scholarly journals The Emergence of Employees’ Change Readiness for Energy-Conservation Behavior During Guided Group Discussions

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelie Verena Güntner ◽  
Paul Constantin Endrejat ◽  
Simone Kauffeld

Studies of energy conservation efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in the residential sector are abundant; however similar efforts in organizations have not received as much attention as they deserve. In this study, we focus on methods for increasing employees’ readiness to change their behaviors in favor of energy conservation, specifically examining the use of guided group discussions (GGDs). We use observational research methods to examine the micro-level of behavioral dynamics and understand the emergence of change readiness. We describe how facilitators (“change agents”) can conduct GGDs and foster employees’ change readiness using the established communication approach of Motivational Interviewing (MI). We also explore how employees can increase each other’s change readiness regarding energy conservation behavior. Based on our sample of eight videotaped GGDs (5430 behavioral events), interaction analysis reveals that solution-focused communication elicits change readiness in employees, whereas problem-focused communication prompts resistance to change. We further show that employees can motivate their co-workers to express “green” intentions: when employees verbalized statements in favor of energy saving, this increased other employees’ change readiness, while verbalized statements against energy saving had the opposite effect. This demonstrates that GGD participants are active individuals who can spark behavior change in their co-workers. Finally, based on our findings we propose several communication guidelines for working with groups and discuss the importance of solution-focused energy management practices to facilitate change readiness for energy saving in the workplace.

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 330
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Castella ◽  
Sonnasack Phaipasith

Road expansion has played a prominent role in the agrarian transition that marked the integration of swidden-based farming systems into the market economy in Southeast Asia. Rural roads deeply altered the landscape and livelihood structures by allowing the penetration of boom crops such as hybrid maize in remote territories. In this article, we investigate the impact of rural road developments on livelihoods in northern Laos through a longitudinal study conducted over a period of 15 years in a forest frontier. We studied adaptive management strategies of local stakeholders through the combination of individual surveys, focus group discussions, participatory mapping and remote-sensing approaches. The study revealed the short-term benefits of the maize feeder roads on poverty alleviation and rural development, but also the negative long-term effects on agroecosystem health and agricultural productivity related to unsustainable land use. Lessons learnt about the mechanisms of agricultural intensification helped understanding the constraints faced by external interventions promoting sustainable land management practices. When negotiated by local communities for their own interest, roads may provide livelihood-enhancing opportunities through access to external resources, rather than undermining them.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Dyah Ayu Widiasih ◽  
Johanna Frida Lindahl ◽  
Wayan T. Artama ◽  
Adi Heru Sutomo ◽  
Pande Made Kutanegara ◽  
...  

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease occurring worldwide with reproductive symptoms and production losses in livestock, while humans can suffer fatal renal failure. In Yogyakarta Special Province, Indonesia, there have been several outbreaks with high case fatality, demonstrating the public health importance, but there is limited understanding of the epidemiology. This study used an EcoHealth approach to ensure transdisciplinarity and community participation. Seroprevalence of Leptospira in animals was studied between October 2011 and May 2013 in 15 villages. Serum samples from 1404 cattle and 60 small ruminants were screened by a Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), first in pools, and then the individual positive samples were identified. Focus group discussions including farmers, village officials, and official stakeholders were used to explore knowledge and behavior of zoonotic diseases, particularly leptospirosis. Two small ruminants were seropositive for Leptospira icterohemorrhagiae. From the cattle, 3.7% were seropositive, and the most common serovars were Leptospira hardjo, followed by L. icterohemorrhagiae. Out of all farms, 5.6% had at least one positive cattle. Risk factor analyses showed that the risk of the farm being seropositive increased if the farmer used water from an open source, or if farming was not the main occupation. This study showed the presence of Leptospira spp. in ruminants in Yogyakarta and identified use of open water as a risk factor for the livestock. We also observed that the knowledge related to leptospirosis was low, and risky farm management practices were commonly employed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 71-78 ◽  
pp. 451-455
Author(s):  
Yi Fang Zhao

Based on the build-and-run cycle of the energy-conservation building, this paper studied from the perspective of building energy-saving. It analyzed the amount of increased investment through the analysis of build-and-run cycle cost and economic benefits of the energy-conservation building throughout the life cycle.Finally it establishes an economic evaluation model for the energy-saving building.


2012 ◽  
Vol 575 ◽  
pp. 122-125
Author(s):  
Juan Wang

Inner Mongolia mostly belongs to the rural residence building, no any relevant construction standard and building energy efficiency standards. Most of the farmers in build houses without considering building energy problems. This article through to a rural residential energy conservation calculation and analysis, and obtain the energy-saving index.


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 01013
Author(s):  
Nan Zhang ◽  
Mengyuan Xu ◽  
Ning Li

The existing building energy-saving reconstruction has a large area in our country. If the performance indexes such as the shading coefficient, visible light transmittance and hardness of the coating heat-insulating glass are in the condition of reaching the specification, and it can meet the needs of energy conservation and reform in building, it is a suitable technology for economic application.


2019 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Kota NAKAJIMA ◽  
Hiroki HONDO ◽  
Katsumasa IHARA ◽  
Junichi KIKUI

Author(s):  
N.Sujith Prasanna ◽  
Dr.J.Nagesh Kumar

Energy cost is significant in many of the manufacturing activities. The efficiency of energy use is quiet low as there are substantial visible and hidden losses. Visible losses can be easily identified and corrective action can be taken. However hidden and indirect losses form a sizeable portion of the losses. Identifying these losses is not easy and requires an integrated approach which includes thorough study of process, operations and their interactions with energy use. Industries across sectors have implemented lean management principles which target various wastes occurring in the plant. This paper discusses case studies which highlight the exploitation of lean tools as a means for unearthing hidden energy saving potential that often go unnoticed. In addition to the energy savings which results in improved profits and competitiveness, the approach also aids the industry to pursue a path of sustainable manufacturing.


Author(s):  
Zhang Mian

At present, people pay more attention to the energy consumption of building electrical design, the use of energy-saving design can maximize the energy conservation resources, and ultimately increase the pace of social sustainable development. Therefore, the energy-saving designers involved in the need to follow the economic rational, safe and feasible benchmark to select the appropriate energy-saving measures to increase research and development of new technologies, new products and new energy, the concept of sustainable development to be implemented. In view of this, this paper mainly analyzes the energy saving technical measures in the electrical design of thebuilding.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 14
Author(s):  
Agus Prianto ◽  
Ira Kurniawati ◽  
Moh. Taufik Wahyudi ◽  
Eva Yulistia

<span><em>Currently, real sector business activities are facing severe challenges. The development of ICT and the</em><br /><span><em>emergence of the covid-19 pandemic have led to changes in the business environment. Changes in the</em><br /><span><em>business environment require businesses to adjust by developing new business strategies, so that their</em><br /><span><em>business activities are in line with market demands. This study examines various determinants of</em><br /><span><em>readiness to change and their effect on the continuity of MSME activities in the covid-19 affected areas.</em><br /><span><em>The results of the study revealed that the new values and attitudes of micro business operators did not</em><br /><span><em>support the readiness to change, so they faced the problem of the sustainability of business activities. New</em><br /><span><em>values and attitudes are the main factors that shape readiness to change. While the readiness to change is</em><br /><span><em>an important factor that determines the sustainability of business activities. In addition, this study</em><br /><span><em>revealed that the business environment also as a factor forming change readiness and business</em><br /><span><em>continuity. This research recommends the importance of strengthening new values and attitudes for,</em><br /><span><em>especially for micro business people; so that they are better prepared to face a change. Future studies</em><br /><span><em>need to examine the effect of sudden environmental changes on the sustainability of business activities.</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span>


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