Facing the challenges of globalization and ecology, the standards for economic, social and environmental performance of companies are becoming more demanding. This book shows what sustainable development means for the business community and presents best practice approaches in environmental management from Japan, the USA, Brazil and seven European countries. The book stresses that international competitiveness depends on the effective use of innovative management tools and has to be supported by an intelligent system of environmental regulation, that is, promoting innovation and eco-efficiency. Experts with many years of practical experience share their know-how on how to achieve excellency in environmental performance and present concrete steps towards a sustainable company.

The environmental performance of SMEs (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) is an area of major policy concern. SMEs in Europe reports on factors influencing the environmental performance of SMEs across four European countries: the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy. While there are a range of factors which are expected to influence the take up of clean technology, this book focuses on three key hypotheses, namely firm competitiveness, culture and use and availability of information and advice. The book is unique as it is based on in-depths interviews conducted in 300 SMEs and an additional postal survey with more than 800 replies.

The environmental performance of SMEs (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) is an area of major policy concern. SMEs in Europe reports on factors influencing the environmental performance of SMEs across four European countries: the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy. While there are a range of factors which are expected to influence the take up of clean technology, this book focuses on three key hypotheses, namely firm competitiveness, culture and use and availability of information and advice. The book is unique as it is based on in-depths interviews conducted in 300 SMEs and an additional postal survey with more than 800 replies.

Facing the challenges of globalization and ecology, the standards for economic, social and environmental performance of companies are becoming more demanding. This book shows what sustainable development means for the business community and presents best practice approaches in environmental management from Japan, the USA, Brazil and seven European countries. The book stresses that international competitiveness depends on the effective use of innovative management tools and has to be supported by an intelligent system of environmental regulation, that is, promoting innovation and eco-efficiency. Experts with many years of practical experience share their know-how on how to achieve excellency in environmental performance and present concrete steps towards a sustainable company.

This volume constitutes the proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Integer Programming and Combinatorial Optimization, IPCO '95, held in Copenhagen in May 1995 under the sponsorship of the Mathematical Programming Society.
Integer programming and combinatorial optimization provide a fruitful theoretical and algorithmic basis for the solution of a number of optimization problems occuring in real-world situations, such as production planning and scheduling, routing, crew scheduling, or network construction. This volume presents 36 revised papers selected from a total of 105 submissions and offers a representative up-to-date snapshot on the state of the art in this interdisciplinary area of research and applications.

Based on the study of neuroscientific developments and innovations, examined from different angles, this Handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the international neuroethical debate, and offers unprecedented insights into the impact of neuroscientific research, diagnosis, and therapy. Neuroethics - as a multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary endeavor - examines the implications of the neurosciences for human beings in general and for their self-understanding and their social interactions in particular. The range of approaches adopted in neuroethics and thus in this handbook includes but is not limited to historical, anthropological, ethical, philosophical, theological, sociological and legal approaches. The Handbook deals with a plethora of topics, divided into in three parts: the first part contains discussions of theories of neuroethics and how neuroscience impacts on our understanding of personal identity, free will, and other philosophical concepts. The second part is dedicated to issues involved in current and future clinical applications of neurosciences, such as brain stimulation, brain imaging, prosthetics, addiction, and psychiatric ethics. The final part deals with neuroethics and society and includes chapters on neurolaw, neurotheology, neuromarketing, and enhancement.

Fragen des betrieblichen Umweltschutzes haben in den letzten Jahren weltweit an Bedeutung gewonnen. In Abhangigkeit der jeweiligen nationalen Managementkultur und der umweltpolitischen Rahmenbedingungen werden seither in verschiedenen Landern zukunftsweisende Instrumente und Ansatze des Umweltmanagements entwickelt und praktiziert. Die Autoren gehen hier jedoch uber die in thematisch ahnlich gelagerten Buchern ubliche Beschreibung des Ist-Zustandes hinaus und stellen von Vergangenheit und Gegenwart ausgehend, innovative Strategien bzw. Konzepte fur ein nachhaltiges Wirtschaften vor. Dabei kommen Beispiele aus verschiedenen Landern zur Sprache (USA, Japan, Grossbritannien, Niederlande, Deutschland, Finnland, Norwegen, Schweiz und Brasilien).

Mit Blick auf einen nachhaltigen Konsum eroeffnen elektronische Handelsplattformen neue Spielraume. In dem Band werden die Ergebnisse einer empirischen Studie vorgestellt, fur die das Kauf- und Verkaufsverhalten, die Motivationen sowie die mit dem Online-Handel verbundenen Umweltauswirkungen erhoben wurden. Am Beispiel von eBay zeigt die Untersuchung erstmals in sehr umfassender Weise das oekologische Potenzial des Online-Handels mit Gebrauchtgutern. Es liegt im Wesentlichen darin, die Lebens- und Nutzungsphase von Produkten zu verlangern.

Das Buch liefert eine wissenschaftlich fundierte Grundlage zur Bewertung der Umweltleistung von Unternehmen und einer nachhaltigen Unternehmensfuhrung. Die Autoren legen den Schwerpunkt auf den Management-Bezug und bieten einen detailliert ausgearbeiteten und getesteten Kriterienkatalog zur Planung und Kontrolle nachhaltiger Umweltleistung.

Vor dem Hintergrund der UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention erlebt die Fachdiskussion um Sexualitat und Behinderung eine neue Qualitat: Nach den grundsatzlichen Debatten um sexualpadagogische Aufklarung und Begleitung, um Partnerschaft und Kinderwunsch ist heute zu klaren, ob die repressiven Einstellungen und Konzepte auf diesem Gebiet wirklich der Vergangenheit angehoren, ob Barrieren, Fremdbestimmungen und direktive Einflussnahmen abgebaut wurden und ob neue Formen der Alltags- und Beziehungsgestaltung nun in der Behindertenhilfe angekommen sind. Das Buch lasst Menschen mit Beeintrachtigungen selbst zu Wort kommen und versammelt namhafte Autorinnen und Autoren, die aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln prufen, wie es um die Realisierung von Inklusion und selbstbestimmter Sexualitat tatsachlich bestellt ist.