Development of key performance measures for the automobile green supply chain

The main purpose of this study was to develop a set of measures for evaluating the performance of the automobile green supply chain. This study reviewed various literatures on green supply chain performance measurement, environmental management, traditional supply chain performance measurement, and automobile supply chain management. In order to comprehensively and effectively establish the relevant measures, a suitable framework which considered the automobile green supply chain as a two-in-one chain was adopted. This two-in-one chain comprised a forward and backward chain for the automobile industry. Consequently, 10 measures with 49 metrics and 6 measures with 23 metrics were identified and developed for the forward and backward chains, respectively. Sequel to the development of these measures, a survey was conducted using a four-page questionnaire distributed to experts (including academics and practitioners) to establish their importance and applicability. The findings of this study suggested that the importance and applicability of all the developed measures have been substantiated. For the forward chain, the most crucial measure was customer perspective while the most applicable one was traditional supply chain cost. The reverse chain measures were topped by management commitment in terms of both importance and applicability. This study contributed to the advancement of knowledge by pioneering the development of a set of holistic measures for evaluating the performance of the automobile green supply chain. The study was wrapped up with the proposition of directions for further studies.     

代际差异视角下农民工乡城迁移与宅基地退出影响因素分析——基于推拉理论的实证研究

在2011年天津市农民工调查数据的基础上,本文借鉴推拉理论重新梳理影响农民工城乡迁移与宅基地退出意愿的因素,建立了农民工宅基地退出影响因素的推拉分析框架,并通过实证研究析出和显化在不同代际农民工城乡迁移和宅基地退出过程中起关键作用的因素。研究发现:在推力因素方面,对第一代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要是年龄、受教育程度、宅基地在住房养老中的作用、供养系数和对农村基础设施满意程度;对新生代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要有性别、教育程度、供养系数和对农村基础设施满意程度。在拉力因素方面,对第一代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要是有无专业培训经历或证书、是否签订劳动合同、区位、单位性质和外出务工时所利用的方式;对新生代农民工宅基地退出意愿产生较大影响的因素主要是有无专业培训经历或证书、是否签订劳动合同、区位、单位性质、外出务工时所利用的方式和是否同城里的人交过朋友。在此基础上,提出了相应的政策建议。     

The Concept and Theoretical Implications of Carbon Emissions Rights Based on Individual Equity

Abstract

Climate change has become a hot topic in international environmental negotiations. For post-Kyoto international climate regime negotiations, many countries have proposed a variety of frameworks to share the emission reduction responsibilities and allocate carbon emission rights, and have tried to quantify the emission reduction obligations of all countries based on the perspectives of international equity and individual equity. In this paper, the authors have distinguished the concepts of carbon emissions rights based on these two perspectives respectively, have analyzed the relationship between carbon emissions per capita and economic development, and have calculated and compared the proportion of cumulative emissions per capita of different countries in history and future, and then authors conclude that emission reduction obligations should be allocated based on each country’s conditions, including historical emissions, development stage, and future demands. Developed countries should take the initiative to significantly reduce their emissions because they have already accomplished their industrialization process. However, developing countries are still in the process of industrialization, which requires more emission rights to meet their development needs. For China, the concept of carbon emissions based on individual equity can be used as a theoretical tool for the allocating the international carbon emissions rights.     

The ethics in balancing control and freedom when engineering solutions for sustainable behaviour

Research suggests that to allow for sustainable development, consumption patterns must be changed. Individual behaviour is central to society's impact on the environment. However, due to the complexity of environmental issues, much of the political debate and technology development is inaccessible to consumers and based on the values, interpretations and priorities of experts. User‐centred, user‐involved and participatory processes are fundamental in design disciplines such as interaction design and participatory design. Research into the possibilities for cross‐pollination of design for sustainability and user‐centred design has distinguished several strategies for design‐led behavioural change. The strategies differ with regard to the levels of control and responsibility that users are left with, ranging from empowerment through information about consequences of behaviour to blocking behaviour or forcing sustainable practices upon individuals. By considering technological behaviour‐steering strategies in the light of science and technology studies and theory on technological mediation, the paper addresses the ethical issues that arise and discusses how designers can contribute to more sustainable consumption patterns without compromising quality of life, individual freedom and democratic rights.     

Framework for creating a Best-in-Class safety culture

To answer the question, “What are the practical attributes of Best-in-Class safety management,” consensus principles have been identified and lessons learned harvested from a broad spectrum of organizations with exemplary safety programs. Through years of studying the underpinnings of a strong safety culture, the authors have identified ten attributes that are important to create a Best-in-Class safety culture. Instead of expecting one organization to possess all of the attributes or employ all of the techniques identified, the authors suggest these principles be treated as guidelines that can be used to improve the safety culture in organizations.     

Value reclamation from informal municipal solid waste management: green neoliberalism and inclusive development in Lagos,Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Lagos is undoubtedly the cultural capital and economic hub of the West African sub-region. The challenge of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in the megacity has remained intractable due partly to the increasing rate of population growth. While solid waste policy reforms, investments, and management practices in Lagos are in the upswing in the formal economy, the role of the informal economy in engendering sub-regional material linkages and livelihoods remain unexplored. Adopting a multi-stakeholder approach and data from interviews, this study critically examines how value reclamation from informal MSWM advances green neoliberalism and inclusive development. It shows that while informal transboundary trade of recyclable materials in the West African sub-region have previously been left out of analyses of MSWM in Lagos, the informal economy of waste and new investments in MSWM have neoliberal underpinnings beyond the megacity scale. The paper concludes that integrating the informal economy in framing MSWM policy in the megacity offers scope for evolving an inclusive development strategy while also enabling sustainable MSWM in the post-2015 era.     

The use of state workers' compensation administrative data to identify injury scenarios and quantify costs of work-related traumatic brain injuries

PROBLEM: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a public health problem but little is known about the nature of that problem in the working population. METHOD: The author used a national definition to identify cases in Washington State from workers' compensation (WC) hospital billing data, quantified the cost of WC insurance benefits using actuarial cost estimates, and identified high risk industries using ANSI Z16.2 typology. RESULTS: There were 928 cases of TBI with a lifetime claim cost of $159 million from the Washington State Fund (1994-2001). Sixty percent of injuries resulted in death or disability. The highest risks of TBI are concentrated in 16 industrial insurance risk classes and the highest costs in 19 North American Industry Classification codes. Injury scenarios were identified for nine industrial insurance risk classes. CONCLUSIONS: TBI is a disabling and costly workplace injury in the state of Washington, affecting even teenagers and seniors who are not generally considered to be part of the workforce. Injury typology codes provide useful information for improving workplace safety. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: This research provides industry with quantitative information regarding the cost of work-related traumatic brain injury and the usefulness of using workers' compensation claims data to reduce the burden of workplace injury.     

区域可持续发展战略规划的理论与方法研究

实施区域可持续发展战略规划是落实科学发展观的需要。结合广东省江门市可持续战略规划的实践,对可持续发展规划的概念、内涵、基本框架以及技术流程进行探讨。基本结论是：区域可持续发展战略规划应以“环境社会系统”全新的视角,回答一个区域该如何化解“三大供需矛盾”,消除“三大危机”,提高区域可持续发展能力的问题;对区域环境社会系统这类开放型复杂巨系统进行可持续发展战略决策,需采用专家经验与计算机建模相结合、反复试错、多元互动的综合集成方法。     

基于犹豫直觉模糊集-TOPSIS的危险品多式联运风险评估

为了对危险品的多式联运系统风险进行评估,首先在"人、机、管、环"4M理论的基础上,将多式联运中"转运"这一特殊流程考虑进去,以"人、机、管、环、转运"这5个因素作为决策问题中的属性;其次,采用犹豫直觉模糊语言集为决策者的初始决策矩阵赋值,并利用均值-标准差的汉明距离来衡量两个犹豫直觉模糊语言数之间的距离;然后,以危险品多式联运系统中的风险为标准,采用基于犹豫直觉模糊语言集的TOPSIS方法进行不同方案的决策。最后,以磷酸在宜昌-衢州之间的运输为案例,对4种常用运输方案进行风险评估,以综合评价指数进行对比。结果表明,在先水路后铁路、先水路后公路、先公路后铁路、先铁路后公路4种方案中,从宜昌到衢州之间先公路后铁路的运输方式所得综合评价值最高,应选择方案3。