bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Configurational Approach to Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: Fischer Sophie , Rodwell John , Pickering Mark
Published: January 2021

The processes involved with mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are many, varied and complex. M&A research and practice needs a toolset that can apprehend that complexity and suggest ways forward. This paper shows the complexity of the constituents of organizations at a strategic level by building on the natural-resource-based view (NRBV) and the resulting competences and capabilities. In M&As, these resources and capabilities are managed through a variety of forms of acquisition integration comprised of sets of integration mechanisms. M&As occur in a range of strategic contexts and consequently many forms of integration are possible. Accordingly, there is a need for a mode of inquiry examining acquisition integration that can encompass a wide variety of forms, is holistic across a range of possible integration mechanisms and can provide insights. A configurational mode of inquiry can accommodate the complexity of the mechanisms, capabilities and resources, including natural resources, which constitute acquisition integration. A configurational approach emphasizes a holistic synthesis of elements and highlights the importance of thinking of M&As in terms of patterns. A configurational approach offers tools for considering M&As such as analyzing the thematic coherence of integration and enables the inclusion of sustainability into the logic of organizations.
From Barriers to Enablers: The Role of Organizational Learning in Transitioning SMEs into the Circular Economy
Authors: Scipioni Sara , Russ Meir , Niccolini Federico
Published: January 2021

To contribute to small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) sustainable transition into the circular economy, the study proposes the activation of organizational learning (OL) processes—denoted here as multi-level knowledge creation, transfer, and retention processes—as a key phase in introducing circular business models (CBMs) at SME and supply chain (SC) level. The research employs a mixed-method approach, using the focus group methodology to identify contextual elements impacting on CBM-related OL processes, and a survey-based evaluation to single out the most frequently used OL processes inside Italian construction SMEs. As a main result, a CBM-oriented OL multi-level model offers a fine-grained understanding of contextual elements acting mutually as barriers and drivers for OL processes, as possible OL dynamics among them. The multi-level culture construct—composed of external stakeholders’, SC stakeholders’, and organizational culture—identify the key element to activate CBM-oriented OL processes. Main implications are related to the identification of cultural, structural, regulatory, and process contextual elements across the external, SC, and organizational levels, and their interrelation with applicable intraorganizational and interorganizational learning processes. The proposed model would contribute to an improved implementation of transitioning into the circular economy utilizing sustainable business models in the construction SMEs.
Components for Measuring the Efficiency of the Intervention Measures to Support Business, Initiated and Implemented by the Government of Lithuania during the First Lockdown
Authors: Nikolajenko Jelena , Viederytė Rasa , Šneiderienė Agnė , Aničas Ignas
Published: January 2021

A lockdown is a set of restrictive actions, in the implementation of which countries face a case of chain reaction: In order to protect human lives and health, the states, due to imbalances in fiscal and monetary policies caused by uncollected planned revenues and unplanned excessive budget expenditures, experience a socio-economic recession. The current paper focuses on the first lockdown implemented in Lithuania to control the spread of COVID-19, which took place from 16 March, 2020 until 16 June, 2020. The main object of the paper is the components that defined the efficiency of the government intervention measures intended to support businesses affected by the first lockdown regime. By generating the mentioned components, we followed the principle of the philosophy of sustainable development: the interdependence of economic, social, environmental, and institutional elements; coherence; and sustainable development. Efficiency is the art of choice, where it is necessary to anticipate the final aim, resulting in maximum benefit from the arrangement of the available limited resources. However, in order to measure the effectiveness of government interventions, we were faced with differences in interpretations of the measurement of the effectiveness of policy decisions. In the course of the research, after analysing secondary data, we identified and, by means of modelling techniques, visualised the main components to estimate the efficiency of the government intervention measures. The theoretical model demonstrated that economic instruments—volume, price, time, transparency, and results—defined the efficiency of their implementation.
Design of Consumables in a Resource-Efficient Economy—A Literature Review
Authors: Willskytt Siri
Published: January 2021

Consumable products have received less attention in the circular economy (CE), particularly in regard to the design of resource-efficient products. This literature review investigates the extent to which existing design guidelines for resource-efficient products are applicable to consumables. This analysis is divided into two parts. The first investigates the extent to which general product-design guidelines (i.e., applicable to both durables and consumables) are applicable to consumables. This analysis also scrutinizes the type of recommendations presented by the ecodesign and circular product design, to investigate the novel aspects of the CE in product design. The second analysis examines the type of design considerations the literature on product-type specific design guidelines recommends for specific consumables and whether such guidelines are transferable. The analysis of general guidelines showed that, although guidelines are intended to be general and applicable to many types of products, their applicability to consumable products is limited. Less than half of their recommendations can be applied to consumables. The analysis also identified several design considerations that are transferable between product-specific design guidelines. This paper shows the importance of the life-cycle perspective in product design, to maximize the opportunities to improve consumables.
Sustainable Utilization of Financial and Institutional Resources in Reducing Income Inequality and Poverty
Authors: Ullah Atta , Kui Zhao , Ullah Saif , Pinglu Chen , Khan Saba
Published: January 2021

This study aims to determine the role of globalization, electronic government, financial development, concerning the moderation of institutional quality in reducing income inequality and poverty in One Belt One Road countries. The electronic government and regional integration of the economies of the One Belt One Road countries has increased globalization and can play a vital role in reducing income inequality and poverty. However, this globalization and digital transformation of government systems can only be beneficial in the presence of good institutional quality. The sample includes 64 One Belt One Road countries from 2003 to 2018. We employed a two-step system generalized method of moment (Sys-GMM) and a robustness check through Driscoll–Kraay standard errors regression. Our findings show that globalization, economic growth, e-government development, government expenditure, and inflation have a statistically significant and negative impact on income inequality and are key to eradicating income inequality and poverty. On the other hand, financial development, gross capital formation, and population size positively influence income inequality, which causes an increase in poverty and income inequality as financial development and population levels increase. Moderating variable institutional quality also positively impacts income inequality, which means that institutional quality in Belt and Road Countries is weak, as they are mostly developing countries that need to improve their systems. Moreover, the marginal effect also revealed that institutional quality has a corrective effect on the factors’ relationship with income inequality. Our findings endorse and conclude that globalization and e-government development improve economic growth and eradicate poverty and income inequality by boosting digitalization, investments, job creation, and wage increases for semi-skilled and unskilled human capital in Belt and Road countries. The sustainable utilization of financial and institutional resources plays a vital role in reducing income inequality and poverty in Belt and Road countries.
Environmental Trade-Offs of Downcycling in Circular Economy: Combining Life Cycle Assessment and Material Circularity Indicator to Inform Circularity Strategies for Alkaline Batteries
Authors: Glogic Edis , Sonnemann Guido , Young Steven B.
Published: January 2021

The application of circularity strategies to improve resource use and recovery should be considered with their potential impacts on the environment. Their effectiveness could be evaluated by combining the material circularity indicator (MCI) and life cycle assessment (LCA) methods. Environmental trade-offs may be underestimated for some strategies given that the loss of material quality with recycling has not been captured within the methodological framework of MCI. The current study demonstrates how significantly this limitation may influence the trade-offs in a case study. The methods are applied to several scenarios for the circularity improvement of alkaline batteries. The joint interpretation of MCI and LCA scores is carried out using waterfall charts and normalized indicator scores. Results suggest that improving circularity generally reduces environmental impacts, although there is large variability among two sets of values. For example, an increase of MCI score by 14% for two recycling scenarios translates to a small reduction of impacts in one case (0.06–1.64%) and a large reduction in another (9.84–56.82%). Observations from the case study are used to discuss the design and scope of MCI use and its combining with LCA. Lastly, we draw on the opportunities of the new comparative approach.
Effectiveness of Active Luminous Lane Markings on Highway at Night: A Driving Simulation Study
Authors: Zhu Bencheng , Song Cancan , Guo Zhongyin , Zhang Yu , Zhou Zichu
Published: January 2021

Road lane markings play an essential role in maintaining traffic order and improving traffic safety and efficiency. Active luminous lane markings have emerged with advances in technology recently. However, it is still not completely clear what impact their application will have on drivers. This paper aimed to study the effectiveness of active luminous lane markings on highways at night. A driving simulation experiment was carried out based on advanced driving simulators at Tongji University. The driving simulation experiment involved 31 participants and 9 simulation scenes with 6 different types of lane markings models and the same 2-way highway segment, which was 5300-m long with four 3.75-m wide driving lanes. The study participants drove through the simulated highway while the vehicle operation data and the driver’s eyes changing data were continuously captured. Overall, the pupil area change rate, steering wheel speed, brake pedal force, gas pedal, lane departure, and operating speed indicators were selected to evaluate the effectiveness of the active luminous lane markings. The results are shown as follows: (1) the active luminous lane markings have excellent visual recognition performance at night. Compared with the passive luminous lane markings, the active luminous markings can reduce the mental and physical loads of drivers, increase the early braking distance significantly, improve the lane-keeping ability and smooth the operating speed; (2) for the specific parameter settings of the active luminous lane markings at night, the yellow lane markings are better than the white ones, the point-line-type lane markings are superior to the conventional-type ones, and the blinking frequency is reasonable to set, at a moderate level, as 40 times per min. The results suggest that there are positive effects of active luminous lane markings on the promotion of highway traffic safety and efficiency at night, providing theoretical support for the popularization and application of active luminous road lane markings.
Corporate Social Responsibility, Green Human Resources Management, and Sustainable Performance: Is Organizational Citizenship Behavior towards Environment the Missing Link?
Authors: Malik Saqib Yaqoob , Hayat Mughal Yasir , Azam Tamoor , Cao Yukun , WAN Zhifang , ZHU Hongge , Thurasamy Ramayah
Published: January 2021

The manufacturing sector is one of the major sources contributing towards economies as well as environmental pollution. Contributing to the theory of ability motivation opportunity theory, the aim of the current study was to investigate the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior towards the environment on the relationship between green human resources management (green recruitment and selection, green training, green rewards, and green performance evaluation), corporate social responsibility, and sustainable performance (economic, social, and environmental performance). The quantitative survey research design was used in the current study and structured questionnaires were distributed for the collection of data. The cross-sectional data were collected from 150 firms. Sample of the study was consisted of HRM managers, directors. Total 200 questionnaires were distributed but 150 completed responses were received and analyzed. A structured questionnaire was used. For data analysis, smart partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used. The measurement model and the structural model were developed and tested in the study. The measurement model aim was to investigate and establish reliabilities and validities of the instrument while to test hypotheses structural model was formulated/developed. Results revealed that the instrument was found reliable and valid; the instrument has met all standard criteria for average variance extracted, composite/construct reliability factor loadings, and alpha values. While structural models illustrated that all hypotheses are accepted. It is concluded from the results that organizational citizenship behavior towards the environment significantly mediated the relationship between corporate social responsibility and green human resource management practices. This implies that organizational citizenship behavior towards environment significantly effects sustainable performance. The originality of the current study lies in highlighting corporate social responsibility, green human resources management practices to enhance sustainable performance through organizational citizenship behavior towards environment.
Social Entrepreneurship in Professional Sports: Antecedents and Outcomes from the Consumer Perspective
Authors: Chen Chen-Yueh , Lin Yi-Hsiu
Published: January 2021

This study empirically explored antecedents and outcomes related to social entrepreneurship in the context of professional sports from the customer’s perspective. Two parent companies—FuBon and ChinaTrust, both financial holding firms—and two franchises—FuBon Guardians and ChinaTrust Elephants—in the Chinese Professional Baseball League were the research elements in this study to ensure generalizability of the findings of this study. The participants of this study were 268 spectators of a FuBon Guardians game and 201 spectators of a ChinaTrust Elephants game. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Results indicated that innovation and corporate social responsibility positively correlated with social entrepreneurship. Moreover, social entrepreneurship was positively associated with affective commitment to the parent company and sports franchise. Finally, affective commitment to the parent company not only exerted a positive effect on the intention to purchase the products of the parent company but also promoted the intention to purchase licensed merchandise and attend games. Similarly, affective commitment to the sports franchise not only exerted a positive effect on the intention to purchase licensed merchandise and attend games but also promoted the intention to purchase the products of the parent company. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed in this study.
Agricultural Cooperatives and COVID-19 in Southeast Africa. The Role of Managerial Capital for Rural Resilience
Authors: Francesconi Nicola , Wouterse Fleur , Birungi Namuyiga Dorothy
Published: January 2021

While the health impact of COVID-19 in most African countries appears modest, the impact of social distancing measures, closing of markets and reduced mobility is felt across the board. Domestic, labor-intensive and traditional food value chains and the smallholders they serve appear to be particularly affected. During a systemic shock where idiosyncratic risk coping strategies fail, collective or organizational resilience becomes of the essence to protect the livelihoods of smallholders. In this study, we have used pre- and during-shock data on agricultural cooperatives from Southeast Africa to understand how resilient these smallholder-owned organizations are. We find that many organizations could not countervail market-disruptions and fell into a state of dormancy during the pandemic. One reason for this is that collective decision-making was heavily affected by the banning of gatherings. Only a few organizations devised innovative solutions to maintain the market linkages of rural smallholders. The lack of resilience demonstrated by most cooperatives appears to be associated with organizational immaturity, large membership size, elite capture and limited business-orientation, which underscore a general lack of managerial capital.
Nutrient Enriched Municipal Solid Waste Compost Increases Yield, Nutrient Content and Balance in Rice
Authors: Sultana Marufa , Jahiruddin M. , Islam M. Rafiqul , Rahman M. Mazibur , Abedin Md Anwarul , Solaiman Zakaria M.
Published: January 2021

Globally a huge amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) is being produced which is very difficult to dispose. Composting of MSW is one of the options of solid waste recycling, but its use by the farmers is limited because of its low nutrient status. This study has considered some organic amendments to increase nutrient status of MSW compost for its potential use as an organic fertilizer in rice cultivation. We prepared three types of amended compost by mixing 20% mustard oil cake (MOC) and 30% poultry manure (PM) or cow dung (CD) or sugarcane press mud (SPM) with 50% MSW compost. The inoculum of Trichoderma viride was used to accelerate the composting process. The use of different amendments improved the nutrient level of MSW compost. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performances of amended MSW composts alone and in combination with chemical fertilizers on yield, nutrient content and balance in rice (var. BRRI dhan28). The experiment was conducted in 2018 at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) farm, Mymensingh having silt loam texture, pH in water of 6.7 and 2.79% organic matter; the soil was Aeric Haplaquept under the order Inceptisols. There were 10 treatments consisting of chemical fertilizers (urea, triple superphosphate, muriate of potash, gypsum and zinc sulphate) and four types of MSW compost (three amended and one unamended). Based on the results of yield and N, P, K and S concentration of rice grain, the treatment containing 50% fertilizers +10 t ha−1 of amended compost (MSW + MOC + SPM in a ratio of 5:2:3) performed the best. There were apparent negative balances for N (11–45 kg ha−1) and K (6–48 kg ha−1), and positive balances for P (8–71 kg ha−1) and S (4–46 kg ha−1) in soils, across the treatments. Results of this study have significant value in fertilizer management strategies for rice cultivation in sub-tropical countries.
A Nonlinear Finite-Element Analysis Tool to Prevent Rupture of Power Transformer Tank
Authors: Brodeur Samuel , Lê Van Ngan , Champliaud Henri
Published: January 2021

High-energy internal failures of transformers are catastrophic events which are hardly predictable. For this reason, a full-scale controlled experiment represents a valuable learning opportunity to gather accurate information about sequence of events during the very short time in which the failure occurs. Controlled parameters include tank design, material properties, experimental load and measurements. In this paper, we present a detailed investigation using nonlinear finite-element analysis of a 210-MVA transformer high-pressure experiment. We begin by evaluating the relationship between internal arcing pressure rise and tank expansion characteristics. Since this relationship is not linear due to geometric and material nonlinearities, an iterative process is proposed to ensure result accuracy. Stress–strain material properties are retrieved by tension experiments of specimens extracted from the tested tank to enable accurate comparison of numerical and experimental results. It is shown in this paper that nonlinear material parameters have a small influence on the tank pressure rise, but a significant one on large strain prediction and therefore the true stress-strain curve is recommended. In addition, the ductile rupture criterion based on the ultimate plastic strain of the material correlates with the experimental and explicit dynamic analysis results. This can ensure a certain design margin for tank rupture prevention.
The Impact of Cooperative Membership on Fish Farm Households’ Income: The Case of Ghana
Authors: Ankrah Twumasi Martinson , Jiang Yuansheng , Addai Bismark , Ding Zhao , Chandio Abbas Ali , Fosu Prince , Asante Dennis , Siaw Anthony , Danquah Frank Osei , Korankye Bright Asiamah , Ntim-Amo Gideon , Ansah Stephen , Agbenyo Wonder
Published: January 2021

The emergence of agricultural cooperatives is extensively viewed as a necessary institutional arrangement that can help farmers in developing countries overcome the constraints that impede them from improving sustainable agricultural production and acquiring new marketing opportunities. Therefore, this study examines the determinants of cooperative membership and its impact on fish farm household income, using data collected from two regions in Ghana. An endogenous switching regression (ESR) model is utilized to address the potential sample selection bias issue. The results show that household heads’ decisions to join cooperatives are affected by their access to credit, off-farm work, education level, and peer influence. Cooperative membership can increase both household and farm income by 28.54% and 34.75%, respectively. Moreover, we show that different groups of households’ cooperative impacts on farm and household income are heterogeneous. Our findings highlight the importance of cooperative patronization and provide implications that can improve households’ welfare.
Embodied CO2 Reduction Effects of Composite Precast Concrete Frame for Heavily Loaded Long-Span Logistics Buildings
Authors: Son Seunghyun , Park Kwangheon , Fitriani Heni , Kim Sunkuk
Published: January 2021

For heavily loaded long-span (HLS) logistics buildings, embodied CO2 (ECO2) of a structural frame accounts for more than 80% of the CO2 emissions of the entire building. To realize a sustainable structure from the CO2 perspective, an innovative construction method that reduces ECO2 of a structural frame is required. Through studies conducted over several years, we have developed a SMART (Sustainable, Measurable, Attainable, Reliable, and Timely) frame that is a steel connected composite precast concrete (CPC) frame that significantly reduces not only construction time and cost but also ECO2. If a SMART frame is applied to HLS logistics buildings, ECO2 reduction effects are expected to be substantial. To prove this, this study aims to analyze ECO2 reduction effects of the CPC frame for HLS logistics buildings. An HLS logistics building constructed with the existing precast concrete (PC) frame was selected as a case project. Thereafter, the typical PC girder was redesigned using the SMART frame; then, analysis was conducted on the quantity take-off of resources, such as form, rebar, steel, and concrete, as well as on ECO2 and production cost. As a result of the analysis, in the case of a single typical girder of the SMART frame, 730 kg-ECO2, which accounts for 9.52% of the CO2 emissions, was reduced compared to that of the existing PC frame. If only the typical girders of the case project are applied, a relatively larger quantity of 465 ton-ECO2 will be reduced. The results of this study will contribute in securing structural stability, as well as achieving a sustainable structure that leads to an unprecedented reduction of ECO2.
Empirical Design, Construction, and Experimental Test of a Small-Scale Bubbling Fluidized Bed Reactor
Authors: Vargas-Salgado Carlos , Hurtado-Pérez Elías , Alfonso-Solar David , Malmquist Anders
Published: January 2021

The methods currently used for designing a fluidized bed reactor in gasification plants do not meet an integrated methodology that optimizes all the different parameters for its sizing and operational regime. In the case of small-scale (several tens of kWs biomass gasifiers), this design is especially complex, and, for this reason, they have usually been built in a very heuristic trial and error way. In this paper, an integrated methodology tailoring all the different parameters for the design and sizing of a small-scale fluidized bed gasification plants is presented. Using this methodology, a 40 kWth biomass gasification reactor was designed, including the air distribution system. Based on this design, with several simplified assumptions, a reactor was built and commissioned. Results from the experimental tests using this gasifier are also presented in this paper. As a result, it can be said the prototype works properly, and it produces syngas able to produce thermal energy or even electricity.
On the Social Sustainability of Industrial Agriculture Dependent on Migrant Workers. Romanian Workers in Spain’s Seasonal Agriculture
Authors: Molinero-Gerbeau Yoan , López-Sala Ana , Șerban Monica
Published: January 2021

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Romanian migrants have become one of the most significant national groups doing agricultural work in Spain, initially coming via a temporary migration program and later under several different modalities. However, despite their critical importance for the functioning of Europe’s largest agro-industry, the study of this long-term circular mobility is still underdeveloped in migration and agriculture literature. Thanks to extensive fieldwork carried out in the provinces of Huelva and Lleida in Spain and in the counties of Teleorman and Buzău in Romania, this paper has two main objectives: first, to identify some of the most common forms of mobility of these migrants; and second, to discuss whether this industrial agriculture, hugely dependent on migrant work, is socially sustainable. The case of Romanian migrants in Spanish agriculture will serve to show how a critical sector for the EU and for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations, operates on an unsustainable model based on precariousness and exploitation.
Linking Cluster Characteristics and Organizational Capabilities for Sustainability—Framework Development and Application
Authors: Bezerra Maria Clara da Cunha , Gohr Cláudia Fabiana , Morioka Sandra Naomi
Published: January 2021

Despite previous research in the literature indicating the relationship between corporate sustainability, organizational capabilities and industrial clusters, this interconnection has not yet been satisfactorily explored and requires further investigation. Therefore, this paper proposes a theoretical framework that relates five cluster characteristics (CC) in developing seven Organizational Capabilities for Sustainability (OCS), which are identified in the literature review. To refine the theoretical framework, seven companies were inserted in a Brazilian footwear cluster. Out of the 29 proposed relationships in the theoretical framework, 16 were evidenced and they generated our research propositions. This study primarily expands the literature by providing theoretical and empirical evidence for the role that clusters can have in enabling companies to develop OCS and in turn improve their corporate sustainability.
Achieving Sustainable Financial Transactions under Regimes without a Central Bank—An Intertemporal Comparison
Authors: Economou Emmanouil M. L. , Kyriazis Nikolaos A.
Published: January 2021

In this paper, by performing an intertemporal comparison, we investigate two monetary policy regimes where a central bank is absent, and we further refer on the mechanisms they developed so as to ensure the reliability of transactions between the parties involved. In particular, we mainly focus on the economic–monetary institutions of Athens during the Classical period (508–322 BCE) and we argue that (in principle) there are inter-temporal similarities between the Athenian and the current digital currencies regimes regarding the auditing principles with which the reliability of financial transactions is ensured. We found that in both cases, what is crucial for the success of the system is to achieve trust on the currency. By focusing on Classical Athens, we analyze the nature of the mechanisms and the auditing techniques used to ensure reliable commercial transactions. We also briefly analyze the modern cryptocurrency techniques. We found that the success of both financial regimes was based on achieving: low transactional costs, speed in commercial transactions, and what we characterize as security regarding the commercial transactions.
Long-Term Aging of Chernobyl Fuel Debris: Corium and “Lava”
Authors: Zubekhina Bella , Burakov Boris , Silanteva Ekaterina , Petrov Yuri , Yapaskurt Vasiliy , Danilovich Dmitry
Published: January 2021

Samples of Chernobyl fuel debris, including massive corium and “lava” were collected inside the Chernobyl “Sarcophagus” or “Shelter” in 1990, transported to Leningrad (St. Petersburg) and stored under laboratory conditions for many years. In 2011 aged samples were visually re-examined and it was confirmed that most of them remained intact, although some evidence of self-destruction and chemical alteration were clearly observed. Selected samples of corium and “lava” were affected by static leaching at temperatures of 25, 90 and 150 °C in distilled water. A normalized Pu mass loss (NLPu) from corium samples after 140 days was noted to be 0.5 g/m2 at 25 °C and 1.1 g/m2 at 90 °C. For “lava” samples NLPu was 2.2–2.3 g/m2 at 90 °C for 140 days. The formation of secondary uranyl phases on the surface of corium and “lava” samples altered at 150 °C was confirmed. The results obtained are considered as an important basis for the simulation of fuel debris aging at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP).
Wayfinding in People with Alzheimer’s Disease: Perspective Taking and Architectural Cognition—A Vision Paper on Future Dementia Care Research Opportunities
Authors: Kuliga Saskia , Berwig Martin , Roes Martina
Published: January 2021

Based on a targeted literature review, this vision paper emphasizes the importance of dementia-sensitive built space. The article specifically focuses on supporting spatial orientation and wayfinding for people living with dementia. First, we discuss types of wayfinding challenges, underlying processes, and consequences of spatial disorientation in the context of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Second, we focus on current efforts aimed at planning and evaluating dementia-sensitive built space, i.e., environmental design principles, interventions, evaluation tools, strategies, and planning processes. Third, we use our findings as a starting point for developing an interdisciplinary research vision aimed at encouraging further debates and research about: (1) the perspective of a person with dementia, specifically in the context of wayfinding and spatial orientation, and (2) how this perspective supplements planning and design processes of dementia-sensitive built space. We conclude that more closely considering the perspective of people with dementia supports the development of demographically sustainable future cities and care institutions.
Sustainable Management Options for Healthy Rivers in South Asia: The Case of Brahmaputra
Authors: Pradhan Neera Shrestha , Das Partha Jyoti , Gupta Nishikant , Shrestha Arun Bhakta
Published: January 2021

The Brahmaputra is one of the largest river systems of South Asia, providing life-supporting services to about 70 million people. Massive flooding, land erosion, over-exploitation of water, excessive fishing, habitat degradation and fragmentation, exploitation of flood plains, climate change impacts, absence of integrated basin wide management, and transboundary cooperation are major challenges for the present and future sustainability and development in the basin. Although hydrological connectivity is intact in most of the main course of the river, the infrastructure development plans may convert the Brahmaputra to a predominantly managed river system. In this regard, this paper examines the physiographic, ecological, hydrological, and socioeconomic status of the Brahmaputra river, its transnational basin in South Asia, and the basin population in the cross-cutting context to explore its sustainable management options. For a durable future of the river and its communities, an integrated management mechanism among the basin countries with the objective of equitable benefit sharing, disaster risk management, and resilience building is needed. The suggested strategies will help in maintaining the ecohydrological health and utilitarian services of the river for the socioeconomic development of millions of poor and marginalized people living in the basin.
How to Effectively Control Energy Consumption Growth in China’s 29 Provinces: A Paradigm of Multi-Regional Analysis Based on EAALMDI Method
Authors: Zhao Yunlong , Kong Geng , Chong Chin Hao , Ma Linwei , Li Zheng , Ni Weidou
Published: January 2021

Controlling energy consumption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has become a global consensus in response to the challenge of climate change. Most studies have focused on energy consumption control in a single region; however, high-resolution analysis of energy consumption and personalized energy policy-making, for multiple regions with differentiated development, have become a complicated challenge. Using the logarithmic mean Divisia index I (LMDI) decomposition method based on energy allocation analysis (EAA), this paper aims to establish a standard paradigm for a high-resolution analysis of multi-regional energy consumption and provide suggestions for energy policy-making, taking 29 provinces of China as the sample. The process involved three steps: (1) determination of regional priorities of energy consumption control by EAA, (2) revealing regional disparity among the driving forces of energy consumption growth by LMDI, and (3) deriving policy implications by comparing the obtained results with existing policies. The results indicated that 29 provinces can be divided into four groups, with different priorities of energy consumption control according to the patterns of coal flows. Most provinces have increasing levels of energy consumption, driven by increasing per capita GDP and improving living standards, while its growth is restrained by decreasing end-use energy intensity, improving energy supply efficiency, and optimization of industrial structures. However, some provinces are not following these trends to the same degree. This indicates that policy-makers must pay more attention to the different driving mechanisms of energy consumption growth among provinces.
Use of Simulation Tools for Optimization of the Time Duration of Winter Maintenance Activities at Airports
Authors: Pačaiová Hana , Korba Peter , Hovanec Michal , Galanda Jozef , Šváb Patrik , Lukáč Ján
Published: January 2021

Aviation and climate change are often associated. The effects of climate change have increasing impact on the safe operation of airports. Due to both climate and weather conditions changes, airport winter maintenance is a significantly important activity of airports, especially in areas where a harsh winter season is expected. Continuous optimization of airport winter maintenance processes is necessary. The aim of this article is to present a possible way to optimize maintenance processes using simulation tools. The team of researchers identified key factors that are necessary for the application of the optimization. The article presents a procedure designed for safe handling of one of the model situations in winter maintenance of airports. The model of simulation defines critical points in the maintenance procedures designed for maintenance optimization using the data obtained from an international airport. Based on the determination of critical points of the maintenance procedures processed using a Gantt chart, the authors analyzed the differences of the performed procedures applied in the airport. The result of applied research is the identification of the next critical points in the simulation that may potentially represent critical activities of the winter maintenance procedure and have an influence on their optimization.
Plastic Shrinkage and Cracking Behavior of Mortar Containing Recycled Sand from Aerated Blocks and Clay Bricks
Authors: Liu Qiong , Xiao Jianzhuang , Singh Amardeep
Published: January 2021

This research assessed the shrinkage behavior of mortar containing recycled sand generated from aerated blocks and clay bricks by replacing natural sand with a volume ratio of 30%. Five mix proportions were prepared to cast mortar plate specimens. They were named as the control, ABs1, ABs2, CBs1 and CBs2. Among them, ABs1 and CBs1, containing recycled sand from aerated blocks and clay bricks respectively, have the same water/cement ratio as the control. ABs2 and CBs2 had the same workability as the control by adjusting the required amount of water. Digital image correlation (DIC) was adopted to determine the strain distribution during the plastic shrinking period. The results showed that, when no extra water was added, the mortar containing the aerated blocks sand had a lower risk of cracking, because of the internal curing effects brought by the low–weight fine aggregates. However, when the extra water was added to ensure the same fluidity with the control, there were obvious visible cracks in group ABs2, and the average distance between cracks reached 25 mm. On the contrary, the brick sand has no obviously higher water requirement, as a result, it did not lead to higher risk of cracking. The aerated block sand particles contain 2–50 μm pores, which is the reason why aerated block sand tremendously reduced the fluidity of the mortar.
Accountability and Reporting for Sustainability and Public Value: Challenges in the Public Sector
Authors: Gherardi Lodovico , Linsalata Anna Maria , Gagliardo Enrico Deidda , Orelli Rebecca Levy
Published: January 2021

The present study aims at identifying accountability and reporting answers to the public sector challenges surrounding public value and sustainability. To that end, we take into account the Cohesion Policy Programmes, the EU major investment strategy to understand needs and possible answers in terms of accountability and reporting of the public sector. Particularly, we will consider how a specific policy, the cohesion policy, takes place in practice in the Emilia-Romagna Region case, one of the most advanced European regions in terms of capacity in managing funds received by the EU Cohesion Policy. The Emilia-Romagna Region experience shows the extent to which it planned forms of accountability and reporting that hybridize two of the most recent sustainability developments, integrated reporting and sustainable development goals, as a means to deliver sustainability and public value.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Sustainable Business Models in SMEs
Authors: Gregurec Iva , Tomičić Furjan Martina , Tomičić-Pupek Katarina
Published: January 2021

Businesses have been exposed to various challenges during the global pandemic, and their response to this disruption has impacted their resilience as well as their chances to overcome this crisis. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are changing their business models in order to adapt to this changing environment. Service-based industries have been hit particularly hard. This research investigates how SMEs operating in service industries have been coping with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to gain insights into which transformation drivers they have focused on and which technologies they have selected as a means to respond to the disruption. These insights regarding SMEs are then explored according to their influence on the redefinition of sustainable business models in SMEs. The review data was analyzed via a customized research framework that contains three dimensions and 30 subconcepts. The results show the distribution of drivers and technologies across service sectors. They are organized into a Business Model Canvas and could be considered useful for academia and practitioners. The highly unpredictable environment allows for only a few feasible strategic approaches regarding an SME’s decision on to follow incumbents, to become a challenger, or to reinvent themselves based on their own transformation drivers and readiness to apply digital technologies.
Outdoor Education, the Enhancement and Sustainability of Cultural Heritage: Medieval Madrid
Authors: Gómez-Ruiz María-Luisa , Morales-Yago Francisco-José , de Lázaro-Torres María-Luisa
Published: January 2021

Education has a crucial role to play in helping meet the Sustainable Development Goals, for which the initial training of university teachers, and its evaluation, are all essential. In this context, the authors developed an outdoor work task, consisting of an orientation game in ‘medieval Madrid’. The main objective was to show future teachers how they can enable their own students to value cultural heritage in order to acquire sustainability competencies. The task was evaluated by participants using a questionnaire, in order to make them aware of the acquired competencies. A gamification component was added to the outdoor task to create a healthy competitive environment. In this way, future teachers were able to observe how a teaching activity is evaluated; learn how to organize a didactic activity that can be extrapolated to other territorial and heritage realities; and employ their mobile devices to learn the foundations of sustainability in heritage management. Additionally, they acquired teaching competencies that promoted quality education and contributed towards two of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically: 4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” and 11 “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.
Fragility Analysis of RC Frame Structures Subjected to Obliquely Incident Seismic Waves
Authors: Huang Bo , Guo Jiachen , Liao Kailong , Zhao Yu
Published: January 2021

Obliquely incident seismic waves have been habitually overlooked in fragility analysis. In this paper, a new approach to solving the equivalent loads on the infinite element boundary due to obliquely incident seismic waves is proposed. Based on the site conditions and structural characteristics in the Jiaxing area, the seismic response of a multi-story reinforced concrete (RC) frame structure has been fully investigated through the finite element method. Under obliquely incident SV waves (shear wave in the vertical x-z plane), the distribution of internal forces on the structure in the case of homogeneous foundation soil is significantly asymmetrical. Among the 3 obliquely incident angles investigated in this paper, the maximum inter-story displacement is smallest when the incident angle is 20° and largest when the angle equals 30°. For the structural fragility, the exceedance probability at each structural damage level is smallest when the incident reflection angle is 20° and largest when the angle equals 30°. When the structure is located in the silty valley, the influence of oblique incidence is attenuated and there is no obvious stress asymmetry on the structure due to the refraction of seismic waves on the interface.
A Comparison of Two-Stage and Traditional Co-Composting of Green Waste and Food Waste Amended with Phosphate Rock and Sawdust
Authors: Oviedo-Ocaña Edgar Ricardo , Hernández-Gómez Angélica María , Ríos Marcos , Portela Anauribeth , Sánchez-Torres Viviana , Domínguez Isabel , Komilis Dimitrios
Published: January 2021

The composting of green waste (GW) proceeds slowly due to the presence of slowly degradable compounds in that substrate. The introduction of amendments and bulking materials can improve organic matter degradation and end-product quality. However, additional strategies such as two-stage composting, can deal with the slow degradation of green waste. This paper evaluates the effect of two-stage composting on the process and end-product quality of the co-composting of green waste and food waste amended with sawdust and phosphate rock. A pilot-scale study was developed using two treatments (in triplicate each), one being a two-stage composting and the other being a traditional composting. The two treatments used the same mixture (wet weight): 46% green waste, 19% unprocessed food waste, 18% processed food waste, 13% sawdust, and 4% phosphate rock. The traditional composting observed a higher degradation rate of organic matter during the mesophilic and thermophilic phases and observed thermophilic temperatures were maintained for longer periods during these two phases compared to two-stage composting (i.e., six days). Nonetheless, during the cooling and maturation phases, the two treatments had similar behaviors with regard to temperature, pH, and electrical conductivity, and the end-products resulting from both treatments did not statistically differ. Therefore, from this study, it is concluded that other additional complementary strategies must be evaluated to further improve GW composting.
Circular Economy Strategies for Equipment Lifetime Extension: A Systematic Review
Authors: Fontana Alessandro , Barni Andrea , Leone Deborah , Spirito Maurizio , Tringale Agata , Ferraris Matteo , Reis Joao , Goncalves Gil
Published: January 2021

Even if the economy nowadays is still locked into a linear model of production, tighter environmental standards, resource scarcity and changing consumer expectations are forcing organizations to find alternatives to lighten their impacts. The concept of Circular Economy (CE) is to an increasing extent treated as a solution to this series of challenges. That said, the multitude of approaches and definitions around CE and Life Cycle Extension Strategies (LCES) makes it difficult to provide (Small and Medium Enterprise) SMEs with a consistent understanding of the topic. This paper aims at bridging this gap by providing a systematic literature review of the most prominent papers related to the CE and lifetime extension, with a particular focus on the equipment and machinery sector. A taxonomy was used to define and cluster a subset of selected papers to build a homogeneous approach for understanding the multiple strategies used in the industry, and the standards in maintenance and remanufacturing strategies. As a final research step, we also propose a Strategy Characterization Framework (SCF) to build the ground for the selection of the best strategy to be applied for production equipment life cycle extension on several industrial use cases.