Integrating Thermodynamics and Biology for Sustainable Product Lifecycle Design

The linkage between raw resources consumption and economic growth through product manufacture and disposal is creating an untenable pressure on the planet’s natural systems; therefore understanding and embracing the mechanics of the biology and physics of our context could lead to novel approaches in the design of human-built systems/products. Designers are, by active association, responsible for that pressure and much of the impact can be traced back to the early stages of the design process. For designers and engineers the main constraint is accessibility to knowledge of multiple and complex factors in easily digestible form when starting a project. Added to this is the possibility to transcend the realm of products and explore creative solutions throughout the entire life cycle, giving designers the opportunity to propose entire new business models and systems. This paper exposes the search for an intuitive soft modeling tool that considers some of these factors and inspires the innovation of business and systems innovation from a biophysical perspective. The aim of this tool is to enable the exploration of these factors in a playful intuitive way and relate these outcomes to the design of a business model operating within the principles of trophic levels. The first key question to the development of this approach has been: how does it work in nature? Organisms search for their food in other organisms and at the same time are the food of others; biomass and energy are transferred from one level to another, losses occur, higher qualities of energy are created and all is maintained in continuous cycles. The linear human production of goods can be rethought by taking into account this basic principle of thermodynamics and although this is not a technological problem, the relevant constrains need to be integrated for this approach to be feasible. These are from an economics origin: how to achieve a healthy business from a non-linear process? It is proposed that an analogy between natural and human systems: autotrophs = manufacturing, heterotrophs = distributors and consumers, their concentration and size, their possible combinations and their eventual business interpretations, is referred to as Trophic Economics. The envisioned tool will combine the exploration of the complex factors involved in the lifecycle of a product with the suggested Trophic Economics models. The outcome could be sketches of the possible boundaries and structures of new business and products, to be resolved later on the drawing board. In order to measure and keep track of the most relevant decisions, a designer must embrace tools like emergy accounting, MIPS and MI (Wuppertal Institute, 2002) used in related combination, plus indexes of CO2 emissions and relevant economic, social-demographic and ecosystems information about the countries involved in any give proposition of manufacture and use

Investment in Sustainable Development: A UK Perspective on the Business and Academic Challenges

There are many legislative, stakeholder and supply chain pressures on business to be more ‘sustainable’. Universities have recognised the need for graduate knowledge and understanding of sustainable development issues. Many businesses and universities have responded and introduced Sustainable Development models into their operations with much of the current effort directed at climate change. However, as the current worldwide financial crisis slowly improves, the expectations upon how businesses operate and behave are changing. It will require improved transparency and relationships with all stakeholders, which is the essence of sustainable development. The challenges and opportunities for both business and universities are to understand the requirements of sustainable development and the transformation that is required. They should ensure that knowledge is embedded within the culture of the organisation and wider society in order to achieve a sustainable future

Volume 3.0: Centre for Sustainable Fashion: tactics for change

Documenting the debates raised at the Fashioning the Future Summit, a milestone event run by the CSF in October 2008, and strategising to propose new possibilities for the fashion sector which minimise the negative social, environmental and cultural effects of our practices and maximise connection, innovation and positivity. The keynote speeches from Michael McDonough, Anthony Kleanthous and Sungjoo Kim are also available to view

Capacity building for transnationalisation of higher education

Purpose – Transnationalism and transnational concept are extensively researched in many social science areas; however, transnational management and transnational marketing is relatively a less explored research domain. Also, knowledge management for transnational education (TNE) marketing is not well-researched. Capacity building is an established research-stream, with a key focus on socio-economic and ecological development; however, prior research on capacity building from the context of TNE’s knowledge management and marketing is scarce. The purpose of this study is to analyse TNE marketing mix, to understand the influence of transnational stakeholders’ causal scope(s) on knowledge management in TNE to uphold their transnatioalisation processes through capacity building in TNEs’ marketing management. Design/methodology/approach – An inductive constructivist method is followed. Findings – Organisational learning from the context of transnational market and socio-economic competitive factors, based on analysing the transnational stakeholders’ causal scope(s) is imperative for proactive knowledge management capacity in TNE marketing. Following the analysis of transnational stakeholders’ causal scope(s) to learn about the cause and consequence of the transnational stakeholders’ relationships and interactions, an initial conceptual framework of knowledge management for TNE marketing is proposed. Practical insights from different TNE markets are developed in support of this novel knowledge management capacity building framework of TNE, and its generalisation perspectives and future research areas are discussed. Practical implications – These insights will be useful for TNE administrators to better align their knowledge management perspectives and propositions with their transnational stakeholders to underpin TNE marketing. Academics will be able to use these insights as a basis for future research. Originality/value – This study proposes a novel conceptual stakeholder-centred capacity building framework for TNE’s knowledge management to uphold TNE marketing and supports the framework, based on practical insights from three different transnational markets

An aesthetic for sustainable interactions in product-service systems?

Copyright @ 2012 Greenleaf PublishingEco-efficient Product-Service System (PSS) innovations represent a promising approach to sustainability. However the application of this concept is still very limited because its implementation and diffusion is hindered by several barriers (cultural, corporate and regulative ones). The paper investigates the barriers that affect the attractiveness and acceptation of eco-efficient PSS alternatives, and opens the debate on the aesthetic of eco-efficient PSS, and the way in which aesthetic could enhance some specific inner qualities of this kinds of innovations. Integrating insights from semiotics, the paper outlines some first research hypothesis on how the aesthetic elements of an eco-efficient PSS could facilitate user attraction, acceptation and satisfaction

Rethinking the construction process: focusing the construction curriculum

The main aim of this report is to encourage programme providers within the Built Environment to take a more proactive approach to the adoption of Rethinking Construction concepts within existing and future programmes. As a starting point, an Exemplar Module Specification and a Teaching Schedule have been developed. These will have to be modified to take into account the desired learning outcomes of individual programmes. The report reviews recent developments and initiatives that have encouraged the construction industry to both adopt the important cultural philosophy that customer satisfaction is inseparable from business goals and view performance in terms of safety, cost, quality and sustainability. The roles of the key organisations charged with driving the through change have been summarised. The three Appendices to the report describe: Supporting Information; EU/UK Government Education Initiatives; and Educational Networks. They also include several web sites that provide detailed information to support this report. These web sites can be used to obtain Demonstration Projects to support individual lectures or be used to identify potential funding sources to support the development of new programmes

Innovation in the Construction and Property Management Industries

Purpose – The purpose of this practice paper is to examine how the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme has been employed to introduce change and deliver business benefit in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with an introduction to the KTP scheme and its context within the University of Gloucestershire which serves as an introduction to three case studies, each one covering a 21‐24 month time span. The cases draw their empirical material from the experience of managing the KTPs, interviews, meeting minutes, board papers and final reports. Findings – All three case studies have been successful in the introduction of new thinking or new ways of working in different areas of business. In one case study, a new marketing strategy was developed and implemented; in another, a new consultancy capability has been developed and embedded in the company; and in the third, new information systems were introduced to support corporate growth. Originality/value – The value of the case studies lies in their originality and the paper highlights the value of the KTP scheme as a catalyst for the introduction of new ideas and initiatives in three different sectors of the construction industry. The paper also illustrates how academics can work productively in a commercial environment with industry partner