20,296 research outputs found

    Opportunities for Dutch Biorefineries

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    Deze Roadmap Bioraffinage beschrijft een aantal mogelijke routes naar de ontwikkeling en implementatie van een bioraffinage-gerelateerde Bio-based Economy in Nederland. De Roadmap combineert korte- en middellange termijn mogelijkheden (commerciële implementatie, demonstratie plants, pilot plants en gerelateerd toegepast onderzoek) met strategisch onderzoek voor de langere termijn. Tevens zijn vier z.g. Moonshots uitgewerkt, als voorziene bioraffinagestrategieën met een grote potentie voor de Nederlandse economi

    Circular business strategies and supply chain finance in the Aruba waste sector : a case study of a small island jurisdiction

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    This paper focuses on possibilities and obstacles for a circular economy in the waste management sector in Aruba. The authors describe the Aruban economy and the consequences of its SIDS characteristics. The article defines concepts in the field of circular economy and presents a conceptual model for research in this area. Based on multimethod research, the paper argues that small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in the waste sector in Aruba determine their financial needs partly on the opportunities offered by the international market and price developments. Financing often takes place from own resources or via a local bank. No examples of circular chain financing were identified. Chain cooperation takes place with partners within the existing holding or with international partners, whereby performance and hedging contracts are concluded to guarantee quality and delivery and to mitigate business risks such as price fluctuations on the world market. During the research, it became obvious that limitations resulting from Aruba’s small scale and ‘islandness’ – such as the limited goods flow, limited quantities of feed waste materials and financing facilities offered by the local banking sector, as well as insufficiently stimulating legislation and regulations, coupled with faltering knowledge circulation and social awareness – seriously hamper the development of circular entrepreneurism in Aruba. The article offers policy recommendations to mitigate the bottlenecks for sustainable development in Aruba.peer-reviewe

    Risks associated with Logistics 4.0 and their minimization using Blockchain

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    Currently we are saying that we are at the dawn of the fourth revolution, which is marked by using cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things. This is marked as Industry 4.0 (I4.0). With Industry 4.0 is also closely linked concept Logistics 4.0. The highly dynamic and uncertain logistic markets and huge logistic networks require new methods, products and services. The concept of the Internet of Things and Services (IoT&S), Big Data/Data Mining (DM), cloud computing, 3D printing, Blockchain and cyber physical system (CPS) etc. seem to be the probable technical solution for that. However, associated risks hamper its implementation and lack a comprehensive overview. In response, the paper proposes a framework of risks in the context of Logistics 4.0. They are here economic risks, that are associated e.g. with high or false investments. From a social perspective, risks the job losses, are considered too. Additionally, risks can be associated with technical risks, e.g. technical integration, information technology (IT)-related risks such as data security, and legal and political risks, such as for instance unsolved legal clarity in terms of data possession. It is therefore necessary to know the potential risks in the implementation process.Web of Science101857

    Constructing a green circular society

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    Big Data and the Internet of Things

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    Advances in sensing and computing capabilities are making it possible to embed increasing computing power in small devices. This has enabled the sensing devices not just to passively capture data at very high resolution but also to take sophisticated actions in response. Combined with advances in communication, this is resulting in an ecosystem of highly interconnected devices referred to as the Internet of Things - IoT. In conjunction, the advances in machine learning have allowed building models on this ever increasing amounts of data. Consequently, devices all the way from heavy assets such as aircraft engines to wearables such as health monitors can all now not only generate massive amounts of data but can draw back on aggregate analytics to "improve" their performance over time. Big data analytics has been identified as a key enabler for the IoT. In this chapter, we discuss various avenues of the IoT where big data analytics either is already making a significant impact or is on the cusp of doing so. We also discuss social implications and areas of concern.Comment: 33 pages. draft of upcoming book chapter in Japkowicz and Stefanowski (eds.) Big Data Analysis: New algorithms for a new society, Springer Series on Studies in Big Data, to appea

    Treatment and valorization plants in materials recovery supply chain

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    Aim of industrial symbiosis is to create synergies between industries in order to exchange resources (by-products, water and energy) through geographic proximity and collaboration [1]. By optimizing resource flows in a “whole-system approach”, a minimization of dangerous emissions and of supply needs can be achieved. Resources exchanges are established to facilitate recycling and re-use of industrial waste using a commercial vehicle. Several paths can be identified in order to establish an industrial symbiosis network (Figure 1, left), in relation (i) to the life cycle phase (raw material, component, product) and (ii) to the nature (material, water, energy) of the resource flows to be exchanged. Sometimes by-products and/or waste of an industrial process have to be treated and valorized in order to become the raw materials for others. In particular, two main treatment processes can be identified: refurbishment/upgrade for re-use (Figure 1, center) and recycling for material recovery (Figure 1, right). A brief overview of technological and economic aspects is given, together with their relevance to industrial symbiosis

    Case Study : Product-specific Sustainable Marketing Audit : Delta Q

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    Mestrado em MarketingThe financial crisis, climate change, earthquakes and global warming, almost made to forget about pollution, dry seasons and famine countries. Only the fuel price peak made way for us to become aware of resource scarcity, and in general, about global natural resources depletion, along with greenhouse effect gases and the exhaustion of earth carrying capacity. Furthermore, become clear the mankind responsibility for this situation, and mainly the economic production models set in motion after World War II, based on cheap natural energy sources, but non-renewable. At the core of those economic production models are the corporations, and the marketing function they perform. so, marketing management plays a determinant role for the environmental chaos where we are immersed. The new paradigm of sustainable marketing, developed by Professor Donald A. Fuller can reverse this trend, and contribute for different production models in respect for the environment. The present case study aim to perform a sustainable marketing audit to a product-specific in order to: Perform a sustainable audit to the product-specific; Assess the product-specific sustainability; Identify differentiation and innovation measures that can become marketing advantages; Assess the product's commitment to ecological and social responsibility. The new sustainable marketing framework was applied to the capsulated coffee brand Delta Q, from the Portuguese coffee industry leading company, DELTA Cafés. The research produced a clear Delta Q environmental strategic positioning regarding P2 (Pollution Prevention) and R2 (Resource Recovery) basic sustainable marketing goals. It resulted also in a SWOT analysis covering both company and the product-specific, regarding every dimension of the production and marketing processes dealing with waste generation, which allow devising a future sound sustainable strategy. Other research findings were the opportunities to develop marketing advantages through Delta Q production and distribution processes differentiation and/or innovation. Moreover, the research came to prove the framework operability and allowed the identification of important issues for further investigation, like cost-structure impact of the sustainable marketing approach, or the internalization of eco-cost into the product's price.A crise financeira, as alterações climáticas, os terramotos e o aquecimento global, quase fizeram esquecer a poluição, a seca e fome em muitos países. Apenas o pico do preço do petróleo, abriu caminho para nos tornarmos conscientes da escassez de recursos e, em geral, do esgotamento dos recursos naturais globais, juntamente com os gases com efeito de estufa e do esgotamento da capacidade terra. Além disso, tornou-se clara a responsabilidade da humanidade para esta situação e, principalmente, os modelos de produção económica implementados após a Segunda Guerra Mundial, com base em fontes de energia naturais baratas, mas não renováveis. No núcleo dos modelos de produção económica estão as empresas, bem como as funções de marketing que desempenham. Assim, a gestão de marketing desempenha um papel determinante para o caos ambiental em que nos encontramos imersos. O novo paradigma do marketing sustentável, desenvolvido pelo Professor Donald A. Fuller, pode inverter esta tendência e contribuir para desenvolver modelos de produção diferentes em relação ao meio ambiente. O objectivo do presente estudo de caso é realizar uma auditoria de marketing sustentável para: Auditar a sustentabilidade do produto-específico; Avaliar a sustentabilidade do produto-específico; Identificar medidas de diferenciação e inovação que possam constituir vantagens de marketing; Avaliar o compromisso do produto-específico com a responsabilidade ecológica e social. A nova abordagem do marketing sustentável foi aplicada à marca de café capsulado Delta Q, da empresa portuguesa líder da indústria de café, DELTA Cafés. Da pesquisa resultou um posicionamento, ambiental e estratégico, claro do Delta Q em relação aos objectivos básicos do marketing sustentável: P2 (Prevenção da Poluição) e R2 (Recuperação de Recursos), como objectivos básicos do marketing sustentável. Resultou também uma análise SWOT que abrange tanto a empresa como o produto-específico, em relação a cada dimensão dos processos de produção e comercialização que são responsáveis pela geração de resíduos e, que permitem definir uma estratégia sustentável para o futuro. Outro resultado da pesquisa foi a identificação das oportunidades para desenvolver vantagens de marketing através de diferenciação e inovação do produto e respectivos processos de produção e distribuição. Adicionalmente, a pesquisa permitiu concluir sobre a operacionalidade da nova abordagem do marketing sustentável e identificar questões importantes para futuras investigações, tais como o impacto do marketing sustentável na estrutura de custos, ou a internalização dos custos ecológicos no processo de formação do preço do produto
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