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Project Systems Scheduling
Published in Adedeji B. Badiru, Project Management, 2019
where fj is the resource utilization factor for resource type j. This measures the ratio of the total work content to the total work initially available. Another comprehensive measure of the complexity of a project network is based on the resource intensity (λ) of the network: λ=pd[(1−1L)∑i=1Lti+∑j=1R(∑i=1LtixijZj)]
Technology and governance
Published in Dain Bolwell, Governing Technology in the Quest for Sustainability on Earth, 2019
The importance of the knowledge economy for sustainability is that it suggests that economic growth can be dematerialised, or ‘de-coupled’ from resource use, especially through digital technologies and the dissemination of ideas and innovation. There are two main issues with this proposition, however. First, it presumes the existence of a technologically advanced economy in which material needs are already largely satisfied, and also it supposes a digital infrastructure to operate. The knowledge economy cannot fulfil the unmet material demand that exists in much of the world; data is inedible, nor does it supply energy. Yet it can do more than just satisfy the ephemeral demands that emerge once basic needs are met. It can enhance and spread new knowledge. It can apply new knowledge to the global economy as much as to local ones. It can minimise human impact and help maximise resource intensity.
Sustainability Analytics and Social Responsibility
Published in Ram Ramanan, Introduction to Sustainability Analytics, 2018
Strategies for MNCs to make a fortune serving the BOP include a radically different price performance and a call for innovation across the board, new product development, manufacturing, and distribution given the need for a new price structure based on lower purchasing power. Quality has to be viewed in the profoundly different context of robust products for harsh conditions and drastically lower prices. Lower price and lower quality with a price-quality trade-off is an option, but ethical behavior calls for transparency. Some products may not need to last as long. Profitability has to be revisited from the perspective of low margins, very high volume and high investment intensity. Finally, consistent with the other changes occurring globally, sustainability must be considered—a reduction in resource intensity and use of recyclability and renewable energy.
Water consumption and economic growth: evidence for the environmental Kuznets curve
Published in Water International, 2022
Masoud Hosseinzadeh, Sayed H. Saghaian, Zahra Nematollahi, Naser Shahnoushi Foroushani
The inverted ‘U’ relationship between income and water is typically explained in terms of the interaction effects of scale, composition and technique. The scale effect (S) states that as the scale of the economy increases, so does water consumption. The composition effect (C), however, refers to the fact that as economies develop, there is generally a change in emphasis from agriculture and heavy industry to light manufacturing and services. Since the latter is typically less resource intensive than the former, the composition effect of growth leads to a reduction in water consumption. Finally, as incomes rise, most likely demand for environmental regulations increase. The effect of these regulations leads to a reduction in resource intensity of the production techniques (Cole, 2004).
Performance analysis and design of competitive business models
Published in International Journal of Production Research, 2018
Every business, small or multinational, either explicitly or implicitly employs a business model that describes the value proposition, product manufacture and delivery to the customers, enticing the customers to pay for value, and finally converting those payments to profits. Traditional industries were characterised by a single dominant business model: possess tangible assets of manufacturing and distribution and win through product innovation, brand, lean, efficient processes and better execution. Labour protections such as the minimum wage, worker safety, family and medical leave, overtime, social security, workers’ compensation, unemployment benefits and employer-provided health insurance are part of the business model cost structure. Also, traditionally established firms favoured a ‘closed’ innovation model, where all innovations are under the firm’s control and relied on their own Research and Development (R&D) departments. Furthermore, companies spurred demand for human and natural resources through imports. The business models change with time as new technologies emerge and new generations have changed aspirations. Companies want to reduce resource intensity and increase the asset utilisation with better energy intensity automation and shared services. Companies raising from E-commerce and shared economy innovations such as Amazon, Flipkart, Alibaba, Uber and Airbnb are flourishing. They use ordinary resources to win. Open innovation is now the preferred doctrine.