Evolution Of Sustainability Research Articles

Sustainable supplier evaluation and selection in developing countries: an integrated fuzzy framework

Evaluation and selection of suppliers play a vital role in improving their sustainability performance. In this regard, evaluating the sustainability performance of suppliers is much more critical in developing countries. These countries are among the best destinations for supplying raw materials and workforce utilisation because of lower costs. In recent years, various multi-criteria decision aiding (MCDA) frameworks utilised to evaluate suppliers based on sustainable aspects. However, few studies analysed the evaluation and selection of suppliers' sustainability in an integrated fuzzy MCDA model regarding the supplier selection process and developing nations. This research presents a comprehensive, integrated fuzzy decision model for sustainable supplier evaluation and selection using an integrated FDelphi-FDEMATEL-FANP-FVIKOR by considering sustainability (social, economic and environmental). Also, this research provides a comprehensive analysis of MCDA techniques' literature in terms of the main steps of sustainable supplier selection (e.g., formulation of criteria, handling of criterion's interaction, weight calculation and final selection). The previous research rarely considered the evolution of suppliers' sustainability according to its steps in the literature. This framework assists supply chain managers and practitioners better understand the extraordinary role of these steps on businesses. This research's proposed framework is validated by a numerical example taken from Iran's automotive industry.

基于改进三维生态足迹模型的洞庭湖区生态可持续时空演化研究

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 基于改进三维生态足迹模型的洞庭湖区生态可持续时空演化研究 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202106161595 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家社会科学基金项目（15BJY051）；湖南省水利科技项目（2015-254-19）；长沙理工大学水利工程学院研究生科研创新项目（2020-05） Temporal and spatial evolution of ecological sustainability in Dongting Lake area based on the improved three-dimensional ecological footprint model Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:洞庭湖是长江流域重要的调蓄湖泊，也是中国重要的农产品主产区。科学评估洞庭湖区生态可持续状态，揭示其时空演化特征，对探究其生态可持续影响因素与作用机理，降低生态赤字具有重要意义。基于碳足迹与生态足迹理论构建了改进的三维生态足迹模型，填补了化石能源无法核算生态承载力的问题，同时调整了不同土地利用类型的参数因子。在对洞庭湖区25个区县进行可持续发展的动态评价分析中，计算了2000-2019年生态赤字、足迹广度与深度的时空分布特征。研究结果表明：（1）近20年来洞庭湖区的人均生态足迹增长速度远高于人均生态承载力，致使人均生态赤字在时间维度上不断增大，空间维度上呈湖滨向周边地区扩散的趋势；（2）洞庭湖区除林地之外的土地利用类型均存在自然资本存量的消耗，且表现为高生态赤字；（3）三次产业结构的分配、土地利用的变化、居民对生活质量的提高以及生态保护政策的有效实施等均会对洞庭湖区的可持续发展产生较大影响；（4）改进后的化石能源账户相较于传统账户的计算方法更能反映真实的碳排量与碳吸收量。研究以期为洞庭湖区土地利用、生态保护以及促进社会经济可持续发展提供科学参考。 Abstract:Dongting Lake is not only an important regulation and storage lake in the Yangtze River Basin, but also a major agricultural product producing area in China. We evaluated the ecological sustainable development status of Dongting Lake area scientifically and revealed the characteristics of temporal and spatial evolution of the region, which could be used to explore the influencing factors and mechanism of the ecological sustainability of the Dongting Lake area. At the same time, this study reduced the ecological deficit of Dongting Lake area. The improvement of three-dimensional ecological footprint was mainly based on carbon footprint calculation method and ecological footprint theory, which solved the question that ecological carrying capacity cannot be calculated in the fossil energy account. In addition, the equilibrium factor and yield factor of Dongting Lake area were adjusted according to the concept of "provincial hectare". Finally, the dynamic evaluation and the analysis of sustainable development of 25 counties in Dongting Lake Ecological Economic Zone, the per capita ecological deficit, the breadth and depth of per capita ecological footprint from 2000 to 2019 were calculated. The main results could be concluded as follows:(1) During the 20-year study period, the per capita ecological footprint in Dongting Lake area increased faster than the per capita ecological carrying capacity, which caused the per capita ecological deficit increased in the temporal dimension. Meanwhile, the spatial dimension showed the trend of diffusion from the center to the periphery of Dongting Lake. (2) Among all land use types in Dongting Lake area, the forest land wasthe only account of ecological surplus. All accounts of the cultivated land, grassland, water area, construction land and energy displayed high ecological deficit. (3) The distribution of three industrial structures, the change of land use, the improvement of residents' quality of life and ecological environment policies were important influencing factors in the study area. (4) Compared with the traditionally ecological footprint calculation method, the carbon emission and carbon absorption calculated by the improved three-dimensional ecological footprint model are closer to the real value. The research was expected to provide scientific reference for land use, ecological protection, promoting social and economic sustainable development in Dongting Lake area. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Benefits of policy actor embeddedness for sustainable tourism indicators’ design: the case of Andalusia

To ensure effective management, tourism governments need tools that can measure tourism activities’ impacts on sustainable development. Systems of indicators are thus widely used in tourism sustainability management and need to find a balance between academic and professional perspectives. This research is a case study focused on a tool for monitoring regional government policies: the Andalusia System of Sustainable Tourism Development Indicators (SISTA). The system was developed by an interdisciplinary group of 15 experts from within the regional government and academia. We apply the institutional theory in the tourism public sector to study a process of deinstitutionalization to get insights on how actors within tourism management organizations can shape institutions. Our results demonstrate that policy actors’ participation enhances these systems’ usefulness, introducing the sustainability policy paradigm and raising awareness of the strategic uses of data to support policy decisions. On the other hand, challenges of policy actors’ participation are related to the mismatch between sustainability evolution and policy cycles, and from the difficulty of judging policy measures’ efficiency. This research will serve as a reference for other tourism destinations working on measuring system development with practical applications as well as for academia to integrate policy actors’ needs into theoretical approaches.

Sustainability evolution and factors based on ecological footprint: A case study of Rizhao, China

AbstractEcological footprint (EF) focuses on exploring regional sustainable development, thereby making the evaluation of sustainability an important part of academic research. However, few efforts have been made into investigating EF’s influencing factors. This study explores the changes of EF and its influencing factors in Rizhao, a coastal city in China, and verifies the changes of EF through EKC. The results are as follows: (a) The rapid growth of EF is an important cause of ecological deficit. The evolution of EF shows obvious stage characteristics. (b) In terms of composition, the EF of fossil fuel‐rich land contributes greatly to the growth of EF; the EFs of cultivated land and water area also always account for a large proportion. (c) The EF is driven by the proportion of the secondary and tertiary industries, which has an inhibitory effect. Moreover, different influencing factors determine the stage change of EF. (d) EF is used to indicate the degradation of the environment. EKC shows that Rizhao City is in a negative correlation between economic development and environmental quality, confirming the change of EF. Based on the empirical results, suggestions have, hence, been made in this study to achieve sustainable development targets.

Evolutionary benchmarks in sustainability reporting. Incursion from the Brundtland Report to the Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract Sustainable development has become, at a rapid pace, outright desirable, an essential condition for all companies, and the business strategy must be based on transparency and accountability, and the information published must be the architecture of sustainable reporting. This is because the public reports of the companies generate the essential platform that reflects the performance, the social and environmental impact, as well as a subsidiary marketing function through which new customers and investors are attracted, as well as talented employees. The main objective of this research is to identify the main landmarks of the evolution of sustainability reporting in the dimension of non-financial reporting standards applied by Romanian companies. The migration trend from conventional to sustainable accounting is evident, with the latter including a variety of social and environmental issues such as: biodiversity protection, climate change, energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, social inclusion disadvantaged people, respect for human rights, the fight against corruption and transparency of information.

The technological informavore: Information behavior and digital sustainability in the global platform ecosystem

The typical approach to digital sustainability is related to digital business endurance, the persistence of digital records and objects, digital corporate communication and advertising, governance and knowledge access. In this article we offer a different approach, using an ecological perspective that relates the concepts of “informavore” and platforms as “digital ecosystems”, and human information behavior. We also carry out a domain analysis to follow the evolution of digital sustainability and its main discourses. We find that only one very recent article introduced a definition of digital sustainability that was consistent with the ecological approach. Taking that article as a point of inflexion, we complemented its definition of digital sustainability with some new elements. In conclusion we propose several breakthroughs required to advance the understanding of digital sustainability, and use the informavore-information behavior alternative as a basis for proposing some measures for digital sustainability.

Sustainability Reporting: Case of European Stock Companies

Sustainability reporting regulations defined within NFRD (Non-Financial Reporting Directive) allow different stakeholders to assess ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance of companies and their impact on people and environment. ESG data is increasingly used in strategy definition of entities, investment decision-making process and valuation of stock companies. ESG information is also reflected in ESG ratings which create comprehensive measure of ESG performance of specific entity. It outlines the need for dissemination of true and fair corporate sustainability reporting system. The main purpose of undertaken work is to evaluate the trend and evolution of sustainability reporting and ESG ratings of European listed companies in 2000-2020 period. In order to deliver results comparative analysis is used. Research proves that vast majority of European stock companies do not provide enough ESG performance which does not allow to assign them with appropriate ESG rating. Findings of analysis indicate the size of sustainability reporting accountability gap and confirm that wider group of public interest entities should be subject of NFRD.

The Evolution of Sustainability: The Automotive Supply Chain Opportunity in Southern Italy

This Special Issue titled “Assessment of Socio-Economic Sustainability and Resilience after COVID-19” aims to propose the positive relationship between sustainability and resilience across multiple sectors [...]

Pluralism and Digitalization: Reinstalling Employee Voice for Social Sustainability

In this paper we ask how pluralism in organizations matters for the evolution of social sustainability when digital technologies are implemented. To do so, we explore employment relationships in seven case organizations that implemented new digital technologies. We identify three pluralist negotiation practices alongside digitalization: controverting, envisioning, and experimenting. Divergent activities within these practices transformed pluralism into two forms—asymmetric pluralism and eye-level pluralism—both laying the ground for different pathways of social sustainability. While the former fosters surveillance capitalism and erodes employee voice, the latter paves the way for sustainable organizing within digitalization. By emphasizing the importance of pluralism for digital transformation, our paper offers a positive perspective on how digital technologies can be implemented within organizations in a fair and socially sustainable way.

Local Governments’ environmental disclosure via social networks: Organizational legitimacy and stakeholders’ interactions

In recent years, the use of social media has considerably increased interaction between the public sector and citizens. At the same time, environmental issues such as climate change are increasingly gaining importance in society. In such a scenario, local governments are called to engage and communicate with citizens on environmental issues and policies. This article explores whether and how local governments use the social platform Facebook with organizational legitimacy purposes and to interact with citizens on environmental sustainability. The paper contributes to understanding of how a social media platform could be regarded as a tool for disclosure of environmental information by local governments and the related organizational challenges.Starting from the list of all Italian municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, we analyse text data scraped from each local government's Facebook page over a six-year period (2012–2017). The study is twofold: firstly, it measures the municipalities' disclosure of environmental issues via Facebook, considering also some independent variables such as political orientation and geographical area; secondly, it evaluates citizens' reactions with local governments' environmental posts looking also at the organizational processes connected to the evolution of sustainability disclosure.Findings indicate an increasing general use of Facebook by local governments as a tool for sustainability disclosure despite a decrease in other sustainability reporting practices. During the same period, citizens' reaction with environmental posts grew faster than interest in general posts. Municipalities communicated more on environmental issues they perceived as relevant, although they did not align themselves with citizens' views. In fact, there seems to be a decoupling of interests. This study contributes to the literature on social platforms’ use by municipalities in the environmental disclosure system.

Evolution of Construction Materials and Sustainability

Increasing demand of human beings has a greater effect on the self-sustaining nature of Earth. New technologies facilitated the new generations but created a question mark on the existence of the next generation. The only way to remove this possibility is sustainable development. Through this paper review of evolution of various construction materials is drawn from sustainability aspects and various alternative solutions are highlighted. From the evolutionary history of construction materials, it is found that all other materials have some sustainability issue or construction issue and hence with the development of advanced material their use in construction is reduced. With this study it has been concluded that concrete has been a widely used construction material since the 19th century. With the advancement in concrete technology this will remain popular for a longer time and hence those aspects of concrete which create sustainability issues are to be resolved.

Road transportation network hazard sustainability and resilience: correlations and comparisons

Recent national level guidelines and research efforts increasingly suggest the use of resilience and sustainability concepts for natural hazard mitigation and recovery planning at the regional and community levels. This paper aims to distinguish and compare the two abstract concepts in the context of road networks recovering from a hazard event since resilience and sustainability metrics are often interchangeably adopted and can lead to inaccurate equivalencies between the two concepts. A spectrum of resilience and sustainability metrics are defined herein and a research methodology is described to evaluate them probabilistically. A case study demonstration on the road network in the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MMSA) for a probabilistic suite of earthquake scenarios shows that the correlation between network resilience and sustainability is dependent on the hazard level as well as the graphical abstraction of the real road network. While some correlations are observed between temporal sustainability metrics, such as missed trips and traffic emissions, and resilience metrics, like total travel distance and time, the correlation weakens as the network resolution becomes more sparse. These results show that while for dense networks, time-evolving travel time and travel distance may be used as proxy measures for hazard sustainability evolution, for sparsely connected networks, hazard resilience and post-hazard sustainability remain relatively distinct.

Organisational and professional challenges amid the evolution of sustainability reporting: a theoretical framework and an agenda for future research

PurposeThis paper aims to trace subsequent steps of the sustainability reporting evolution in terms of changes in the organisation fields and professional jurisdictions involved. As such, it highlights the (interrelated) organisational and professional challenges associated with the progressive incorporation of “sustainability” within corporate reporting.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on Suddaby and Viale’s (2011) theorisation of how professionals reshape organisational fields to highlight how organisational spaces, actors, rules and professional capital evolve alongside the incorporation of sustainability within corporate reporting.FindingsThe paper shows organisational spaces, actors, rules and professional capital mobilised during the recent evolution of sustainability reporting, starting from a period in which there was no space for sustainability, to more recent periods in which sustainability gained increasing momentum beyond initial niches, and culminating in more integrated forms of sustainability reporting.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the analysis is limited to empirical evidence collected by prior research and practice on sustainability reporting, the paper offers a view to imagine how the incorporation of sustainability within corporate reporting relies on and affects organisational fields and professional jurisdictions.Originality/valueThe paper offers a lens to interpret corporate and professional challenges associated with the more recent evolutions of sustainability reporting practice and standard setting. It also allows framing the papers accepted in the special issue on “new challenges in sustainability reporting” and concludes by suggesting an agenda for future research.

Politics and new media in ex/communist states – the example of Montenegro

PurposeThis study aims to explore the use of evolutionary and institutionalization models to understand the technical progression of sustainability in political organizations and their contribution to sustainable effectiveness. It describes the evolution of mass media, political marketing, in the organization’s strategy and design and the methods it is using to institutionalize this political and transition change.Design/methodology/approachThe study describes models of sustainability evolution and political and technical change, in political and social life in transition state Montenegro.FindingsOnline and internet presentations of political programs, political blogs, sites that promote the national history and culture of the desired perception – the achievements have already risen in Montenegro in the first decade of the new millennium and beyond. Internet presentation of political subjects are reduced mainly to a brief presentation of history and of political parties, and mostly during the current election campaign, serving to inform the public about the program and promotion announcements.Originality/valueThe findings of this study will help senior executives with responsibility for transition states. The aim of this paper is to show the transformation of the media during the transition period from one political system to another. With the use of descriptive methodological postulates and numerous case studies. With a wealth of facts and examples, which contributes to the originality and value of the article. The significance and originality of this research and article is reflected in a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to the transition process and quantitative and qualitative development of the media.

“Mas amas diehtá maid oarri borrá?”: Contesting Sustainability in Sápmi

Abstract In recent decades, traditional Sámi salmon fishing has become increasingly restricted on the Deatnu River, dividing Finland from Norway. Many Sámi have resisted this conservation effort, contending that it represents a type of “green colonialism.” This article explores the concept of sustainability as a cultural construction within Sámi and Nordic contexts, emphasizing the historical evolution of sustainability, its inextricable ties to culture and knowledge traditions, and its role in colonialism today.

Energy Sustainability Evolution in the Mediterranean Countries and Synergies from a Global Energy Scenario for the Area

Energy Sustainability Evolution in the Mediterranean Countries and Synergies from a Global Energy Scenario for the Area

Sostenibilidad ambiental para las ciudades intermedias del Sur Global / Environmental sustainability for intermediate cities in the Global South

La huella ecológica de las ciudades es la de mayor impacto sobre el planeta. En este escenario es relevante entender los alcances y limitaciones de las metodologías contemporáneas, puestas en marcha a partir de 2010, que promueven la sostenibilidad ambiental urbana. Este texto analiza el proceso de implementación de dos metodologías, el ICP (Índice de Ciudades Prósperas) de ONU-Hábitat y el PCES (Programa de Ciudades Emergentes y Sostenibles) del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID) en ciudades intermedias del Sur Global. Para ello, primero se revisan las tendencias que han tenido tanto la agenda ambiental urbana, como el término de sostenibilidad ambiental en las últimas décadas. Segundo, se presenta la metodología de investigación, basada en la participación de las autoras en los diagnósticos del ICP y el PCES en 6 ciudades intermedias de México y en un análisis comparativo de los alcances y resultados obtenidos en las diferentes etapas de dichas metodologías. Posteriormente, en el desarrollo se identifican tres categorías que agrupan los aciertos y áreas de oportunidad del ICP y el PCES, destacando: diagnósticos integrados e interrelacionados entre diversas dimensiones y mediciones urbanas; comparabilidad entre ciudades y monitorio en el tiempo que permiten orientar acciones/políticas a nivel regional o nacional; y un enfoque multi-actor y estratégico que insta a mayor interacción entre los actores sociales, públicos y privados que inciden sobre los territorios urbanos. Se concluye que, mientras estas metodologías no promuevan ambos, cambios profundos hacia una gobernanza plural e inclusiva que reduzca asimetrías de poder y cambios de paradigma sobre la relación interdependiente entre hombre y naturaleza, seguirán teniendo un impacto limitado.

Energy-Based Novel Quantifiable Sustainability Value Assessment Method for Machining Processes

Sustainability assessments of cooling/lubrication-assisted advanced machining processes has been demanded by environment control agencies because it is an effective management tool for improving process sustainability. To achieve an effective and efficient sustainability evolution of machining processes, there is a need to develop a new method that can incorporate qualitative indicators to create a quantifiable value. In the present research work, a novel quantifiable sustainability value assessment method was proposed to provide performance quantification of the existing sustainability assessment methods. The proposed method consists of three steps: establishing sustainable guidelines and identifying new indicators, data acquisition, and developing an algorithm, which creates the Overall Performance Assessment Indicator (OPAI) from the sustainability assessment method. In the proposed algorithm, initially, both quantitative and qualitative sustainability indicators are normalized. After weight assignment and aggregation, the OPAI is obtained. The developed algorithm was validated from three literature case studies, and optimal cutting parameters were obtained. The present methodology provides effective guidelines for a machinist to enhance process performance and achieve process optimization. The study also offers a relationship between sustainable and machining metrics for the support of industrial sustainability.

Evolution of Collaborative Networks Supporting Startup Sustainability: Evidences from Digital Firms

The aim of this paper is to investigate whether startup evolution can be conceptualized in a life cycle model intended as an unpredictable sequence of stages, where startups need to find actors with whom to collaborate to acquire knowledge and resources supporting the effectiveness and the sustainability of their mission. The creation and implementation of collaborative networks is observed through the lens of the holistic approach to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, whose purpose is to build “bridges” between different actors through the creation of communities of best practices or entrepreneurial networks. The creation of a specific ecosystem is suggested to ease the new digital entrepreneurship generation toward acquiring an appropriate level of knowledge, skills, financial facilitations, and entrepreneurial culture. Following a multiple case study analysis based on nine successful Italian digital firms, the empirical evidence seems to confirm that firms collaborate with different actors in different stages, as knowledge and resource networks play a critical role in sustaining the evolution and success of new firms.

Competencies or capabilities in the Australian higher education landscape and its implications for the development and delivery of sustainability education

ABSTRACT The question of how to embed transformative change through the implementation of sustainability principles in our education systems has become increasingly important as complex situations, like pandemics and climate change, challenge societies. Education underpinned by a sustainability paradigm requires students to develop the ability to think critically about the nature of knowledge and about the ways in which knowledge is produced and validated. Educating for these skills will require shifts in educational practice, pedagogy and new approaches to learning and teaching. As the relationship between education and sustainability has matured, there has been increasing debate around whether capability or competence frameworks best underlie the type of education we seek to embed in sustainability professionals. Within an Australian context there is a philosophical difference between these two terms and an understanding of how this relates to different typologies of sustainability and education; Education about Sustainable Development, Education for Sustainable Development or Sustainability as Education (Sustainability Education) and this has yet to be fully explored. This is increasingly important as higher education is under pressure to be efficient producers of work-ready graduates. This paper provides an overview of the context of capability and competencies in the Australian higher education context and the associated implications for education, and sustainability education. It compares a competence approach with that of a capability approach and then situates this debate within the evolution of sustainability and education. Finally, it addresses some key consequences of the contemporary approaches to sustainability and education and emphasises the role of the capability approach.