University of Gondar

Olago D.O., Downing T.A., Githiora Y., Borgemeister C., Kamau J., Kuiper G., Koné N.A., Omuombo C.

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are powerful tools whereby, using nature as the template, societal challenges can be addressed, while simultaneously achieving co-benefits for the environment. NbS have been successfully demonstrated in different ecosystems around the globe, but for savanna ecosystems - the planet's largest terrestrial biome - there is a lingering lack of clarity of what constitutes an NbS. We undertook a systematic review of literature in the savanna belt of Africa - stretching from Senegal to Tanzania. This review examined 3,714 journal articles from 2018 to 2022, out of which 271 papers met the inclusion criteria. Results show that there are a wide variety of nature-based techniques and strategies being used in the savanna-belt. Yet upon greater scrutiny, few qualified as NbS according to the IUCN criteria. Less than 2 % of papers met all the criteria, falling short in the areas of biodiversity gains, economic viability, governance processes, trade-offs, and adaptive management. The geographical and sectoral scopes of these solutions were also limited: 72 % of papers were from just 5 countries, and 80 % were from the agriculture/livestock sectors. Notably, 5 % involved creation of new ecosystems. Author collaborations between countries of the global south with savanna ecosystems were few. Our findings suggest research silos in NbS discourses: the peer-reviewed literature revolves around smallholder farming in just a few countries, where the research is generally driven by the global north. These factors prevent NbS from becoming truly transformational in addressing societal challenges in the savanna belt of Africa.

Boosting board representation of women redresses structural unfairness and improves corporate governance and performance. The Change Our Game initiative, running over 3 years statewide in Victoria, Australia, mandated 40% representation of women on state sport boards. At the start, only 44% of state sport boards had 40% women representation; by the mandate deadline, this had increased to 93%. Using an institutional theory lens, the authors qualitatively analyzed four stakeholder groups: mandators, policy champions, operationalists, and mandate targets. Stakeholder sentiments were analyzed pre- and postmandate deadline over 3 years. Sentiments ranged from positive to equivocation to denigration. The mandate’s coercive pressure, supported by institutional legitimacy and work to accelerate changes, led to institutional change and achieved a significant increase in women board members. Change was grounded in strong ethical and cognitive support from mandate champions. Microsocial expressions of denigration and change resistance did not prevent successful change.

Bernd C., Fröhlich E.

Der Einkauf spielt im Kontext der nachhaltigen Transformation eines Unternehmens eine immer größere Rolle. Dennoch folgen viele Unternehmen dem Effizienzgrundsatz und damit einem linearen Geschäftsmodell. Welchen Beitrag Circular Procurement leisten kann, um zirkuläre Geschäftsmodelle in Unternehmen zu verankern, ist Ziel dieses Beitrags. Es gibt noch kein einheitliches Verständnis, was sich genau hinter dem Begriff Circular Procurement verbirgt. Aus diesem Grund versucht dieser Beitrag zum einen, die Bedeutung des Einkaufs für die Erreichung der Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) zu verifizieren. Zum anderen wird der Beitrag zirkulärer Geschäftsmodelle auf die Erreichung der SDGs überprüft. Dazu wird auf das 7-R-Modell zurückgegriffen. Beide Ansätze definieren in ihrer Zusammenführung den möglichen Beitrag der Beschaffung für mehr Zirkularität. Die theoretisch hergeleiteten Erkenntnisse werden dann durch ein qualitatives Forschungsdesign, in Form von Experteninterviews, hinterfragt und validiert. Neun Experten aus unterschiedlichen Industrien und Unternehmensgrößen erlauben durch theoriegeleitete Interviews, ein besseres Verständnis für Circular Procurement abzuleiten. Die wesentlichen Herausforderungen und Vorteile von mehr Zirkularität in der Beschaffung wurden spezifiziert und die Bedeutung der SDGs als Evaluierungsinstrument für den zirkulären Einkauf überprüft.

Ervits I.

AbstractThis paper focuses on the social benefits of university-industry collaborations (UICs) based on the cases of winners of the Industry-Academia Collaboration Prize presented by the UK Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) (2010–2023). The research question, which concerns the social and environmental benefits of UICs, has received little attention in the literature, as it focuses mainly on their economic effects. Taking the framework approach to thematic analysis, a list of thematic indicators, which serve as benchmark criteria for evaluating the social impact of UICs in medical, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, is developed. The use of a case study to identify indicators via this approach is appropriate for generating in-depth insights into the characteristics of UICs that have considerable societal impacts. Knowledge creation and contribution to training and improved skills levels constitute the main social benefits of UICs in the three industries cited above. Our findings have practical and theoretical implications, as they emphasize the importance of UICs in fulfilling a specific function in society, namely, facilitating research and developing skills that make the world a better place.

As a response to the increasing threat to sport events from climate change and expectations around climate change mitigation, sport event managers increasingly engage in environmentally-related initiatives that aim to reduce GHG emissions. One of the major contributors to GHG emissions at large sport events is spectators' travel and, thus, their associated modal choices. Building on the Sport Logistics Framework (SLF) and using the case study of Rapid Vienna, the largest football club in Austria, this study investigates spectators' modal choice to systematically assess the total GHGs emitted by spectators at a professional football home game. Data was obtained from two sources: a) an extensive data set collected on Rapid Vienna season ticket holders, and b) three surveys at home games which, together, constituted 3,317 valid responses. The calculation of the GHG emissions resulted in 99,548 kg GHG emissions per home game or 6.0 kg GHG emissions per spectator. It was also found that 42.4 per cent spectators arriving by car emit 71.6 per cent of GHG emissions, while in contrast, 52.8 per cent of spectators using public transport emit 27.1 per cent of GHG emissions. The results also indicate that the possession of an annual public transport ticket seems to determine travel behavior, i.e. the majority of spectators with an annual ticket are using it, while spectators without a ticket are using a car. As such, this paper not only provides an opportunity for academics and managers to benchmark the data in order to identify initiatives to reduce the impact of GHG emissions, but also allows for the systematic measuring of the environmental impact of fan and spectator travel.

Carslaw N., Bekö G., Langer S., Schoemaecker C., Mihucz V.G., Dudzinska M., Wiesen P., Nehr S., Huttunen K., Querol X., Shaw D.

This paper reports on the findings from INDAIRPOLLNET (INDoor AIR POLLution NETwork), a recently completed European COST Action network. INDAIRPOLLNET ran from September 2018 to March 2023 with more than 200 indoor and outdoor air quality scientists from universities, large and small companies, and research institutes around Europe and beyond. The expertise of our interdisciplinary network members covered chemistry, biology, standardisation, household energy, particulate matter characterisation, toxicology, exposure assessment, air cleaning, building materials, building physics and engineering (including ventilation and energy), and building design. The aim of INDAIRPOLLNET was to design a framework for future indoor air chemistry field campaigns, building on our improved understanding of indoor air chemistry. The main focus of our network was to better understand the sources, transformations and fate of chemical pollutants found in the air in buildings. In this paper, we present the main findings from our network, which include a call for greater spatial and temporal coverage of measurements indoors, the need for standardised techniques for indoor measurements and the impact of occupants on indoor air quality. We also present a checklist of building parameters that should be measured in any future indoor air campaign. Finally, we present our new framework, focusing on 5 key research areas: reactivity in indoor environments; mapping organic constituents indoors; the role of the occupant in indoor air chemistry; indoor modelling studies and novel materials and technologies indoors. We hope this framework will be of use to the indoor air quality community, enabling healthier buildings for the future.

Waldhans C., Albrecht A., Ibald R., Wollenweber D., Sy S., Kreyenschmidt J.

AbstractThe current situation of temperature monitoring in perishable food supply chains and the optimization of temperature control was studied by combining two approaches. First, a survey among German companies (production, processing, logistics, wholesale, retail) was conducted to analyze the current temperature monitoring and data management conditions as well as the use of novel monitoring systems, such as Time–Temperature-Indicators (TTIs). Second, the temperature conditions in three different supply chains (B2C for raw pork sausage, B2B for fish, B2C e-commerce for mixed products) were investigated to analyze the applicability of TTIs with an app-based read-out system to identify weak points and to optimize cold chain management under practical conditions. The results of the survey showed that mainly static conditions are tested along the supply chain. Thus, the actors rely mostly on visual inspection or best-before date labeling while TTIs are not widely used. Currently, temperature data are barely exchanged by stakeholders. In the B2C chain, mean temperatures on different pallet levels were comparable, also reflected by TTIs and the app-based read-out system, respectively. In the B2B chain, temperature interruptions during the unloading process were detected, revealing main challenges in perishable supply chains. Temperature monitoring by TTIs on a box level was possible by positioning the label close to the product. Results in the e-commerce sector showed heterogeneous conditions in different boxes depending on initial product temperatures and loading. TTIs and the app-based read-out system showed reliable results based on different temperature scenarios, when TTIs are positioned close to the most sensitive product.

Häring K., Grandpierre A., Mynarek F.

ZusammenfassungWie bewältigen die Mitarbeitenden auf der Shopfloor-Ebene steigende Anforderungen an Selbstorganisation und Maschinenkoordination? Für die Bereiche Montage, Instandhaltung und Intralogistik lassen die Forschungsergebnisse drei zentrale Kompetenzbedarfe erkennen: Lernbereitschaft, Offenheit für Veränderungen und Ergebnisorientiertes Handeln. Tätigkeitsspezifisch kommen bei Intralogistik Selbstmanagement und Problemlösungsfähigkeit hinzu, in der Montage die Kompetenzanforderungen Teamfähigkeit, Organisationsfähigkeit und ebenfalls Problemlösungsfähigkeit sowie in der Instandhaltung Teamfähigkeit und Organisationsfähigkeit. Neben diesen Kompetenzanforderungen spielen aber auch ein umsichtiger Einsatz und eine zielgruppenspezifische Einweisung in die digitalen Assistenzsysteme sowie Rahmenbedingungen, wie Organisationsstruktur, Arbeitsprozesse, Organisationskultur und Führung, eine fördernde oder hemmende Rolle für die Entwicklung von Selbstorganisationskompetenzen in der Industrie 4.0.

Mynarek F., Jahr M.

ZusammenfassungUnternehmen und größere Organisationen stehen in sich schnell wandelnden Märkten und bei komplexen Umweltbedingungen vor immer neuen und teilweise schwer abschätzbaren Herausforderungen, deren Bewältigung einen nachhaltig nutzbaren (Kern-)Kompetenzerwerb verlangt. Kontinuierliches Lernen und insbesondere informelles Lernen sind hierfür entscheidende Bausteine. Diese informellen Lerngelegenheiten, die vor allem durch den gemeinsamen Austausch und die individuelle Reflexion gekennzeichnet sind, sollten daher bereits bei der Planung von operativen Arbeitsabläufen und Projekten systematisch berücksichtigt werden. Allerdings ist die Planung von Arbeitsreihenfolgen mit vielen und knappen Ressourcen vor allem bei Mehrfachzielsetzung ein komplexes Problem. So sollten für eine digitalisierte Planung leistungsstarke Methoden aus dem Bereich Künstlicher Intelligenz (KI) eingesetzt werden, um ein optimales Ergebnis erzielen zu können. Mithilfe entsprechender smarter Algorithmik wird gezeigt, wie Agile Lernprozesse, z. B. selbstorganisierbare Austausche, zielgerecht in automatisch berechnete dynamische Zeitfenster in einen Arbeits- und Projektplan integriert werden können. In der Folge eröffnet sich für Unternehmen die Möglichkeit zusätzlich zu der bisherigen Nutzung formaler Lerneinheiten ebenso informelles Lernen zu systematisieren bzw. die hierfür erforderlichen Rahmenbedingungen im operativen Tagesgeschäft zu schaffen.

The aim of this study was the development of an app-based system for the digital read-out of Time-Temperature-Indicators (TTI) and the shelf life prediction of perishable products. The study was subdivided into four parts: development of a color measurement app for TTIs, investigation of the influence of different environmental and technical parameters on measurement accuracy, development of a kinetic shelf life model for the TTIs by app measurement and the integration of the model and a QR code scanner in the app for shelf life prediction. The study revealed the possibility to perform accurate color measurements by app. Measurement accuracy could be enhanced by white balance correction. Shelf life modeling using the Logistic and Arrhenius models resulted in activation energies from 107.49 to 111.55 kJ/mol for different charging times (1800–500 ms). The app is a promising system for stakeholders to perform temperature monitoring and shelf life prediction along the supply chain.

Does international R&D collaboration produce patents of higher technological value? Applied to the case of Siemens, this paper utilizes the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and Google Patents statistics to identify patterns within invention and co-invention. For example, sole patenting by headquarters or subsidiaries is juxtaposed with co-invented patent filings, vertical versus horizontal co-patented applications and internal versus external. The paper compares the effect of different forms of co-invention on the technological value of patent filings, proxied by forward external citations. The results are based on 2013 and 2019 Siemens PCT data and confirm the positive effect of international co-invention, vis-à-vis sole patenting, on the technological value of patents. Patent applications co-invented by foreign subsidiaries, or vertically collaborated applications, create higher technological value, while headquarters or single subsidiaries generate fewer forward citations. Moreover, co-patenting by subsidiaries with external partners creates higher technological value than sole patenting by headquarters. Siemens has recognized the value of partnerships with outside inventors and leveraged these relationships in order to generate higher technological value. We contribute by building a unique and detailed classification of co-patenting patterns, and the paper develops a strong case for cross-country co-patenting, especially with external partners. From a managerial perspective, international co-patenting involving external partners has strategic value and must be fostered.

Gimpl N., Schulze M.

PurposeCritical realism is an increasingly popular “lens” through which complex events, entities and phenomena can be studied. Yet detailed operationalisations of critical realism are at present relatively scarce. This study's objective here is built on existing debates by developing an open systems model of reality, a basis for designing appropriate, internally consistent methodologies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use a qualitative case study examining changing practices for client contact management in professional services firms during restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 crisis to show how the model can be operationalised across all stages of a research study.FindingsThis study contributes to the literature on qualitative applications of critical realism by providing a detailed example of how the research paradigm influenced choices at every stage of the case study process.Originality/valueMore importantly, this model of reality as an open system provides a tool for other researchers to use in their own operationalisation of critical realism in a variety of different settings.

In the realm of foreign exchange (Forex) market predictions, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) have been commonly employed. However, these models often exhibit instability due to vulnerability to data perturbations attributed to their monolithic architecture. Hence, this study proposes a novel neuroscience-informed modular network that harnesses closing prices and sentiments from Yahoo Finance and Twitter APIs. Compared to monolithic methods, the objective is to advance the effectiveness of predicting price fluctuations in Euro to British Pound Sterling (EUR/GBP). The proposed model offers a unique methodology based on a reinvigorated modular CNN, replacing pooling layers with orthogonal kernel initialisation RNNs coupled with Monte Carlo Dropout (MCoRNNMCD). It integrates two pivotal modules: a convolutional simple RNN and a convolutional Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU). These modules incorporate orthogonal kernel initialisation and Monte Carlo Dropout techniques to mitigate overfitting, assessing each module’s uncertainty. The synthesis of these parallel feature extraction modules culminates in a three-layer Artificial Neural Network (ANN) decision-making module. Established on objective metrics like the Mean Square Error (MSE), rigorous evaluation underscores the proposed MCoRNNMCD–ANN’s exceptional performance. MCoRNNMCD–ANN surpasses single CNNs, LSTMs, GRUs, and the state-of-the-art hybrid BiCuDNNLSTM, CLSTM, CNN–LSTM, and LSTM–GRU in predicting hourly EUR/GBP closing price fluctuations.

Lenz J., Fröhlich E., Jamal Y., Reichardt U.

In order to illustrate the necessity for action, the authors report on the current influence of Sustainable Development Goals Disclosure (SDGD) status in Europe, especially in Germany. For this analysis, the authors consider data spread over several years, in order to explain the influence of the pandemic on SDGD, especially in terms of Social Development Goals (SDGs) 12 (responsible consumption and production), 13 (climate action) and 17 (partnerships for the goals). Detailed cases from industry and for institutions where current actions are already having a high impact on the future are discussed. A specific case regarding electromobility, i.e. investing in a zero-emission future and a more sustainable business, is detailed herein. As energy storage systems are indispensable for climate-neutral mobility, the impact on the SDGs is very important. Specific insights into the battery industry, backed up by a detailed case study of a battery company, illustrate the special focus of this industry sector on sustainability – and its influence on the SDGs. The company, which takes a high local-for-local approach at every opportunity, represents a new way thinking in terms of the industry’s supply chain in comparison to the latest best-cost sourcing strategies in low-cost countries (LCCs) and best-cost countries (BCCs). Strategic partnerships within the supply chain play a major role in influencing common goals such as battery recycling and research into new materials. In this chapter, a particular case study focusing on green energy supply and the activities of a new energy and climate agency in North Rhine-Westphalia is presented. The results of this study show that not only are negative influences on SDGD prevalent during the pandemic but also demonstrative examples of specific actions that push SDGs in the right direction. On the one hand, the authors report on significant press and public attention in Germany regarding climate neutrality, and that the industry talks about it in public wherever possible; however, during the pandemic, sustainability budgets were slashed, as companies did not want to spend money on this area. On the other hand, the authors show that specific actions were taken – and still take place – to support the SDGs, especially in relation to climate neutrality, mainly due to extreme political pressure and consumer behaviour. Nevertheless, there are also increasingly more changes in thinking relating to a clean and safe future that accelerates the SDGs.