Et si la main invisible avait le pouce vert ? Aperçu historique sur le développement de « boucles industrielles » dans les économies de marché

Selon nombre de théoriciens du développement durable, la recherche du profit aurait souvent incité les industriels à « externaliser » leurs émissions polluantes plutôt qu’à en réduire l’impact. Plusieurs écrits publiés entre le milieu du dix-neuvième siècle et la naissance du mouvement écologiste moderne suggère au contraire que la conjugaison du système des prix, de la recherche du profit et du droit de propriété a favorisé la valorisation des résidus industriels et, par le fait même, l’amenuisement des problèmes environnementaux. Cet article présente un survol rapide des principaux ouvrages de synthèse européens et nord-américains sur cette problématique afin d’illustrer l’universalité de ce processus. Quelques hypothèses sur l’origine de croyances contraires aujourd’hui prépondérantes dans le discours environnementaliste sont finalement suggérées.According to several sustainable development theorists, the search for increased profitability has often enticed industrialists to « externalize » rather than reduce their polluting emissions. Numerous books and essays published between the middle of the nineteenth century and the birth of the modern environmental movement suggest to the contrary that the combined effects of the price system, the profit motive and property rights resulted in the development of valuable by-products out of polluting emissions, in the process reducing environmental harm from industrial activities. This essay provides a brief overview of the main European and North American compendiums on the topic in order to illustrate the universal character of this process. A few hypotheses as to the origins of now prevalent contrary beliefs are finally suggested.Según varios teóricos sostenibles del desarrollo, la búsqueda para lo beneficioso creciente ha tentado a menudo a industriales para hacer externo más bien que reduce sus emisiones de la contaminación. Los libros numerosos y los ensayos publicaron entre el centro del diecinueveavo siglo y el nacimiento del movimiento ambiental moderno sugiere por el contrario que los efectos combinados del sistema del precio, del motivo de beneficio y de las derechas de característica dieran lugar al desarrollo de subproductos valiosos fuera de emisiones de la contaminación, en el proceso que reduce daño ambiental de actividades industriales. Este ensayo proporciona una breve descripción de los compendios europeos y norteamericanos principales en el asunto para ilustrar el carácter universal de este proceso. Algunas hipótesis en cuanto a los orígenes de la creencia contraria ahora frecuente finalmente se sugieren

CAN MARKET ECONOMY BE ECOLOGY-FRIENDLY ? THE CASE OF WASTE RECYCLING IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

International audienceSustainable development theorists frequently stress various ways by which market economies could be reformed in order to preserve the natural environment. Regulatory interventionism or ethical activism are frequently stressed a normative way in order to fulfil such an institutional task. European industrial history, however, suggests that the creation of valuable by-products from polluting industrial waste and emissions was “business as usual”, resting on economic behaviors brought about a free market economy. This case suggests that market incentives might have been more compatible with "environmental responsibility" than is usually believed

Validation et consistance interne d’une batterie de tests pour l’évaluation multidimensionnelle de la lecture en français

Nous présentons les considérations théoriques qui guident l’élaboration de la batterie de tests destinée à l’évaluation de la lecture en français. Ensuite, nous étayons les cinq domaines ciblés par la Batterie d’épreuves multidimensionnelles pour l’évaluation de la lecture (BÉMÉL) : a) la sensibilité phonologique, b) les connaissances alphabétiques, c) l’identification des mots réels ou inventés, d) la sensibilité grammaticale, e) la compréhension des phrases et des textes. Nous rapportons les résultats d’une étude sur huit échelles de mesure représentant trois de ces domaines. Ces résultats attestent que la consistance interne des échelles est satisfaisante et que l’augmentation de la performance en fonction du niveau scolaire appuie la validité des concepts représentés par ces échelles. Nous concluons avec quelques observations sur le développement à venir.The authors present the theoretical underpinnings used in the development of a battery of tests to evaluate reading in French. The five areas targeted by the “Batterie d’épreuves multidimensionnelles pour l’évaluation de la lecture” (BÉMÉL) include: a) phonologic sensitivity, b) alphabet knowledge, c) identification of real and invented words, d) grammatical awareness, e) comprehension of sentences and text. Presented are the results of a study of eight measurement scales representing three of these areas. The results show that the internal reliability of these scales is satisfactory and that the improvement in performance at each school level supports the validity of the concepts represented by these scales. The authors conclude with several observations regarding future development.Presentamos las consideraciones teóricas que orientan la elaboración de la batería de tests que tiene por objetivo la evaluación de la lectura en francés. A continuación apuntalamos los cinco dominios enfocados para la Batería de pruebas multidimensionales para la evaluación de la lectura (BEMEL): a) la sensibilidad fonológica, b) los conocimientos alfabéticos, c) la identificación de las palabras reales o inventadas, d) la sensibilidad gramatical, e) la comprensión de las frases y de textos. Informamos de los resultados de un estudio basado en ocho escalas de medida que representan tres de estos dominios. Estos resultados confirman que la consistencia interna de las escalas es satisfactoria y que el incremento del rendimiento según el nivel escolar sostiene la validez de los conceptos representados por estas escalas. Concluimos con algunas observaciones sobre el desarrollo a futuro

La théorie sociale de la connaissance et la gestion du patrimoine documentaire à l’ère numérique

Les institutions de mémoire et de savoir (par exemple, les bibliothèques, les archives, les musées) font face à des défis importants dans leurs responsabilités d’assurer la pérennité du patrimoine documentaire à l’ère numérique. Citons la surabondance de l’information numérique, la possibilité de production, théoriquement illimitée, offerte aux individus comme aux groupes sociaux, les limites dans les capacités de stockage et de diffusion de l’information numérique qui sont à la disposition des institutions mandataires du patrimoine documentaire. De plus, il est apparu que les approches et les méthodes utilisées pour identifier, gérer, préserver et diffuser le patrimoine documentaire de la société canadienne dans un environnement analogique n’étaient transférables à un environnement numérique. Nous suggérons que la théorie sociale de la connaissance peut servir de base à une réflexion portant sur le développement d’une politique publique qui viserait à encadrer l’identification, la sélection, la gestion et la préservation du patrimoine documentaire d’une société à l'ère numérique. Nous définissons la problématique puis proposons des réponses à travers trois articles scientifiques. Les résultats indiquent que les connaissances et les pratiques professionnelles utilisées demeurent persistantes et limitent la formulation et l'application de nouveaux cadres théoriques, de politiques administratives et de techniques associés à l'identification et la sélection du patrimoine documentaire. Cette recherche propose un cadre conceptuel qui permet de développer des politiques publiques sur le patrimoine documentaire du Canada.Memory and knowledge institutions (for example, libraries, archives, museums) face significant challenges in their responsibilities to ensure the long-term preservation of documentary heritage in the digital age. The overabundance of digital information, the potential unrestricted ability to create and produce digital information by individuals and social groups; the lack of storage capacity and ability to disseminate digital information by documentary heritage institutions are only a few of these challenges. Moreover, the approaches and methods used in an analogue environment to identify, manage, preserve and disseminate Canadian documentary heritage have proven to be non-transferable to the digital environment. We suggest that social epistemology can support the development of public policy approach for documentary heritage institutions to identify Canada's documentary heritage in the digital age. We explored this issue and we tried to respond to it through three scientific articles. Our research indicates that existing professional practice and objective knowledge remains persistent and limits the formulation and application of new theoretical frameworks, administrative policies and instruments related to the identification and selection of documentary heritage. To remedy this situation, our research identifies a conceptual framework that can be used to develop public policies on Canada's documentary heritage

Human Creativity and the Case Against Regional Specialization: Theory, Case Studies and Policy Implications

Date of issue was Spring 2001.Regional specialization has long been thought to be both the logical outcome of market competition and the best geographical setting for innovation. Partly as a result of this belief, policies promoting regional specialization through “industrial clusters” have enjoyed worldwide popularity in the last decade. In recent years, however, a heated debate as to whether local diversity or specialization of economic activity is the best incubator of technological change and economic growth has been raging. Some authors argue that local diversity is more conducive to development through interindustry “dynamic knowledge externalities,” while others pretend to show that local specialization, by allowing a better allocation of resources and/or increased competition is more likely to do so. One of the reasons that this debate remains so controversial is that there is no clear understanding of the processes by which knowledge “spills over” from ia particular application domain to others. The purpose of this paper is therefore to point out some shortcomings of traditional approaches to the study “knowledge spillovers” and to suggest an alternative based on how knowledge is actually created and exchanged by individuals. Evidence is drawn from the history of technology, some Baltimore cases related to research activities conducted at the Johns Hopkins University and from a survey of Southern Quebec inventors. Much available evidence illustrates how by offering a greater number and variety of problems to be solved, as well as much wider pools of knowledge and other resources, a diversified city is more likely to foster innovation. While the processes by which individuals combine resources in a new way occur spontaneously on a large scale, some policy initiatives that might increase these knowledge flows are then discussed. Our main proposal is to create an association of retired individuals with a proven track record in terms of industrial innovation that would visit plants in industries they are not familiar with to see if they could suggest improved ways of doing things based on their past expertise.Citations of sources, conclusions, or opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the author and do not reflect the policies or views of staff or others affiliated with the Institute for Policy Studies or Johns Hopkins University

De l'influence d'une ville diversifiée sur la combinaison de techniques : typologie et analyse de processus

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Silent Spring at 50

This introduction from the book Silent Spring at 50 describes the various contributors’ insights into Rachel Carson’s landmark work. The authors come from a variety of disciplines, including conservation biology, English, law, and economics, and offer critical assessments of Silent Spring and its legacy. The first part has three chapters that put the book into the context of its time, examining it in light of Carson’s previous books on the sea (Wallace Kaufman); the larger tradition of authors warning against human hubris in environmental matters (Pierre Desrochers & Hiroko Shimizu); and the contest between “environmental religion” and “economic religion” that shaped American political discourse in the 20th century (Robert Nelson). The second part examines Silent Spring in the context of the science of its time examining: evidence on bird populations (Desrochers and Shimizu); cancer (Roger Meiners); ecological science (Nathan Gregory); and the political struggles between USDA and FDA (Roger Meiners and Andrew Morriss). The third part examines the legacy in the policy arena on federalism (Jonathan Adler); the precautionary principle (Larry Katzenstein); and risk (Gary Marchant)

ENTREPRENEURIAL DISCOVERY AS A BLIND SPOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS

Cette communication devrait prochainement donner lieu à publication d'un chapitre d'ouvrage.International audienceSustainable development theorists and environmental economists almost invariably promote greater fiscal, regulatory and ethical activism as desirable means to reconcile economic development and environmental protection. Closer examination of industrial behaviour during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, however, suggests that market economies might be more self-correcting in this respect than generally acknowledged. A case in point is the long-standing, spontaneous and widespread creation of valuable by-products out of once polluting waste and emissions. By documenting how market incentives and institutions played the key roles in this respect, this paper challenges the foundations of the now dominant environmental market failure paradigm