Industrial symbiosis: anaerobic digestion of waste products as mitigation strategy

La simbiosi industriale è una strategia aziendale con la quale è possibile aumentare la sostenibilità dei processi produttivi. La partnership tra un’azienda vinicola e una società energetica ha consentito un’innovazione di processo che consente il riutilizzo dei rifiuti alimentari dalla produzione del vino. L’azienda vinicola produce 5.200.000 tonnellate di uva. Con un biodigestore è possibile reinserire nel ciclo produttivo circa 220.000 tonnellate di rifiuti alimentari, composti da: rifiuti vegetali, trucioli di legno e rifiuti da potatura. Il riutilizzo degli scarti di produzione genera 105.000 MWh di calore e 81.000 MWh di energia elettrica, con un risparmio di 35.000 tonnellate di CO2 . I risultati ottenuti possono essere ottenuti dalle aziende alimentari che richiedono un elevato fabbisogno energetico e che producono notevoli quantità di rifiuti organici.Industrial symbiosis is a business strategy through which it is possible increase the sustainability of production processes. The partnership between a winery and an energy company has enabled the implementation of a production innovation that allows the upgrading by food waste from wine production. The winery produces 5,200,000 tons of grapes. Through the creation of a biodigester it is possible to re-enter in the production cycle about 220,000 tons of food waste, consisting of: vegetable waste, wood chips and waste from pruning. The reuse of production waste can generate 105,000 MWh of heat and 81,000 MWh of electrical energy, allowing savings of 35,000 tons of CO2 . The results obtained could be reached by food manufacturers that require a high energy needs and that produce significant amounts of organic waste

Contextual impacts on industrial processes brought by the digital transformation of manufacturing: a systematic review

The digital transformation of manufacturing (a phenomenon also known as "Industry 4.0" or "Smart Manufacturing") is finding a growing interest both at practitioner and academic levels, but is still in its infancy and needs deeper investigation. Even though current and potential advantages of digital manufacturing are remarkable, in terms of improved efficiency, sustainability, customization, and flexibility, only a limited number of companies has already developed ad hoc strategies necessary to achieve a superior performance. Through a systematic review, this study aims at assessing the current state of the art of the academic literature regarding the paradigm shift occurring in the manufacturing settings, in order to provide definitions as well as point out recurring patterns and gaps to be addressed by future research. For the literature search, the most representative keywords, strict criteria, and classification schemes based on authoritative reference studies were used. The final sample of 156 primary publications was analyzed through a systematic coding process to identify theoretical and methodological approaches, together with other significant elements. This analysis allowed a mapping of the literature based on clusters of critical themes to synthesize the developments of different research streams and provide the most representative picture of its current state. Research areas, insights, and gaps resulting from this analysis contributed to create a schematic research agenda, which clearly indicates the space for future evolutions of the state of knowledge in this field

The antecedents of e-learning adoption within Italian corporate universities: A comparative case study

The implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in business education appears to be influenced by a number of organizational issues, such as culture and technological sophistication. However, extant research has had very little to say about the antecedents that shape the adoption and diffusion of ICT across companies. In order to shed light on the phenomenon under investigation, this paper presents a comparative case study between five Italian companies that have instituted a corporate university. By distinguishing companies in typical cases and deviant cases with regard to the extensive use of e-learning technologies, our findings provide some useful insights about the antecedents that make companies more or less prone to employ the new frontiers of technology in their CUs

Car Sharing and Relocation Strategies: a Case Study Comparison in the Italian Market

The sharing economy represents an economic model based on the sharing of goods and services. In particular, this paper examines car sharing model, an attractive alternative to a self-owned car which has found large interest in the recent literature in different research fields. This study aims to investigate innovative and effective relocation strategies based on the analysis of data on users’ consumptions, for the constantly growing car sharing system. For this purpose, after a literature review, the paper presents a case study focused on the car repositioning algorithm developed by one of the market leader in this sector: car2go. More in detail, the paper evaluates differences and similarities in the strategic management of this model within the Italian context, through a comparison among the cities of Rome and Milan. Empirical results and practical implications for users will be provided, by highlighting opportunities and threats concerning the different settings

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA. THE BORDER AS A REFUGE, ECONOMICAL ALTERNATIVE, ESCAPE AND SOCIAL REDEMPTION

Il saggio vuole proporre una riflessione sul tema del confine inteso non come barriera invalicabile oppure possibilità di fuga, ma quasi esso stesso come luogo di impunità. È il caso della situazione determinatasi, per ragioni storiche e geografiche, sul confine abruzzese fra il Regno di Napoli e lo Stato della Chiesa così come emerge dalla documentazione d’archivio e cartografica relativa agli ultimi decenni del Seicento incentrata sul fenomeno del banditismo. Un confine geograficamente variegato − per questo offriva diverse soluzioni agli uomini ricercati dalla legge − che va dalle cime dell’Appennino compreso tra il versante nord-occidentale del Gran Sasso, quello meridionale dei Monti della Laga e la pianura costiera che degrada verso l’Adriatico. L’area montuosa rappresentava per i banditi un luogo sicuro dove rifugiarsi, dove potevano contare su appoggi ed aiuto; nei casi più estremi il confine diveniva una facile via di evasione perché sia gli impervi passi di montagna, che le colline del Subappennino aprutino e le pianure attraversate dal Fiume Vomano, rappresentavano per questi uomini un ambiente ben conosciuto. La frontiera era inoltre un’alternativa economica, perché il passaggio da uno stato all’altro permetteva di portare avanti lucrose attività di contrabbando. Il confine, o il confino, poteva divenire addirittura mezzo di riscatto sociale, perché i banditi indultati venivano inviati all’“estero” (ad esempio nella Repubblica di Venezia) a combattere per un tempo assai inferiore alle pene a cui scampavano nel Viceregno.The essay offers a reflection on the geographical and political border between the Kingdom of Naples and the State of the Church, in Abruzzo, not only as a crossed barrier and chance to escape, but like a place of impunity. A border where practiced smuggling and that could become tool of social redemption thanks to forced confinement. The idea is based on documents and historical maps of the sixteenth century

Nature and education : the historical heritage of open-air schools in Italy

The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically drawn our attention to the central issue of hygiene and the possibility to bring school education outdoors and into natural settings. In fact, international pedagogic thought has focused on a ‘nature-deficit disorder’ in today’s children for some time (Louv, 2005), as well as the need to review the prevailing form of school settings, no longer privileging indoor locations but rather outdoor environments. This contribution aims to focus on the experiences of open-air schools which, from the early 20th century onwards, have fought the hygienic and medical battle against the tuberculosis «pandemic», aiming to rediscover nature and the outdoors as a privileged educational environment for primary school children. Widespread internationally, these experiences foster the rediscovery of the educational value of outdoor settings and nature in all its scientific and cultural aspects, and, precisely because of their open-air environment, they have been promoters of self-government, responsibility, co-education, collective discovery, within the framework of the spread of international pedagogic activism. In particular, using lesser-known archive source and more recent bibliographical references, the attention here focuses on open air schools set up and developed in Italy from the early 20th century, fully-fledged examples of international outdoor schools that go way beyond those which have been known until now. Finally, it will take a look at the key experiences and personalities who have promoted a renewed form of education through nature in open air schools in Italy

The impact of Digital Platforms on Business Models: an empirical investigation on innovative start-ups

Digital platforms have the ability to connect people, organizations and resources with the aim of facilitating the core interactions between businesses and consumers as well as assuring a greater efficiency for the business management. New business concepts, such as innovative start-ups, are therefore created based on innovation, scalability and the relationships within the community around them. The purpose of this work is to deeply understand the evolution of business models brought by innovative and dynamic companies operating through online platforms. In order to achieve the objectives set, an exploratory multiple-case study was designed based on in-depth structured interviews. The aim was to conduct a mixed analysis, in order to rely both on qualitative and quantitative data. The structured interview protocol was therefore designed to collect and then analyse data concerning the company profile and managers’ perspectives on the phenomenon of interest. The interview protocol was submitted in advance and then face-to-face interviews were carried out with the following professional figures: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), General Manager, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Marketing Manager and Developers. Collected data were analysed and processed through the Canvas Business Model in order to clearly outline similarities and differences among the sample. Results can be considered under two viewpoints. On the one hand, this work provides a detailed overview of the companies interviewed, according to the dimensions of: reference market dynamics, type and number of customers, scalability. On the other one, they allow to identify some success patterns regarding key activities, key resources, channel mix strategy, costs management, value proposition, customer segmentation, key partners and the way to obtain revenues. Results from the multiple-case study with 15 Italian start-ups provide interesting insights by comparing the innovative business models developed and highlighting key differences and similarities. verall, the start-ups analyzed, operating in several sectors, showed great growth prospects and the possibility to create value for their customers through innovative products and services offered through digital platforms

Una metrópolis africana: la implosión territorial de Kinshasa

El carácter periférico y segmentado de la red urbana y de las vías de comunicación en la República Democrática del Congo condena al país a orientarse al exterior, lo cual ayuda muy poco a la integración del espacio nacional y da preferencia al contexto interafricano limítrofe. En este contexto, la ciudad de Kinshasa se ve obligada a gestionar el peso no solo de su papel de capital sino también de una expansión espacial ocurrida en un estilo típico de la post-independencia; ésta ha coincidido además con una implosión territorial fundada en un sistema de relaciones centrípeto. Basado en el trabajo de campo, el ensayo pone en evidencia las lógicas espaciales transmitidas por la realidad social considerada, e identifica, como resultado de la interacción de éstas, una territorialidad compleja que abarca las distintas articulaciones de la trama urbana

Sustainability of technological innovation investiments. Photovoltaic panels case study

as photovoltaic panels. In the case study analysed are shown the benefits obtained from the investments of the central Italy after installing photovoltaic systems. The total expenditure for the electricity purchase is € 52.326, while the total benefit of the investment is € 18.789, equal in percentage to a 53% energy saving over a period of 20 years. The company expeniture in the absence of a photovoltaic system is equal to € 109.03, while in the presence of a plant, considering also all costs incurred for € 93.090, with a percentage of profit on the investment made equal to almost 15% in 20 years