Environmental Management Systems as soruces of competitive advantage

An increasing number of firms are adopting environmental management systems as a way of dealing with challenges from the natural environment. Many of these firms also decide to have their environmental management systems certified according to one or both of the available international standards, ISO 14001 and EMAS (The European Union’s Eco Management and Audit Scheme). Both the environmental management system and the certification process involve significant investment of financial resources and management effort, which raises the question of what benefits firms might derive from these activities. Three levels of strategic advantage are identified in this paper. The first level of advantage is transient on nature, being based on competitive preemption and development of first mover advantage. The second level involves development of valuable competencies and more durable resources inside the firm, while the third level advantage depends on the extent to which such resources can be extended and conserved when emphasis shifts from an internal pollution prevention focus towards life cycle oriented environmental management.Natural environment, strategy, resource-based view

Environmental and Social Disclosure and Data-Richness in the Mining Industry

Self-regulation by firms and industries in relation to the environmental impact they cause is not a full substitute for more traditional regulation of environ-mental externalities. However, some self-regulatory efforts do involve very spe-cific actions that serve to reduce externalities for a specific industry and certainly achieve more than the presentation of a responsible image to the world. An example of such efforts that go beyond common claims about “sus-tainable activities”, are seen in the increasing numbers of mining firms that generate and issue environmental reports. While there is as yet no indisputable proof that reporting has a direct effect on environmental performance, this pa-per shows that within a single industry there are wide variations in reporting practices and that sincerity is apparent in the process.

At the Crossroads: Mining Policy in Greenland

Despite formidable physical barriers, mining has taken place in Greenland for more than 100 years. Initially it was by royal concession but without a formal regulatory framework; later there were a few guiding principles laid down by law and elaborated administratively to suit the occasion. One previous attempt had been made to devise a policy that would attract investment, but the resulting mining legislation did not seem to have served this purpose. A policy review initiated in 1989 as a result of a growing need for alternatives to the ailing Greenlandic fishing industry recently resulted in the enactment of new mining and tax legislation. The new Mining Act is the first step on the road towards development of Greenland's resources. The real test, however, will come when one or more projects enter the development phase. Then the management of impact of these projects and the revenues they generate will be central to a successful mining policy.Key words: Greenland, mining policy, economic development;resource extractionRÉSUMÉ. Malgré d’énormes obstacles physiques, les ressources minérales du Groenland ont été exploitées depuis plus de 100 ans. L’exploitation s’est faite tout d’abord par concession royale, mais en l’absence d’un cadre législatif et réglementaire; il y a eu ensuite quelques principes directeursétablis par la loi et précisés par l’administration en fonction des cas. Il y avait eu précédemment une tentative pour créer une politique qui attirerait les investisseurs, mais la législation minière qui en résulta ne semblait pas servir cette fin. Une révision des politiques lancée en 1989 et résultant du besoin croissant de trouver une alternative à l’industrie de la pêche groenlandaise qui est mal en point, aboutit à la promulgation de nouvelles lois sur les mines et de nouvelles lois fiscales. La nouvelle loi sur les mines représente le premier pas vers la mise en valeur des ressources du Groenland. Le vrai test viendra cependant lorsqu’un ou plusieurs projets entreront dans la phase dedéveloppement. La gestion de l’impact de ces projets et des revenus qu’ils généreront sera alors essentielle au succès del a politique minière.Mots clés: Groenland, politique d’exploitation minière, développement, exploitation des ressource

Hvor stabile er danske arbejdspladser?

Denne artikel belyser levedygtigheden for arbejdssteder (virksomheder) og mobiliteten af medarbejdere i fire typer af serviceerhverv: hospitaler, banker, vognmænd og restauranter. Hvis man tager udgangspunkt i debatten i begyndelsen af 1990'erne, skulle man tro, at arbejdsstederne gennem 1980'erne var blevet markant mere sårbare, og at medarbejdere sad en hel del løsere i sadlen. Data fra 1980 til 1994 kan dog ikke bekræfte dette

Mineral development and mining policy in Greenland

The present document analyzes the economy of Greenland, a Danish self-governing territory and highlights the narrow resource base of the Greenlandic economy. To provide the founda tion for an analysis of the mineral policies that have been followed in the past, and for the pro posed reform of these policies, three areas of relevance are identified, economic impact and longterm sustainability, taxation and economic regulation, and technical regulation. In each of these areas, the literature is analyzed, and a range of practical solutions are surveyed. A detailed analysis of past and present mineral policy in Greenland is conducted, which concludes that investment is insufficient, and that the structure of the policy is unsuitable in a number of areas. Based on these conclusions, and on the analysis carried out in the three areas identified, a completely new policy is proposed. This proposal includes both a detailed part dealing with the direct management issues relevant to the drafting of a new mining law, and a more general discussion of the wider management issues, including management of mineral rent under the special revenue sharing principle between Greenland and Denmark, as well as em ployment and town-site development.Applied Science, Faculty ofMining Engineering, Keevil Institute ofGraduat