scholarly journals Governance for sustainability: learning from VSM practice

Kybernetes ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 955-969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Espinosa
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Final Conclusion ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Learning ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Viable System ◽  
Reliability And Robustness

Purpose – While there is some agreement on the usefulness of systems and complexity approaches to tackle the sustainability challenges facing the organisations and governments in the twenty-first century, less is clear regarding the way such approaches can inspire new ways of governance for sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to progress ongoing research using the Viable System Model (VSM) as a meta-language to facilitate long-term sustainability in business, communities and societies, using the “Methodology to support self-transformation”, by focusing on ways of learning about governance for sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – It summarises core self-governance challenges for long-term sustainability, and the organisational capabilities required to face them, at the “Framework for Assessing Sustainable Governance”. This tool is then used to analyse capabilities for governance for sustainability at three real situations where the mentioned Methodology inspired bottom up processes of self-organisation. It analyses the transformations decided from each organisation, in terms of capabilities for sustainable governance, using the suggested Framework. Findings – Core technical lessons learned from using the framework are discussed, include the usefulness of using a unified language and tool when studying governance for sustainability in differing types and scales of case study organisations. Research limitations/implications – As with other exploratory research, it reckons the convenience for further development and testing of the proposed tools to improve their reliability and robustness. Practical implications – A final conclusion suggests that the suggested tools offer a useful heuristic path to learn about governance for sustainability, from a VSM perspective; the learning from each organisational self-transformation regarding governance for sustainability is insightful for policy and strategy design and evaluation; in particular the possibility of comparing situations from different scales and types of organisations. Originality/value – There is very little coherence in the governance literature and the field of governance for sustainability is an emerging field. This piece of exploratory research is valuable as it presents an effective tool to learn about governance for sustainability, based in the “Methodology for Self-Transformation”; and offers reflexions on applications of the methodology and the tool, that contribute to clarify the meaning of governance for sustainability in practice, in organisations from different scales and types.

scholarly journals Taiwan's budgetary responses to COVID-19: the use of special budgets

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Jie Liao ◽  
Nai-Ling Kuo ◽  
Shih-Hsien Chuang
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Fiscal Sustainability ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Economic Stimulus ◽  
Fiscal Implications ◽  
Taiwanese Government

PurposeThe authors examine the Taiwanese government's budgetary responses to COVID-19, with a focus on the special budgets created for containing the virus, undertaking bailouts and providing economic stimulus. The authors assess the short-term and long-term fiscal implications of the budgetary measures and discuss how Taiwan's experiences could provide lessons for other countries for future emergencies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collect data from Taiwan's official documents and news reports and compare the special budgets proposed by the Taiwanese government during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors discuss lessons learned from the 2008–09 special budget and possible concerns of the 2020 special budgets. In the conclusions, the authors discuss potential long-term implications for Taiwan's budgetary system as well as possible lessons for other countries based on Taiwan's experiencesFindingsThe authors found that the 2008–09 special budgets focused only on economic stimulus, whereas the 2020 special budgets covered COVID-19 treatments, bailouts and economic stimulus. In 2020, the Taiwanese government devised targeted bailout plans for industries and individuals most affected by the pandemic and created the Triple Stimulus Vouchers to boost the economy. Since the special budgets were largely funded through borrowing, the authors pointed out concerns for fiscal sustainability and intergenerational equity.Originality/valueCOVID-19 has changed how the world functions massively. This work adds to the literature on COVID-19 by providing Taiwan's budgetary responses to the pandemic. This work also identifies ways for Taiwan to improve the existing budgetary system and discusses lessons for other countries.

Competitive advantage through innovation: the case of Nespresso

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Brem ◽  
Maximilian Maier ◽  
Christine Wimschneider
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Linear Process ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Situation ◽  
Long Time ◽  
A Company

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe how Nespresso achieved competitive advantage through innovation by changing the rules of the game in its industry. Design/methodology/approach – Nespresso was analyzed based on public available secondary data, in combination with related academic concepts on innovation and competitive advantage. Findings – The company succeeded by the thorough application of a strategy that, through perfect alignment, allowed the company to reach a unique market position. However, as described in the case, it took a relatively long time and the company came close to failure several times. Before the current situation of the company, it remains challenging in the future as well. Hence, the Nespresso story provides interesting space for discussion and learning about what innovation is, how innovation emerges, and under which circumstances innovation can serve as a source for competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications – Especially given the current market situation, the case offers different starting points for discussion about innovation and long-term company success. Practical implications – Especially before the current market situation, the case offers different starting points for discussion about innovation and the success of a company on the long term. The case is designed to give practitioners a better understanding on what an innovation as, and how competitive advantages can be linked to innovation. Originality/value – This case of Nespresso is a unique combination of the concepts of innovation and competitive advantage. It serves as an example of an innovation, which was not successful from the scratch, but evolved over time and is still developing. As many innovations went through such a non-linear process, this case offers interesting lessons learned for academics as well as for practitioners.

scholarly journals Characterizing agile supply partnerships in the fashion industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 923-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corrado Cerruti ◽  
Carlos Mena ◽  
Heather Skipworth ◽  
Ernesto Tavoletti
Keyword(s):  
Decision Makers ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Strategic Partnerships ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Organizational Relationships ◽  
Apparent Paradox ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Turbulence

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate high-involvement and short-term supply relationships, known as agile supply partnerships (ASPs), and explores the conditions that support the development of such inter-organizational relationships. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative exploratory research design was followed, based on in-depth case studies of Italian fashion footwear manufacturers and their relationships with key suppliers. Findings – ASPs appear to be most relevant in supply material categories which have a high impact on the appearance or functionality of the product. Conversely, in supply categories with a low impact, long-term partnerships are preferred. Four main characteristics of ASPs are identified: they are part of a portfolio of relationships to balance the rigidities of long-term strategic partnerships; they have project-like features; they are developed from a network of pre-qualified suppliers; they are recurring and intermittent rather than continuous or isolated one-off short-term partnerships. Research limitations/implications – The research has been carried out in the context of an Italian footwear district. Further research is required to evaluate the validity of the propositions in other sectors and geographies. Practical implications – The research can help decision makers in the fashion industry, and potentially other sectors affected by high turbulence, to identify when ASPs are most appropriate and what characteristics they should have. Originality/value – This research contributes to the literature on agility by empirically evaluating the apparent paradox related to the specific characteristics of supply relationships required to foster an agile strategy and by clarifying the conditions under which fashion companies develop ASPs.

Decisions on participation in music festivals: an exploratory research in Portugal

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
João Pedro Portugal ◽  
Antonia Correia ◽  
Paulo Águas
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Music Festivals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Music Festival ◽  
The Social ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeMusic festivals offer new opportunities for leisure and tourist experiences in Portugal. Some tourists and residents, the so-called festival goers, participate and come back to these events, whereas others, the non-goers, never participate and are not willing to do so. The aim of this research is to understand the decision to participate or not based on facilitators and constraints to participate or not in a music festival, dismantling residents and tourists' attitudes.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 1,178 music festival goers and non-goers in Portugal. Content analysis was undertaken to depict the most important determinants of their decisions. Those determinants were categorized according to the three dimensions of factors of ecological systems theory, considering festival goers and non-goers as well as tourists and residents.FindingsThe results suggested that although constraints are not as often voiced as facilitators, both influence decisions that are expressed as delaying, postponing, avoiding or complying with others by participating in these events. Furthermore, the results suggested that the decision to participate or not depends on the social contexts of the festival goers or non-goers, and that these social contexts may invert their decision, be it by facilitating or constraining their participation.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited to festivals in Portugal and used a qualitative analysis that may be confirmed in other countries with quantitative methods. Nevertheless, this research opens paths to discuss facilitators and constraints through ecological system theory and gives insights into this industry.Practical implicationsThe results provide important insights for festival organizers to retain and build long-term relationships with festival goers. The results also provide insights into how to overcome the resistance which non-goers demonstrated.Social implicationsThis research offers an in-depth and insightful understanding of individuals' attitudes towards music festivals, allowing festival demand to be better understood. Furthermore, this research proves that attendance of music festivals is mostly a socially driven behaviour.Originality/valueBy eliciting facilitators and constraints of the decision to participate in music festivals, considering residents and tourists, festival goers and non-goers, this study provides a deeper understanding of the decision to participate, through a theoretical framework which is rarely applied in this field.

Challenges and lessons learned in the deployment of an offshore oscillating water column

2014 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 1678-1704 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Kelly ◽  
D. O’Sullivan ◽  
W.M.D. Wright ◽  
R. Alcorn ◽  
A.W. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
System Control ◽  
Publicly Funded ◽  
Ocean Energy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supervisory System ◽  
Accelerate Growth ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the lessons learned from the successful deployment of a wave energy converter (WEC) and accelerate growth in the field of ocean energy. Design/methodology/approach – A thorough, well structured, documented, industrial approach was taken to the deployment because of the depth and scale of the task required. This approach is shown throughout the paper, which reflects the importance of a comprehensive project plan in success as well as failure. Findings – The findings demonstrate the viability of the use of off shore WEC to generate electricity and that such a project can be completed on time and on budget. Research limitations/implications – The research implications of the paper include the importance of an enhanced, integrated supervisory system control in terms of efficiency, operation and maintenance, and long-term viability of WECs. This paper can be used to help guide the direction of further research in similar areas. Practical implications – The practical implications include proof that WEC deployments can be carried out both on time and under budget. It highlights much of the practical data collected throughout the course of the project and presents it so that it might be used as a guide for future projects. Originality/value – At the time of this paper, successful deployment of off shore WECs has been a rare accomplishment. Because the project was publicly funded, the data collected during this project, both technical and practical, is freely available.

Canada’s emerging foresight landscape: observations and lessons

foresight ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 551-562
Author(s):  
Alex Wilner ◽  
Martin Roy
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Challenges ◽  
Policy Foresight ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
Global Affairs ◽  
Federal Public Service

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to introduce scholars and practitioners of foresight to the emerging Canadian foresight ecosystem, and to provide lessons learned on developing policy foresight from the Government of Canada context. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides a series of lessons based in part on informal and indirect observations and engagement with established Canadian foresight entities, including Policy Horizons Canada, and numerous newly established foresight initiatives at Global Affairs Canada, Standards Council of Canada and the Canadian Forest Service. Findings The paper finds that Canada’s newly emerging foresight units and initiatives face structural, institutional and organizational challenges to their long-term success, including in concretely measuring foresight outcome (rather than simply output) in policy making. Originality/value The paper provides a unique and empirically driven perspective of the foresight ecosystem that has emerged within the Canadian federal public service since 2015. Lessons are culled from this emerging network of Canadian foresight practitioners for international application.

Empowerment for sustainability in higher education through the EYE learning tool

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina C. Tassone ◽  
Giel Dik ◽  
Thekla Anna van Lingen
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Actual Process ◽  
Learning Tool ◽  
Instrumental Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Life Project ◽  
Sustainability Learning ◽  
Key Aspects

Purpose While empowerment for sustainability is considered a major objective within sustainability-oriented educational programs and policies, little is known about the actual process of empowering students for sustainability through higher education. This study aims to explore this field, by introducing the EYE (Educating Yourself in Empowerment) for Sustainability learning tool and by analyzing the effects of its application within a higher education context, including a reflection about key aspects contributing to students’ empowerment for sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The effects of the EYE tool are analyzed by means of questionnaires. Through a qualitative codification process and quantitative analysis, the authors have reflected on the effects of the EYE tool and on the empowerment process as perceived by the students exposed to the EYE at Wageningen University. Findings Results suggest that the EYE is a comprehensive and adaptive tool, conducive to empowerment for sustainability. Adopting, only partly, an instrumental approach to education and, largely, an emancipatory one appears to be a possible and successful combination. A key aspect contributing to students’ empowerment for sustainability is the development and execution of a real-life project of own choice. Learning about the diverse worldviews underlying the search for sustainability appears to be an eye opener for the students. Empowerment does not seem to require long-term training. Rather, it emerges and is experienced by university students within a few weeks. Originality/value This paper introduces a novel tool and discusses insights deriving from the application of this tool. The value of the paper lies in its potential to support educators in reflecting upon and designing their educational strategy for empowering students for sustainability.

Benchmarks for INGOs’ effective responses during COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 2863-2886
Author(s):  
Firas Izzat Mahmoud Saleh ◽  
Noorliza Karia
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Social Constructivism ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Grounded Theory Method ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Common

PurposeThis paper aims to formulate COVID-19 benchmarks that international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) have considered to recover from the sudden stopping of operations swiftly and consequences of COVID-19 pandemic; thus, to move forward toward readiness for both, the unpredictable spreading or disappearing of the virus (case of INGOs operating in Jordan).Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory research has been informed by the broader social constructivism paradigm and the basics of grounded theory method to identify the common themes. Six semistructured interviews have been conducted with INGOs’ leaders. The findings have been categorized, triangulated and prioritized toward the final identification of benchmarks.FindingsSeven COVID-19 benchmarks for INGOs’ effective responses during COVID-19 pandemic have been proposed, comprising of (1) donors’ policies and regulations, (2) needs, expectations and relevancy, (3) coordination, (4) staff management, (5) business continuation plans, (6) balanced short-term and long-term planning and (7) permanent adoption of successful modalities.Social implicationsINGOs play a vital role in the lives of vulnerable people around the world through their international development and aid (IDA) projects. However, the restrictions of movements associated with COVID-19 pandemic drive more burden on these communities and interrupted their access to assistance and support. This paper helps to sustain the crucial support of INGOs to those people who need it.Originality/valueCOVID-19 pandemic has interrupted the implementation of IDA projects, which added further obstacles toward the achievement of quality implementation of these projects. The proposed COVID-19 benchmarks help INGOs to overcome the consequences of pandemic on the near longer-term alike.

Marinated in violence: therapeutic intervention for victims of domestic abuse

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-223
Author(s):  
Erin Pizzey
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Personal Account ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Narrative Account

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to recount the author's experience of developing the first ever refuges for domestic violence, and the lessons learned about working with “violence-prone” people. Design/methodology/approach – This is a first hand, narrative account, interspersed with observations and commentary on the lessons learned. Findings – The author first identifies the author's own experience, as the child of several generations of violent parents, as central to the author's ability to empathise and work with women with similar histories. Learning together, and refusing to take responsibility away from the mothers, becomes central to the approach. Recognising the roots of violence requires in-depth, long-term relationship building with peers. The concept of “therapeutic chaos” sums up the way the spontaneous turmoil of the households seems to match and manage the cathartic expression of the residents’ world. Research limitations/implications – As a first hand account, this reportage challenges the assumption that constructive practice must all be based on someone else's prior, “evidence based”, practice. Originality/value – The refuge and network that arose from the work at Chiswick Women's aid was a pioneer in addressing domestic violence. This is a unique voice, and an opportunity to place this personal account in the record for future work on inter-generational emotional damage, addictive violence and social-environmental therapeutic treatments.

scholarly journals A Cloud-based Robot System for Long-term Interaction: Principles, Implementation, Lessons Learned

2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Frank Kaptein ◽  
Bernd Kiefer ◽  
Antoine Cully ◽  
Oya Celiktutan ◽  
Bert Bierman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Modular Design ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Common Knowledge ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Human Robot Interaction ◽  
Robot Interaction ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Artificial Brain

Making the transition to long-term interaction with social-robot systems has been identified as one of the main challenges in human-robot interaction. This article identifies four design principles to address this challenge and applies them in a real-world implementation: cloud-based robot control, a modular design, one common knowledge base for all applications, and hybrid artificial intelligence for decision making and reasoning. The control architecture for this robot includes a common Knowledge-base (ontologies), Data-base, “Hybrid Artificial Brain” (dialogue manager, action selection and explainable AI), Activities Centre (Timeline, Quiz, Break and Sort, Memory, Tip of the Day, \ldots ), Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA, i.e., robot and avatar), and Dashboards (for authoring and monitoring the interaction). Further, the ECA is integrated with an expandable set of (mobile) health applications. The resulting system is a Personal Assistant for a healthy Lifestyle (PAL), which supports diabetic children with self-management and educates them on health-related issues (48 children, aged 6–14, recruited via hospitals in the Netherlands and in Italy). It is capable of autonomous interaction “in the wild” for prolonged periods of time without the need for a “Wizard-of-Oz” (up until 6 months online). PAL is an exemplary system that provides personalised, stable and diverse, long-term human-robot interaction.

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