809 research outputs found
Corporate Social Responsibility Through an Economic Lens
Business leaders, government officials, and academics are focusing considerable attention on the concept of “corporate social responsibility” (CSR), particularly in the realm of environmental protection. Beyond complete compliance with environmental regulations, do firms have additional moral or social responsibilities to commit resources to environmental protection? How should we think about the notion of firms sacrificing profits in the social interest? May they do so within the scope of their fiduciary responsibilities to their shareholders? Can they do so on a sustainable basis, or will the forces of a competitive marketplace render such efforts and their impacts transient at best? Do firms, in fact, frequently or at least sometimes behave this way, reducing their earnings by voluntarily engaging in environmental stewardship? And finally, should firms carry out such profit-sacrificing activities (i.e., is this an efficient use of social resources)? We address these questions through the lens of economics, including insights from legal analysis and business scholarship.corporate social responsibility, voluntary environmental performance
Corporate Social Responsibility Through an Economic Lens
Business leaders, government officials, and academics are focusing considerable attention on the concept of "corporate social responsibility" (CSR), particularly in the realm of environmental protection. Beyond complete compliance with environmental regulations, do firms have additional moral or social responsibilities to commit resources to environmental protection? How should we think about the notion of firms sacrificing profits in the social interest? May they do so within the scope of their fiduciary responsibilities to their shareholders? Can they do so on a sustainable basis, or will the forces of a competitive marketplace render such efforts and their impacts transient at best? Do firms, in fact, frequently or at least sometimes behave this way, reducing their earnings by voluntarily engaging in environmental stewardship? And finally, should firms carry out such profit-sacrificing activities (i.e., is this an efficient use of social resources)? We address these questions through the lens of economics, including insights from legal analysis and business scholarship.Corporate Social Responsibility, Voluntary Environmental Performance
Compartmentation of sucrose during radial transfer in mature sorghum culm
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The sucrose that accumulates in the culm of sorghum (<it>Sorghum bicolor </it>(L.) Moench) and other large tropical andropogonoid grasses can be of commercial value, and can buffer assimilate supply during development. Previous study conducted with intact plants showed that sucrose can be radially transferred to the intracellular compartment of mature ripening sorghum internode without being hydrolysed. In this study, culm-infused radiolabelled sucrose was traced between cellular compartments and among related metabolites to determine if the compartmental path of sucrose during radial transfer in culm tissue was symplasmic or included an apoplasmic step. This transfer path was evaluated for elongating and ripening culm tissue of intact plants of two semidwarf grain sorghums. The metabolic path in elongating internode tissue was also evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On the day after culm infusion of the tracer sucrose, the specific radioactivity of sucrose recovered from the intracellular compartment of growing axillary-branch tissue was greater (nearly twice) than that in the free space, indicating that sucrose was preferentially transferred through symplasmic routes. In contrast, the sucrose specific radioactivity in the intracellular compartment of the mature (ripening) culm tissue was probably less (about 3/4's) than that in free space indicating that sucrose was preferentially transferred through routes that included an apoplasmic step. In growing internodes of the axillary branch of sorghum, the tritium label initially provided in the fructose moiety of sucrose molecules was largely (81%) recovered in the fructose moiety, indicating that a large portion of sucrose molecules is not hydrolysed and resynthesized during radial transfer.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>During radial transfer of sucrose in ripening internodes of intact sorghum plants, much of the sucrose is transferred intact (without hydrolysis and resynthesis) and primarily through a path that includes an apoplasmic step. In contrast, much of the sucrose is transferred through a symplasmic path in growing internode (axillary branch) tissue. These results contrast with the probable symplasmic path in mature culm of the closely related species, sugarcane. Phylogenetic variability exists in the compartmental path of radial transfer of sucrose in culms of the andropogonoid grasses.</p
Decentralised combined heat and power in the German Ruhr Valley; assessment of factors blocking uptake and integration
Background: In Germany, the energy system is undergoing reorganisation from a centralised system
based on fossil fuels and nuclear power to a sustainable system based on decentralised production and consumption of energy, the so-called Energiewende. Recently, there has been more attention to
improving energy efficiency in those regions where conventional energy production activities and
energy-intensive industries are located, such as the Ruhr area. Although the potential for
decentralised combined heat and power (CHP) units is high in this region, local action plans show
only modest developments for this technology. In this paper, we address this issue by answering the following research question: Which factors block the uptake and integration of decentralised CHP in the German Ruhr area's energy system?
Methods: The multilevel perspective (MLP) was used to analyse the state of system innovation in
relation to the uptake and integration of decentralised CHP technology. Prior to the MLP analysis,
a stakeholders' analysis was conducted to identify stakeholders' views, positions and experienced
barriers regarding the uptake and integration of decentralised CHP technology. Data collection
included review of text documents and conducting 11 interviews.
Results: Due to many regime barriers blocking niche development, the uptake of decentralised CHP
technology is limited. Identified barriers relate to lack of market services and mismatches with
user preferences, (sectoral) policies and industrial interests.
Conclusions: Observed barriers relate to (i) lack of market services such as financial means for
making investments; (ii) user awareness such as unawareness and information deficit regarding the benefits of decentralised CHP to potential users, (iii) the presence of centralised district heating systems, (iv) policy issues such as lack of sufficient policies supporting diffusion of decentralised CHP units, legal stipulations from social housing policies that prevent housing cooperatives from becoming energy producers and district heating systems owned by public and private owners (via concessions contracts); (v) sector issues such as lack of skilledservice-providing companies; and (vi) industrial interested such as the vested interests of the coal and gasindustry. Moreover, many of the mentioned barriers seem interrelated, especially those concerning policy and finance available for making upfront investments
The Swiss program for the deep-geological disposal of radioactive waste: Status of site selection and concept demonstration
Peer Reviewe
Evaluation of Modelling and Simulation Strategies to Investigate the Mechanical Integrity of a Battery Cell Using Finite Element Methods
The mechanical integrity of a lithium ion battery cell can be evaluated using finite element (FE) simulation techniques. In this study, different FE modelling approaches including heterogeneous, homogeneous, hybrid and sandwich methods are presented and analysed. The basic capabilities of the FE-methods and their suitability to simulate a real mechanical safety test procedures on battery cells are investigated by performing a simulation of a spherical indentation test on a sample pouch cell. For each modelling approach, one battery cell model was created. In order to observe the system behaviour, relevant parametric studies involving coefficient of friction and failure strain of separator were performed. This studied showed that these parameters can influence the maximum force and the point of failure of the cell. Furthermore, the influence of an anisotropic separator on the results was also investigated. The advantages and disadvantages of each modelling approach are discussed and a simplified approach with a partial cell modelling is suggested to further reduce the simulation time and complexity
Simulative Vehicle Concept considering Lap Time as Objective Function: AVL International Simulation Conference 2019
Multidisciplinary design optimization of a generic b-pillar under package and design constraints
This article introduces a novel constraining approach for structural optimization, which aims to support the conceptual engineer during the early embodiment phase for structural lightweight design. It reduces the time spent on structural engineering studies by enabling optimization algorithms to detect geometric intersections by analyzing the mesh information. This article reviews approaches from the literature focusing on CAD-environments, sampling methods, data analytics and optimization techniques for design and sizing optimization with FE-models. The evaluated approaches are integrated into a Python-based optimization environment. Accordingly, the introduced methodology enables the environment to handle geometric infeasible designs. The presentation of the first results focuses on the feasibility of structural assemblies and the results demonstrate the viability of the NSGA-II for optimization tasks. The example considers the design of a generic b-pillar structure under crash-safety requirements. Using this approach, the NSGA-II algorithm avoids geometric infeasible areas and comparably increases structural performance
Goal Oriented Provision of Design Principles for Additive Manufacturing to Support Conceptual Design
Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers a new degree in design freedom. However, in order to exploit AM's potentials in end-use products a methodical approach and suitable tools especially during conceptual design are needed. This paper presents a methodology for application in industrial practice, which should support the component conception for additively manufactured products. The approach focuses on a benefit-oriented preparation and provision of knowledge. In addition to general design methods for abstraction and promotion of creativity, AM-specific tools are introduced which support the provision of solution principles and process-specific restrictions. A broad applicability of the solution principles is ensured by an expansion of the solution space through abstraction. Consequently, product developers are sensitised to the new design possibilities of AM, on the one hand. On the other hand, they are supported in a holistic exploitation of design potentials in ideation in order to foster innovative solution ideas. Finally, the methodological procedure and the developed tools will be demonstrated in a workshop by using an example from industrial practice of the automotive sector
An Approach to Complement Model-Based Vehicle Development by Implementing Future Scenarios
Today, vehicle development is already in a process of substantial transformation. Mobility trends can be derived from global megatrends and have a significant influence on the requirements of the developed vehicles. The sociological, technological, economic, ecological, and political developments can be determined by using the scenario technique. The results are recorded in the form of differently shaped scenarios; however, they are mainly document-based. In order to ensure a holistic approach in the sense of model-based systems engineering and to be able to trace the interrelationships of the fast-changing trends and requirements, it is necessary to implement future scenarios in the system model. For this purpose, a method is proposed that enables the consideration of future scenarios in model-based vehicle development. The procedure of the method is presented, and the location of the future scenarios within the system architectures is named. The method is applied and the resulting system views are derived based on the application example of an autonomous people mover. With the help of the described method, it is possible to show the effects of a change of scenario (e.g., best-case and worst-case) and the connections with the highest level of requirements: stakeholder need
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