The adoption of servitization strategies by UK-based manufacturers

Almost all manufacturers offer services, but some use these as the basis for their competitive strategy. This is a growing area of interest among practitioners, policy makers, and academics, yet little is known about the adoption of servitization by UK manufacturers. In this paper a survey is presented that has been used to explore the extent, motivations, challenges, and successes of servitization within the business-to-business sector. The findings indicate, for example, that many manufacturers are succeeding with their service strategies, that they are attracted to these as a source of customer focus and revenue growth, and that such strategies require less organizational change than might be expected. Although the findings from the survey should be treated as preliminary, and further work is needed to confirm their reliability and insight, they indicate that servitization is proving to be a powerful competitive weapon for many companies

Multi-factor service design: identification and consideration of multiple factors of the service in its design process

Service design is a multidisciplinary area that helps innovate services by bringing new ideas to customers through a design-thinking approach. Services are affected by multiple factors, which should be considered in designing services. In this paper, we propose the multi-factor service design (MFSD) method, which helps consider the multi-factor nature of service in the service design process. The MFSD method has been developed through and used in five service design studies with industry and government. The method addresses the multi-factor nature of service for systematic service design by providing the following guidelines: (1) identify key factors that affect the customer value creation of the service in question (in short, value creation factors), (2) define the design space of the service based on the value creation factors, and (3) design services and represent them based on the factors. We provide real stories and examples from the five service design studies to illustrate the MFSD method and demonstrate its utility. This study will contribute to the design of modern complex services that are affected by varied factors

Causes and incidence of community-acquired serious infections among young children in south Asia (ANISA): an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: More than 500 000 neonatal deaths per year result from possible serious bacterial infections (pSBIs), but the causes are largely unknown. We investigated the incidence of community-acquired infections caused by specific organisms among neonates in south Asia. METHODS: From 2011 to 2014, we identified babies through population-based pregnancy surveillance at five sites in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Babies were visited at home by community health workers up to ten times from age 0 to 59 days. Illness meeting the WHO definition of pSBI and randomly selected healthy babies were referred to study physicians. The primary objective was to estimate proportions of specific infectious causes by blood culture and Custom TaqMan Array Cards molecular assay (Thermo Fisher, Bartlesville, OK, USA) of blood and respiratory samples. FINDINGS: 6022 pSBI episodes were identified among 63 114 babies (95·4 per 1000 livebirths). Causes were attributed in 28% of episodes (16% bacterial and 12% viral). Mean incidence of bacterial infections was 13·2 (95% credible interval [CrI] 11·2-15·6) per 1000 livebirths and of viral infections was 10·1 (9·4-11·6) per 1000 livebirths. The leading pathogen was respiratory syncytial virus (5·4, 95% CrI 4·8-6·3 episodes per 1000 livebirths), followed by Ureaplasma spp (2·4, 1·6-3·2 episodes per 1000 livebirths). Among babies who died, causes were attributed to 46% of pSBI episodes, among which 92% were bacterial. 85 (83%) of 102 blood culture isolates were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, gentamicin, or a combination of these drugs. INTERPRETATION: Non-attribution of a cause in a high proportion of patients suggests that a substantial proportion of pSBI episodes might not have been due to infection. The predominance of bacterial causes among babies who died, however, indicates that appropriate prevention measures and management could substantially affect neonatal mortality. Susceptibility of bacterial isolates to first-line antibiotics emphasises the need for prudent and limited use of newer-generation antibiotics. Furthermore, the predominance of atypical bacteria we found and high incidence of respiratory syncytial virus indicated that changes in management strategies for treatment and prevention are needed. Given the burden of disease, prevention of respiratory syncytial virus would have a notable effect on the overall health system and achievement of Sustainable Development Goal. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

[Study of Factors Influencing the Cadmium Adsorption in a Series of Belgian Soils]

The aim of this study is to compare the respective cadmium adsorption capacities in a series of 47 selected soil samples, representative of a large scale of belgian soils. For this purpose, adsorption isotherms have been carried out by equilibrating soils with solutions of CaCl2 0.0033 M, at different concentrations of Cd (ranging from 0.01 to 20 mg/l each one being spiked with the radio isotope Cd-109. Data closely obey the Freundlich equation and indicate two distinct adsorption mechanisms as to whether the inputs of Cd are in trace amounts or at high rates. It must be noted that the adsorption capacity of cadmium may vary considerably depending on the origin and the physico-chemical characteristics of the soils samples. Statistical analysis points out that the adsorbed amounts of Cd measured at equilibrium concentrations of 0.01 mg/l (Q10ppb) and 1 mg/l (KF) of the metal in the soil solution, are mainly determined from the soil pH. This parameter explains by itself 80 % (KF) to 85 % (Q10ppb) of the variation in adsorption, when the latter is expressed in a logarithmic form. Part of the residual variation is explained by the organic matter content and, to a lesser extent, by the content in clay or free iron oxides. A simple empirical relationship taking into account pH and cation exchange capacity (CEC) is proposed for estimating the relative Cd retention capacities of soils. Analysis of this relationship obviously gives evidence that acid soils, at pH less than 5.5 retain relatively not much metal. Above this level, the adsorption capacity increases exponentially with pH. This increase is taking place all the more rapidly as the soil contains more clay, iron oxide and especially organic matter which precisely are parameters reflecting as a whole in the exchange capacity of soils

Gestion durable des terrains affectés par les anciennes activités industrielles en Wallonie : les enjeux et les défis posés par l'évaluation des risques dans le cadre des nouveaux développements réglementaires sur la pollution locale des sols

Sustainable management of sites affected by past industrial activities in Wallonia: the stakes and the challenges of risk assessment within the framework of the new policy developments on (local) soil pollutions. Risk-based land management is a concept that stands out more and more frequently in soil policies adopted by different European countries, as well as within the framework of the future European directive on soil protection. This concept intends to act as a lever for sustainable solution development in terms of rehabilitation by ensuring the following principles: (1) reduction of risks (human health, ecosystems) allowing sites to be reused safely (concept of fitness for use); (2) prevention of any pollutant dispersion risk (concept of environmental protection); (3) long-term care while minimising the burden of controlling, maintenance and monitoring. These ideas have been taken as backdrop for the Walloon decree on soil remediation and rehabilitation of disused economic activity sites. Risk control has been taken as a key point for any decision related to historically polluted sites. However, to be effective, this option stands out that reliable and efficient methodological tools are available for land evaluation (risk assessment). Three decision-making tools, specifically developed for the intended applications in the Walloon Region, are presented in the paper: (1) a global risk evaluation method allowing ranking of polluted sites; (2) a method to decide, at the end of the first step of the investigation procedure (preliminary soil investigation), whether further investigations are required or not; (3) a methodological procedure to proceed to a detailed risk assessment at the end of the in-depth investigation step. Perspectives are proposed to improve these first tools. It has also been shown that the challenge of sustainable solutions for the management of polluted sites finally depends on answers that will be progressively developed by the scientific community. These have to take into account all aspects of the Walloon context

Evolution de la stabilité structurale du sol sous l'influence des racines de trèfle (Trifolium pratense L.) et de ray-grass (Lolium multiflorum Lmk.). Observations pendant et après culture

International audienc

Adsorption du cadmium dans les sols calcaires du Sud-Est de l'Espagne

Top-soil horizons of a series of 12 calcareous soils in South-Eastern Spain (table I) have been compared for their cadmium adsorption capacity. Data closely obey the Freundlich equation and indicate 2 distinct mechanisms of adsorption (fig 1, table II) according to whether the cadmium in the bulk solution is present in tracer or in higher amounts. In addition, some precipitation with a concomitant decrease in pH could also occur at initial concentrations of Cd higher than 5 mg/l (fig 2). Statistical analysis (tables III and IV) points out that the adsorbed amounts of Cd may be estimated from the CEC (AcNH4) values and the active calcium carbonate content. The agreement between the predictive values and the experimental ones is shown to be fairly good (fig 3). The higher adsorption of Cd in comparison with the noncalcareous soils is due to the reactivity of calcite surfaces (chemisorption and nucleation-precipitation, respectively at low and high rates of Cd) and also to the commonly high pH of the soils studied (7.6 < pH < 8.6). Comparison of the adsorption isotherms measured in chloride (CaCl2 0,01 mol.l-1) and perchlorate (Ca(ClO4)2 0,01 mol.l-1) media (fig 4) points out that adsorption of Cd is mainly determined by the activity of free Cd2+ in the soil solution

Calcium-zinc and Calcium-cadmium Exchange in Suspensions of Various Types of Clays

Calcium-cadmium and calcium-zinc exchange equilibria were studied at 20-degrees-C and constant ionic strength (0.015) on four clay minerals, viz. montmorillonite, bentonite, illite and vermiculite. Vermiculite and, to a lesser extent, illite and bentonite showed the strongest affinity for Cd2+ or Zn2+ over Ca2+ ions, whereas on the Camp Berteau montmorillonite nearly non-preferential exchange isotherms were observed. With this one exception, selectivity for the heavy metals was greatly enhanced in the trace Cd or Zn regions, suggesting the presence of specific adsorption sites in these clays. Generally, the adsorption increased with the polarizing power of the exchangeable cation. Thermodynamic equilibrium constants and standard free energy changes for the complete exchange of Ca-clay to Cd- or Zn-clay were calculated