Economic liberalisation, innovation, and technology transfer: opportunities for cleaner production in the minerals industry

The liberalisation of investment regimes for mining over the past decade is encouraging an inflow of foreign investment for mining and mineral processing projects in developing and former centrally-planned economies. This new investment is occurring at a time of technological change within the international mining industry as market and regulatory pressures lead the most dynamic firms to invest in the development or acquisition of new technologies and management practices. The effective transfer and assimilation of these technologies enable mining companies to combine gains in productivity with improvements in environmental management. Joint ventures and other strategic alliances between inwardly investing firms and the newly privatised or remnant state-owned mining enterprises may provide an effective vehicle for the transfer of the techniques for more productive and cleaner operations. Specific examples of innovative process and remediation technologies are analysed and it is suggested that the ability of innovative technologies to improve competitiveness and sustain best-practice environmental management in the recipient is linked to the transfer and effective acquisition of the capacity to manage the complex processes of technological and organisational change. The paper closes with some recommendations for further research directed towards a systematic examination of this hypothesis.     

On the transmission of the effects of monetary policy to the regions

In the paper the theoretical framework is that of credit rationing theory, the regional differences being examined in terms of both financial markets and the real economy. Empirically the focus is upon regional trends in market conditions and the timelags experienced in the effects of monetary policies in two different regions. The period of time examined is from 1970 to 1978, the changes in the marginal interest on central bank credit issued to the commercial banks being taken as the indicator of monetary policy and data on employment opportunities vacant in the regions as representing market conditions and the delay‐effects of monetary policy. The methods used are those of cross‐correlation analysis.     

安全文化与保险业的发展

讨论安全文化与保险业的相互关系。随着安全文化的发展，人们的风险意识逐渐增强，因而出现了保险业。由于保险业具有补偿损失职能和经济给付职能，因而减小了风险损失，保障人们健康、安全、舒适、高效地生活和工作，同时也促进了人们风险意识的提高。因此，安全文化与保险业将相互促进，相互发展     

汽车产品回收利用技术及商业循环模式的实现

探讨了汽车产品回收利用技术实现的方案。实现汽车的全生命周期,需要经过汽车整车拆解、汽车零部件分类以及汽车零部件再制造或资源化回收这三大步骤,并对这三项内容加以具体阐述。结合现行报废汽车产业政策,提出了一种实现汽车产品回收的商业循环模式。说明了汽车产品回收再制造信息管理系统的重要性,并介绍了其六项功能。     

Linkages between best practice in business and good environmental performance by companies

Is the adoption of currently accepted best practice in business associated with improved environmental performance by companies? What methods can be used to assess and compare the environmental practices and performance of different companies? In this pilot study, the business and environmental practices and performances of five companies in the metal working sector were examined and scored. The business practices and performances were assessed using the best practice model adopted in the Australian Manufacturers Council study (AMC, November 1994, Melbourne, 112pp.). The environmental practices and performance of the companies were assessed based on a five stage framework of business response to environmental issues presented here. A strong correlation was observed between environmental performance and business practices (correlation coefficient, r = 0.85, p < 0.05). The company closest to best practice had a strong focus on quality, efficiency and elimination of waste, well-developed strategy, good teamwork and a high level of commitment and also had the highest score for environmental performance. The company with poorest score for its business practices had the poorest environmental performance, with the remaining companies lying between on both scores. There was no significant correlation between business performance outcomes and environmental performance.     

Building community resilience: business preparedness lessons in the case of Adapazarı, Turkey

The lack of attention paid to businesses in disaster management systems from the standpoint of state policies hampers efforts to build community resilience. This paper examines, therefore, the extent of business preparedness for disasters. Empirical research was conducted in Adapazarı, Turkey, 13 years after the İzmit earthquake, which struck the northwest of the country on 17 August 1999, claiming the lives of some 17,000 people. For the study, 232 firms were selected to inquire about their preparedness before and after the event. It is hypothesised that business preparedness is influenced by the following set of variables: business size; business sector; business age; financial condition prior to the disaster; occupancy tenure; market range; education level; and previous disaster experience. In line with the findings of the research, a policy framework is constructed to rationalise the allocation of resources for building resilience at the aggregate level by facilitating business preparedness.     

美国企业应急预案及其对我国的启示

美国企业的应急预案,根据其所处行业领域监管法律法规的要求不同,预案的名称、形式和主要内容都有较大的差异。美国企业的应急预案主要可分为:应急行动预案（EAP）、应急响应预案（ERP）、设施应急预案(FCP)、综合应急管理预案（CEMP）、应急操作预案（EOP）等不同的类别。简要分析美国法律法规对企业编制应急预案的规定和要求,描述不同预案的特点、主要内容及应用情况,并提出完善我国企业应急预案的几点建议。     

污水处理事业变革之浅谈--对青岛-威立雅光大合作项目的引思

通过对青岛-威立雅光大合作项目的引思,进一步分析了我国污水处理事业变革的重要性和紧迫性,并对比较常见的几种变革模式作了探索,探讨了各种融资渠道和融资方式,对影响污水处理事业变革的制约因素进行了分析。     

Change in frontline supervisors’ safety leadership practices after participating in a leadership training program: Does company size matter?

Introduction: The majority of construction companies are small businesses and small business often lack the resources needed to ensure that their supervisors have the safety leadership skills to build and maintain a strong jobsite safety climate. The Foundations for Safety Leadership (FSL) training program was designed to provide frontline leaders in all sized companies with safety leadership skills. This paper examines the impact of the FSL training by size of business. Methods: Leaders, defined as foremen or other frontline supervisors, from small, medium, and large construction companies were recruited to participate in a study to evaluate the degree to which the FSL changed their understanding and use of the leadership skills, safety practices and crew reporting of safety-related conditions. We used linear mixed modeling methods to analyze pre-post training survey data. Results: Prior to the training, leaders from small and medium sized companies reported using safety leadership skills less frequently than those from large ones. After the training, regardless of business size, we observed that the FSL training improved leaders understanding of safety leadership skills from immediately before to immediately after the training. Additionally, leaders reported greater use of safety leadership skills, safety practices, and crew reporting of safety-related conditions from before to two-weeks after the training. However, those from small and medium sized companies reported the greatest improvement in their use of safety leadership skills. Conclusions: The FSL training improves safety leadership outcomes regardless of the size company for which the leader worked. However, the FSL may be even more effective at improving the safety leadership skills of leaders working for smaller sized construction companies or those with lower baseline levels of safety leadership skills. Practical applications: The majority of construction companies employ a small number of employees and therefore may not have the resources to provide their frontline leaders with the leadership training they need to be effective leaders who can create a strong jobsite safety climate. The Foundations for Safety Leadership (FSL) training can help fill this gap.     

Should the fashion industry confront the sustainability challenge with 3D prototyping technology

Abstract

In this paper, coming out of a broader research project on how the digital prototype can be effectively integrated in the product development process of the clothing industry, the authors investigate the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Collective Actions on Sustainability and the environmental impact of the new model of fast and accelerating fashion. Extensive research was contacted with personal interviews and analysed primary data shows how new technology solutions like Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), 3D visualisation or 3D prototyping can work with and across supply chain partners to reduce the environmental footprint of their processes. The final phase of the paper involves the conceptualisation of a new apparel product development model, encompassing various digital tools which aim at addressing fit problems, extending the useful life of clothes and reducing the environmental impact of clothing in use through design and services.