Pathocenosis: A Holistic Approach to Disease Ecology

The History of medicine describes the emergence and recognition of infectious diseases, and human attempts to stem them. It also throws light on the role of changing environmental conditions on disease emergence/re-emergence, establishment and, sometimes, disappearance. However, the dynamics of infectious diseases is also influenced by the relationships between the community of interacting infectious agents present at a given time in a given territory, a concept that Mirko Grmek, an historian of medicine, conceptualized with the word “pathocenosis”. The spatial and temporal evolution of diseases, when observed at the appropriate scales, illustrates how a change in the pathocenosis, whether of “natural” or anthropic origin, can lead to the emergence and spread of diseases

The manufacturer's value chain as a service - the case of remanufacturing

Manufacturing enterprises globally have already largely adopted the product-service strategy into their operations. However, due to gradual commoditization of services, manufacturing enterprises will have to further extend this strategy. One possibility is for manufacturers to servitize, not only their final products, but also a part of their value chain, with the aim of increasing their long-term competitive advantage. In this article, the application of servitization to remanufacturing, as a set of operational and business competences and processes, is conceptualized. By offering remanufacturing as a service, manufacturers will create an additional revenue stream. The synergies created from integrating remanufacturing into an enterprise with a product-service system are scrutinized. The impact of offering remanufacturing as a service (servitizing) is then assessed from the perspective of the competitive advantage of both, the provider and the consumer of the service. Three main sets of implications are identified. The first is that the integration of remanufacturing into a product-service system could increase customer satisfaction through a larger service scope and higher service quality, while decreasing operational costs. Furthermore, it is shown that the higher the level of servitization, the stronger is the positive impact of remanufacturing. The second set of results shows that servitizing remanufacturing can substantially increase the competitive advantage of both the provider and the consumer. While the first two sets of results have industrially oriented implications, the third set constitutes a theoretical contribution through the proposal and conceptual validation of extension of the application of servitization theory. Finally, while the reasoning is of a conceptual nature, it is based on established theories and includes remanufacturing-related industrial cases as a basis for assessment

State-of-the-art on product-service systems and digital technologies

Digitalization has undoubtedly revolutionized the way businesses think, plan and operate. This transition finds origin in the dramatic increase in demand of digital solutions, from those that target every day activities to highly-specific manufacturing processes. The last decades have been characterized for having both researchers and practitioners join efforts to innovate through solutions that are smarter, more productive and more efficient. This constant effort has accompanied the appearance of other impactful phenomena, often considered as a new industrial revolution. In a historically parallel line, companies made leaps towards exploring alternative ways to organize their business structure and relate to their customers. So is the case of Product-Service Systems (PSS), which have called for increased attention in the last years due to the extensive opportunities they offer. Recent literature raises the question of which and how sustainability advantages can be derived from PSS implementation. This study aims to understand the interactions of digital technologies and PSS through a state-of-the-art review. The authors have identified that academic literature encounters the challenge of finding digital technologies under a large cloud of different terminologies, which complicates systematization. Therefore, increased efforts will be applied to clarify the area of study and provide novel insights and results. This process will include the dissemination of enablers, constrains and possible effects of integrating digital technologies with PSS. The authors aim to contribute to the on-going discussion regarding the relationship between PSS and sustainability, specifically in applications that have high impacts, such as digital technologies

Offering branded remanufactured/recycled products: at what price?

This paper investigates the impact of product category, perceived risk, and brand name on consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for greener (recycled/remanufactured) products. Results provide an understanding on how consumers differentiate between types of products when stating their WTP. The findings suggest that WTP for greener versus branded greener or new products varies with product category. For paper, toner cartridges, and cell phones, brand effects are apparent. However, for cameras and printers brand does not appear to counterbalance perceived risk. As the importance of brand is a function of product category and is significantly related to WTP, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) should carefully consider this relationship for their products before making decisions on the use of brand as a part of remanufacturing/recycling strategy