bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The durability of consumer durables
Authors: Cooper Tim 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe life span of a product is a key component in assessing its environmental impact. Until very recently, however, product durability was far from prominent in the environmental debate. This has begun to change due to mounting concern about waste, the prospect of producer ‘take back’ schemes and the importance of quality in highly competitive international markets. This has led to product durability emerging on the business and environment agenda.This paper explores the significance of product life spans and identifies currently available data on the life‐span of consumer durables. It defines product life and argues that, from an environmental perspective, optimum product life, rather than maximum product life should be the goal.It suggests that potential advantages to businesses of manufacturing and retailing products with longer life spans include improved environmental foresight (i.e. a greater responsiveness to new social trends, changes in consumer behaviour and tighter government regulations), an enhanced reputation for quality, greater potential market share and increased customer loyalty.Addressing claims that manufacturers deliberately make products with the intention that they should have life spans below the known technical potential, the paper identifies some of the influences upon manufacturers which encourage shorter product life spans. Finally, some means by which longer life products might be encouraged are proposed.
The packaging industry is not carried away by public opinion
Authors: Biod Alexandra , Probert Jane , Jones Cliff 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe size and composition of our bin has changed over the years, as a result of the evolution of our way of living and our consumption habits. The wider range of goods now offered to consumers has resulted in significant augmentation of waste discarded in the form of packaging. The latter is estimated to represent about 30% by weight of total domestic waste. More than ever concerned about environmental issues, the public, alarmed by the media, has shown a strong interest in the problem of waste and waste management. Packaging is now felt as excessive, wasteful and bad for the environment, in particular plastic packaging since plastics are not as easily recycled as other materials. This paper, which includes the results of a consumer survey, brings to light the attitude and misconception of European consumers towards packaging and packaging materials and gives another insight into the problem.
Business and the genesis of the European Community carbon tax proposal
Authors: Ikwue Tony , Skea Jim 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to examine the role of business in the regulatory process associated with the carbon tax proposal. The first part of the paper describes the Community's climate change policy, noting first the essential features of Community environment policy‐making, the role of consultation with industry and the significance of the ‘subsidiarity’ principle. This part of the paper moves on to examine the carbon tax proposal and its evolution since 1990. The second part of the paper addresses the specific role which business played in influencing the development of the carbon tax proposal. The general strategy of business was to block the proposal entirely. The paper identifies the potential impacts of the tax on business, implications for corporate strategies and the specific channels through which business influenced the tax proposal, by participating in public debates, through representations to different directorates of the European Commission or by making a case to national authorities. The final part of the paper attempts to draw some lessons about: the business position in relation to large scale environmental problems such as climate change; business responses to economic instruments such as the carbon/energy tax; and the wider relationship between public authorities and business in regulatory processes. The question of whether this relationship has entered a new phase or whether there is still ‘business as usual’ is addressed.
Business environmental performance measurement
Authors: James Peter 
Published: February 2007

AbstractOrganisations face increasing demands to measure their environmental performance. This is necessary in order to achieve sustainable development to reassure financial stakeholders that their investments are not at risk, to satisfy the demands of regulators and other non‐financial stakeholders and to provide information for customers and employees. Measures can be grouped into ten generic categories ‐ impact, risk, emissions /waste, input, resource, efficiency, customer, financial, normalised and aggregate. At least six different approaches to using measures can be identified ‐ production, auditing, ecological, accounting, economic and quality. Although there has been some limited cross‐fertilisation, in most cases they have developed in isolation from each other and have had different drivers, measurement focii and metrics. In order to achieve the comparison, integration and business relevance which is routine in financial performance measurement, a seventh approach ‐ that of strategic environment‐related performance measurement ‐ is both needed and beginning to develop. The long term challenge is to stretch measurement systems to include the sustainability of business activities (through impact measures) and the competitive advantage they are creating (through customer and financial measures). A ‘balanced scorecard’ of measures is essential too, as is clear identification of the customers of the measures. The comparison which is facilitated by standardised measurement is also a powerful spur to continuous improvement of environmental performance.
Can transnational aluminium producers be ecologically sustainable? A case study of Jamaica's bauxite/alumina industry
Authors: Ruud Audun 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to discuss whether the transnational aluminium corporations currently involved in Jamaica's bauxite/alumina industry are promoting an ecologically sustainable industrial development (ESID). ESID is defined as those patterns of industrialisation that enhance economic and social benefits for present and future generations without impairing basic ecological processes. This discussion will be pursued by comparing actual industrial performance against three proposed conditions that this pattern of industrialisation must satisfy if it is to be deemed ecologically sustainable: (1) It must minimise the degradation of the environment, (2) it must make the most efficient use of man‐made and natural capital and (3) it must promote equity. These criteria are applied to two major environmental problems related to bauxite mining and storage of hazardous bauxite waste; rehabilitation of mined out bauxite fields and storage of hazardous bauxite residue.My findings indicate that the current activities of Jamaican bauxite/alumina production to a certain extent can be characterised as ecologically sound, insofar as the biosphere is not severely degraded. This is due to several measures initiated both to prevent environmental degradation as well as enhancing a more efficient use of production inputs. To be deemed ecologically sustainable, however, the industrial activity must also in accordance with the proposed criteria, promote equity. Regardless of extensive corporate initiatives beyond regulatory compliance, a significant share of Jamaica's potentially productive lands remains destroyed and/or occupied. Thus, 1 question whether the present pattern of Jamaican bauxite/alumina production can be characterised as ecologically sustainable.
Corporate environmental marketing: An environmental marketing action model
Authors: Suchard Hazel T. , Suchard Jo‐Ann C. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractA model of environmental marketing action and success is proposed, which includes a range of variables and examines the relationship between them. Environmental success is partly determined by the level of Environmental Marketing Action which varies between level 0 and level 8 and which directly determines the extent of environmental marketing success. Perceptions of environmental consciousness, the subjective norm and net total risk determine the level of environmental marketing action. Beliefs with regard to stakeholders and events and the motivation to comply with these beliefs combine to form the subjective norm.
Environmental strategies in the paint and coatings industry
Authors: Meredith Sandra , Wolters Teun 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIn general, a proactive strategy entails an anticipatory approach to problems. It is also associated with taking the initiative and doing more than is strictly needed. The nature of proactivity that businesses may display with respect to the environment is considered and also its meaning in terms of strategic behaviour and technological development. A conceptual framework is developed that differentiates between types of proactive strategies. This framework is based on a study of the paint and coatings industry in Great Britain and the Netherlands and is applicable to both countries. Even though the big international paint companies play a decisive role in the development and introduction of cleaner technologies, it is argued that the small‐ and medium‐sized paint companies deserve special attention. Not only is proactive behaviour by the big companies important, but also proactive strategies by the small‐ and medium‐sized companies, even if they are limited in scope, because the latter determine at national and local levels the pace and nature of the transformation that has to take place to produce a sustainable economy. This process is crucial to ecological modernization if it is intended not only to get rid of old‐fashioned ways, but also to create new opportunities for economic upgrading and rejuvenation.
Development and results of research on environmental management in Germany
Authors: Conrad Jobst 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis paper aims to outline three main dimensions of environmental management research in Germany as an exemplary case of the growing importance and development of ecologically oriented management in Western societies in general: (1) to describe the development and the main features of this research; (2) to summarize the results obtained so far (1992–1993); and (3) to assess both its development and results from the point of view of its broader social context. This should allow the reader to draw his/her own conclusions on the position and perspective of environmental management (research) in his/her own country. In this paper, environmental management refers to environmentally oriented management of and in (business) organizations in general, and not just to specific substantive environmental practices.
Supporting decision‐making for recycling‐based investments
Authors: Noci Giuliano 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe increasing demand for environmentally friendly products and the introduction of tougher environmental laws have encouraged firms to consider the adoption of recycling issues as one of the most effective solutions for reducing their impact on the environment. Unfortunately, many companies delegate decision‐making on recycling issues at an operational level. This attitude presents some problems as it could lead companies to neglect many effects resulting from the adoption of recycling‐based investments. The objective of this paper is to suggest a conceptual model aimed at supporting managers in the integration of recycling issues into the overall process of strategy formation; in particular, the designed approach is divided into two main phases: the identification of the main recycling‐based programmes and the definition of a framework, based on both physical and accounting measures, aimed at assessing the effectiveness of different recycling initiatives according to the main priorities of the decision‐maker.
Not paying for our past: Government, business and the debate on contaminated land in the UK
Authors: Maltby Josephine 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIt is difficult to overemphasize the extent to which battles over the availability of information played a fundamental role in environmental controversy (Hays, 1987: 537).Since the 1990 Environmental Protection Act, there has been controversy in the UK about the extent to which businesses should be required to identify and clean up contaminated land. This paper examines the controversy in the context of wider debates about the function of corporate social reporting.
Western support for cleaner production in central and eastern European industry
Authors: Rodhe Håkan , Strahl Joseph 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis paper advocates a greater emphasis on preventive environmental measures when supporting CEE industry. Experience from projects carried out so far show that cleaner production deserves a high priority. The implementation of good housekeeping measures, at no or low cost, have brought about reductions of pollution and resource use in the order of 15–25%, thereby also improving production efficiency. Despite the cost effectiveness and other apparent advantages of a cleaner production strategy the Western actors are slow to grasp this opportunity. CEE industry, on the other hand, has unrealistic hopes for direct financial support for new technology and are less interested in gradual improvements of their process efficiency by a combination of technical and managerial measures. The introduction of preventive environmental strategies at an early stage of the reconstruction of CEE industry could be seen as a competitive advantage in the long run.
From greening to sustaining: Transformational challenges for the firm – a case study of pollution abatement from tanneries in Kasur, Pakistan
Authors: Khan Jawed Ali 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis case study of tanneries in Kasur presents an account of industrial transformation of an agrarian society in a developing country, Pakistan, with its effects, efforts to rehabilitate and the difficulties faced in abatement of pollution. The research attempts to respond to the question of the social and economic cost of achieving pollution abatement in Kasur and develop a viable model. The research methods adopted include reviews of secondary data, personal interview and sample survey of tanneries in the study area. The results reveal how people have grappled with the problem of pollution abatement from the tanneries in Kasur and in creating decisive awareness at the local, national and international levels. The transformation of the city from a commercial centre to a semi‐industrial tanning centre has led to a loss of 30% cultivable area due to contamination. It is reported that crop yield has dropped by 50% over the past 10 years. The total loss of agricultural income is estimated to be $450 thousand US per annum. The environmental impact of tanneries is highly pronounced in the urban areas around the leather tanning industrial units.Strong protest by the affected population has to some extent forced industrialists to rehabilitate the environment. NGO and the Government are also contributing to this effort. The case study of Kasur presents an example of the community's efforts to mobilize its local, financial and political resources to overcome the environmental hazards, with the associated problems and dilemmas.
A policy proposal for natural resource management in the rainforest of Madre de Dios, Peru: The concession system and land tenure reform
Authors: Shoobridge Diego 
Published: February 2007

AbstractMadre de Dios in south‐eastern Peru, like other tropical regions, faces important threats that are resulting in a loss of forest resources. The predominant types of land tenure in the rural zones of Madre de Dios are mining, agricultural and forestry concessions of land given by each Ministry to the settlers. Concessionaires fail to act as owners, because concession contracts do not guarantee secure property rights. Short‐term non‐sustainable land uses are favored over sustained management practices. The way in which people use the natural resources depends upon the allocation of rights over those resources. Considering communal property as a policy proposal: a system of land tenure which does not facilitate legal titling of the lands occupied by settlers and loggers will continue to hinder the possibility of developing sustainable long‐term management strategies. In this article, the main proposal for a policy reform is that the land tenure system of concessions currently employed by the Peruvian government must be replaced with the assignment of legal communal land titles to the settlers' communities (not to isolated individuals) who are currently occupying forest lands in the region. The communal land titles would create an incentive for privately motivated group management of the forests, which could help reverse some of the wasteful and indiscriminate uses of land currently government‐owned.
Crisis and opportunity: The political economy of the stora mill closure controversy in Nova Scotia
Authors: Clancy Peter , Sandberg L. Anders 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIn 1993, the Swedish multinational Stora Kopparberg announced that its pulp and paper complex at Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, was under review. The firm, which has operated on the site for more than 30 years, raised the possibility that the entire complex could be closed as a result of this review. The decision on the future of the plant has since been postponed, though not before precipitating a prolonged debate on appropriate public responses. The case is complicated by the ‘orphan’ character of the Nova Scotia subsidiary, operating on a small scale and at the periphery of a burgeoning business complex centred increasingly in Europe. Overall it raises important questions about the role of state policy interventions, at both the national and provincial levels in Canada, in shaping the firm's operating environment. The paper situates the Stora subsidiary in a local, national and international context, reviewing a range of factors which shape its strategic commitment to Nova Scotia. It also explores the political initiatives which have been mounted since 1993 to secure a renewed corporate commitment. By tracing the evolution of the Nova Scotia mill, and situating it within Stora's international business strategy, both the closure question and the political prospects for renewal can be more sharply understood.
Multivariate analysis in reaction mechanism studies
Authors: Leeson Frederick , Lundstedt Torbjörn , Lejon Tore 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIt has been demonstrated that it is possible, by applying statistical methods to a relatively simple factorial design, to resolve complex multi‐products systems in an efficient manner. Such a design is shown to permit selection of worthwhile synthetic candidates as well as determining, with the minimum use of resources, which products are not optimisable in the synthetic system concerned. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Logistic mixture model versus Arrhenius for kinetic study of material degradation by dynamic thermogravimetric analysis
Authors: Naya Salvador , Cao Ricardo , de Ullibarri Ignacio López , Artiaga Ramón , Barbadillo Fernando , García Ana 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIn this work, an alternative method to the Arrhenius equation for thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is presented. It is based in performing a logistic regression of the raw TGA data. This model assumes that more than one physical process may be involved in each mass loss step and that each physical process may extend along all the experiment. The logistic mixture obtained explains the complete TGA trace, including as many mass loss steps as the experiment has. The typical asymptotic tendency of the mass loss steps is perfectly reproduced by the model. A discussion of the model from the statistical point of view is presented as well as a comparison with other classical models. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Natural duality in minimal constrained self modeling curve resolution
Authors: Rajkó Róbert 
Published: February 2007

AbstractSelf modeling curve resolution (SMCR) was introduced by Lawton and Sylvestre (LS) [Technometrics 1971; 13: 617–633] to decompose raw spectroscopic data of two component systems into product of two physically interpretable profile matrices provided that both concentrations and absorbances are non‐negative, accepting both as minimal constraints. Later Borgen et al. in 1985–86 [Anal. Chim. Acta 1985; 174: 1–26; Microchim. Acta 1986; 11: 63–73] generalized LS method for three‐component systems with the same minimal constraints. The concepts of Borgen were rather difficult to understand and to implement, that is why several chemometricians turned to developing approximation methods. Very recently, Rajkó and István [J. Chemom. 2005; 19: 448–463] have revisited Borgen's method and they have given clearer interpretation and used computational geometry tools to find inner and outer polygons. In the meantime Henry [Chemom. Intell. Lab. Syst. 2005; 77: 59–63] has introduced the duality relationship, but he has described it only for multivariate receptor modeling of compositional data of airborne pollution. Generalization of his duality principle will be given in this paper for universally using it in SMCR which is based on singular value decomposition (SVD) or principal component analysis (PCA). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of Electron Donors on the Radical Polymerization of Vinyl Acetate Mediated by [Co(acac)2]: Degenerative Transfer versus Reversible Homolytic Cleavage of an Organocobalt(III) Complex
Authors: Maria Sébastien , Kaneyoshi Hiromu , Matyjaszewski Krzysztof , Poli Rinaldo 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe molecular structure of bis(acetylacetonate)cobalt(II) ([Co(acac)2]) in solution and in the presence of the electron donors (ED) pyridine (py), NEt3, and vinyl acetate (VOAc) was investigated using 1H NMR spectroscopy in C6D6. The extent of formation of ligand adducts, [Co(acac)2(ED)x], varies in the order py>NEt3>VOAc (no interaction). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on a model system agree with CoED bond strengths decreasing in the same order. The effect of electron donors on the [Co(acac)2]‐mediated radical polymerization of VOAc was examined at 30 °C by the addition of excess py or NEt3 to the complex in the molar ratio [VOAc]0/[Co]0/[V‐70]0/[py or NEt3]0=500:1:1:30 (V‐70=2,2′‐azobis(4‐methoxy‐2,4‐dimethylvaleronitrile)). As previously reported by R. Jerome et al., the polymerization showed long induction periods in the absence of ED. However, a controlled polymerization without an induction period took place in the presence of ED, though the level of control was poorer. The effective polymerization rate decreased in the order py>NEt3. A similar behavior was found when these electron donors were added to an ongoing [Co(acac)2]‐mediated radical polymerization of VOAc. On the basis of the NMR and DFT studies, it is proposed that the polymerization is controlled by the reversible homolytic cleavage of an organocobalt(III) dormant species in the presence of ED. Conversely, the faster polymerization after the induction period in the absence of ED is due to a degenerative transfer process with the radicals produced by the continuous decomposition of the excess initiator. Complementary experiments provide additional results in agreement with this interpretation.