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1 – 10 of over 73000Boqiong Yang, Jun Yang and Qiran Zhao
Accompany with the development of economy, the environment becomes deteriorating, especially in developing countries. Many studies found that foreign direct investment…
Abstract
Accompany with the development of economy, the environment becomes deteriorating, especially in developing countries. Many studies found that foreign direct investment (FDI) with the effect of technology spillover would be one of the best ways to solve the environmental problem. By using the model of trade theory distinguishing between environmental and productive technology and separately analyzing the technology spillover effect of these two technologies on reducing environmental pollution in host countries, we find that the pollution problem could be worse if more intensive pollution industrial structure is induced by the environmental technology development. Naturally, this did not mean restraining the development of technology, but rather emphasizing the importance of the regulation and the industrial structure.
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João J. Ferreira, Cristina Fernandes and Vanessa Ratten
Environmental-related technology transfer is increasingly being viewed as a policy issue and a business goal to be pursued by countries in order to increase their global…
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental-related technology transfer is increasingly being viewed as a policy issue and a business goal to be pursued by countries in order to increase their global competitiveness. Despite this policy importance, the research analysing environmental-related technology transfer comparing international rates of participation is limited. The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyse the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data using econometric analysis to compare environmental-related technology patents between Portugal and Australia in terms of environmental management, water-related adaptation, and climate change mitigation.
Findings
The results suggest that environmental-related patents, in turn, are always registered in greater numbers by Australia than by Portugal but with both countries outpaced by the OECD average.
Research limitations/implications
The research implications are that Australia has more international cooperation around the development of environmental-related technology patents than Portugal.
Practical implications
The authors find that overall these patents do not have any statistically significant effect on predicting gross domestic product growth but there has been a higher number of patents for Australia focusing on water-related adaptation technology than for Portugal, which may be a result of policies aimed at increasing effective use of water in Australia.
Originality/value
The results of the analysis suggest that the OECD member state cooperation increases the number of environmental-related technology patents and serves as a mechanism to facilitate internationalisation.
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The popular business press, government regulators, environmentalists and the public are calling on operations managers to shift away from their traditional emphasis on…
Abstract
The popular business press, government regulators, environmentalists and the public are calling on operations managers to shift away from their traditional emphasis on pollution control toward pollution prevention when improving environmental performance. Yet, any managerial decision about the level and form of investment in these environmental technologies cannot be made in isolation, but instead must be implemented within the context of other manufacturing investments in process technologies and organizational systems. A survey of two Canadian industries – small machine tools and non‐fashion textiles – revealed evidence that environmental technologies have been regarded as ancillary investments; as investment in manufacturing increased, so did the proportion of that investment directed toward environmental technologies. Further, increased investment in advanced process technologies actually shifted investment away from pollution prevention. In contrast, increased investment in quality‐related organizational systems favored concurrent investment in recycling programs, along with pollution prevention and management systems. Thus, increased investment in quality management offered an important route to expand the implementation of pollution prevention.
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Gregor Radonjič and Polona Tominc
The purpose of this paper is to assess whether environmental management systems (EMS) according to ISO 14001 requirements have contributed to the implementation and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess whether environmental management systems (EMS) according to ISO 14001 requirements have contributed to the implementation and adoption of new technologies and to the issues related to technology performance in industrial enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is based on the questionnaire survey conducted on a sample of ISO 14001 certified Slovene manufacturing companies.
Findings
The results revealed that ISO 14001 certified manufacturing companies still mostly used the combination of partly adopted and partly modified technologies in order to reduce environmental impacts. ISO 14001 was considered as a very useful tool for the promotion of technological modernisation. It was shown also that ISO 14001 standard can play a significant role as a support tool for the acceleration of technological innovation activities regardless of the origin of the technology.
Research limitations/implications
The research surveyed only industrial ISO 14001 certified enterprises in the Republic of Slovenia. Differences among industrial branches exist as well as among small, medium and large enterprises. These facts must be further studied.
Practical implications
ISO 14001 certification proved to be an important driver for technological modernisation in industrial practice. Some environmental indicators are still underestimated or nonsufficiently included into firms' environmental policies and must be certainly improved. Since adoption of new technologies and EMS were rarely covered together the findings are interesting for wider community.
Originality/value
The paper covers a subject on how adoption of ISO 14001 influences technological changes and related activities. Not many information and in‐depth case studies have been available until now.
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This paper examines future trends in the environment and clean technologies (ECT) sector. Seven national technology foresight studies have been reviewed with the purpose…
Abstract
This paper examines future trends in the environment and clean technologies (ECT) sector. Seven national technology foresight studies have been reviewed with the purpose of (i) screening the main issues linked to environmental and clean technologies (ii) highlighting major developments that are likely to play a crucial role for future paths towards sustainability.
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Charlette A. Geffen and Sandra Rothenberg
Automobile assembly plants worldwide face increasing pressures in the environmental arena. How a plant responds to these issues has significant implications for the cost…
Abstract
Automobile assembly plants worldwide face increasing pressures in the environmental arena. How a plant responds to these issues has significant implications for the cost and quality of plant operations. This paper uses three case studies of US assembly plants to examine the role of partnerships between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers in improving the environmental performance of manufacturing operations. We find that strong partnerships with suppliers, supported by appropriate incentive systems, were a significant element of the successful application of innovative environmental technologies. Supplier staff members were an important part of achieving environmental performance improvements while maintaining production quality and cost goals. The management factors influencing the extent and nature of supplier involvement are identified. The results of this work point to the importance of suppliers in addressing the manufacturing challenges of the future.
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Aims to assess the potential for a broad “green” technoeconomic paradigm (TEP) to effectively achieve and sustain higher levels of welfare from economic and environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
Aims to assess the potential for a broad “green” technoeconomic paradigm (TEP) to effectively achieve and sustain higher levels of welfare from economic and environmental sources in manylower income countries (LIC). A green TEP comprises a new socioeconomic system based upon a set of inter‐related technologies that increase human welfare, but focus upon saving material, energy and other environmental resources. TEPs have pervasive social and economic effects that include substantial productivity, trade competitiveness, and environmental quality advantages. The desirability of such economic change must incorporate the general approach of social economics and alternative notions of well‐being.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is largely discursive in nature and provides a systematic identification of the LIC conditions that are likely to promote, and benefit from, the pervasive adoption of material‐ and energy‐saving technologies. Some results of an exploratory cross‐country study of the empirical link between technology capability and the human development index (HDI) are utilized in the discussion.
Findings
The paper concludes that a green TEP may well provide a viable alternative development approach in the LICs. The main advantages are derived from related resource efficiency gains and reductions in the socioeconomic metabolism, and the benefits of a relative production factor shift toward labor (and away from materials, energy, and environment‐intensive capital). The potential for LICs is also facilitated by the positive spillovers and decreasing cost of green TEP‐related knowledge and technology diffusion in the expanding, decentralizing global communication network. The higher income nations would need to play a significant role in this process.
Originality/value
Ecological modernisation and material and energy‐saving technologies are widely viewed as essential for achieving long‐term economic and social well‐being improvements in the twenty‐first century and beyond. Discussion of this promising approach typically assumes that this transformation is only viable in the technological and economic context of the higher income nations. However, this paper provides a detailed case for the strategic encouragement and adoption of a green TEP for sustainable economic development and environmental conditions in LICs.
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Chittipa Ngamkroeckjoti, Mark Speece and Nicholas J. Dimmitt
Some small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Thai food industry put a lot of effort into keeping up with changes of consumption patterns locally and in the South…
Abstract
Purpose
Some small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Thai food industry put a lot of effort into keeping up with changes of consumption patterns locally and in the South East Asia region. To see how successfully they are able to create competitive advantage, aims to examine the impact of environmental scanning practices on new product development (NPD) outcomes among SMEs in the Thai food industry. The technology strategy of the company influences how much it uses environmental scanning, and technology turbulence can play a role in exactly how critical is good knowledge of the external environment.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative research was conducted using semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with food experts and SME owners.
Findings
Results suggest that SMEs that practice environmental scanning are better able to develop appropriate new food products. Technology strategy plays a role in how much scanning they use, with a more proactive technology strategy requiring more extensive scanning. Environmental turbulence, including changes in technology, can cause failure in NPD if scanning does not keep companies aware of the situation.
Originality/value
A simple conceptual model is proposed to show how technology strategy, technological turbulence, and environmental scanning affect NPD performance.
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Walter Leal Filho, Katarina Larsen and Folke Snickars
This paper presents the main results of a research project looking at trends on environmental technology and environmental employment in Sweden. Entitled “FEESE”…
Abstract
This paper presents the main results of a research project looking at trends on environmental technology and environmental employment in Sweden. Entitled “FEESE” (Fostering Employment in the Environment Sector in Europe), the project analysed provisions and needs in respect of environmental training among a sample of Swedish companies, which are outlined in this paper. Some recommendations which may be useful to Sweden, but which are also applicable to other industrialised countries, are also presented.
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S.M. Ramya, Aysha Shereen and Rupashree Baral
This paper aims to investigate the level of environmental communication and the predominant themes of environmental initiatives and technologies used in India.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the level of environmental communication and the predominant themes of environmental initiatives and technologies used in India.
Design/methodology/approach
In this exploratory study, a manual content analysis was conducted using print and website data related to corporate environmental communication of 60 Indian companies listed in the Bombay Stock Exchange, representing the top thirty from manufacturing and information technology (IT) sector each.
Findings
The authors classified the level of importance based on seven attributes, distinguished between hard and soft disclosure and identified the prevalent environmental practices and technologies in each sector. The authors found that the environmental communication of the IT sector is technology-based than the manufacturing sector, but both are weak in acknowledging climate change.
Practical implications
Managers, across the two sectors, can make their organizations environmentally responsible by learning and applying the current practices/technologies and reap benefits by mimetic isomorphism or create competitive advantage.
Originality/value
Building on the theoretical and practical works in corporate sustainability and corporate social responsibility communication literature, the authors contribute to the stakeholder theory and voluntary disclosure theory. The findings of the study provide the much-needed base for future research that links the engineering and management community to take the scholarship further to prevent the climate crisis.
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