This book is purposefully styled as an introductory textbook on circular economy (CE) for the benefit of educators and students of universities. It provides comprehensive knowledge exemplified by practices from policy, education, R&D, innovation, design, production, waste management, business and financing around the world. The book covers sectors such as agriculture/food, packaging materials, build environment, textile, energy, and mobility to inspire the growth of circular business transformation. It aims to stimulate action among different stakeholders to drive CE transformation. It elaborates critical driving forces of CE including digital technologies; restorative innovations; business opportunities & sustainable business model; financing instruments, regulation & assessment and experiential education programs. It connects a CE transformation for reaching the SDGs2030 and highlights youth leadership and entrepreneurship at all levels in driving the sustainability transformation.

This book focuses on software sustainability, regarded in terms of how software is or can be developed while taking into consideration environmental, social, and economic dimensions. The sixteen chapters cover various related issues ranging from technical aspects like energy-efficient programming techniques, formal proposals related to energy efficiency measurement, patterns to build energy-efficient software, the role of developers on energy efficient software systems and tools for detecting and refactoring code smells/energy bugs; to human aspects like its impact on software sustainability or the adaptation of ACM/IEEE guidelines for student and professional education and; and an economics-driven architectural evaluation for sustainability. Also aspects as the elements of governance and management that organizations should consider when implementing, assessing and improving Green IT or the relationship between software sustainability and the Corporate Social Responsibility of software companies are included. The chapters are complemented by usage scenarios and experience reports on several domains as cloud applications, agile development or e-Health, among others. As a whole, the chapters provide a complete overview of the various issues related to sustainable software development. The target readership for this book includes CxOs, (e.g. Chief Information Officers, Chief Executive Officers, Chief Technology Officers, etc.) software developers, software managers, auditors, business owners, and quality professionals. It is also intended for students of software engineering and information systems, and software researchers who want to know the state of the art regarding software sustainability.

This book explores the dynamic landscape of fashion in China since the beginning of the 21st century through an integrated perspective. The book considers key questions related to the changes in China's fashion dynamics driven largely by the shifts in the mindset of Chinese consumers due to the current sociocultural contexts. To provide an understanding of these important shifts, this three-part monograph pays close attention to the new generation of Chinese fashion designers and consumers. The book explores in detail related topics such as, how today's Chinese consumers relate to foreign brands, the meaning of apparel brands as identity symbols or cultural signs to contemporary young consumers, the attractiveness of Western fashion designers and brands in the eyes of current Chinese consumers as compared to past consumers, and how brands could adapt to the online-centered consumption behavior. The book serves as an insightful update on the Chinese fashion landscape for researchers, practitioners and passionate followers of its evolution.

All organisations have a responsibility to ensure they have a minimum negative impact on the environment and act as a haven for human development that contributes to positive outcomes for society. But small businesses have limited resources with which to pursue sustainability initiatives and must focus on their core objectives in order to survive. Through an in-depth exploration of quality management theory, this book proposes a "Sustainability Management Framework" as a structure for a balanced approach to developing operations strategy for corporate social responsibility (CSR). Management Systems and Performance Frameworks for Sustainability explores the frameworks, accreditations and awards that small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can utilise to enhance their performance. In the first half of the book, the author demonstrates how complementary techniques such as the Sustainability Performance Framework can help organisational leaders to develop, implement and optimise business strategy into discrete activities of value setting, management system and performance model selection, and target setting and evaluation, to the tactical deployment of sustainability and CSR. Meanwhile, the second half of the book focuses on real SME case studies to illustrate the use of the Sustainability Strategic Growth Model, Sustainability Management Framework and Sustainability Performance Framework to align strategy and policies with compliance obligations, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals. This key book is vital reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of quality management, entrepreneurship and sustainability in business, executives of SMEs and sustainability policymakers.

This volume examines the importance of leadership in developing an effective sustainability strategy. It defines the sustainability mindset and surveys the primary motivations, conditions, or environment(s) that cause leaders to embrace sustainable practices. As described in the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8, embracing the sustainability mindset will lead to greater productivity and promote economic growth. Organized into themes of organizational operations, leadership competencies, and leadership practices, the chapters, written by contributors representing global perspectives, tackle topics such as strategy, culture, and leadership styles in developing a new form of mindfulness for leaders as well as organizations. Recognizing the need for accelerated change in organizations as well as society at large, this book presents scholars with a framework for establishing a mindset for sustainability to foster much-needed transformative leadership.

This book highlights cutting-edge ecodesign research, covering product and service design, smart manufacturing, and social perspectives in ecodesign. Featuring selected papers presented at EcoDesign 2019: 11th International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and Inverse Manufacturing, it also includes diverse, interdisciplinary approaches to foster ecodesign research and activities. In the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it addresses the need for the manufacturing industry to design innovations for sustainable value creation, taking into account technological developments, legislation, and consumer lifestyles. Further, the book discusses the concept of circular economy, which originated in Europe and aims to increase resource efficiency by shifting away from the linear economy. Focusing on product life cycle design and management, smart manufacturing, circular economy, and business strategies, and providing useful approaches and solutions to these emerging concepts, this book is intended for both researchers and practitioners working in the broad field of ecodesign and sustainability.

Climate change is the most important issue now facing humanity. As global temperatures increase, floods, fires and storms are becoming both more intense and frequent. People are suffering. And yet, emissions continue to rise. This book unpacks the activities of the key actors which have organised past and present climate responses - specifically, corporations, governments, and civil society organisations. Analysing three elements of climate change - mitigation, adaptation and suffering - the authors show how exponential growth of the capitalist system has allowed the fossil fuel industry to maintain its dominance. However, this hegemonic position is now coming under threat as new and innovative social movements have emerged, including the fossil fuel divestment movement, Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion and others. In exposing the inadequacies of current climate policies and pointing to the possibilities of new social and economic systems, this book highlights how the worst impacts of climate change can be avoided.

Climate change is the most important issue now facing humanity. As global temperatures increase, floods, fires and storms are becoming both more intense and frequent. People are suffering. And yet, emissions continue to rise. This book unpacks the activities of the key actors which have organised past and present climate responses - specifically, corporations, governments, and civil society organisations. Analysing three elements of climate change - mitigation, adaptation and suffering - the authors show how exponential growth of the capitalist system has allowed the fossil fuel industry to maintain its dominance. However, this hegemonic position is now coming under threat as new and innovative social movements have emerged, including the fossil fuel divestment movement, Fridays for Future, Extinction Rebellion and others. In exposing the inadequacies of current climate policies and pointing to the possibilities of new social and economic systems, this book highlights how the worst impacts of climate change can be avoided.

Praise for Beyond Dealmaking

"Every potential rainmaker and savvy competitor needs Melanie Billings-Yun's GRASP method for negotiation. You'll never have to search for leads again. I highly recommend this book."
--Jeffrey J. Fox, author, How to Be a Rainmaker, Rain, and How to Be a Fierce Competitor

"Stepping back from the details of the deal, Beyond Dealmaking focuses on the bigger picture--engaging people to work together in an authentic way to resolve issues. Dr. Billings-Yun's accessible approach offers negotiators more than merely how to 'get to yes' but, more importantly, how to stay there."
--Carol Frohlinger, coauthor, Her Place at the Table: A Woman's Guide to Negotiating Five Key Challenges to Leadership Success, and co-founder of Negotiating Women, Inc.

"The concepts advocated in Beyond Dealmaking are spot on, particularly for global negotiations and joint ventures such as ones I routinely dealt with in mergers and acquisitions. Attention to productive relationships is one element that consistently crosses cultures and geographies. Dr. Billings-Yun captures the essence of a complicated topic concisely, with concrete examples that bring it to life and a conversational tone that makes it a leisurely read."
--Jacqui Winship, director, Corporate Strategy and Business Development, Whirlpool Corporation

"Melanie Billings-Yun has produced an innovative, refreshing approach to negotiation based on her years of practical experience around the world. She treats negotiation as an on-going process that forms the core of a successful relationship, not as merely a free-standing transaction. Beyond Dealmaking takes us beyond 'yes' to build the sort of trust that ensures success."
--Stephen Bosworth, dean, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University

"Finally, a clear-eyed how-to book that understands that negotiation is not just about terms, but about people. Beyond Dealmaking shows us how to make lasting agreements based on understanding, fairness, and respect. Filled with fascinating stories of negotiations of every type, this is a book that everyone can learn from to improve their work and their lives--and maybe even ease the burden on our overloaded courts."
--Betty Roberts, arbitrator, mediator, and former Oregon Supreme Court Justice

"I am delighted to see a considered and sustainable approach to negotiation that understands that actions, words, and fairness have an impact that continues far beyond the signing of a deal."
--Edward C. Prescott, Ph.D., professor, and winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics

Building better organisations, with a clear sense of purpose, is a common challenge faced by many entrepreneurs and executives in industry. A fully integrated corporate sustainability strategy can help organisations to better manage risks, to win business opportunities and to ultimately strengthen reputation. Building on the experience of renowned strategists, sustainability, finance and academic experts, this book offers practical tools and approaches that can be used to develop and implement fully integrated corporate sustainability strategies.

This book brings together key aspects of contemporary organisations with regard to the socio-economic foundations of sustainable business. We are now in the middle of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; an unprecedented development in technology and society, driven by social, political and economic demands. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is affecting business, but also has social consequences, as can be seen in the present and evolving patterns of economic activity. In turn, these consequences influence and create crucial and central issues regarding value, sustainability, security and assurance - aspects required and demanded by all areas of society. Based on work assessing the US and UK business sectors, including research conducted at the UCL in conjunction with such diverse organisations as the Bank of England, Google, Facebook and the Antwerp Diamond Exchange, this book addresses the key issues and challenges involved in integrating real and virtual environments. In addition, it uses case studies to illustrate the academic theory, blending industry and scholarly literature. Written by an expert in his field, this book delivers a realistic, practical and academically sound foundation for business, management and organisation studies, while also providing an interdisciplinary view on a transforming society, incorporating technology, IT, economics and sociology.

Successful negotiation requires understanding your counterpart's culture, their feelings, habits and values. When planning to do business with suppliers and other partners in Asia, thorough preparation is essential in order to avoid misunderstandings, confrontations and disappointments, and to ensure the mutually desired success. This book offers a comprehensive guide to communication, argumentation, and negotiation by demonstrating success pathways with a focus on specific types of negotiator or negotiation partner from the different regions of the Asian continent. Readers will learn to negotiate the Chinese, the Indian and the Japanese way, and come to understand how Asians approach negotiations. Written by a truly international author, both academic and practitioner, with extensive experience in both Eastern and Western cultures, this book offers a valuable resource for anyone who relies on successfully negotiating with Asian partners.

The business case for sustainability and the global imperative to act are now clear, but organizations still struggle with procurement and supply chains as some of the most difficult factors to improve. Sustainable Procurement explains how procurement professionals can expand on existing tools and approaches to make sustainability a reality. It begins by exploring the current landscape and the need for new approaches before moving onto a step-by-step process for sustainable procurement and supply chain CSR, from reviewing goods and services bought to supply chain mapping and implementing new supplier requirements. Guidance is offered on factors such as specification, use of labour and processes, and how to drive improvements further up the supply chain where there is no direct contractual relationship. Written by leading procurement expert and best-selling author, Jonathan O'Brien, this practical guide outlines how to carry out a sustainability audit to define objectives and develop a new strategy. It also explains how to monitor results, the governance required to ensure success and how to be ready for changes in the future. Drive positive change with this roadmap to sustainable procurement and responsible supply chains.

This book highlights cutting-edge ecodesign research, covering product and service design, smart manufacturing, and social perspectives in ecodesign. Featuring selected papers presented at EcoDesign 2019: 11th International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and Inverse Manufacturing, it also includes diverse, interdisciplinary approaches to foster ecodesign research and activities. In the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it addresses the need for the manufacturing industry to design innovations for sustainable value creation, taking into account technological developments, legislation, and consumer lifestyles. Further, the book discusses the concept of circular economy, which originated in Europe and aims to increase resource efficiency by shifting away from the linear economy. Focusing on product life cycle design and management, smart manufacturing, circular economy, and business strategies, and providing useful approaches and solutions to these emerging concepts, this book is intended for both researchers and practitioners working in the broad field of ecodesign and sustainability.

Today, early-stage investors and entrepreneurs find themselves in a dilemma in which they must choose between profit and impact; between traditional, for-profit-only models on the one hand, and multiple-bottom-line structures with a positive social or environmental impact on the other. At a time in which climate change, exponentially growing technologies, social polarization, and looming pandemics are calling into question humanity's priorities, this Report to the Club of Rome and the World Academy of Art and Science dissolves this dilemma by proposing a new investment paradigm, namely Integral Investing.Integral Investing incorporates and transcends the best practices of both traditional venture capital and impact investing. It provides a seamless integration and shows how technological progress need not be our rival, but can instead be our ally in ensuring the prosperous society we all want. Drawing on her own investments and stellar track record since 1995, the author reveals the mechanism of Integral Investing. At the heart of it is a powerful, 360-degree de-risking tool called the Theta Model, which reveals how to make smart investment decisions based on the comprehensive integration of traditional due-diligence criteria, sustainability metrics, and assessments of the founders' and team culture. But it doesn't stop there. In turn, this handbook demonstrates how to use human-centered AI to scale and digitalize the investment process. The goal here is to accelerate the use of exponential tech, capital, and consciousness leadership to transition to a sustainable global society: a process the author refers to as the Investment Turnaround. The 21 principles of Integral Investing, which she defines using Ken Wilber's Integral Theory, lead to her manifesto on how to implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals within Planetary Boundaries by 2050 through early-stage investing and entrepreneurship. Similar to the 15th century, when the Medicis inspired the Renaissance, today humanity is once again at a crucial turning point where pioneering public and private financiers, investors, entrepreneurs, and other committed individuals have the opportunity to leave behind the legacy of a prosperous society. This handbook provides a source of inspiration, and shows how self-actualization, a positive mindset, and a consciousness that is backed by a world-centric desire can become the driving force for solving the global grand challenges.

This book aims, through its chapters, at providing the knowledge to make competent decisions, convince peers or top management to take appropriate action, or beat out the competition for climate adaptation measures including adjustments for design and operations. Topics discussed include business-as-usual vs. divergence; the effects of public pressure on corporate, industrial and government decision making; techniques for gathering the proper information to assess risks and hazards; the importance determining risk tolerance thresholds; the difference between tolerable risks, intolerable ones that benefit from mitigation and those that require strategic shifts; why common practice approaches such as FMEA, and risk matrices are inadequate in today's world and do not help ensure infrastructural and systemic resilience and sustainability. Case histories and three complete case studies that can be adapted to any industry or project walk the reader step by step from client request to recommendations and conditions of validity. The ultimate aim is to understand how to reduce risks to tolerable and societally acceptable levels while simultaneously creating sustainable and ethical systems.

This open access book focuses on the issue of sustainability standards from the perspective of both global governance frameworks and emerging economies. It stems from the recognition that the accelerated pace of economic globalization has generated production and consumption patterns that are generating sustainability concerns. Sustainability standards (and regulations) are increasingly being used in a bid to make global consumption and production more sustainable. Given the dense inter-connectedness of economic affairs globally, the use of sustainability standards has become a concern of global governance, who face the challenge of achieving a balance between the use of standards for genuine sustainability objectives, and not allowing them to turn into instruments of protectionism or coercion.The emerging economies, given their increasing engagement with the global economy, are most impacted by the use of sustainability standards. The emphasis of 'emerging economies' in this book is retained both by using case studies from these economies and by collating perceptions and assessments of those located in these economies. The case studies included span sectors such as palm oil, forestry, food quality, vehicular emissions and water standards, and address the problems unique to the emerging economies, including capacity building for compliance with standards, adapting international standards in domestic contexts and addressing the exclusion of small and medium enterprises etc. Complex interfaces and dynamics of a global nature are not limited to the thematic of this book but also extend to the process through which it was written. This book brings together insights from developed as well as emerging economies (Germany, India, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mexico and China). It also brings together scholars and practitioners to jointly ponder upon the conceptual aspects of the global frameworks for sustainability standards. This book is a very useful resource for researchers and practitioners alike, and provides valuable insights for policy makers as well.

This book studies Australia, a country characterized by the highest concentration of domestic photovoltaic systems. In addition, the high level of solar energy that Australia receives makes these systems a significant part of its energy mix. International electricity system managers take note; your systems are heading this way. The energy transition is an emerging field, and few texts have been published that can help energy planners as this book does. The research presented is sociotechnical in nature, and reveals that the main challenge in the energy transition is its emerging social role. Very few works combine the social and technical fields of energy. Given its scope, the book will appeal to readers interested in policy, regulation, and energy systems, including government employees involved in energy system management all around the world.

As CEOs and business leaders navigate a world of complex global challenges, sustainability is no longer optional but a business imperative. In this book, two sustainability leaders with decades of experience - Henrik Henriksson, CEO of Scania and Elaine Weidman Grunewald, Co-founder of the AI Sustainability Center, and former Chief Sustainability & Public Affairs Officer at Ericsson - offer a simple but powerful three-step model for leading an organization on a sustainability transformation journey that aims at big, audacious, world-changing goals. Honest about the dilemmas but bullish on the opportunities, the authors advise leaders on how to accelerate sustainability in their organizations told through a Swedish lens, where the country's values and culture permeate the boardroom and the C-suite, bringing a unique clarity and conviction to leading with integrity. In practical insights gleaned from the authors' own experience, the book takes leaders through the three phases of sustainability leadership: from establishing a solid foundation rooted in purpose, culture, values, principles and consistent, credible leadership, to integrating sustainability into the core business, and then to executing a vision that not only shifts the direction of the company but can change an entire industry, and even the world. Throughout the book, more than 25 interviews with other leading CEOs of Swedish companies as well as successful start-ups, investors, economists, and other experts illuminate the path to sustainability leadership from different perspectives. These are complemented by case studies describing how companies got it right - or turned themselves around after getting it very, very wrong. With this hands-on insiders' guide, CEOs and C-suite leaders can take sustainability to the next level. This is the encouragement and inspiration business leaders need to move past incremental improvement at a time when exponential, world-changing action is more urgent than ever.

This book focuses on CSR in the public sector, in all its manifestations around the world, in order to consider its application in practice and its connections to sustainable objectives. This book is unique in that all chapters were written by members of the Social Responsibility Research Network. Their ideas have been tested and refined through the feedback given after they were presented at the 16th International Conference. The approach used in this book is based on the tradition of the Social Responsibility Research Network - a worldwide body of scholars that, over its 20-year history, has sought to broaden the discourse and to treat all research as inter-related and business-relevant. The book examines diverse aspects of how CSR and sustainability apply to, and are applied by, a variety of public bodies in a variety of ways. Thus, the authors focus on the priorities of these organisations, in order to consider the extent to which the focus has changed so much that we need to think about new approaches to our understanding of CSR and sustainability and differing effects in practice. The international mix of authors makes this an original contribution, sharing some of the best ideas from around the world

This book aims to investigate a long-term strategy for sustainable urban logistics. The literature evidence exhibits that considerable research on urban logistics lacks long-term planning and rarely considers the urban spatial development and integration of urban distribution innovations. Currently, 11 distribution innovations can be used for future sustainable urban freight transport. According to a systematic discussion, this book formulates the conceptual model of Sustainable Inner-urban Intermodal Transportation (SIUIT) for future urban logistics. Moreover, a comprehensive analysis illustrates that future integrations of distribution innovations comprise operational and technological integration. To this end, the morphological analysis method is employed to discuss their feasible solutions based on the SIUIT model. After that, combined with the trend exploration of urban spatial development on large- and megacities, this book constructs the 2.x Modula & Sustainable Urban Freight Network to improve the flexibility of the future sustainable logistics transformation. About the AuthorDr. rer. pol. Zhangyuan He graduated from the University of Bremen. He currently undertakes postdoctoral research at the School of Urban Planning and Design, Peking University.

This book is a pioneering work to position the creative city concept within Malaysian urban development discourse. The chapters are written and systematically sequenced to be all-encompassing and comprehensible to audiences both from the academic and non-academic realms. The nascency of creative city development in Malaysia has motivated the timely exploration of the viability of this strategy for selected Malaysian cities (i.e. Kuala Lumpur, George Town, Ipoh, Johor Bahru). The book also discusses the global discourse on creative city and its critiques. This is followed by an overview of Malaysia's macrolevel socio-economic and political structures as well as national policies to frame the Malaysian creative city narrative. The case study chapters are novel, as each Malaysian city unravels its unique experiences and dissects the way the city responds to the creative city agenda amidst local nuances and idiosyncrasies.

This open access book summarizes research being pursued within the FENIX project, funded by the EU community under the H2020 programme, the goal of which is to design a new product service paradigm able to promote innovative business models, to open added value to the vessels and to create new market segments. It experiments and validates its approach on three new concepts of added-value specialized vessels able to run requested services for several maritime sectors in the most effective, efficient, economic valuable and eco-friendly way. The three vessels share the same lean design methodology, IoT tools and HPC simulation strategy: a lean fact-based design model approach, which combines real operative data at sea with lean methodology, to support the development and implementation of the vessel concepts; IT customized tools to enable the acquisition, processing and usage of on board and local weather data, through an IoT platform, to provide business services to different stakeholders; HPC simulation, providing a virtual towing tank environment, for early vessel design improvement and testing. The book demonstrates that an integrated LCC analysis and LCC strategy to guarantee sustainability to vessels concepts and the proper environmental attention inside the maritime industry.

Sustainability is not unique to health, yet sustainability is a unique vehicle for promoting healthy values. This book challenges healthcare leaders to think through the implications of our decisions from fiscal, societal and environmental perspectives. It links health values with sustainability drivers in order to enlighten leadership about the value of sustainability as we move toward a new paradigm of health. Fully updated for the second edition, the book now includes case studies about: Waste disposal and cost Chemicals of concern Cost of water Green building ratings This book is a unique resource for researchers, students and professionals working in health and healthcare management because the book connects key concepts of environmental sustainability with healthcare operations. Readers will gain an appreciation for translating leadership priorities into sustainability tactics with beneficial operational outcomes.

After years of discord, peace in the Middle East now seems close at hand. But the hope of a settlement stands on much shakier ground than the participants suspect, says scientist Daniel Hillel. What they don't see, and what most observers overlook, is that the severely wounded environment of the region threatens to undercut any long-lasting accord. The widespread destruction of vegetation and natural habitats, the erosion of uplands, the desertification of semiarid areas, waterlogging and salinization of valleys, and, most of all, the depletion and pollution of precious water resources--no political formula will promote lasting peace in the Middle East, argues Hillel, unless it addresses these ills.
In Rivers of Eden, Hillel examines this natural crisis and explores its crucial role in the political and economic future of this troubled region. He shows how environmental degradation, exacerbated by an uncontrolled explosion of population, is itself a cause of strife in the area, dislocating and disorienting countless people and fomenting despair and extremism. And yet, he adds, since no one country in the region can solve its water problem alone, the very cause of conflict is also an inducement for promoting peace. This hope illuminates Rivers of Eden as it traces the vital issue of water in the Middle East, ranging from its first appearance in folklore and religion to the present. As Hillel shows, the history of civilization in the Middle East is in many ways the story of how societies in this arid environment managed or mismanaged their land and water resources. Here we see how this history plays out from intertribal rivalty (for instance, the legendary "War of Basoos," begun over the errant trespass of a thirsty camel), to the choking of the mighty Nile at Aswan and the slow, salt-poisoned death of Mesopotamia. From the historical and scientific circumstances of the region's water resources, Hillel turns to conflicts brewing even now over the waters of the Euphrates-Tigris, the Nile, the Jordan, and several groundwater aquifers. The future welfare of the Middle East, as of many economies around the world, depends on timely action to resolve these issues. This book offers hope for such a resolution.
A world renowned environmental scientist, Hillel has worked throughout the Middle East, as consultant to the governments of Israel, Pakistan, the Sudan, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and elsewhere, and as an advisor to the World Bank. He brings first-hand insight to his account and an urgent concern for the degraded Fertile Crescent, which he believes can and must be rehabilitated. Comprehensive, penetrating, and clear, his book compels the attention of anyone interested in the future of the Middle East and of the environment at large.