Part 3: Systemic risk in ecology and engineering

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a report -- New Directions for Understanding Systemic Risk -- that presents key findings from a cross-disciplinary conference that it cosponsored in May 2006 with the National Academy of Sciences' Board on Mathematical Sciences and Their Applications. ; The pace of financial innovation over the past decade has increased the complexity and interconnectedness of the financial system. This development is important to central banks, such as the Federal Reserve, because of their traditional role in addressing systemic risks to the financial system. ; To encourage innovative thinking about systemic issues, the New York Fed partnered with the National Academy of Sciences to bring together more than 100 experts on systemic risk from 22 countries to compare cross-disciplinary perspectives on monitoring, addressing and preventing this type of risk. ; This report, released as part of the Bank's Economic Policy Review series, outlines some of the key points concerning systemic risk made by the various disciplines represented - including economic research, ecology, physics and engineering - as well as presentations on market-oriented models of financial crises, and systemic risk in the payments system and the interbank funds market. The report concludes with observations gathered from the sessions and a discussion of potential applications to policy. ; The three papers presented in this conference session highlighted the positive feedback effects that produce herdlike behavior in markets, and the subsequent discussion focused in part on means of encouraging heterogeneous investment strategies to counter such behavior. Participants in the session also discussed the types of models used to study systemic risk and commented on the challenges and trade-offs researchers face in developing their models.Financial risk management ; Financial markets ; Financial stability ; Financial crises

Spatially explicit model for anaerobic co‐digestion facilities location and pre‐dimensioning considering spatial distribution of resource supply and biogas yield in northwest Portugal

The high volumes of animal manure and sewage sludge, as a consequence of the development of intensive and specialized cattle dairy farms in peri-urban areas, pose challenges to local environmental quality and demands for systems innovation. Besides these negative impacts, energy recovery from biogas produced in anaerobic co-digestion processes should contribute to local sustainable development. This research considers technical data obtained from the optimization of biomethanization processes using sewage sludge and cattle manure liquid fraction, aiming to develop a spatially explicit model including multicriteria evaluation and an analytical hierarchy process to locate biogas production facilities, allocate energy resources and consider biogas unit pre-dimensioning analysis. According to the biophysical conditions and socioeconomic dynamics of the study area (Vila do Conde, Northwest Portugal), a spatially explicit model using multicriteria and multiobjective techniques allowed the definition of suitable locations, as well as the allocation of resources and support pre-dimensioning of biogas facilities. A p-median model allowed us to allocate resources and pre-dimensioning biogas facilities according to distance and accessibility elements. The results indicate: (i) the location of areas with adequate environmental conditions and socioeconomic suitability advantages to install biogas production facilities, and (ii) the ability to compare the options of centralized or distributed location alternatives and associated pre-dimensioning.This research was funded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq Brazil), grant number GDE 201469/2014‐6.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Engaging stakeholders in research to address water-energy-food (WEF) nexus challenges

The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus has become a popular, and potentially powerful, frame through which to analyse interactions and interdependencies between these three systems. Though the case for transdisciplinary research in this space has been made, the extent of stakeholder engagement in research remains limited with stakeholders most commonly incorporated in research as end-users. Yet, stakeholders interact with nexus issues in a variety of ways, consequently there is much that collaboration might offer to develop nexus research and enhance its application. This paper outlines four aspects of nexus research and considers the value and potential challenges for transdisciplinary research in each. We focus on assessing and visualising nexus systems; understanding governance and capacity building; the importance of scale; and the implications of future change. The paper then proceeds to describe a novel mixed-method study that deeply integrates stakeholder knowledge with insights from multiple disciplines. We argue that mixed-method research designs—in this case orientated around a number of cases studies—are best suited to understanding and addressing real-world nexus challenges, with their inevitable complex, non-linear system characteristics. Moreover, integrating multiple forms of knowledge in the manner described in this paper enables research to assess the potential for, and processes of, scaling-up innovations in the nexus space, to contribute insights to policy and decision making

Systems and environmental decision-making: postgraduate open learning with the Open University

Environmental issues affect everyone though the ways in which people engage with them varies a great deal. The Open University''s Masters program in environmental decision making has at its core a modular course that enables students to incorporate environmental factors into their decision making from a starting point of identifying their own environmental issues using a systems approach. Students carry out a project based on their own experience in a decision-making situation of their own choice. A framework for environmental decision making is introduced and students learn how to use the framework systematically, systemically and critically. The course has evolved since it was first introduced in 1997 as both students and the course team have learnt about environmental decision making together. This paper analyses and interprets some of the data that have emerged from students projects since the course began

Research Agenda on Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making: New Academic Debates in Business and Management

[EN] Systemic disruptions are becoming more continuous, intense, and persistent. Their effects have a severe impact on the economy in volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environments that are increasingly transversal to productive sectors and activities. Researchers have intensified their academic production of multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) in recent years. This article analyzes the research agenda through a systematic review of scientific articles in the Web of Science Core Collection according to the Journal Citation Report (JCR), both in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE). According to the selected search criteria, 909 articles on MCDM published between 1979 and 2022 in Web of Science journals in the business and management categories were located. A bibliometric analysis of the main thematic clusters, the international collaboration networks, and the bibliographic coupling of articles was carried out. In addition, the analysis period is divided into two subperiods (1979¿2008 and 2009¿2022), establishing 2008 as the threshold, the year of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), to assess the evolution of the research agenda at the beginning of systemic disruptions. The bibliometric analysis allows the identification of the motor, basic, specialized, and emerging themes of each subperiod. The results show the similarities and differences between the academic debate before and after the GFC. The evidence found allows academics to be guided in their high-impact research in business and management using MCDM methodologies to address contemporary challenges. An important contribution of this study is to detect gaps in the literature, highlighting unclosed gaps and emerging trends in the field of study for journal editors.Castello-Sirvent, F.; Meneses-Eraso, C. (2022). Research Agenda on Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making: New Academic Debates in Business and Management. Axioms. 11(10):1-37. https://doi.org/10.3390/axioms11100515137111

State-of-the-Art Report on Systems Analysis Methods for Resolution of Conflicts in Water Resources Management

Water is an important factor in conflicts among stakeholders at the local, regional, and even international level. Water conflicts have taken many forms, but they almost always arise from the fact that the freshwater resources of the world are not partitioned to match the political borders, nor are they evenly distributed in space and time. Two or more countries share the watersheds of 261 major rivers and nearly half of the land area of the wo rld is in international river basins. Water has been used as a military and political goal. Water has been a weapon of war. Water systems have been targets during the war. A role of systems approach has been investigated in this report as an approach for resolution of conflicts over water. A review of systems approach provides some basic knowledge of tools and techniques as they apply to water management and conflict resolution. Report provides a classification and description of water conflicts by addressing issues of scale, integrated water management and the role of stakeholders. Four large-scale examples are selected to illustrate the application of systems approach to water conflicts: (a) hydropower development in Canada; (b) multipurpose use of Danube river in Europe; (c) international water conflict between USA and Canada; and (d) Aral See in Asia. Water conflict resolution process involves various sources of uncertainty. One section of the report provides some examples of systems tools that can be used to address objective and subjective uncertainties with special emphasis on the utility of the fuzzy set theory. Systems analysis is known to be driven by the development of computer technology. Last section of the report provides one view of the future and systems tools that will be used for water resources management. Role of the virtual databases, computer and communication networks is investigated in the context of water conflicts and their resolution.https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/wrrr/1005/thumbnail.jp

Metodología integrada para el diseño de productos incluyendo criterios de sostenibilidad y los requerimientos de la cadena de valor del aceite de palma

ilustraciones a color, diagramas, fotografíasThe decision-making process for the design of chemical products is a key activity to increase its acceptance in the market and to enhance its sustainability performance. For this, it is important to consider not only the preferences of the consumers but also the requirements of the supply chain, which are not taken into account in existing design methodologies. Therefore, this study presents a methodology to support the product design process considering the requirements of the supply chain. The methodology is implemented in 2 phases: a diagnostic phase of the supply chain where different stakeholders are interviewed to know their limitations; and a product design phase, where a workshop is developed including the identified limitations in the design problem. The methodology was tested in a case study: the design of chemical products from the palm oil supply chain. Palm oil is the highest vegetable oil productivity but it is in the spotlight because of its implications for environmental and social issues. The diagnostic phase involved the participation of 8 different stakeholders of the palm oil supply chain who were interviewed individually through semi-structured interviews of one hour. The information was systematically analyzed using qualitative methods. The second phase design workshop was conducted with three focus groups, two with chemical engineering students and one with expert product designers from a Latin American food company. The groups were asked to select between different surfactants (some of them based on palm oil) to create a vegetable milk drink; at first, without considering the limitations of the supply chain, and at a second time, considering them. The results of the first phase showed that the main requirements of the supply chain according to the interviewed stakeholders are the last of integration between the actors of the supply chain (overall in relation to the last stages when final products are developed), the dependency to the oil suppliers and the possible biodiesel/food competition, and the supply chain's lack of capacity to adapt to changes. When this information was used for the product design workshop, the two groups of students modified their design decision when they considered the supply chain limitations. By their part, experienced designers did not modify their design, but they found that this type of analysis could be relevant for other products, for example those as the margarines with have a high oil content. (Texto tomado de la fuente)El proceso de toma de decisiones para el diseño de productos químicos es una actividad clave para aumentar su aceptación en el mercado y mejorar su rendimiento en materia de sostenibilidad. Para ello, es importante tener en cuenta no sólo las preferencias de los consumidores, sino también los requisitos de la cadena de suministro, que no se tienen en cuenta en las metodologías de diseño existentes. Por lo tanto, este estudio presenta una metodología para apoyar el proceso de diseño de productos teniendo en cuenta los requisitos de la cadena de suministro. La metodología se implementa en 2 fases: una fase de diagnóstico de la cadena de suministro, en la que se entrevista a las diferentes partes interesadas para conocer sus limitaciones; y una fase de diseño del producto, en la que se desarrolla un taller que incluye las limitaciones identificadas en el problema de diseño. La metodología se puso a prueba en un estudio de caso: el diseño de productos químicos a partir de la cadena de suministro del aceite de palma. El aceite de palma es el aceite vegetal de mayor productividad, pero está en el punto de mira por sus implicaciones en cuestiones medioambientales y sociales. La fase de diagnóstico contó con la participación de 8 partes interesadas diferentes de la cadena de suministro del aceite de palma. Fueron entrevistadas individualmente mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas de una hora de duración. La información se analizó sistemáticamente utilizando métodos cualitativos. La segunda fase del taller de diseño se llevó a cabo con tres grupos focales, dos con estudiantes de ingeniería química y uno con diseñadores de productos expertos de una empresa latinoamericana de productos alimenticios. Se pidió a los grupos que seleccionaran entre distintos tensioactivos (algunos de ellos a base de aceite de palma) para crear una bebida no láctea de origen vegetal; en un primer momento, sin tener en cuenta las limitaciones de la cadena de suministro, y en un segundo, teniéndolas en cuenta. Los resultados de la primera fase mostraron que los principales requisitos de la cadena de suministro según las partes interesadas entrevistadas son la falta de integración entre los actores de la cadena de suministro (sobre todo en relación con las últimas fases en las que se desarrollan los productos finales), la dependencia de los proveedores de aceite y la posible competencia entre biodiésel y alimentos, y la falta de capacidad de la cadena de suministro para adaptarse a los cambios. Cuando se utilizó esta información para el taller de diseño del producto, los dos grupos de estudiantes modificaron su decisión de diseño al considerar las limitaciones de la cadena de suministro. Por su parte, los diseñadores experimentados no modificaron su diseño, pero descubrieron que este tipo de análisis podría ser relevante para otros productos, por ejemplo, aquellos como las margarinas con alto contenido en aceite.MaestríaMagíster en Ingeniería - Ingeniería QuímicaGrupo de Investigación en Procesos Químicos y Bioquímico

La cadena de suministro sostenible: conceptos, modelos de optimizaci´on y de simulaci´on y tendencias

Context: The environmental and social dimensions of performance are of great importance, given that they must be incorporated into strategic, tactical, and operational objectives in companies and supply chains to minimize negative impacts on the environment and society. Method: After reviewing the Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases for the topics of sustainability and supply chain management, a state of the art of green and sustainable supply chain management is presented, aiming to guide readers towards a synthesis of related concepts and future lines of research. Results: The reader is introduced to concepts and trends around the field of green and sustainable supply chain management to raise interest in new research and practices to guide the implementation of sustainability in organizations and their supply chains. Conclusions: Sustainable supply chain management still faces several academic and practical challenges in terms of implementation, performance measurement, and how models can capture a dynamic and uncertain social and environmental context. There are latent research issues such as management of the circular supply chain, applications in emerging economies, or the application of 4.0 technologies.Contexto: Las dimensiones ambiental y social del desempeño son de gran importancia, puesto que deben ser incorporadas a los objetivos estratégicos, tácticos y operativos de las empresas y cadenas de suministro para minimizar los impactos negativos sobre el medio ambiente y la sociedad. Método: Tras haber consultado los temas de sostenibilidad y gestión de la cadena de suministro en las bases de datos Scopus, Web of Science y ScienceDirect, se presenta el estado del arte en gestión de la cadena de suministro verde y sostenible, esperando guiar a los lectores hacia una síntesis de conceptos relacionados y futuras líneas de investigación. Resultados: Se introduce al lector a conceptos y tendencias en el campo de gestión de la cadena de suministro verde y sostenible para despertar el interés en nuevas investigaciones y prácticas para guiar la implementación de la sostenibilidad en organizaciones y sus cadenas de suministro. Conclusiones: La gestión sostenible de la cadena de suministro aún enfrenta varios retos académicos y prácticos, desafíos en términos de implementación, medición del desempeño y la manera en que los modelos pueden capturar un contexto social y ambiental dinámico e incierto. Hay cuestiones de investigación latentes como la gestión de la cadena de suministro circular, las aplicaciones en economías emergentes o la aplicación de tecnologías 4.0

The doctoral research abstracts. Vol:6 2014 / Institute of Graduate Studies, UiTM

Congratulations to Institute of Graduate Studies on the continuous efforts to publish the 6th issue of the Doctoral Research Abstracts which ranged from the discipline of science and technology, business and administration to social science and humanities. This issue captures the novelty of research from 52 PhD doctorates receiving their scrolls in the UiTM’s 81st Convocation. This convocation is very significant especially for UiTM since we are celebrating the success of 52 PhD graduands – the highest number ever conferred at any one time. To the 52 doctorates, I would like it to be known that you have most certainly done UiTM proud by journeying through the scholastic path with its endless challenges and impediments, and by persevering right till the very end. This convocation should not be regarded as the end of your highest scholarly achievement and contribution to the body of knowledge but rather as the beginning of embarking into more innovative research from knowledge gained during this academic journey, for the community and country. As alumni of UiTM, we hold you dear to our hearts. The relationship that was once between a student and supervisor has now matured into comrades, forging and exploring together beyond the frontier of knowledge. We wish you all the best in your endeavour and may I offer my congratulations to all the graduands. ‘UiTM sentiasa dihati ku’ Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Prof Ir Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar , FASc, PEng Vice Chancellor Universiti Teknologi MAR

Space mission risk, sustainability and supply chain: review, multi-objective optimization model and practical approach

This paper investigates the convergence of risk, sustainability, and supply chain in space missions, including a review of fundamental concepts, the introduction of a multi-objective conceptual optimization model, and the presentation of a practical approach. Risks associated with space missions include technical, human, launch, space environment, mission design, budgetary, and political risks. Sustainability considerations must be incorporated into mission planning and execution to ensure the long-term viability of space exploration. The study emphasizes the importance of considering environmental sustainability, resource use, ethical concerns, long-term planning, international collaboration, and public outreach in space missions. It emphasizes the significance of reducing negative environmental consequences, increasing resource use efficiency, and making responsible and ethical actions. The paper offers a multi-objective optimization conceptual model that may be used to evaluate and choose sustainable space mission tactics. This approach considers a variety of elements, including environmental effects, resource utilization, mission cost, and advantages for society. It provides a systematic decision-making approach that examines trade-offs between different criteria and identifies optimal conceptual model solutions that balance risk, sustainability, and supply chain objectives. A practical approach is also offered to demonstrate the use of the multi-criteria optimization conceptual model in a space mission scenario. The practical approach demonstrates how the model can aid in the development of mission strategies that minimize risks, maximize resource consumption, and fit with sustainability goals. Overall, this paper delivers a multi-criteria optimization conceptual model and provides a space mission planning practical approach, as well as an overview of the interaction between risk, sustainability, and supply chain in space mission organization, planning, and execution.This research was partially supported by the AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland (16.16.200.396) and the financial aid of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (MNISW) grants (N N519 405934; 6459/B/T02/2011/40) and the Polish National Science Centre (NCN) research grant (DEC-2013/11/B/ST8/04458). Moreover, I appreciate the support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (RED2018-102642-T; RED2022-134703-T; PID2019-111100RB-C22/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). Additionally, I acknowledge the support from the Public University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain and the University of California at Berkeley, USA. The research was also partially supported by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Marie-Skłodowska Curie, No: 101034285