Sustainability — Open Access Journal

The development of South Korean water resources has been heavily concentrated in a few areas, corresponding to regions that have experienced economic growth. The resulting competition for the resource is leading to calls for more equitable water distribution. The objective of this study is to evaluate water stress areas for sustainable water resources management. For this, a spatially distributed water stress index that accounts for climate variability at intra- and inter-annual time scales is developed and applied to South Korea to better understand the water allocations, and the subsequent water stress. Water demand (household water, industrial water, agricultural water, and livestock water) and water supply (precipitation use, reservoir use, stream use, and underground water use) estimates based on the period 1973–2009 were used to compute the normalized deficit index (NDI) and normalized deficit cumulative (NDC) for each hydrologic basin. Water stress was assessed for each of the four decades (1973–1982; 1983–1991; 1992–2000; 2001–2009). The overall water stress has decreased in 2000–2009 compared to 1973–1982 because of water infrastructure development. However, while the risk of water stress was low in the Han River basin, the Nakdong River was found to be very vulnerable to water stress. It was possible to investigate where water management strategies are needed for the sustainable development of South Korean water resources. Full article

Few studies examine how firms make strategic decisions over time. In this study, we test whether a firm undertakes corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as a function of its life-cycle stage. Drawing on prior CSR research that finds ethical concerns and opportunistic behavior to be two key motivations that underpin CSR activities, we hypothesize that firms in their growth stage are positively associated with CSR, while firms in stage of decline are less likely to invest in CSR. The empirical findings of our study—derived by leveraging a sample of South Korean listed firms—are consistent with these predictions. We further find that in the growth stage, group-affiliated firms are more engaged in CSR than are unaffiliated firms. Given that affiliated firms can share the resources of other group-member firms, this evidence supports the slack resource hypothesis. Overall, our results indicate that firms have different CSR strategies, depending on their life-cycle stage. Full article

Precipitation is the main source of soil moisture recharge in the gully region of the Loess Plateau, and soil moisture is the main and most important water resource for vegetation activities in semiarid regions. To identify the contributions to soil moisture replenishment from rainfall of different intensities, this study conducted a soil moisture monitoring experiment involving continuous measurements at 30-min intervals in areas of Robinia pseudoacacia artificial forestland, Pinus tabulaeformis artificial forestland, and grassland from 1 March to 31 November 2017. The results indicated that there was a positive relationship between the infiltration coefficient and precipitation until the relationship obtained a stable value. When the precipitation was greater than 30 mm, soil moisture was replenished up to the 150 cm soil layer in grassland, and when the precipitation was greater than 40 mm, soil moisture was replenished up to the 150 cm soil layer in P. tabulaeformis artificial forestland. However, only precipitation greater than 50 mm replenished the soil moisture at the 150 cm soil layer in R. pseudoacacia artificial forestland. These three vegetation communities play important roles in soil and water conservation during ecological restoration. The results of this study can guide vegetation configurations in vegetation recovery and reconstruction efforts in the gully region of the Loess Plateau. Full article

As rare earth resources are indispensable raw materials for modern society, they have become strategic global reserve resources. Even though China is the world’s largest producer and exporter of rare earth, the industry has low efficiency and severe problems with over-exploitation and environmental pollution; therefore, there needs to be a greater focus on the sustainable exploitation of rare earth resources. This paper establishes an innovative evaluation index system for the sustainable development of China’s rare earth resources from six main aspects; economic development, social progress, environmental protection, technological innovation, rare earth development and utilization, and rare earth protection in which the indicators are assessed using an entropy method. Grey correlation analysis was used to evaluate China’s rare earth sustainable development level from 2006–2016, from which it was found that sustainable development was poor from 2006–2010 and marginally better from 2011–2016. The main factor affecting rare earth sustainable development in China was found to be the lag in the development of environment protection system and rare earth protection system. Policy recommendations for improving China’s rare earth protection, environmental protection, and technological innovation are proposed to guide government regulations and assist rare earth industry personnel. Full article

This paper aims to simultaneously minimize logistics costs and carbon emissions. For this purpose, a mathematical model for a three-echelon supply chain network is created considering the relevant constraints such as capacity, production cost, transport cost, carbon emissions, and time window, which will be solved by the proposed quantum-particle swarm optimization algorithm. The three-echelon supply chain, consisting of suppliers, distribution centers, and retailers, is established based on the number and location of suppliers, the transport method from suppliers to distribution centers, and the quantity of products to be transported from suppliers to distribution centers and from these centers to retailers. Then, a quantum-particle swarm optimization is described as its performance is validated with different benchmark functions. The scenario analysis validates the model and evaluates its performance to balance the economic benefit and environmental effect. Full article

This article presents a case study on a demand response (DR) pilot project dealing with the application of DR in a grocery store with the utilization of refrigeration equipment as energy storage and photovoltaics (PV) as an energy source. DR has recently gained increased interest due to the growing penetration of intermittent renewable energy requiring flexibility in power consumption. The smart power grid enables the introduction of novel solutions to increase flexibility and the entrance of new actors into the markets. Developing new solutions for the mainstream markets requires experimentation in real-life settings serving the development of technological capabilities, necessary policies and regulation, and user and market needs, as well as adaptation of and to infrastructure and maintenance systems. Our case study on a DR pilot in a grocery store in Northern Finland focuses on how the project contributes to knowledge on the potential for DR and scaling up. It was found that energy efficiency, DR, and self-generated PV power can be aligned and even enhance the potential for DR. While mature technologies exist, applications and installations have not yet been standardized to enable rapid scaling up, and current DR market rules and practices fail to accommodate for small electricity consumers. Full article

Until the Great Recession, rescuing banks with taxpayers’ money had been the preferred way to deal with banking crises. The dramatic effects of these practices on the real economy highlighted that bailouts are not a sustainable method to resolve troubled banks going forward. As a result, a new regulatory framework has been proposed, forcing the financial industry to move from “bailout” to “bail-in.” Understanding the implications of such a change is key to ensuring the success of these new banking rules. This article aims to build up a comprehensive and unbiased set of research articles in order to draw conclusions about the current status of the academic literature in the field of capital and loss absorption requirements. A research agenda on the topic is also proposed. The methodological approach undertaken is based on ProKnow-C (Knowledge Development Process-Constructivist). We also contribute to the development of Proknow-C methodology by adding a cross-reference extension to the original framework. The results of our analysis point out that further research has to be undertaken on the subject of loss absorption requirements. Full article

The progressively emerging concept of urban resilience to climate change highlights the importance of mitigation and adaptation measures, and the need to integrate urban climatology in the design process, in order to better understand the multiple effects of combined green and cool technologies for the transition to climate responsive and thermally comfortable urban open spaces. This study focuses the attention on selected mitigation and adaptation technologies; two renovation scenarios were designed and modeled according to the minimal intervention criterion. The study pays attention to the effect on surface temperature and physiological equivalent temperature (PET) of vegetation and high albedo materials characterizing the horizontal boundaries of the site. The Sapienza University campus, a historical site in Rome, is taken as a case study. These results highlight the importance of treed open spaces and the combination of permeable green pavements associated with cool roofs as the most effective strategy for the mitigation of summer heatwaves and the improvement of outdoor thermal comfort. Full article

The purpose of this article is to analyze the effects of multifunctional rural land use (MRLU) on residents’ wellbeing. A questionnaire survey on 805 rural residents in 64 villages of the Xinzhou District of Wuhan city in China, and estimators of OLS, ordered logit, and ordered probit were employed. The Shannon’s H index and Simpson’s Reciprocal Index are used to measure MRLU and the life satisfaction approach is used to measure wellbeing. An inverted-U pattern is observed in the relationship between MRLU and wellbeing, and another finding of the study is the threshold of MRLU. The article contributes to the literature by integrating MRLU into wellbeing analysis from a spatial-separated form, and deepens the relationship between MRLU and the residents’ wellbeing. MRLU is characterized by differences and a moderation, which can provide a reference for profiling rural land use planning and for designing land-use policy, and for prompting rural sustainable development. Full article

Coastal marine areas are characterized by the highest values of ecosystem services and by multiple uses that are often in conflict with each other. Natural capital analysis is claimed to be a valid tool to support space planning. In the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) of the European Union (EU), the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) Scientific and Policy Report 2014 defines the monitoring of specific descriptors and their possible use, based on an ecosystem-services approach. Mediterranean marine ecosystems are characterized by high biodiversity and the presence of relevant benthic biocenosis that can be used as a tool to support coastal planning, conservation, and monitoring programs. In this study, we considered the Mediterranean benthic biocenosis, as classified by Pérès and Picard, as a working tool and propose a basic spatial unit for the assessment of marine ecosystem services. Focusing on a high-resolution local-scale analysis, this work presents an accurate identification of the different biocenoses for the coastal area of Civitavecchia in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy, and ecosystem services, as well as a benefits assessment, of the Posidonia oceanica meadows. Full article

To foster innovativeness for supporting (forest-based) bioeconomy development, participation in decision-making and interaction between diverse actors become a necessary precondition for designing and implementing transition policies. However, who forms the emerging policy networks, and which policy beliefs are promoted? Based on data from a national online survey, we performed a quantitative social network analysis to investigate emerging social structures and policy beliefs in the context of the Finnish forest-based bioeconomy. Our explorative analysis shows that research, governmental, and industrial organizations mainly constitute the Finnish forest-based bioeconomy network. Actors primarily exchange information, and most key organizations report high levels of trust among each other. However, the network structure is rather closed. This raises concerns about equal benefit sharing and the inclusiveness of concerned actors. We discuss the implication of this network structure for enabling new innovations. Finally, we present the key aspects and drivers of “business as usual”, and suggest an option for or a more transformative change in the Finnish forest-based bioeconomy. Full article

Not every Business Excellence model has an integral approach considering the environmental, economic, and social aspects of sustainability. The aim of the paper is to review the selected Business Excellence Models and to introduce a proposal to improve this type of models as being applicable for the sustainability assessment. The models that were chosen are used as a basis for organisational improvement. The paper is based on information gathered through extensive literature review (research publications, research studies, documents about The Business Excellence Models) using Internet and research databases and the author’s own experience. Methods of analysis, comparison, selection and statistics are to be used. Although the models are based on similar principles, the differences are in the number and structure of the criteria, respectively, sub-criteria and in the sustainability assessment approach. Therefore, as key criteria in the area of self-assessment, we propose seven non-results criteria and criterion results. The proposed Model is discussed with the analysed models, based on the calculation of their mutual distances. The model, which is closest to the proposed model, is The Singapore Business Excellence Framework. Full article

This study investigates the effect that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) had on academic performance using a difference-in-differences (DID) estimator using data from the years 2006–2016. By obtaining data from the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, this investigation examines the effect that LEED design had on the Student Performance Index for schools that opened in the year 2012. Each LEED school was matched with a non-LEED school based on several criteria. The study determined that LEED did not have an impact on the Student Performance Index. Though we find no relationship, green schools do provide educational opportunities that standard buildings do not. We suggest that the state of Ohio should take advantage of potentially untapped opportunities in their green schools program that could enhance both social and ecological sustainability. Full article

It is of great significance to research the spatial pattern of the urban system of the Yangtze River economic belt to analyze the characteristics and laws of the spatial structure of the Yangtze River economic belt and to promote the optimal development of the urban system of the Yangtze River economic zone. In this paper, the time data of the Yangtze River economic zone are corrected using Landsat satellite data and the clustering analysis method. The threshold of the urban built area is obtained by comparing the auxiliary data with other auxiliary data. Based on this threshold, a total of eight typical landscape pattern indicators—including the total area of the landscape, the total patch number, and the aggregation index—are used, and then FRAG-STATS 4.2 software is used to analyze the spatial pattern of urban development in the Yangtze River economic zone from 1992 to 2013. The results show the following: (1) During the period from 1992 to 2013, the urbanization of the Yangtze River economic zone expanded rapidly; the area of urban built-up area increased by a factor of 9.68, the number of patches increased by a factor of 2.39, and the patch density increased greatly, indicating that the Yangtze River economic zone, with an increasing number of towns and urban areas, continues to expand. (2) The complexity of the landscape patch shape gradually increased, the small and medium-sized cities continued to grow, more small towns emerged, and the total length of the border and the average density had average annual growth rates of 21.56% and 21.58%; the degree of aggregation and the mutual influence are increasing. (3) The maximum plaque index and the aggregation index show an overall declining trend. However, there are some fluctuations and disorder in the process of evolution, such as the total area of the landscape, the total patch number and the total patch density, which reflects that the Yangtze River economic zone is in the process of urbanization and has irregular and disordered characteristics. Full article

Global interest in Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) has grown following forecasts of a compound annual growth rate of 18.7% and a total of 5.4 GW installed worldwide from 2013 to 2019. Although the BIPV technology has been in the public domain for the last three decades, its adoption has been hindered. Existing literature asserts that proper information and education at the proposal or early design stage is an important way of addressing adoption barriers. However, there is a lack of BIPV communication approaches for research, and market proposals that focus on clear information about its benefits. This has limited the adoption of BIPV.. Based on this, the present study aims to develop a conceptual framework for an educative-communication approach for presenting BIPV proposals to encourage its adoption. This is aimed at developing holistic research and market proposals which justify scholarly investigation and financial investment. Using a multiple case study investigation and Design Research Methodology (DRM) principles, the study developed an approach which combines core communication requirements, the pillars of sustainability and a hierarchical description of BIPV alongside its unique advantages. A two-step evaluation strategy involving an online pilot survey and a literature-based checklist, was used to validate the effectiveness of the developed approach. Our results show that understanding environmental and economic benefits was found to be significantly important to people who are likely adopters of BIPV (p < 0.05), making these benefits crucial drivers of adoption. Statistical significance was also found between those who do not know the benefits of using solar energy for electricity, and interest in knowing these benefits (p < 0.05). We thus conclude that proper communication of these benefits can safely be advanced as important facilitators of BIPV adoption. In general, this study elaborates the need and strategies for appropriate dissemination of innovative ideas to encourage and promote adoption of technological advancement for a sustainable global future. Full article

This paper investigates local-scale social vulnerability to flood hazards in Romania, aiming to identify the most vulnerable social and demographic groups across a wide range of geographical locations by considering three dimensions: demographic, socioeconomic, and the built environment. The purpose of the paper is threefold: first, it strives to improve the Social Vulnerability model (SoVI^®) by applying a different weighting method adapted to the Romanian context, taking into consideration the municipalities exposed to flood movements. Second, it aims to develop an assessment model for the most vulnerable communities by measuring the heterogeneity according to local indicators related to disaster risks. Third, it aims to facilitate emergency managers to identify community sub-groups that are more susceptible to loss and to increase the resilience of local communities. To perform local-level vulnerability mapping, 28 variables were selected and three aggregated indexes were constructed with the help of the ArcGIS software. Moreover, a model of Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) between communities directly affected by floods and localities with high- and very high values of the Local Social Vulnerability Index (LoSoVI) was used to explore the spatial relationship among them and to compare the appropriateness of Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and GWR for such modelling. The established GWR model has revealed that the negative effects of flood hazards are often associated with communities with a high degree of social vulnerability. Thus, the analysis is able to provide a more comprehensive picture on communities in desperate need of financial resources in order to have the ability to diminish the negative impacts of flood hazards and to provide a more sustainable society. Full article

Supplier management is critical for supply chain management (SCM). The aim of supplier selection is to find an order of preference among potential suppliers. However, the ranking results for supplier selection may not be important, particularly when the performances are conflicting or have minor differences. Different criteria may have different impacts on the ranking results, and different decision makers may place different priorities on multiple criteria. Relatively worse suppliers may still have to be used for many practical reasons. One alternative is supplier development, but it has been focused on categorizing individual suppliers for possible action plans. A new framework is proposed in this research to address supplier selection and supplier development at the same time in the publishing and printing industries. First, the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) are sequentially performed to rank and select the best supplier(s) of a publishing company. In addition to ranking suppliers, a managerial analysis is proposed to assess the impact of important criteria on supplier selection in more detail. Finally, the results of the DEA are provided for direct supplier development without supplier categorization. This research shows that the proposed framework effectively addresses supplier development as well as supplier selection in the publishing and printing industries. Full article

Efficient decision making based on business intelligence (BI) is essential to ensure competitiveness for sustainable growth. The rapid development of information and communication technology has made collection and analysis of big data essential, resulting in a considerable increase in academic studies on big data and big data analysis (BDA). However, many of these studies are not linked to BI, as companies do not understand and utilize the concepts in an integrated way. Therefore, the purpose of this study is twofold. First, we review the literature on BI, big data, and BDA to show that they are not separate methods but an integrated decision support system. Second, we explore how businesses use big data and BDA practically in conjunction with BI through a case study of sorting and logistics processing of a typical courier enterprise. We focus on the company’s cost efficiency as regards to data collection, data analysis/simulation, and the results from actual application. Our findings may enable companies to achieve management efficiency by utilizing big data through efficient BI without investing in additional infrastructure. It could also give them indirect experience, thereby reducing trial and error in order to maintain or increase competitiveness. Full article

Rating systems for green buildings often give assessments from the perspective of the overall performance of a single building or architecture complex but rarely target specific green building technologies. As some of the rating systems are scored according to whether the technologies are used or not, some developers tend to pile up energy-saving technologies blindly just for the sake of certifications without considering their suitability for the application. Such behavior may lead to the failure of achieving the energy goals for green buildings. To solve this problem, a system that pre-evaluates the suitability of green building energy-saving technologies is devised based on modified TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) method, SA (simulated annealing) algorithm and unascertained theory-based data analysis method. By setting indices from technology performance, economy, human satisfaction aspects and by using the building prior information and measured database of technology usage, this system can make a quantifiable and multi-dimensional grading assessment for the target green building energy-saving technologies in the design stage. The system aims at helping the designer choose technologies in the design phase that best enhance the performance of the finished green building. It also helps prevent the sub-optimal performance of unsuitable technologies caused by the “pile up” behavior mentioned earlier. To verify this evaluation system, two building designs which use energy-recovery technology are evaluated, and the predicted performance for both designs matched the actual operation of the technology in the buildings themselves well. Full article