of both nature and recreation add to the complexity in outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism service delivery. Outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism occur within a socioecological system with feedback loops to changing social, economic, technological, and ecological conditions. On a global scale, climate change and other disturbance factors are impacting ecosystems and opportunities, increasing the importance of adaptation strategies for longer-term planning. Population growth and regional shifts in demographics and distribution (e.g., urbanization), as well as socioeconomic trends, affect who engages in outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism, opportunities sought, nature access, and governance of outdoor services. Overall the complexity of sustainable outdoor recreation and tourism may suggest a need for different approaches to service delivery, culture change among service providers and managers of natural spaces, and novel approaches to inclusive governance and shared stewardship. Given the clear importance of outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism to society, we invite you to consider this initial introduction to our assembled collection, which is meant to advance our understanding of the intersections of outdoor recreation, nature-based tourism, and sustainability.
The Effect of Participation Effort on CSR Participation Intention: The Moderating Role of Construal Level on Consumer Perception of Warm Glow and Perceived Costs
Authors: Ahn Yunjeong , Lee Jieun
Published: December 2019

Consumer participation typically reduces consumer skepticism and leads to a positive response to corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Although many companies are encouraging consumers to participate in CSR activities, there is still insufficient research on the effectiveness of this strategy. That is, prior studies do not provide guidelines on the effectiveness of requiring consumers to participate in CSR activities. We examine the impact of the required participation effort on CSR participation intention, focusing on the differences in consumers’ perception of a warm glow feeling and costs according to their construal level. For this study, 107 participants were recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk. We tested hypotheses using a 2 (CSR participation effort) × 2 (construal level) between-subject analysis of variance (ANOVA), planned contrast analysis, and mediation analysis. The results indicate that for consumers with high construal levels who perceive participation efforts as warm glow, participation efforts have a positive impact on CSR participation intention. However, for those with low construal levels who perceive participation efforts as costs, high required efforts have a negative impact on their participation intention. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results, discuss the limitations, and suggest future research directions.
Comparison of Emergency Response Abilities and Evacuation Performance Involving Vulnerable Occupants in Building Fire Situations
Authors: Choi Minji , Lee Seulbi , Hwang Sungjoo , Park Moonseo , Lee Hyun-Soo
Published: December 2019

The mobility impaired, the deaf or hard of hearing, the blind or visually impaired, the cognitively impaired, and the elderly population are among several examples of groups categorized as particularly vulnerable to fire-related hazards. Given the severity of the threat that building fires pose for these vulnerable groups in terms of the different types of debilitation they experience, it is crucial to distinguish the respective attributes of each group and map out how such differences lead to differing performance levels during fire evacuations. To better gauge each group’s capacity to cope with building fires, this study collected survey data from social service providers and staff members who provide care for vulnerable healthcare facility residents. The questionnaires were designed to assess each group’s emergency response abilities and render them in quantifiable form in terms of perception, interpretation, decision-making, and mobility. The results of the survey serve as the input values for an evacuation simulation model which analyzes the evacuation performances (i.e., response and movement time) of vulnerable groups. The study concludes by proposing managerial strategies for the enhancement of fire safety in healthcare facilities on the basis of outcome analysis. Understanding the evacuation characteristics of disabled and vulnerable groups is expected to provide a foundation for the safety managers and staff members of relevant facilities to prepare for and deal with unexpected emergencies in an efficient and effective manner.
Building a Wind Power Plant from Scrap and Raising Public Awareness for Renewable Energy Technology in a Circular Economy
Authors: Schoden Fabian , Siebert Alina , Keskin Alparslan , Herzig Konstantin , Straus Majkel , Schwenzfeier-Hellkamp Eva
Published: December 2019

Putting renewable energy to good use is necessary to deal with one of the greatest challenges of our time, namely, climate change. One problem, however, is that the technology we are using today turns into toxic waste at the end of its useful life, which in particular concerns the blades of wind turbines. We investigated how the ideas of a circular economy can be applied to address this issue. To this end, we built a small wind turbine almost entirely from used materials. The social purpose of this is to raise public awareness about renewable energy technology that is part of a circular economy. Therefore, we chose a reliable and easy-to-build concept for a small wind turbine, which can be reproduced in a “Do It Yourself” (DIY) approach. The core challenges we had to face consisted of how to acquire appropriate used materials and how to improve the efficiency of the system to obtain adequate electrical power. With a financial investment of less than €100, we built a Savonius wind turbine for use in, for example, a private garden to charge a power bank or other USB-chargeable devices.
The Non-Financial Reporting Harmonization in Europe: Evolutionary Pathways Related to the Transposition of the Directive 95/2014/EU within the Italian Context
Authors: Caputo Fabio , Leopizzi Rossella , Pizzi Simone , Milone Virginia
Published: December 2019

Since 2016, the European context has been characterised by the introduction of the Directive 95/2014/EU on mandatory non-financial reporting. The Directive has been transposed in the Italian context through the Legislative Decree 254/2016. However, following evidence previously collected from other jurisdictions, a high degree of scepticism by academics still characterises the debate on the effectiveness of this form of regulation. In fact, the literature highlights that the effects of a mandatory approach to non-financial reporting are limited to an increase in the annual quantity of information provided and not by an effective organizational change. Therefore, the contribution of our paper is twofold: a gap analysis between the overall degree of non-financial reporting quality between the years 2015 and 2017 and an empirical analysis, factors of which have impacted on the quality of non-financial reports prepared in 2017.