Responsabilité sociétale et développement durable

Publication year: 2011
Source: Technological Forecasting and Social Change, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 25 February 2011

Mattias, Höjer , Ander, Gullberg , Ronny, Pettersson

This paper presents and discusses a backcasting study for Stockholm 2050. The focus is on developing images of a future where Stockholm citizens have sustainable energy use—here defined as a 60% reduction per capita over a 50-year period. The perspective is that of households, so all energy is allocated to individuals’ activities rather than being discussed from a sector perspective. Six images of the future are developed by combining a space dimension (three versions of changes in urban structure) and a time dimension (two versions of people's life tempo). Added to this is technological development, so that the images of...

Research Highlights: ► We allocate all energy use in society to households’ activities. ► Six images of the future Stockholm 2050 are elaborated. ► All images illustrate potential ways of life with 60% lower energy use than 2000. ► The images are differentiated in time (work hours) and space (urban structure).

Publication year: 2011
Source: Technological Forecasting and Social Change, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 5 April 2011

Fabio, Manzini , Jorge, Islas , Paloma, Macías

This article focuses on the problem of assessing the environmental sustainability of energy projects. For this purpose an original model, which is based on various indicators that measure the environmental sustainability of energy projects, has been developed. This model, so called index of environmental sustainability of energy projects (IESEP), can be used in scenario comparison, while measuring the effectiveness of the proposed alternatives. Finally, an example of how to use this model is provided by analyzing alternatives to ameliorate the environmental sustainability of a hydroelectric project. In doing so, it is possible to show the usefulness of this model when...

Research highlights: ► Environmental sustainability (ES) of energy projects is assessed along its lifetime. ► Quantitative evaluation model for ES of energy projects is provided. ► A compound index called IESEP was formed from energy project indicators. ► A hydropower generation case study is presented.

Developing products and business processes to serve subsistence marketplaces (or the roughly 4 billion poor around the world referred to as the bottom of the pyramid) is a significant challenge for businesses. Despite the importance of subsistence marketplaces, most product development educational curricula have been focused on relatively resource-rich and literate consumers and markets. We teach an innovative year-long product development course which includes an international immersion experience and which covers a broad spectrum of learning from understanding poverty, to consumer behavior, to product development and engineering design specifically for subsistence consumers. This unique course represents a pioneering effort to focus attention and create knowledge about product development, marketing, management, and engineering practices for subsistence marketplaces.Our two-semester course sequence for graduate-level students in a variety of business and engineering disciplines and industrial design combines in-class pedagogy with experiential learning and results in useful and marketable product concepts and prototypes. Working on projects with multinational companies or startups, students identify an opportunity of general need, conduct field market research to better understand subsistence consumer needs and contexts through an international immersion experience, develop a product concept, convert the concept to a workable prototype, and develop a manufacturing plan, marketing strategy, and overall business plan for the product. Overlaying the content found in a typical new product development lab course we develop a contextual understanding of subsistence marketplaces, setting the stage for new product development. A central aspect of the learning experience is travel to subsistence markets for actual immersion in the context and to conduct market research.Our course is at the confluence of two of the most important issues facing humanity, subsistence and sustainability. Lessons learned here can also be extended to other radically different contexts, such as future scenarios involving severe energy shortages or climate change consequences. Such educational initiatives provide challenging learning experiences in preparing students for the unique demands of the 21st century.

Publication year: 2011
Source: Journal of World Business, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 17 March 2011

George A., Shinkle , J. William, Spencer

What does global corporate citizenship mean? In the absence of formal definitions, a place where understandings of corporate citizenship can be found is corporate texts. From the perspectives of sociological institutional theory and strategic legitimacy theory, we utilized critical discourse analysis as a methodology to study the corporate sustainability reports of multinational automotive corporations. We observed isomorphic themes that constitute socially constructed expectations of global corporate citizenship regarding climate change. We also observed heterogeneity in how these themes are manifested. We examined the rhetorical features of these reports as ways that corporations strategically position themselves in the global marketplace.