Nutrients cause grassland biomass to outpace herbivory

Human activities are transforming grassland biomass via changing climate, elemental nutrients, and herbivory. Theory predicts that food-limited herbivores will consume any additional biomass stimulated by nutrient inputs (‘consumer-controlled’). Alternatively, nutrient supply is predicted to increase biomass where herbivores alter community composition or are limited by factors other than food (‘resource-controlled’). Using an experiment replicated in 58 grasslands spanning six continents, we show that nutrient addition and vertebrate herbivore exclusion each caused sustained increases in aboveground live biomass over a decade, but consumer control was weak. However, at sites with high vertebrate grazing intensity or domestic livestock, herbivores consumed the additional fertilization-induced biomass, supporting the consumer-controlled prediction. Herbivores most effectively reduced the additional live biomass at sites with low precipitation or high ambient soil nitrogen. Overall, these experimental results suggest that grassland biomass will outstrip wild herbivore control as human activities increase elemental nutrient supply, with widespread consequences for grazing and fire risk.

Consumer communication when eating out of home: the role of technology

PurposeDespite growing demand, little product information is available when eating out. Information that is provided is often not well understood leading to a lack of consumer control and acting as a barrier to healthy food choices. The AIDA model which highlights the key stages of effective marketing communication (awareness, interest, desire and action) is applied. Information provided through technological solutions is examined to provide clear guidance on future use.Design/methodology/approachExploratory qualitative methods through four focused group discussions allowed consumers views to be probed in-depth and key themes to emerge through thematic analysis.FindingsIn addition to the four key elements of the AIDA model, accessibility and relevance are found to be key constructs relevant to food information provision. Accessibility highlights the need for quick and clear data display, while relevance stresses how salient information is key to each consumer. Technological solutions may offer the most responsive, effective and trusted way to provide enhanced information.Practical implicationsWith increasing consumer demand for clear information, a competitive advantage can be gained through the provision of personalised enhanced dish information when eating out. Findings from this study highlight consumers’ desire for online (app or website-based) platforms.Social implicationsThe provision of enhanced food information when eating out has clear public health implications and may influence choice leading to a reduction in non-communicable disease.Originality/valueThis study evaluates consumers’ perceptions to the provision of enhanced food information out of home providing novel insights and guidance for both managerial and societal impact.

User-Related Issues in Design and Use of Smartgrids Seen as Complex Sociotechnical Systems: Example of the VERTPOM Project

The impact of human activities on the environment is no longer to be demonstrated today and concerns many fields. With a view to environmental protection, applied to global warming limitation and fossil fuels preservation, Smartgrids are currently emerging, especially, under the impetus of European and French legislation. In emerging technologies, end-user-related issues, articulated with the design process, continue to raise conceptual, methodological and operational questions. The perspective of complex sociotechnical systems is useful for Smartgrids and to underline the necessary multidisciplinary approach to design. Yet raised for decades, the articulation of multidisciplinary approaches in the design of complex systems still questions fundamental problems today. These questions are all more unresolved in the context of innovative technologies such as Smartgrids. The objective of this paper is to propose 1) a conceptual reflection applied to the design of these Smartgrids seen as emerging sociotechnical systems, and 2) a case study by illustrating with the VERTPOM project. On the one hand, we discuss four fundamental points in user-centered design of Smartgrids: we describe the legislative impulses for the rollout of smart metters and the emergence of Smartgrids, we highlight the supplier/consumer synergy that is essential for efficient energy management, we explain the importance of adapting systems to the wide public in domestic, professional and public situations in the context of consumer control of energy demand, and we address the issue of the more traditional field of supervision and control of complex dynamic processes by operators. On the other hand, we present the VERTPOM project aiming at developing a set of digital tools for energy management and energy efficiency in order to make a positive energy territory that produces more energy than it consumes by introducing the project and its actors and explaining how design acceptable Smartgrids for consumers and operators of energy suppliers.

A critical review on value co-creation: towards a contingency framework and research agenda

Purpose Although a dominant marketing concept, value co-creation (VCC) is not without controversy. Inspired by value co-destruction (VCD), the purpose of this paper is to review the scattered literature on the uncertainties in collaborative value formation, synthesising contingency factors of value outcomes in VCC. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on an examination of 84 peer-reviewed journal articles. Recognising the drawbacks of the macroscopic abstraction in existing the VCC literature, the authors adopt a zooming-in approach to identify distinct patterns of contingency factors in the collaborative value-formation process. Findings From a macro-social perspective, VCC may connote a sense of exploitation of “consumers” and a need for consumer control of “producers”, impeding harmonious value formation. Zooming into actor-to-actor interactions, the collaborative relationship is found to be a source of uncertainties in value formation, which is further complicated by differences in the knowledge intensities of services. Finally, reviewing the individual consumer reveals a most nuanced picture that demonstrates heterogeneities of consumers’ VCC involvement and complexities in their perceptions and behaviours. Five propositions and a contingency framework are proposed. Research limitations/implications Six value formation mechanisms are proposed based on interconnected and multi-level perspectives, providing implications for managers and future researchers. Originality/value This paper contributes to rebalancing VCC research by synthesising insights on the potential contingencies, which are relatively under-explored yet vital to keep the controversy alive and relevant, and re-invigorating business processes.

Solar energy manager with PSOC5LP

In this document is presented the process of analyzing, designing and implementing of a solar energy manager controlled by programmable device CY8C5888LTI-LP097 PSoC 5LP. That makes possible the power measurement of generation, conversion and storage in the photovoltaic system, to take decisions about power supplying mode from the solar panels or the electrical network. Also to have a portable monitor with a tactile screen –connected via Bluetooth– it shows variables like: power consumed, generated and battery bank storage. This system sends data via Wi-Fi for the creation of a register in ThingSpeak data base. The energy manager accompanied by user and consumer control allows the power supply of diary basic devices in home by using a solar resource.