The Durapolist Puzzle: Monopoly Power in Durable-Goods Markets

This Article studies the durapolist, the durable-goods monopolist. Durapolists have long argued that, unlike perishable-goods monopolists, they face difficulties in exercising market power despite their monopolistic position. During the past thirty years, economists have extensively studied the individual arguments durapolists deploy regarding their inability to exert market power. While economists have confirmed some of these arguments, a general framework for analyzing durapolists as a distinct group of monopolists has not emerged. This Article offers such a framework. It first presents the problems of durapolists in exercising market power and explains how courts have treated these problems. It then analyzes the strategies durapolists have devised to overcome difficulties in acquiring and maintaining monopoly power and the legal implications of these strategies. This Article\u27s major contributions are (a) expanding the conceptual scope of the durapolist problem, (b) presenting the durapolist problem as an explanation for many common business practices employed by durapolists, and (c) analyzing the legal implications of strategies employed to overcome the durapolist problem

A Review of Optimization Models and Techniques for Maintenance Decision Support Systems in Small and Medium Industries

The research is based on the fact that decision support systems (DSSs) is needed for maintenance process in commonly industries. Many maintenance functions with varieties optimization models and techniques have been proposed for solving the problems. The aim of this research was to identify those optimization models and techniques to conduct maintenance decision support system in small and medium industries (SMIs). A systematic literature review was performed to gather relevant information. The results shown several trends related in the fields area. Next, the research direction has been suggested to develop the systems

Tietotekniikan ympäristövaikutukset ja kiertotalouden ratkaisumahdollisuudet : tapaustutkimus Helsingin kaupungin tietotekniikkahankinnoista

Elektroniikkajäte on maailman nopeimmin kasvava jätevirta, mikä johtuu yhteiskunnan kiihtyvästä digitalisaatiokehityksestä. Tehokkaampia laitteita tulee markkinoille jatkuvasti, minkä seurauksena käytössä olevat laitteet vanhentuvat kiihtyvällä tahdilla. Kiihtyvän digitalisaation ja kasvavien jätevirtojen ympäristövaikutuksista merkittävimpiä ovat kasvihuonekaasupäästöt sekä luonnonvarojen kulutus. Ratkaisuksi näihin ympäristöhaasteisiin on esitetty kiertotaloutta, jossa tuotteiden arvo pyritään säilyttämään mahdollisimman tehokkaasti ja tavoitteena on luoda suljettu materiaalien kierto. Tässä tutkielmassa tarkastellaan kiertotalouden periaatteisiin pohjautuvan tuote palveluna -mallin ja laitteiden omistajuuteen pohjautuvan mallin eroja kannettavien tietokoneiden ja tablettien hankinnasta aiheutuvien ympäristövaikutusten osalta. Tutkielman tuloksia hyödynnetään Helsingin kaupungin Kierto- ja jakamistalouden tiekartan toimenpideohjelman tavoitteiden toteutuksessa. Tutkielma toteutettiin yksinkertaistettuna elinkaariarviointina, jossa hyödynnettiin systemaattista kirjallisuuskatsausta laitteiden elinkaaren vaiheisiin ja komponentteihin liittyvien ympäristövaikutusten kartoituksessa. Lisäksi edellä mainittuja liiketoimintamalleja edustavien yritysten uudelleenkäyttö ja kierrätyskäytänteistä kerättiin tietoa haastattelemalla kumpaakin hankintamallia toteuttavan yrityksen edustajia. Lopuksi systemaattisen kirjallisuuskatsauksen ja asiantuntijahaastattelujen avulla kerättyjen tietojen pohjalta arvioitiin laitteiden kasvihuonekaasupäästöihin ja materiaalihukkaan liittyviä eroja näissä hankintavaihtoehdoissa. Tarkastelussa käytettiin Helsingin kaupungin vuosittaisia laitteiden hankintamääriä. Tutkielman tulosten perusteella kasvihuonekaasupäästöjen kannalta laitteiden merkittävimmät elinkaaren vaiheet ovat tuotanto ja käyttö. Ympäristövaikutuksiltaan merkittävimpiä komponentteja ovat piirilevyt, virtapiirit, näytöt ja kotelot. Tulosten perusteella laitteiden elinkaaren pidentäminen tarjoaa mahdollisuuksia vähentää merkittävästi laitteiden ympäristövaikutuksia kummassakin tarkastelukategoriassa, mikäli laitteet kierrätetään asianmukaisesti pidennetyn elinkaaren päätteeksi.Electronic waste is the fastest growing type of waste stream in the world, and this development results from the rapidly accelerating digitalization. Electronic devices become obsolete on an accelerating speed, as there are constantly more powerful devices coming to the market. The most significant environmental impacts of this development are greenhouse gas emissions and natural resource consumption. Circular economy has been proposed as a solution to these environmental challenges, and the goal of this approach is to preserve the value of the materials in the circulation as efficiently as possible. One way of implementing the principles of circular economy is the product-as-a-service-based business model. This research examines the differences between the product-as-a-service-based model and ownership-based model in terms of the environmental impacts that are related to the laptop and tablet procurements. The results of this thesis will be utilized in implementing the actions of the City of Helsinki’s Roadmap for Circular and Sharing Economy. This research was conducted as streamlined life cycle assessment, in which the systematic literature review was used for tracking the environmental impacts of the products’ life cycle stages and components. In addition, expert interviews were carried out in order to collect information about the reuse and recycling practices of the supplier companies that follow these previously mentioned business models. Finally, based on the results of the systematic literature review and the interviews, the company specific differences were assessed in terms of the greenhouse gas emissions and material waste that result from the procurements. The City of Helsinki’s annual procurement volumes were used in this assessment. Based on the results of this research, production and use are the most significant life cycle stages in terms of the devices’ greenhouse gas emissions. Printed circuit boards/printed wiring boards, integrated circuits, displays, and casings are the components with the most significant impact. The results suggest that increasing the lifespan of the devices provides opportunities for significantly lowering impacts in both impact categories, if the devices are efficiently recycled after this

Electronic Waste in the Technology Triangle

A contemporary planning issue is how to strategically handle electronic waste (e-waste) within urban environments. E-waste is a fast growing waste stream, resulting in increasingly toxic hazards. This thesis employs qualitative research methods to investigate how key actors in a corporate environment mobilize e-waste in the Region of Waterloo. Additionally, the thesis examines the motivational factors, which instigate how e-waste transitions from being an outdated electronic device to being repurposed. Participants were recruited and interviewed from fifteen companies located in the Region of Waterloo to explore how e-waste is understood and what policies exist, if any, to handle a company’s old electronic devices. These participants represent companies where electronics are manufactured, used on a large scale, or where participants were involved in the waste-processing sector. The data collected from the interviews was subjected to a methodology of open coding and axial coding techniques to look for patterns in terms of how e-waste is managed. The results of these interviews revealed that most participants are uncertain how to handle e-waste and that the Region lacks a comprehensive framework for guiding companies in handling their e-waste. The ease of recycling tends to balance on the convenience of e-waste receptacles; financial incentives that enable recycling to be a cost-neutral or a profitable process; and a dependency on the secondhand market for electronics. Furthermore, the results of this thesis indicate that the security of data on the electronic hard drives is critical to e-waste management and that the type of e-waste can often determine the disposal strategy a company utilizes. Recommendations for this thesis include seven strategies to effectively communicate and foster better e-waste management using traditional planning tools and policies aimed at urban planners and corporate strategists

Virtuous Disassembly: Material and Ethical Practice of a Global Electronic Waste Regime

International regulations have sought to curb illicit flows of electronic waste (e-waste) from Global North countries to Global South countries. At the same time, they provide a means for certified recyclers to imagine themselves as moral entrepreneurs with coherent industrial practices. Making the most value from discarded machines, however, is a process that requires careful attention to the indeterminate materiality of their supply. Used machines’ materiality is made indeterminate by the unpredictable amount of human wear on each machine. What this entails for the recycler is a process in negotiation with these unique conditions. Based on fieldwork and interviews with Euroamerican recyclers, brokers, auditors, and regulations staff, this thesis studies the moment a certified recycler decides how to process a discarded machine. It argues that the materiality of used electronics guides the production of ethical meanings and economic value

The Economics of Tobacco and Tobacco Control

This monograph, a joint effort of the U.S. National Cancer Institute and World Health Organization, examines economic issues in tobacco and tobacco control, including the supply and demand of tobacco products. This first chapter frames the issues addressed in the monograph and describes its organization around key topic areas. Each monograph chapter focuses on the global evidence on these issues, particularly the evidence from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The closing sections of this chapter present chapter conclusions and major overall conclusions generated by the work presented here. Experts in economics, tobacco control, public policy, public health, and other related fields from every region in the world, including high-income countries and LMICs, were assembled to provide the research and analyses presented within these pages. It is hoped that this monograph will help inform the implementation of global tobacco control efforts in the 21st century.Additional co-authors: Dongbo Fu, C.K. Gajalakshmi, Vendhan Gajalakshmi, Mark Goodchild, Emmanuel Guindon, Prakash Gupta, Reviva Hasson, Luminita S Hayes, Sara Hitchman, Kinh Hoang-Van, Jidong Huang, Andrew Hyland, Nathan Jones, John Keyser, Pierre Kopp, Harry Lando, David Levy, James Lightwood, Christine Logel, Benn McGrady, Yumiko Mochizuki-Kobayashi, Mario Monsour, Nigar Nargis, Richard J. O’Connor, Maizurah Omar, Zeynep Önder, William Onzivu, Anne-Marie Perucic, Armando Peruga, Vinayak M. Prasad, Martin Raw, Cecily S. Ray, Lyn Reed, Bung-on Ritthiphakdee, Hana Ross, Jennifer Ruger, Henry Saffer, Genevieve Sansone, Natalie Sansone, Fatwa Sari Tetra Dewi, Kerstin Schotte, Omar Shafey, Yoon-Jeong Shin, Giorgio Sincovich, John Tauras, Mark Travers, Édouard Tursan d’Espaignet, Marco Vargas, Mandeep K. Virk-Baker, Corné van Walbeek, Charles W. Warren, Marzenna Anna Weresa, Xin Xu, Eduard Zaloshnja, Lei Zhang, Ping Zhan

Blueprint for a Healthier America: Modernizing the Federal Public Health System to Focus on Prevention and Preparedness

Outlines a federal policy guide for modernizing the public health system. Includes recommendations on funding, restructuring, accountability, recruitment and retention, and integrating public health with health care, and a summary of agencies and budgets

Is Social Media Our New Quitline? A Descriptive Study Assessing YouTube Coverage of Tobacco Cessation

Tobacco use and exposure continue to be leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the past decade, educational efforts to reduce tobacco use and exposure have extended to social media, including video-sharing platforms. YouTube is one of the most publicly accessed video-sharing platforms. Despite the public health importance of tobacco use and exposure as preventable causes of morbidity and mortality, and the increasing use of social media as a way consumers access health-related information, few studies have explored this topic. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to identify and describe sources, formats, and content of widely viewed YouTube videos on smoking cessation. In July 2022, using a cleared browser, the keywords “stop quit smoking” were used to search in YouTube and identify 100 videos with the highest view count. Collectively, these videos were viewed over 220 million times. The majority (n = 73) were posted by consumers, with a smaller number posted by nongovernmental/organizational sources (n = 23), and only four were posted by governmental agencies. The median length of the 100 videos was 5.1 minutes; interquartile range was 2.8-9.8 minutes. The format used in the highest number of videos was the V-Blog (n = 43 videos, over 105 million views). Other popular formats included Talk by Professional (n = 27 videos, over 53 million views) and Testimonial/Story (n = 25 videos, almost 45 million views). Video content included evidence-based and non-evidence-based practices. Evidence-based strategies aligned with U.S. Public Health Service Tobacco Treatment Guidelines and included seeking support from the health system in tobacco treatment and using Nicotine Replacement Therapy products. Strategies warranting further evaluation but not currently recommended by official governmental agencies included mindfulness and hypnotherapy. One most important finding was that environmental tobacco exposure received scant coverage across the videos. Environmental exposure presents significant risks for acute and chronic diseases for both smokers and nonsmokers, and specific risks for children and pregnant women, and this requires further investigation. Only one study to date has examined the sources, formats, and content of widely viewed YouTube videos on tobacco cessation. Tobacco dependence continues to be a significant risk factor in the onset and progression of a range of harmful illnesses. Education for individuals, families and communities on tobacco cessation can help people achieve cessation. Social media such as YouTube promises to reach large audiences at low cost without requiring high reading literacy. Additional attention is needed to create videos with up-to-date, accurate information that can engage consumers

Building Digital Foundations: A Course of Action Towards a Circular Construction Industry : An Exploratory Case Study

This thesis aims to explore the potential for digital platform ecosystems to support the development of the circular economy in the Norwegian construction industry. While there is a general understanding among scholars and industry professionals that digitalization can enable circularity, the existing literature on the intersection of these two concepts is limited. Existing literature does not adequately address the potential for using digital platforms to promote circularity across industry value chains and achieve the goals of a circular economy. To gain a holistic perspective on this potential, the thesis is based on an exploratory case study involving clients, consultants, architects, and contractors in the construction industry. The study aims to contribute to existing literature by developing a conceptual framework linking the concept of a circular economy to digital platform ecosystems, as well as by exploring why and how such a platform ecosystem can support the transition to circularity in the construction industry. The study's findings are twofold. Firstly, the study suggests the need for an improved organization of the value chain actors on digital platforms to facilitate iterative collaboration on project-level. Particularly, we identified that the implementation of circularity in the industry depend on frequent involvement of contractors and consultants. Moreover, in order to succeed in the transition towards circularity, we argue that the industry needs an industrywide platform to create a market for reused materials. Therefore, our study suggests that the industry requires a multidimensional platform with both project-specific and industry-wide components. Secondly, we identified three fundamental attributes that need to be present on a digital platform ecosystem for circularity: flexibility, data accumulation, and interaction. Based on these findings, we reassess our preliminary framework linking the circular economy to digital platform ecosystems and describe how the fundamental attributes can support this relationship. Overall, our thesis contributes to a better understanding of how industry actors can be organized on digital platform ecosystems to support circularity. In addition, the thesis provides the fundamental attributes necessary to configure a digital platform ecosystem for circularity in the construction industry.nhhma