Roland ten Klooster

Sustainability Priorities Across the Strategic and Operational Level in Packaging Development

Sustainability has become well-established in many companies’ strategic postures. However, executing sustainability-related goals often lags at the operational level. This study analyzes how decision-making processes in packaging development at different hierarchical levels are characterized in achieving a sustainability consensus. For data analysis, we use a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) – a set-theoretic method – with empirical data derived from packaging expert surveys. Involvement and decision making by internal actors, involvement of external actors, and strategic and operational sustainability target setting act as attributes causing the outcome of interest: the levels of sustainability implementation on both the strategic and the operational level of packaging development. Most of the configurations that lead to high levels of sustainability integration differ between the strategic and the operational level. The insights on the sustainability-related configurations of internal and external actors provide guidance for managing projects across the strategic and operational levels in improving sustainable packaging development.

Head Sensitivity for Designing Bicycle Helmets with Improved Physical Comfort

Bicycle helmets help reducing head injuries in cycling accidents, but they are not always popular. Discomfort is a major barrier for bicycle helmet use. Improper anthropometric design of the inner structure of a helmet can result in local peak pressure on the skin of the scalp. The purpose of this study was to examine the spatial variations in maximum allowed pressure on the head. Mean maximum allowed pressure on the head was 13,2N (SE 0,2) for females and 16,5N (SE 0,2) for men. The superior frontal area (19,4N, SE 0,7) and the central occipital area (18,3N, SE 0,7N) were the least sensitive areas for male test persons. For females, also the central occipital area had a low sensitivity. In contrast, the inferior frontal area was the most sensitive for men (12,4N SE 0,7N) and women (9,7N SE 0,8N). Headgear should avoid pressure points in areas with high sensitivity.