A case study on research for sustainable management

Imagining a Place for Sustainability Management: An Early Career Call for Action

The Integrated Research Biobank (IRB) at the Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IKCL) is the central biobank resource of the University Medicine Greifswald (UMG) for all biological materials collected within the framework of clinical and experimental studies carried out by internal and external researchers. The IRB is a core unit of the UMG and focuses on collection, processing and storage of mainly liquid biomaterials, e.g. blood, urine, saliva or swaps in established workflows and thereby securing highest quality standards. Aliquots are usually stored at –80°C in one of the two fully automated LiCONiC biorepositories or, if necessary, in one of the –80°C freezers. Up to now, the IRB stores more than 1.1 million liquid aliquots and the collection grows continuously. Currently, the storage capacity of the IRB is limited to 3 million aliquots. Funding statement: European Fond for Regional Development (EFRE) funded by the European Union (grant INZ-EFRE 1503). Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) is part of the Community Medicine Research net (CMR) of the University of Greifswald, Germany, which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grants no. 01ZZ9603, 01ZZ0103 and 01ZZ0403), the Ministry of Cultural Affairs as well as the Social Ministry of the Federal State of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant 81Z7400173). German Biobank Alliance (GBA) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant 01EY1705). National Cohort (NAKO) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (grant 01ER1301/18).

Water is fundamental to life and a vital element for sustainable development. In Germany, groundwater systems are increasingly facing challenges due to climate change and competing demands from various sectors, including drinking water supply, agriculture, forestry, industry, and energy. For the past twenty years, many areas have experienced a noticeable drop in groundwater levels. This situation highlights the urgent need for meticulous management of this essential resource. The complexity of Germany’s groundwater systems further complicates this task. In response to these issues, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has launched the "Sustainable Groundwater Management" (LURCH) funding measure. It is designed to promote sustainable groundwater management across the country and ensure its protection as a crucial drinking water source and ecological resource. The LURCH research projects address both quantitative and qualitative challenges in groundwater management, focusing on sustainable resource protection and climate adaptation. They aim to develop an integrated understanding of aquifer systems, considering natural interfaces such as surface waters, groundwater recharge, and saline water interactions, alongside various water uses in drinking water supply, agriculture, forestry, and industry. Groundwater’s role as a thermal reservoir and its ecological functions are also explored. The research tackles pollution risks from nitrate, trace substances, and pathogens while advancing analytical methods and technological innovations, including in-situ treatment and monitoring. Additionally, sustainable management strategies consider economic feasibility, investment, and operating costs, supported by digital tools for improved decision-making. With a strong emphasis on practical implementation, the projects develop solutions to help stakeholders in water supply, agriculture, and industry adapt to climate change and ensure the long-term resilience of groundwater resources. This paper aims to summarize the background and the objectives of the BMBF LURCH funding measure and will introduce the 10 joint projects in a nutshell. It is an introduction to the new ESEU series on Groundwater, which provides an overview of the planned activities within LURCH and highlights the developed solutions. Beyond introducing several joint projects funded by the LURCH funding measure, this collection of papers will publish original research papers, reviews, opinion papers and policy briefs developed based on LURCH projects. By bringing together diverse perspectives, we aim to address the challenges and opportunities associated with protecting this vital resource.

Sustainable development is a priority research areas for technology philosophy in contemporary China. This article takes forestry resource in Jiangxi as the research object, collects data of forest resource in 2001and 2010, combines with previous research results of forestry sustainable development evaluation index, finally establishes evaluation indicators for sustainable forest resource management referring to a large number of literatures on the previous study. Secondly, using AHP method to carry out the forestry sustainable development comprehensive evaluation, which has extremely important and practical significance to scientifically determine the region forestry resource management, reasonably plan sustainable forest management measures and promote local forestry sustainable development and sustainable management.

This study aimed to examine the effect of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System on wage fraud control in Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education. Specifically, it assessed the influence of biometric verification, payroll automation, real-time staff record updating, and compliance with audit protocols on reducing wage fraud. The research adopted a survey design, targeting administrative, finance, and human resource personnel from the Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education. A stratified random sample of respondents was selected, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were employed using SPSS. Findings revealed that biometric verification and payroll automation contributed significantly to wage fraud control. However, real-time staff record updating and compliance with audit protocols did not have statistically significant effects. The study concluded that while IPPIS has improved payroll integrity through biometric and automation mechanisms, its full potential is hindered by weak implementation of real-time updates and audit compliance. This study contributes to public administration literature by empirically validating key IPPIS mechanisms in a high-risk ministry. It is recommended that government agencies enhance biometric data updates, strengthen automation infrastructure, improve training for HR and payroll staff, and enforce strict audit compliance to maximize IPPIS effectiveness. These actions will deepen anti-fraud outcomes and support sustainable public sector financial management reforms.

SUMMARY The African resource, and in particular the Congo Basin contains the world's second largest forest area, after the Amazon, and there is a global concern for it to be sustainably managed. Practical solutions are essential if sustainable forest management is to be achieved, considering the costs and technical capacity involved. However, a certain number of difficulties must be overcome such as ill-adapted forestry laws, lack of necessary technical capacity amongst the managers and the actual cost of management. Solutions for sustainable forest management therefore include training and negotiations to better adapt legislation as well as practical issues such as reduced impact logging and the promotion of secondary species which will not only have a positive effect on the regeneration and management of the forest, but which are also more efficient in terms of costs. Certification is also a means of achieving a premium to offset the increased costs of sustainable forest management.

This contribution describes the innovative course format “ZukunftGestalten@HM—Future City” at the Munich University of Applied Sciences (MUAS), including its unique features from a higher educational perspective for sustainable development (ESD). The features that make this innovative course format challenging and unique compared to other formats are that it provides an excellent example of a transdisciplinary approach in ESD, combining ESD on the one hand and designing the future of the city of Munich in an urban real lab case on the other. Based on these certain characteristics we call “ZukunftGestalten@HM—Future City” as the flagship course within the various ESD formats offered at MUAS. It is an outcome of the BMBF-project “Future proof” (German: Fur die Zukunft gerustet, www.hm.edu/lehre/zukunft/, grant no. 01PL11025), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (www.bmbf.de/en/). We view transdisciplinarity as a principle of how to approach problems from an academic perspective. It is not a feature of an issue itself, rather a way of how to deal with current challenges or relevant problems resp. according to academic standards. The often applied scientific “closed shop procedure” of problem solving mainly within universities, classrooms, courses, and project groups is overcome. Interested parties outside universities and academia are actively involved. The scope in the summer term 2015 has been to investigate how future cities may look like in general, and how the city of Munich should be developed in terms of sustainability more specifically. This topic reflects the issue of the science year 2015, dedicated to the future of the city (www.wissenschaftsjahr-zukunftsstadt.de) and promoted by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The development of cities is a critical driver for sustainable development, and hence their efforts to provide sustainability solutions merit greater effort. As a tangible, local, and real life example we further focused to an ongoing urban planning project of the city of Munich, co-operating with the Department of Urban Planning and Building Regulation, Unit “Population, Housing and PERSPECTIVE MUNICH” of the City of Munich. The specific goal and certain motivation for the City of Munich was to get innovative, fresh, and unorthodox approaches and to receive new insights on how to develop the certain field of action (German: Handlungsraum) in the North of Munich: “Zwischen Milbertshofen und Freimann. Wohnen, Arbeiten, Bildung und Sport im Munchner Norden” (Landeshauptstadt Munchen 2013). The experiences made and the insights gained from “ZukunftGestalten@HM—Future City” may fuel public discourse, initiate discussion and promote dialogue. In particular “ZukunftGestalten@HM—Future City” inspires traditional planning procedures of the Department of Urban Planning/Urban Development, City of Munich, and it may have further impact for strategic urban planning and development projects.

Opportunities and Challenges for Innovations in <scp>Q</scp>atar

The problems of data leakage and unreliable information transfer in the management process make sustainability management an inevitable need for future development. Globally, there is increasing attention paid to blockchain technology and particularly its application in addressing sustainable management issues, both from academia and industry. Aiming to deepen the understanding of how blockchain technology could deal with sustainable management issues across different disciplines, this paper investigates the latest research on the application of blockchain technology in sustainable management published from 2017 to 2021. It is found that there is a drastic surge of publications in the recent 2 years. The analysis focuses on authors’ origins, the collaboration network of the keywords, countries, and research topics covered. The application of blockchain technology in five key sectors of sustainable management, encompassing energy management, construction management, supply chain management, environmental management, and e-government management, is selected for further analysis detail. Also, a general framework for applying blockchain technology is proposed for broadening its use and dealing with sustainable management issues. The findings show that the identified 108 publications are distributed in 75 different journals, and scholars from China, the UK, and the USA have been working closely in BT-based sustainable management research. Blockchain technology is just emerging in sustainable management, and there is a great potential for applying blockchain technology to improve sustainable management performance and, more importantly, to provide solutions to quite a few long-lasting problems in these sectors. Opportunities for future research are also presented and discussed.

The German Nuclear Society (KTG) is a non-profit scientific technical association with more than 2500 members. KTG strives for the development and dissemination of the stateof-the-art in nuclear science and technology to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and related disciplines. The technical work of the KTG members is performed within the framework of currently 9 topical sections, which, for instance, jointly organize the KTG Annual Meetings, topical meetings devoted to selected subjects and several other activities. In recent years, the topical sections Reactor Safety, Thermal and Fluid Dynamics, as well as Reactor Physics and Computational Methods, have successfully established a series of meetings on \Topical Issues of Reactor Safety Research in Germany. These meetings represent a forum for authorities, operators, technical support organizations, universities and vendors. A Technical Program Committee (TPC) consisting from members of the participating topical sections is responsible for selecting the issues to be addressed at the meeting. The acceptance and success of this series of meetings is mainly due to the current subjects dealt with. In addition to the presentation of scientific and technical research results, this forum offers the chance for a free exchange of opinions outside licensing and supervisory procedures. A balance is presented between survey papers on the background and the state of the art in the related field, specific technical presentations, and outlook papers. The participants are provided with a general overview on the area addressed and with new ideas, and impetus for their future work. In order to further promote these conference series, the TPC has initiated co-operation with the journal KERNTECHNIK. The cooperation started in 2011 with a very successful edition of the topic \Requirements for the demonstration of effective emergency core cooling during loss-ofcoolant accidents involving the release of insulation material and other substances. Two contributions of this special issue were among the top five downloads in the period 2010 up to 2011 of KERNTECHNIK. The 2012 meeting on \Topical Issues of Reactor Safety Research in was held at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) on 11–12 October 2012, hosted by the Institute of Fluid Dynamics of HZDR and the TUV NORD SysTec GmbH & Co. KG and the section Thermal and Fluid Dynamics of the German Nuclear Society (KTG). At the meeting selected results of the two research alliances \Condensation induced water hammer – CIWA and \Boiling processes in PWR were presented. Both research alliances are sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the Energy Research 2020+ concept. Even though Germany is phasing out of domestic power generation from nuclear energy, it should be noted that the Federal Ministry of Education and Research continues to fund further scientific and technological R&D in support of safe operation of existing nuclear reactors. One of the most effective paths for ensuring high quality basic and applied research programs is to provide funding of multi-organizational, multi-disciplinary research alliances. In addition, special attention should be paid to the support of young scientists and researchers, and to the dissemination and transfer of research findings to industry. The selection of the main topics \Condensation Induced Water Hammer and \Boiling processes in PWR at the actual topical meeting was made by the following background: Pressure surges are still a cause of serious damages in both nuclear and conventional power generation plants. Understanding the mechanisms and underlying physics, as well as developing measures to prevent and/or mitigate their initiations are still challenging tasks for utilities and technical support organizations. Boiling processes play an important role in energy generating facilities were energy transfer is essential. The deeper understanding of the mechanisms not only increases the safety of the facility but also enables to enhance the effective operation. In the past the development of promising Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models stagnated not least due to missing of CFD grade experiments. The research alliance \Boiling processes in PWR contributed in both directions: Small and large scale experiments and model development. For enhanced dissemination of the state-of-theart, selected papers of the meeting are published in this special issue of KERNTECHNIK. Both, the topical meeting as well as the now presented special issue of KERNTECHNIK is certainly an impressive proof that the strategic objectives of the Basic Energy Research 2020+ concept can be achieved. EDITORIAL

Within the research project “ProPhoMuLA“, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), fundamentals for innovative laser pre-treatment processes for fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) are elaborated in order to improve the adhesive joining properties of multi-material joints, e.g. FRP-FRP or FRP-metal-joints.The increasing application of material mixture results in a growing importance of the adhesive bonding technology as the most promising joining technique for multi-material joints. Until now, the use of adhesive bonding for multi-material joints is, however, connected with high process-technical expenditure. In addition, despite the successful implementation in individual applications, the methods have not yet been sufficiently developed for automotive large-scale manufacturing. One of the most important challenges is the provision of robust surface pre-treatment methods in order to ensure efficient and durable adhesively bonded joints. The possibility of in-line application is an advantage of the laser pre-treatment compared to other surface pre-treatment technologies such as sand blasting or grinding. Therefore, the application of laser pre-treatment technologies based on photonic production methods is predestined for this task.Numerical simulations are performed to analyze the influence of the laser surface pre-treatment on automotive product developments. Suitable simulation methods are identified and validated regarding the functionality of the considered approach.The results of empirical investigations show that the laser pre-treatment is suitable, especially for the pre-treatment of thermoplastic FRP, where an increase of peel resistance to the factor of four in comparison to conventional pre-treatment techniques can be achieved.Within the research project “ProPhoMuLA“, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), fundamentals for innovative laser pre-treatment processes for fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) are elaborated in order to improve the adhesive joining properties of multi-material joints, e.g. FRP-FRP or FRP-metal-joints.The increasing application of material mixture results in a growing importance of the adhesive bonding technology as the most promising joining technique for multi-material joints. Until now, the use of adhesive bonding for multi-material joints is, however, connected with high process-technical expenditure. In addition, despite the successful implementation in individual applications, the methods have not yet been sufficiently developed for automotive large-scale manufacturing. One of the most important challenges is the provision of robust surface pre-treatment methods in order to ensure efficient and durable adhesively bonded joints. The possibility of in-line application is an adv...

BackgroundA significant potential for patient empowerment is seen in concepts aiming to give patients access to their personal health information (PHI) and to share this PHI across different care settings and health systems. Personal health records (PHRs) and the availability of information through health information exchanges are considered to be key components of effective and efficient health care. With tethered PHRs, as often used in the United States, patients’ opportunities to manage their PHI are strongly restricted. Therefore, within the INFOPAT (information technology for patient oriented care) project (2012-2016) in Germany, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the development of a patient-controlled “personal electronic health record” (PEPA) was based on user requirements right from the beginning.ObjectiveThe overall objective of the study is to implement and evaluate a PEPA prototype for patients with colorectal cancer who are treated at the National Center for Tumor Diseases in Heidelberg. To achieve this aim, this study has 2 parts: a pre-implementation study (phase 1) and an implementation study (phase 2). The pre-implementation study will include a usability evaluation of the PEPA approach and the consideration of organizational preconditions for the implementation. With the implementation study, we will evaluate the process of implementation (eg, barriers or facilitators), the need for organizational change (eg, processes of communication), and the impact on outcomes (eg, self-efficacy, involvement in care).MethodsThe pre-implementation study is based on a mixed methods approach and comprises qualitative and quantitative element according to our research aim. We will use a think-aloud method for the usability analysis. Additionally, participants will be asked to evaluate their overall satisfaction based on a standardized questionnaire, the System Usability Scale. For the analysis of preconditions, we will conduct semistructured personal interviews with, for example, patients, medical assistants, and physicians. Within the implementation study the outcome evaluation is planned as a prospective, 3-month, open-label “before and after” trial. Additionally, for the analysis of processes and the need for organizational change, we will conduct interviews with the participants (eg, patients, general practitioners, physicians) of the before and after trial.ResultsThis project is part of the INFOPAT project, which is funded (2012-2016) by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The enrolment was completed in July 2016. Data analysis is currently under way and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication at end of 2017.ConclusionsExisting approaches of PHRs aim to give patients access to their treatment data. With the PEPA approach and this study, we go a step further: patients have access to their PHI and they can give other persons (eg, their general practitioner) access. With this approach, new possibilities for professional collaboration and the engagement of patients can arise.

Research in the field of social cognitive neuroscience is advancing rapidly, accelerated by technological innovation in brain imaging. This research is producing novel insights as to how humans process information, make decisions and behave in response to the growing imperatives for sustainability management. Recent research findings have implications for the theoretical foundations of sustainability management as well as the practical challenges confronting managers. Neuroscientific evidence underscores the magnitude of the challenges. Physiological evidence of six neural processes, hardwired via synaptic connections and potentially antagonistic to enhanced sustainability management, establish the structure of the paper. These neural phenomena, which are reflexive and preconscious, include: amygdala intercept, in‐group/out‐group differentiation, loss aversion, implicit persuasion and priming effects – cognitive and cultural. Propositions are advanced linking neurological processes to sustainability management. The paper concludes with strategic considerations and practical implications for greater integration between social cognitive neuroscience and sustainability management research.

<!--[if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} > <! [endif] > <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;" _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-size: 12pt;">Research on forest governance has intensified in recent decades with evidence that efforts to mitigate deforestation and encourage sustainable management have had mixed results. This article considers the progress that has been made in understanding the range of variation in forest governance and management experiences. It synthesizes findings of recent interdisciplinary research efforts, with particular attention to work conducted through the Center for the Study of Institutions, Population and Environmental Change and the International Forestry Resources and Institution Research Program. By identifying areas of progress, lessons learned, and challenges for successful forest governance, the discussion points to policy implications and priorities for research.</span>< ><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;" _mce_style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;" _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;" _mce_style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Research on forest governance has intensified in recent decades with evidence that efforts to mitigate deforestation and encourage sustainable management have had mixed results. This article considers the progress that has been made in understanding the range of variation in forest governance and management experiences. It synthesizes findings of recent interdisciplinary research efforts, which indicate that sustainable management of forest resources is associated with secure rights, institutions that fit the local context, and monitoring and enforcement. At the same time, the variability in local contexts and interactions of social, political, economic and ecological processes across levels and scales of analysis create uncertainties for the design and maintenance of sustainable forest governance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" _mce_style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By identifying areas of progress, lessons learned, and gaps in knowledge, the discussion suggests priorities for further research.</span></span><--><div> Research on forest governance has intensified in recent decades with evidence that efforts to mitigate deforestation and encourage sustainable management have had mixed results. This article considers the progress that has been made in understanding the range of variation in forest governance and management experiences. It synthesizes findings of recent interdisciplinary research efforts, which indicate that sustainable management of forest resources is associated with secure rights, institutions that fit the local context, and monitoring and enforcement. At the same time, the variability in local contexts and interactions of social, political, economic and ecological processes across levels and scales of analysis create uncertainties for the design and maintenance of sustainable forest governance. By identifying areas of progress, lessons learned, and gaps in knowledge, the discussion suggests priorities for further research. </div>

<!--[if gte mso 10]> <mce:style><! /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} > <! [endif] > <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;" _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;" mce_style="font-size: 12pt;">Research on forest governance has intensified in recent decades with evidence that efforts to mitigate deforestation and encourage sustainable management have had mixed results. This article considers the progress that has been made in understanding the range of variation in forest governance and management experiences. It synthesizes findings of recent interdisciplinary research efforts, with particular attention to work conducted through the Center for the Study of Institutions, Population and Environmental Change and the International Forestry Resources and Institution Research Program. By identifying areas of progress, lessons learned, and challenges for successful forest governance, the discussion points to policy implications and priorities for research.</span>< ><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;" _mce_style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;" _mce_style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;" _mce_style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Research on forest governance has intensified in recent decades with evidence that efforts to mitigate deforestation and encourage sustainable management have had mixed results. This article considers the progress that has been made in understanding the range of variation in forest governance and management experiences. It synthesizes findings of recent interdisciplinary research efforts, which indicate that sustainable management of forest resources is associated with secure rights, institutions that fit the local context, and monitoring and enforcement. At the same time, the variability in local contexts and interactions of social, political, economic and ecological processes across levels and scales of analysis create uncertainties for the design and maintenance of sustainable forest governance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" _mce_style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By identifying areas of progress, lessons learned, and gaps in knowledge, the discussion suggests priorities for further research.</span></span><--><div> Research on forest governance has intensified in recent decades with evidence that efforts to mitigate deforestation and encourage sustainable management have had mixed results. This article considers the progress that has been made in understanding the range of variation in forest governance and management experiences. It synthesizes findings of recent interdisciplinary research efforts, which indicate that sustainable management of forest resources is associated with secure rights, institutions that fit the local context, and monitoring and enforcement. At the same time, the variability in local contexts and interactions of social, political, economic and ecological processes across levels and scales of analysis create uncertainties for the design and maintenance of sustainable forest governance. By identifying areas of progress, lessons learned, and gaps in knowledge, the discussion suggests priorities for further research. </div>