Anshuman Khare

Economic issues in recycling end-of-life vehicles

Abstract This research paper evolves from problems related to the environment as the result of todays product-based society and especially the end-of-life management of cars. The purpose is to identify key elements in car-scrapping approaches with the potential to meet the following three goals: • containing the environmental damage from end-of-life cars, • improvement of current end-of-life car management from an environmental and resource utilization standpoint, and • fostering manufacturing of scrap-adapted/recycled cars. An attempt is made to analyze how financial resources could be organized for the ELV recycling system. A few suggestions have been made in order to foster attainment of the above-mentioned goals through an extended producer responsibility through requisite market oriented financial support. In short, this paper takes a look at the economic feasibility and ingredients for success of a market for recyclables. It lays emphasis on some kind of transparency at the economic and technical levels .

Factors affecting credit card use in India

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the moderating influence of Multi‐item List of Value (MILOV) on credit card attributes, age, and gender in credit use among Indian customers. The research examines the impact of “lifestyle” variables (convenience, use patterns, and status) on credit card use.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through mall intercept technique in six metropolitan cities of India. A self‐administered questionnaire was distributed to customers visiting the malls.Findings – Use and convenience emerged as the major determinants of credit card use among Indian customers. Use, convenience, and status attributes were moderated by “sense of belonging” and “sense of fulfilment” dimensions of MILOV. Young customers were likely to use credit cards.Research limitations/implications – The study does not examine the influence of customer income, occupation, and education on credit card use, as many customers were not willing to disclose the information. These demographic...

Innovativeness/Novelty-Seeking Behavior as Determinants of Online Shopping Behavior Among Indian Youth

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between innovativeness/novelty-seeking behavior of Indian youth and their online shopping behavior. Three hundred students studying in universities in the northern region of India between the ages of 18 and 24 years participated in the survey. The research findings show a positive relationship between innovativeness/novelty-seeking behavior and online shopping behavior. The article concludes that Indian youth are interested in online shopping Web sites because these Web sites provide the latest information about products and services. Their online shopping is influenced by Web site attributes such as convenience and flexibility. The surveyed population felt comfortable purchasing with cash because online transactions are considered insecure. The article concludes with some suggestions that companies can incorporate to successfully attract Indian youth to their Web sites for shopping.

Aviation Industry – Mitigating Climate Change Impacts Through Technology and Policy

About 15,000 aircraft service nearly 10,000 airports and operate over routes approximately 15 million km in total length. More the 2.2 billion passengers flew on the world’s airlines for vacation and business travel, and well in excess of a third of the value of the worlds manufactured exports were transported by air. Further, aviation industry generates 32 million jobs worldwide and contributes nearly 8% to world gross domestic product. It goes without saying that air transportation has a big economic footprint. However, the aviation industry is not immune to the impact it has on climate change. As the aviation skies continue to crowd so does the impact of CO2 emissions. This paper reviews the challenges facing the aviation industry and what is it doing about reducing its environmental footprint. The paper concludes that aviation industry needs to look past their traditional business model and move to a model that allows them to operate in a new global business environment which puts emphasis on environmental alignment of business goals. In the interim, the aviation industry continues to explore the issues related to alternative fuels, more efficient engine technology, better traffic management and policy mechanisms (such as emissions trading and carbon offsets) with some degree of success. The paper strongly recommends the involvement of governments in establishing ground rules to help global aviation industry to mitigate climate change risks.

Mitigating Climate Change

SECTION 1: URBAN POLICIES AND PRACTICES.- Is Smart Growth Really So Smart?.- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a tool in reducing a communitys ecological footprint.- Resource-Centered Cities and the Opportunity of Shrinkage.- Understanding Local Government Resilience: A case study on how the local government of Marikina City reacted to the flood in September 2009.- SECTION 2: URBAN TRANSPORTATION.- Urban Public Transportation System in the Context of Climate Change Mitigation: Emerging Issues and Research Needs in India.- Emissions Models as a Design Tool for Urban Transportation Planners.- Mobility With the Focus on Mitigating Climate Change In Urban Centers: Open Innovation and Pricing as Key Elements for Customer-Focused Strategies and Measures.- An Approach to tackle Urban Congestion and Vehicle Emission by manipulating Transport Operations and Vehicle Mix.- SECTION 3: URBAN REMODELLING.- Climate Change and Cities - Mitigation through the Effective Management of Waste.- Multiplier Effect: High Performance Construction Assemblies and Urban Density in US Housing.- Climate change impacts on housing energy consumption and its adaptation pathways.- European citizens, carbon footprints and their determinants - lifestyles and urban form.- Assessment of Urban Heat Island and Mitigation by Urban Green Coverage.- Urban climate change mitigation in Mexico City: Innovative solutions in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants.

Sustainable development issues and strategies for Alberta's oil industry

Abstract This paper discusses the sustainable development issues for the Alberta oil industry and suggests strategies for its long-term survival. While oil and gas are finite resources, Albertas massive non-conventional reserves are a virtual assurance that it can meet all the fossil fuel demands for Canada and its export market in the foreseeable future. This makes it a sustainable resource in practical terms. Despite its large economic contribution, this industry will face many challenges to remain viable over the next 50 years. Large investments will be required and it must improve its public consultation process and environmental record if it is to become sustainable. In recent years, stakeholder pressure, tougher regulations and better enforcement has made the industry more environmentally friendly, but its track record suggests that continued regulation will still be required. There is a growing realisation that sustainable development can no longer remain a low priority for those organisations with aspirations for long-term survival, and this makes it a bone fide strategic issue. Concern over environmental protection has become a critical issue for the industry, and must be addressed in terms of the natural regenerative capacity of the environment, and the legitimate need for an economically viable sector. As such, sustainable development inextricably links environmental protection with economics and stakeholder interests. In the longer term, competition from less polluting alternate fuels is likely to intensify and this will force contraction of the industry and a loss of market share. This smaller, more competitive environment of the future will likely favour those companies that can best integrate growth with a low cost strategy and environmental protection. As such, size is likely to be important insofar that it usually correlates with financial resources and the ability to achieve economies of scale.

CALCULATING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF A CHEMICAL PLANT: A CASE STUDY OF AKZONOBEL

Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is one of the key requirements for sustainable production and consumption, but while the Canadian chemical industry has been very successful in reducing emissions to water and air, and while non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions have been minimised as well, reduction of CO2 emissions has been less successful. The industry itself forecasts that further reduction of CO2 emissions will be minimal. On the other hand concerns about global warming are increasing, while at the same time the chemical industry increases its commitment to sustainability. Determining the carbon footprint of a chemical plant and of its products will help to identify more emissions reduction possibilities and is a necessary step for the further reduction of the chemical industrys environmental impact.Carbon footprint determination is a corporate goal for AkzoNobel, an international coatings and specialty chemicals company, but the carbon footprint is not yet established for many products, and the information available from the chemical industry is scarce. This paper presents a case study of AkzoNobels Saskatoon Plant and its attempt to calculate and analyse the carbon footprint of the plant and its main products which are used in the potash industry.

THE ANT, THE GRASSHOPPER OR SCHRÖDINGER'S CAT: AN EXPLORATION OF CONCEPTS OF SUSTAINABILITY

Living within the limits imposed by a finite earth may be the predominant challenge of the 21st century; however there is no agreement on what this means economically or politically. Continually increasing population and per capita consumption within a finite environment is a biologic impossibility. Today many of natures resources are being harvested at rates where growth is uneconomic and damaging to future production.This paper explores linkages between economics, society and nature as complex adaptive systems in a world of uncertainty. To understand that these self organising systems exist in equilibrium, dependent on feedback loops, is to understand that as humanity destroys system equilibrium we push the entire system to the edge of criticality and perhaps chaos. Consequences of criticality and chaos theory are now thought to follow power laws; wherein the size of any single system disruption is impossible to predict, especially when inter-relationships with other systems are not understood. Understanding the biosphere from a holistic perspective is critical when considering priorities and making wise choices.Thoughts of some environmental thinkers are reviewed for a perspective on the meaning of true sustainability, where it may lead and how we must redesign human systems to adapt to a sustainable world. The authors believe holism exists; that similarities with other fields of study exist in the environmental issues of today; and, that ideas and solutions may be also found in unexpected places. Although no recommendations are made it is hoped that interest is stimulated in answering the question when are we going to act collectively to address some of the present day myriad issues.

Energy conservation in electric utilities: an opportunity for restorative economics at SaskPower

Abstract Utilities can profit through direct financial and environmental benefits, and increased shareholder and customer value. Where demand side management (DSM) programs cost less per kilowatt-hour than it would cost to generate the same amount of electricity, energy conservation offers a viable supply option, reducing the need for large capital expenditures in generating capacity. It may also improve the efficiency of transmission and distribution assets and reduce operating and maintenance costs. To deliver DSM, utilities can employ awareness/information programs, energy management and technical and training services, financial incentives and tax measures, which may be implemented through voluntary programs, regulation and government expenditures, financial incentives or new business ventures. The lower discount rate in electric utilities, when compared to most customer businesses, makes utility DSM more cost effect than alternative business models. Using SaskPower, a vertically integrated electric utility in Saskatchewan, Canada as an example, this paper demonstrates how selling efficiency rather than power offers utilities both a supply option and a business opportunity. SaskPower can accrue financial and environmental benefit, while meeting and exceeding customer and stakeholder expectations. This paper discusses the challenges and opportunities energy conservation represents for electric utilities.

Perspectives on a VUCA World

The world has changed: Since the financial crisis, there has been an increased awareness about the globally interconnected world of business; its complexity and sustainability. Some would believe that its unpredictable and situations change rapidly which is resulting in the obsolescence of existing models to deal with complexity and uncertainty. Some call the situation today a “VUCA” environment (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) (http://knowledgenetwork.thunderbird.edu/research/2012/07/09/kinsinger-walch-vuca/).