Climate Adaptation as Organizational Learning: A Grounded Theory Study on Manufacturing Companies in a Bavarian Region

Climate adaptation supports organizations in dealing with the current and projected effects of climate change by recognizing challenges as opportunities and increasing their economic efficiency. Based on the regional climate model REMO and 13 expert interviews with representatives from mainly manufacturing companies analyzed by the Grounded Theory methodology, this contribution aims to outline actual and future challenges of climate adaptation in the investigated region. We analyze how manufacturing companies respond to climate change and assess the main promoters and barriers of organizational learning in the context of climate adaptation. The expert interviews confirm the importance for companies of having a concrete business case for any strategies and of increasingly making their processes and manufacturing more transparent, through supply chain assessments. In accordance, a focus on strategic management levels is crucial for organizational learning processes as they are responsible for development, mobilization of resources and realization of adaptation concepts.

Smart Metering Systems

Blockchain technology is one of the most vital and exciting technologies available today. It can transform the business world and the organizations' functions. It offers several possibilities to flourish existing businesses, grow entirely new ones, and severely disrupt traditional organizations. This chapter aims to study the applications of blockchain in procurement, to improve at the same time effectiveness and sustainability, and to define its critical success factors. The chapter presents a model and then describes its application in a real business case. It highlights the critical challenges in this blockchain implementation and the potentials of blockchain in managing sustainable procurement in support of utilities. This blockchain application is for smart metering. The blockchain solution contributes to the three bottom lines: economic, social, and sustainable. It can help support sustainable procurement, reduce errors, improve organizational functions and procedures, and prevent fraud. The chapter includes some challenges and their possible remediations.

Using a Realist Framework to Overcome Evaluation Challenges in the Uncertain Landscape of Carbon Finance

In 2013, the United Kingdom Department for International Development and the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy published a business case for the Carbon Market Finance Programme (CMFP). The core mandate: to build capacity and develop aids for least developed countries in sub-Saharan Africa to access finance via the carbon market. The chosen strategy involved signing emission reduction purchase agreements with private sector enterprises, using the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to verify generation of tradeable certified emissions reductions. The World Bank’s Carbon Initiative for Development (Ci-Dev) would implement the 12-year program. The team for the 2019 midterm evaluation found that program uncertainty—from sociopolitical challenges in pilot markets to global indecision on the future of Article 6 and carbon markets—would complicate assessing progress toward business case objectives. The collapse and failed recovery of the carbon market impacted underlying assumptions of the CMFP’s theory of change, and uncertainty about CDM’s future complicated evaluation of program sustainability. This chapter presents a practical approach to using realist evaluation to overcome the contextual uncertainties of the carbon market landscape, providing strengths and weaknesses of the approach applied and recommending a revised approach for future evaluations.

Important Factors on Make or Buy Strategy for Margin Improvement on Consumer Goods Company

Consumer goods industry have tight a competition in the market. Therefore, companies that operate in this kind of industry should continuously improve sustainable competitive advantage. The strategy to increase competitive advantage is not through innovation but also requires cost leadership so that the company obtains an adequate profit margin. One of the efforts to gain cost leadership is that companies need to choose between make inhouse production or buy goods directly from appointed third party supplier. This study based on qualitative research methodology aims to discuss the important factors for building a business case on the make or buy options. Data for analysis purpose are obtained from interviews with individuals representing one of the leading multinational companies operating in Indonesia that produces personal care, hygiene and home care. Interviews results are written in transcript, coded and mapped to illustrate the keywords mentioned by respondents then being categorized as important factors or not. The result of the study showed that cost, capability, capacity, quality, service level and technology are important factors on consideration make or buy. Cost factor also consider projection volume, transportation and investment.

Main features of modeling terrigenous deposits in East-Siberia using the example of the Hamakinsky horizon

Background. The article considers the results of updating the geological model of the khamakinskii horizon reservoirs of the Chayandinskoe oid and gas field. The main aim is project the production of the oil rims and form a positive business case of the project. Materials and methods. Conceptual sedimentary model bases on the core of the 14 wells. Updating of the petrophysical model is the key to identify post-sedimentary transformations (like anhydritization and halitization) and the opportunity to correct the permeability trend. The tectonic pattern of the horizon based on the interpretation of 3D seismic data. There are two groups of faults were identified: certain and possible. Neural networks algorithm uses for a creating the predictive maps of anhydritization, which are used in the geological model. Results. Estuary sands influenced by fluvial and tidal processes dominate the khamakinskii horizon. The reservoir is irregular vertically: at the base of the horizon, there are sandstones of the delta front and there are alluvial valley with fluvial channels in the middle and upper parts. Eustary sands eroded by incised valleys (alluvial channels). According to the core and thin section analysis, the main uncertainty is sedimentary transformations of reservoir. It affects the net thickness and then the volume of oil in productive wells. 3D geological model includes the trends of anhydritization and halitization over the area, which makes it possible to obtain a more accurate production forecast. Conclusion. As part of the probability estimate of oil reserves, the main geological parameters that affect the volume of reserves were identified. Pilot project is planning to remove geological and technical uncertainties.