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Technological Issues (technological + issues)
Selected AbstractsParticipation of experts and non-experts in a sustainability assessment of mobilityENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2009Lorraine Whitmarsh Abstract The complexity, ambiguity and subjectivity that surround persistent problems of unsustainability, such as mobility, highlight the importance of stakeholder engagement in both knowledge production and policy development. This paper reports on research within the EU-funded MATISSE project to develop tools and methods for Integrated Sustainability Assessment (ISA), a novel interdisciplinary and participatory approach to sustainability strategy development. Two different methods , expert focus groups and citizen deliberative workshops , were employed to elicit knowledge and preferences of European stakeholders in respect of sustainable mobility. Findings from these exercises indicate areas of both convergence and divergence in the visions of sustainable mobility futures depicted by different stakeholder groups. Stakeholders agreed on the need to address problems of unsustainability in the transport sector, and identified broadly similar environmental, social and economic criteria for sustainable transport. Amenity of transport was more important for citizens, while experts focussed on pragmatic and technological issues. Both groups favoured modal shift and novel technologies, and citizens also supported demand reduction measures and choices; however, a range of barriers to achieving sustainable mobility was also identified by participants. Stakeholder feedback suggests the process was valuable and acted as a forum for social learning and the co-production of knowledge by citizens and experts, while at the same time empowering these groups to participate in an important social issue such as transport. The value and limitations of these methods for ISA are discussed and avenues for further research proposed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Preparing the HR profession for technology and information workHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, Issue 2-3 2004Paul S. Hempel Technology and human resource management have broad influences upon each other. Technology not only changes the administration of human resources (HR), which is the domain of e-HR, but also changes organizations and work. HR professionals must be able to adopt technologies that allow the reengineering of the HR function, be prepared to support organizational and work-design changes enabled by technology, and be able to support the proper managerial climate for innovative and knowledge-based organizations. An examination of HR professional degree programs shows that traditional HR education has poorly prepared the HR profession for these challenges. To address this shortfall, HR education must be revised to provide a greater focus on technological issues, and HR educators must acquire the skills needed to teach these courses. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Planning and the Technological Society: Discussing the London PlanINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2010YVONNE RYDIN Abstract The sustainable development agenda has influenced the focus of urban planning policy in many countries and localities; this article argues that its influence has been much more widespread, affecting not just the content of planning but also its discourses and practices. This reflects more profound shifts within society , shifts that put the governance of technology firmly centre-place. Using a case study of the London Plan (the spatial development strategy for London), the discussion considers how recent debates on the Plan are being shaped by the need to focus on technological issues. Using Barry's and Feenberg's explorations of the technological society, the analysis identifies key features such as the contestation of evidence and expertise, the focus on technical details and the resultant reframing of policy discourse. The article concludes with suggestions as to the ways in which planning may change in the future. Résumé Les préoccupations liées au développement durable ont influé sur le c,ur des politiques d'urbanisme dans de nombreux pays et localités. Leur influence s'est révélée beaucoup plus vaste, affectant non seulement le contenu, mais aussi les discours et pratiques en matière d'aménagement. Cette situation traduit des mutations plus profondes de la société, mutations qui donnent à la gouvernance de la technologie une solide prééminence. À partir d'une étude de cas sur le London Plan (stratégie d'aménagement spatial de Londres), est examinée la façon dont les récents débats sur le Plan sont modelés par la nécessité de s'attacher aux aspects technologiques. S'appuyant sur les explorations de la société technologique menées par Barry et par Feenberg, l'analyse identifie des caractéristiques dominantes telles que la contestation des éléments factuels et de l'expertise, la focalisation sur des détails techniques et, donc, le recadrage du discours de l'action publique. La conclusion présente les possibles évolutions futures de l'aménagement du territoire. [source] A Dynamic Integrated Analysis of Truck Tires in Western EuropeJOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2000Pieter J. H. van Beukering Summary By evaluating tires from a perspective of industrial metabolism, potential novel and practical ways to reduce their environmental impact can be found. This may be achieved by focusing on technological issues such as choosing materials, designing products, and recovering materials, or by looking at institutional and social barriers and incentives such as opening waste markets or changing consumer behavior. A model is presented for the life cycle of truck tires in Western Europe that is dynamic in nature and values both environmental and economic consequences. Various scenarios are simulated including longer tire lifetimes, better maintenance of tire pressure, increased use of less-expensive Asian tires, and increased use of fuel efficiency-enhancing tires ("eco-tires"). Tentative results indicate that, among other things, more than 95% of the overall environmental impact during the life of a tire occurs during the use of the tire, due to the impact of tires on automotive fuel efficiency. Better maintenance of tire pressure and use of eco-tires produce greater environmental and economics benefits than more-durable and/or less-expensive (Asian) tires. These results imply that the emphasis in environmental policies related to tires should shift from the production and the waste stages to the consumption stage. It also suggests that the focus on materials throughput and associated improvements through factor 4 or factor 10 advances in reduction in mass are less important than the quality of the tires and their management. [source] Brokering knowledge in organizational networks: The SPN approachKNOWLEDGE AND PROCESS MANAGEMENT: THE JOURNAL OF CORPORATE TRANSFORMATION, Issue 1 2002S. Burnett Over the last three years (at the time of writing this paper) the upstream oil and gas industry has experienced substantial changes at a structural level due a variety of factors including the low cost of oil, depleting reserves, maturing regions, strong competition, and the high costs for development projects. The growing pressure on organizations to operate more economically has led to the recent spate of cost-reduction initiatives including acquisitions, strategic alliances, joint ventures and consortia agreements. Senior management are realizing that it is their intangible assets, in the form of knowledge, which provide the key to their continued success and their company policies are seeking to identify and manage their knowledge base more effectively by implementing a range of initiatives addressing behavioural, process and technological issues. This paper illustrates how, through the use of a knowledge broker, a major project was handled to realize the knowledge potential of the individuals and the team. Main outcomes from the ongoing project include the establishment of understanding and buy-in amongst all the alliance partners to the use of shared measures to align objectives, the development of a management structure to support the performance management system and the maintenance of pace and focus through the provision of dedicated resources. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Empirical evidence on the use and effectiveness of telepsychiatry via videoconferencing: Implications for forensic and correctional psychiatryBEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW, Issue 3 2008Diana J. Antonacci M.D. A growing body of literature now suggests that use of telepsychiatry to provide mental health services has the potential to solve the workforce shortage problem that directly affects access to care, especially in remote and underserved areas. Live interactive two-way audio,video communication,videoconferencing,is the modality most applicable to psychiatry and has become synonymous with telepsychiatry involving patient care, distance education, and administration. This article reviews empirical evidence on the use and effectiveness of videoconferencing in providing diagnostic and treatment services in mental health settings that serve child, adolescent, and adult populations. Descriptive reports, case studies, research articles, and randomized controlled trials related to clinical outcomes were identified and reviewed independently by two authors. Articles related to cost-effectiveness, technological issues, or legal or ethical aspects of telepsychiatry were excluded. The review of the evidence broadly covers mental health service provision in all settings, including forensic settings. Given the sparse literature on telepsychiatry in forensic settings, we discuss implications for mental health care across settings and populations and comment on future directions and potential uses in forensic or correctional psychiatry. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||