Business, Finance & Law Books
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Companies and Entrepreneurs in the History of
Book SynopsisThis book analyses the economic history of the company and entrepreneurship in Spain from the 15th century to the present. It evaluates the economic theory, the formation of the figure of the entrepreneur, as well as the structure of the companies. This exploration of the businessmen in Spain over several centuries is something that has not been done until now. Joining the great Spanish historiographical debate about the existence or not of entrepreneurship, the book brings together research in very different historical contexts and junctures. It presents a selection of cases of companies and entrepreneurs from Spain, from different sectors, regions and periods, from boom to crisis, from the wine businessman to the railway sector, from private banking to the pioneers of the Spanish travel agency business. It will be of interest to academics and students in economic history, business and management history, as well as researchers in entrepreneurship & small business management.Table of Contents1. The historical evolution of the theory of the entrepreneur; Mariano Castro Valdivia. University of Jaen.- 2. How to do business in Castile: trade and financial companies (15th-16th centuries); David Carvajal. University of Valladolid.- 3. Simón Ruiz: a great entrepreneur in 16th-century Europe; Hilario Casado. University of Valladolid.- 4. Jakob Fugger, an early modern capitalist; Agustín González-Enciso. University of Navarre.- 5. Speculation and collusion in northern Castile in the mid-19th century; Rafael Barquín-Gil. UNED.- 6. Wine businessmen in Cadiz in the 19th century: Pedro Lacave Miramont; María Vázquez-Fariñas. University of Jaen.- 7. The commercialization of the Sociedad Azucarera Antequerana´s production (1890-1906); Mercedes Fernández-Paradas. University of Malaga Francisco José García-Ariza. University of Malaga.- 8. Private banking in the nineteenth century: merchants-bankers, banking houses and large national banks: the case of the province of Jaén (1800-1936); María José Vargas-Machuca. University of Jaen.- 9. Public services in Spain: the role of water supply companies; Juan Manuel Matés-Barco. University of Jaen.- 10. The railway sector in Spain in the long term; Pedro Pablo Ortúñez-Goicolea. University of Valladolid Miguel Muñoz Rubio. Spanish Railways Foundation.- 11. The pioneers of the Spanish travel agency business before mass tourism; Carlos Larrinaga. University of Granada.- 12. The path to success, the main explanations of the case of Mapfre; Leonardo Caruana de las Cagigas. University of Granada.- 13. Spanish businesses and the negotiations for Spain’s entry into the European Economic Community; Jorge Lafuente del Cano. University of Valladolid.- 14. The automotive equipment and components industry of Castilla y León in the global automobile market: Lingotes Especiales group; Pablo Alonso. University of Valladolid Pedro Pablo Ortúñez-Goicolea. University of Valladolid.
£132.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG An Economist’s Lessons on Happiness: Farewell
Book SynopsisOnce called the “dismal science,” economics now offers prescriptions for improving people’s happiness. In this book Richard Easterlin, the “father of happiness economics,” draws on a half-century of his own research and that conducted by fellow economists and psychologists to answer in plain language questions like: Can happiness be measured? Will more money make me happier? What about finding a partner? Getting married? Having a baby? More exercise? Does religion help? Who is happier—women or men, young or old, rich or poor? How does happiness change as we go through different stages of life? Public policy is also in the mix: Can the government increase people’s happiness? Should the government increase their happiness? Which countries are the happiest and why? Does a country need to be rich to be happy? Does economic growth improve the human lot? Some of the answers are surprising (no, more money won’t do the trick; neither will economic growth; babies are a mixed blessing!), but they are all based on reason and well-vetted evidence from the fields of economics and psychology. In closing, Easterlin traces the genesis of the ongoing “Happiness Revolution” and considers its implications for people’s lives down the road.Trade Review“The book is primarily aimed at undergraduate students in the social sciences who might be taking a first course on happiness economics. … Indeed, and more generally, the book has an informal feel. … the book is both a great personal summary of Easterlin’s accumulated experience of working with subjective wellbeing data and an important rallying call for the social sciences to generate new lessons with which to increase wellbeing across the globe.” (Caspar Kaiser, Journal of Happiness Studies, Vol. 23, 2022)“An Economist’s Lessons on Happiness reveals the results of happiness studies in clear and concise chapters which are structured as if they are a college lecture. … The students are also a tool that reveals the intended audience for the book—it is written for the popular audience rather than the expert reader. … He suggests that we live in a time in which well-being is being better articulated, understood, and prioritized than ever before.” (Robert Biswas‑Diener, Journal of Happiness Studies, April 1, 2022)“An Economist’s Lessons on Happiness is a captivating and enlightening journey through many different facets of happiness. … The concepts are well explained and easy to apply. … This book provides a satisfying, holistic perspective on the many factors contributing to happiness in an educational and personable read. This is a great opportunity to assess whether we are living a life that is true to ourselves, and to identify areas for change and improvement.” (Tara Dean, The Psychologist, thepsychologist.bps.org.uk, Vol. 34, July, 2021)“An Economist’s Lessons on Happiness: Farewell, Dismal Science! … is the fruit of a lifetime of his own research and that of fellow economists and psychologists dedicated to understanding and improving happiness — whether of individuals or nations.” (Susan Bell, dornsife.usc.edu, March 17, 2021)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Part I: First Lessons.- Measuring Happiness.- Does Money Make People Happy?.- How Does Health Affect Happiness?.- Family Life and Happiness.- How Can I Increase My Happiness?.- Part II: Next Lessons.- Can Government Increase My Happiness: Transition Countries.- Can Government Increase My Happiness: Nordic Countries.- Happiness or GDP?.- Part III: Q & A.- Who Is Happier—Young or Old? Women or Men?.- More on Money and Happiness.- What About Democracy, Religion, Charity, Volunteering, Etc.?.- Who to Believe? Psychology or Economics?.- Critiquing the Paradox.- Part IV: History Lessons.- Dawn of the Happiness Revolution.- Dream on, Professor!.
£13.62
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Cosmos Economy: The Industrialization of
Book SynopsisIf man’s next big step is to live and work in space, then what will everyone do out there that is so different from what we are now doing here on Earth? As the future of space comes into focus it is clear that profit and power are the core elements of the new space economy. This entertaining and informative book looks at human settlement in space as a mainstream business opportunity for investors, entrepreneurs and far-sighted individuals seeking to secure their place in the innovative commercial space sector. Dr. Jack Gregg presents a unique 5-phase development roadmap that shows how space will grow from a frontier economy to a mature integrated market. Written in simple, non-technical language, this book answers such questions as:• What is the new industrial space economy?• What are the challenges and roadblocks on the way to a robust space economy?• How will the rapid growth of the new space economy impact commerce back on Earth?• How can one best invest in profitable space-related enterprises? The Cosmos Economy is for readers who hope to be better equipped and more informed about the new space economy; and Investors, entrepreneurs, and futurists who wants to learn how to take part in the business opportunities of the new high frontier of commercial space.Trade Review“The Cosmos Economy, will help readers understand what is going on in the space business and why it is happening. The book will also explain how the industry could be valued at $3 trillion by mid-century. … Gregg mentions industries such as space-based energy generation, agriculture and food production, mining, and manufacturing. These are all things NSS members will recognize, but it is worth repeating for those unaware of what might one day be possible in space.” (Casey Suire, space.nss.org, April 9, 2022)Table of ContentsChapter 1. The Cosmos Economy.- Chapter 2. Blue oceans and greenfields in space.- Chapter 3. The importance of frontiers.- Chapter 4. Coming into the cosmos.- Chapter 5. No country for Earthmen.- Chapter 6. Turning over [space] rocks…Assumptions about space business.- Chapter 7 Planning on purpose Section.- Chapter 8. Settlement communities.- Chapter 9. Forever frontiers.- Chapter 10. Pushback and challenges.- Chapter 11. Visions of space.- Chapter 12. The space economy is already here.- Chapter 13. The new space merchants.- Chapter 14. The industrialization of space.- Chapter 15. Space biz.- Chapter 16. Space mining.- Chapter 17. Space manufacturing.- Chapter 18. No country for Earth men.- Chapter 19. Colonies, outposts, settlements, and stations.- Chapter 20. Don’t Look Back.- Chapter 21. The new 49-ers rush to space.- Chapter 22.- A competitive solar system.- Chapter 23. The rules of the game.- Chapter 24. Trouble in paradise.- Chapter 25. Industrial space.- Chapter 26. Business models.- Chapter 27. Diffusion of Innovations: The 5-Phase adoption model.- Chapter 28. Phase 1: Innovators/ The frontier phase of the new space economy.- Chapter 29. Phase 2: Early Adopter Phase.- Chapter 30. Phase 3: Early Mainstream Phase.- Chapter 31. Phase 4: Late Mainstream Phase.- Chapter 32. Phase 5: Late Adopters - Market Maturity Phase.- Chapter 33. Connecting the dots.- Chapter 34. A new generation of pilgrims.- Chapter 35. Questions and Answers.- Chapter 36. Lessons learned.- Chapter 37. How to be part of the new cosmos economy.
£22.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Physical Asset Management: With an Introduction
Book SynopsisThis book presents a systematic approach to the management of physical assets from concept to disposal, building upon the previous editions and brought up-to-date with the new international standards ISO55002 and ISO/TS50010. It introduces the general principles of physical asset management and covers all stages of the asset management process, including initial business appraisal, identification of physical asset needs, capability gap analysis, financial evaluation, logistic support analysis, life cycle costing, strategic asset management planning, maintenance strategy, outsourcing, cost-benefit analysis, disposal and renewal. Features include: providing a textbook for asset management courses to university level; relating closely to the ISO55000 international asset management standard series; providing a basis for the establishment of physical asset management as a professional discipline; and presenting case studies, analytical techniques and numerical examples with solutions. Written for practitioners and students in asset management, this book provides an essential foundation to the topic. It is suitable for an advanced undergraduate or postgraduate course in asset management and also offers an ideal reference text for engineers and managers specializing in asset management, reliability, maintenance, logistics or systems engineering. Table of ContentsIntroduction to Asset Management.- Structure and Activities.- Asset Management Personnel.- From Concept to Project Approval.- Financial Methods.- Developing a Business Case.- Implementing Development Plans.- Life Cycle Planning and Costing.- Know Your Assets.- Asset Continuity Planning.- Strategic Asset Management Planning.- Capital Planning and Budget.- Asset Management.- Information Systems.- Cost-Benefit Analysis.- Risk Analysis and Risk Management.- Outsourcing.- Logistic Support.- Asset Basic Care.- Maintenance Organization and Budget.- Stock Control.- Reliability, Availability, Maintainability.- Safety.- Profit, Depreciation and Tax.- Asset Decision Examples.- Economic Life.- Equipment Replacement Decisions.- Further Financial Topics.- Performance, Audit and Review.
£66.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Travel Industry Economics: A Guide for Financial
Book SynopsisIn this book Harold L. Vogel comprehensively and holistically examines the business economics and investment aspects of major components of the travel industry, including airlines, hotels, casinos, amusement and theme parks, cruise lines, and tourism. The book is designed as an economics-grounded text that uniquely integrates reviews of each sector’s history with economics, accounting, and financial aspects and analysis. As such, it provides a concise, up-to-date reference guide for financial analysts, economists, industry executives, legislators and regulators, advertisers, and journalists interested in the economics, financing, and marketing of travel and tourism-related goods and services.The fourth edition of this well-established text updates, refreshes, and significantly broadens the coverage of tourism economics. It includes new sections on travel law and applications of big data and artificial intelligence technologies as well as additional material on demographic spending patterns, the online travel agency business, the pandemic’s effects and affects on industry finances, expanded coverage of the cruise line industry, and information on the damage to tourist destinations caused by excessive pollution and traffic.Table of Contents Part I: Introduction.- Part II: Getting There.- Part III: Being There.- Part IV: Doing Things There.- Part V: Roundup.
£52.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Corporate Governance and Accountability of
Book SynopsisThe presence of sound corporate governance in a financial institution is important in maintaining the confidence of both the market and the public. The power that corporate governance holds over the success of some of the largest financial institutions in the world is not to be downplayed. This book methodically assesses the quality of corporate governance and mechanisms of accountability disclosures to various stakeholders. It is further intended to provide fresh insights into some specific corporate governance recommendations to help improve good governance in financial institutions, particularly in the United Kingdom and the EU but will also be applicable to other major economies. It explores what, when and how corporate governance has changed the financial institution functions and corporate executive behaviour by critically reviewing the pre- and post-financial crisis theoretical and empirical literature. Increasingly driven by the nature of complications, complexities and opacity in the operations of financial systems, corporate governance reporting plays an important role in the financial sector. It will provide insights into corporate governance disclosures over a long-term basis. This book should be a valuable asset to support the research of practitioners, students and all academics due to its stimulating and reflective insights into this fascinating topic.Table of ContentsChapter 1 – IntroductionChapter 2 – Corporate Governance development: a reaction or deliberate policy thought?Chapter 3 – Rethinking of corporate governance in financial institutions: Do we need a new theory?.Chapter 4 – Walking a fine line: Governance, Accountability Mechanisms and Disclosure LiteratureChapter 5 – To blame? The less talked about cause of the 2007-2009 Financial CrisisChapter 6 –WHY? Examining and understanding the UK Financial System and its Regulatory Framework for Corporate GovernanceChapter 7 – A review of Corporate Governance and Accountability Mechanisms in UK Financial Institutions – what is working and what is not?Chapter 8 – POWER! Qualitative Corporate Governance disclosures in UK Financial InstitutionsChapter 9 – The inside scoop – what stakeholders’ think of Corporate Governance in Financial Institutions.Chapter 10 – A new dawn: Accountable, transparent governance…what practitioners want?.-Chapter 11 Conclusion
£58.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Contracting in the New Economy: Using Relational
Book SynopsisToday’s business environment is constantly evolving, filled with volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity and driven by digital transformation, globalization, and the need to creating value through innovation. These shifts demand that organizations view contracting through a different lens. Since it is impossible to predict every what-if scenario in a transactional contract, organizations in strategic and complex partnerships must shift to a mindset of shared goals and objectives built upon a strong foundation of transparency and trust, working together to mitigate risk much better than merely shifting risk to the weaker party. Contracting in the New Economy helps you to not only develop this mindset – but also offers the practical tools needed to embrace the social side of contracting, enabling your organization to harness the value creating potential of formal relational contracts. Briefly sharing the theoretical foundations that prove relational contracting works, it goes well beyond theory by providing powerful examples of relational contracting principles in practice. In addition, the authors provide a practical and proven approach for helping you to put relational contracting theory into practice for your own relationships. First by providing a framework for approaching any contracting situation and helping organizations finding the best contract model for each situation. And then by sharing five proven steps you can take to create an effective relational contract for you own strategic and complex business relationships. For anyone involved in developing contracts —lawyers, in-house counsels, contract managers, C-level managers, procurement officers, and so on — this book will empower you to create powerful cooperative alliances that will help you reach —and surpass — your business goals in today’s dynamic new environment.Table of ContentsPart 1.-Chapter 1: The new economy: Welcome to the contracting paradox.- Chapter 2: Viewing contracting through a different a different lens.- Part 2: The science of contracting.- Chapter 3: Business want contracts: business people do not.- Chapter 4: The social science of contracting.- Chapter 5: The economics of contracting.- Chapter 6: The psychology of contracting.- Part 3: From theory to practice.- Chapter 7: A comparison of transactional and relational contract models.- Chapter 8: When to use a relational contract.- Chapter 9: Choosing a contract model in practice.- Chapter 10: A systemization of contracts.- Part 4: Five steps to relational contract.- Chapter 11: The importance of the right process.- Chapter 12: Step1: Laying the foundations for a partnership.- Chapter 1: Step 2: Co-create a shared vision and objectives.- Chapter 14: Step 3: Adopt guiding principles for the partnership.- Chapter 15: Step 4: Align expectations and interests (architect the deal points).- Chapter 16: Step 5: Stay aligned.- Part 5: Are relational contracts legally enforceable.- Chapter 17: Legal considerations of relational contracts.
£26.59
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Contracting in the New Economy: Using Relational
Book SynopsisToday’s business environment is constantly evolving, filled with volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity and driven by digital transformation, globalization, and the need to creating value through innovation. These shifts demand that organizations view contracting through a different lens. Since it is impossible to predict every what-if scenario in a transactional contract, organizations in strategic and complex partnerships must shift to a mindset of shared goals and objectives built upon a strong foundation of transparency and trust, working together to mitigate risk much better than merely shifting risk to the weaker party. Contracting in the New Economy helps you to not only develop this mindset – but also offers the practical tools needed to embrace the social side of contracting, enabling your organization to harness the value creating potential of formal relational contracts. Briefly sharing the theoretical foundations that prove relational contracting works, it goes well beyond theory by providing powerful examples of relational contracting principles in practice. In addition, the authors provide a practical and proven approach for helping you to put relational contracting theory into practice for your own relationships. First by providing a framework for approaching any contracting situation and helping organizations finding the best contract model for each situation. And then by sharing five proven steps you can take to create an effective relational contract for you own strategic and complex business relationships. For anyone involved in developing contracts —lawyers, in-house counsels, contract managers, C-level managers, procurement officers, and so on — this book will empower you to create powerful cooperative alliances that will help you reach —and surpass — your business goals in today’s dynamic new environment.Table of ContentsPart 1.-Chapter 1: The new economy: Welcome to the contracting paradox.- Chapter 2: Viewing contracting through a different a different lens.- Part 2: The science of contracting.- Chapter 3: Business want contracts: business people do not.- Chapter 4: The social science of contracting.- Chapter 5: The economics of contracting.- Chapter 6: The psychology of contracting.- Part 3: From theory to practice.- Chapter 7: A comparison of transactional and relational contract models.- Chapter 8: When to use a relational contract.- Chapter 9: Choosing a contract model in practice.- Chapter 10: A systemization of contracts.- Part 4: Five steps to relational contract.- Chapter 11: The importance of the right process.- Chapter 12: Step1: Laying the foundations for a partnership.- Chapter 1: Step 2: Co-create a shared vision and objectives.- Chapter 14: Step 3: Adopt guiding principles for the partnership.- Chapter 15: Step 4: Align expectations and interests (architect the deal points).- Chapter 16: Step 5: Stay aligned.- Part 5: Are relational contracts legally enforceable.- Chapter 17: Legal considerations of relational contracts.
£22.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Disintermediation Economics: The Impact of
Book Synopsis This book provides a coherent Blockchain framework for the business community, governments, and universities structured around microeconomics, macroeconomics, finance, and political economy and identifies how business organizations, financial markets and governmental policies are changed by digitalization, specifically Blockchain. This framework, what they authors call “disintermediation economics,” affects everything by providing a paradigm that transforms the way we organize markets and value chains, financial services, central banking, budgetary policies, innovation ecosystems, government services, and civil society. Bringing together leading and experienced policy makers, corporate practitioners, and academics from top universities, this book offers a road map of best practices that can be immediately useful to firms, policy makers as well as academics by balancing theory with practice. Table of ContentsCh. 1: What is Disintermediation Economics: An introduction (Psarrakis).- Part A: Disintermediation in Microeconomics.- Ch. 2: Distributed Ledger Economics: Organizations, Incentives and Strategy (Psarrakis).- Ch. 3: Economics of Smart Contracts: Efficiency and legal challenges (Dobrauz-Saldapenna and Schrackmann).- Ch. 4: Corporate Strategies for Blockchain-based Solutions (Verheggen).- Ch. 5: Distributed Data Economics (Shrier).-Part B: Disintermediation in Macroeconomics and Finance.- Ch. 6: Blockchain for Growth: Applying distributed ledger technologies to the UN Sustainable goals (Thomason).- Ch. 7: The New Money: The utility of Cryptocurrencies and the need for a New Monetary Policy (Lee and Teo).- Ch. 8: Privately Issued Digital Currencies (Disparte).- Ch. 9: Crypto-assets, Distributed Ledger Technologies and Disintermediation in Finance: Overcoming impediments to scaling: A view from the EU (Noble).- Ch. 10: Crypto-assets and Disintermediation in Finance: A view from Asia (Johnstone).- Part C: Disintermediation in Political Economy and Regulation.- Ch. 11: The Political Economy of the Blockchain (Zilgalvis).- Ch. 12: Regulating Blockchain in the EU: Building a global competitive advantage (Kaili).- Ch. 13: Advancing Digital Transformation in the Public Sector with Blockchain: A view from the European Union (Baldacci and Frade).- Ch. 14: Disposable Identities? Why digital identity matters to blockchain disintermediation and for society (Anania, Le Gars, and van Kranenburg).
£28.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Life and Afterlife of Gay Neighborhoods: Renaissance and Resurgence
Book SynopsisThis open access book examines the significance of gay neighborhoods (or ‘gayborhoods’) from critical periods of formation during the gay liberation and freedom movements of the 1960s and 1970s, to proven durability through the HIV/AIDS pandemic during the 1980s and 1990s, to a mature plateau since 2000. The book provides a framework for contemplating the future form and function of gay neighborhoods. Social and cultural shifts within gay neighborhoods are used as a framework for understanding the decades-long struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.Resulting from gentrification, weakening social stigma, and enhanced rights for LGBTQ+ people, gay neighborhoods have recently become “less gay,” following a 50-year period of resilience. Meanwhile, other neighborhoods are becoming “more gay,” due to changing preferences of LGBTQ+ individuals and a propensity for LGBTQ+ families to form community in areas away from established gayborhoods. The current ‘plateau’ in the evolution of gay neighborhoods is characterized by generational differences—between Baby Boom pioneers and Millennials who favour broad inclusivity—signaling various possible trajectories for the future ‘afterlife’ of these important LGBTQ+ urban spaces.The complicating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic provides a point of comparison for lessons learned from gay neighborhoods and the LGBTQ+ community that bravely endured the onset of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.This book will be of interest to students and scholars in various disciplines—including sociology, social work, anthropology, gender and sexuality, LGTBQ+ and queer studies, as well as urban geography, architecture, and city planning—and to policymakers and advocates concerned with LGBTQ+ rights and social justice.Trade Review“This book will likely find appeal … among social scientists, planners, and architects seeking insights into the shifting character of post-pandemic urban living in the twenty-first century. … considering the disparaging and supercilious comments from a few ostensibly cisgender colleagues … encountered by the editors in the early stages of The Life and Afterlife, Professors Bitterman and Hess are to be commended for their commitment to producing an informative and courageous study.” (Dennis E. Gale, Journal of Planning Education and Research, September 13, 2022)“The book is scholastic … and serve as impetuses for future research. … The Life and Afterlife of Gay Neighborhoods provides methodologies and concept grounds for this approach and is an invaluable resource for planners, sociologists and designers to both confront and integrate notions of diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice into education, research, scholarship and practice.” (Michael A. Richards, Town Planning Review, Vol. 94 (1), January, 2023)“The volume is a stimulating and enjoyable anthology, which is on the whole well written and richly illustrated. Notably, it remains low on jargon and thus accessible to audiences beyond academia or the professional realm. … The Life and Afterlife of Gay Neighborhoods will find-and reward-multiple audiences, a process aided by its democratizing open-access availability.” (Manish Chalana, Journal of the American Planning Association, June 9, 2022)Table of ContentsPart I: Introduction.- Who are the people in your gayborhood? Understanding population change and cultural shifts in LGBTQ+ neighborhoods.- Part II: Context and composition.- Breaking down segregation: Shifting geographies of male same-sex households within desegregating cities.- A queer reading of the United States census.- Why gayborhoods matter: The street empirics of urban sexualities.- Part III: Identity and evolution.- The rainbow connection: A time-series study of rainbow flag display across nine Toronto neighborhoods.- Wearing pink in Fairytown: The heterosexualization of the Spanish town neighborhood and carnival parade in Baton rouge.- A tale of three villages: Contested discourses of place-making in Central Philadelphia.- Are “Gay” and “Queer-friendly" neighbourhoods healthy? Assessing how areas with high densities of same-sex couples impact the mental health of sexual minority and majority young adults.
£999.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Local Welfare and the Organization of Social
Book SynopsisThis book discusses local area planning in the Lombardy region of Italy. The book provides valuable insights about the development of local welfare systems and the territorial organization of social services through the analysis of the evolution of the Local Area Plan, which lies at the intersection of sub regional governance and of social services delivery models. Using Lombardy as a case study, this brief analyzes the structural conditions influencing the establishment of Local Area Plans, their effect on inter-municipal cooperation, and the need for possible reforms. The book is organized as follows: the first chapter presents a reconstruction of the national and regional framework, analyzing the structure of ties and opportunities within which Local Area Plans are called to act. The second chapter provides a review of the extant literature on Local Area Plans and introduces the theoretical framework used by the volume. The third chapter details legislation introduced in Lombardy to reform the governance structure of Local Area Plans by supporting a process of reorganization and aggregation. The fourth chapter presents some cases of Local Area Plan aggregation. The final chapter presents the conclusion and some brief considerations about the future of social planning. Providing an empirical analysis of local service delivery, this book will be useful to scholars and practitioners interested in public administration, welfare, local government, non-profit and public organizations, and management.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: The structuration of the Italian welfare system: from fragmentation to innovation.- Chapter 3: A (possible) answer to fragmentation in social assistance policy. The Local Area Plan.- Chapter 4: Redesigning territorialisation to improve planning and management capabilities in social assistance. Change or business as usual.- Chapter 5: The difficult path towards change.- Chapter 6: The road towards the new planning phase (2021-2023). Challenges and opportunities.
£54.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Fundraising Principles for Faculty and Academic
Book Synopsis**Winner of the 2023 Skystone Partners Research Prize from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). This book includes evidence-based insights and recommendations to help academicians excel in raising philanthropic support for their institutions and units. The book provides historical and contemporary perspectives on core concepts and data, research revealing donors’ giving motivations, engagement strategies and tactics for academic units, and guidance on management challenges including strategic plans, campaigns, and measuring performance. The authors include case studies in each section as examples of successful fundraising and volunteer-driven initiatives. The final section, contributed by Dean David D. Perlmutter, reinforces the book’s many practical and theoretical approaches to the fundamental responsibilities academic leaders face in raising philanthropic support. This book is grounded in the growing academic literature on philanthropy and written by scholars who were successful higher education fundraisers.Table of Contents1. Fundraising for Academicians2. Historical Perspectives on Academic Fundraising3. Language Matters4. Tenets of Operational Effectiveness5. Understanding Donor Motivation6. Applying the Identification Model7. Engaging Potential Donors8. Narrow Your Universe9. The Annual Development Plan10. Engaging Partners11. Align Your Strategic Plan12. Campaigns13. Measuring Impact14. Losing Oneself in a Great Cause15. Don't Fear Fundraising
£59.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Algorithm Portfolios: Advances, Applications, and
Book SynopsisThis book covers algorithm portfolios, multi-method schemes that harness optimization algorithms into a joint framework to solve optimization problems. It is expected to be a primary reference point for researchers and doctoral students in relevant domains that seek a quick exposure to the field. The presentation focuses primarily on the applicability of the methods and the non-expert reader will find this book useful for starting designing and implementing algorithm portfolios. The book familiarizes the reader with algorithm portfolios through current advances, applications, and open problems. Fundamental issues in building effective and efficient algorithm portfolios such as selection of constituent algorithms, allocation of computational resources, interaction between algorithms and parallelism vs. sequential implementations are discussed. Several new applications are analyzed and insights on the underlying algorithmic designs are provided. Future directions, new challenges, and open problems in the design of algorithm portfolios and applications are explored to further motivate research in this field.Table of Contents1. Metaheuristic optimization algorithms.- 2. Algorithm portfolios.- 3. Selection of constituent algorithms.- 4. Allocation of computation resources.- 5. Sequential and parallel models.- 6. Recent applications.- 7. Epilogue.- References.
£41.24
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Landscape History and Rural Society in Southern
Book SynopsisThis book applies an economic and environmental perspective to the history of landscape and the rural economy, highlighting their inter-connections through specific case studies. After explaining how the author made his discoveries and when they started, it analyses relations between documentary and landscape evidence. It is based on exceptional first-hand observation of a dozen sites and close consideration of topics in the ecological and economic history of southern England. They range from reclaiming chalk down-land, occupying low-lying heaths and reconstructing parkland, to wool-stapling and the manufacture of gunstocks for the African slave trade. Additional themes include the tension between ecology and institutions in decisions about the location of economic activity; the decay of communal farming ahead of enclosure; and other interesting puzzles in rural economic history. This book offers an original approach to questions in economic history through its synthesis of different types of evidence. It will be of interest to a diverse range of readers because it addresses how economic change was registered in the landscape, and how that change was influenced by landscape. It is a book with highly original features, contributing simultaneously to economic, agricultural, environmental, and landscape history. Table of ContentsPart 1. Preliminaries.- Chapter 1. Strategic Locations.- Chapter 2. Sources: Artefacts.- Chapter 3. Sources: Documents.- Chapter 4. Post-war Time Shift.- Part Two: Localities.- Chapter 5. Chalk Downs.- Chapter 6. Heathland.- Chapter 7. Lot Meads.- Chapter 8. Drove Roads.- Chapter 9. Colonising the Hill Country.- Chapter 10. Parkland.- Chapter 11. Resources: Fodder.- Chapter 12. Resources: Wool & Wood.- Chapter 13. Conclusions.
£104.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG China and Global Governance: A New Leader?
Book SynopsisThis book proposes a new concept of “International Leadership with Chinese Characteristics” (ILCC) to interpret China’s role in global governance. The author illustrates how the concept of ILCC is built on the basis of the discussion of Chinese political culture and Chinese worldview of international relations and develops a four-step interpretive process as a guidance for conducting the empirical analysis of the ILCC. The book also shows how Chinese elites conceptually construct and practically implement the ILCC in four case studies – G20, BRICS, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)Table of ContentsCh 1: China's Rise and the Existing World OrderCh 2: The Sources of Chinese Worldview and Their Impact on Chinese Understanding of Contemporary IRCh 3: International Leadership with Chinese Characteristics (ILCC): An Approach to Understanding China's Role in IRCh 4: ILCC in the G20Ch 5: ILCC in the BRICSCh 6: ILCC in the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Ch 7: ILCC in the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative)Ch 8: Conclusion
£104.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The History and Future of Technology: Can
Book SynopsisEminent physicist and economist, Robert Ayres, examines the history of technology as a change agent in society, focusing on societal roots rather than technology as an autonomous, self-perpetuating phenomenon. With rare exceptions, technology is developed in response to societal needs that have evolutionary roots and causes. In our genus Homo, language evolved in response to a need for our ancestors to communicate, both in the moment, and to posterity. A band of hunters had no chance in competition with predators that were larger and faster without this type of organization, which eventually gave birth to writing and music. The steam engine did not leap fully formed from the brain of James Watt. It evolved from a need to pump water out of coal mines, driven by a need to burn coal instead of firewood, in turn due to deforestation. Later, the steam engine made machines and mechanization possible. Even quite simple machines increased human productivity by a factor of hundreds, if not thousands. That was the Industrial Revolution. If we count electricity and the automobile as a second industrial revolution, and the digital computer as the beginning of a third, the world is now on the cusp of a fourth revolution led by microbiology. These industrial revolutions have benefited many in the short term, but devastated the Earth’s ecosystems. Can technology save the human race from the catastrophic consequences of its past success? That is the question this book will try to answer.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. Fire and water: technologies extending nature.- Chapter 3. Extensions of the body.- Chapter 4. Words and music.- Chapter 5. Printing, movable type and books.- Chapter 6. The Enlightenment: the rise of science.- Chapter 7. The first stage of industrialization: coking and canals (1712- 1820).- Chapter 8. Machine tools and mechanization.- Chapter 9. The triumph of steam and steel (1820-1876).- Chapter 10. Petroleum and petrochemicals.- Chapter 11. Anesthesia, surgery, and modern medicine.- Chapter 12. Mobility: From rails to roads to space travel.- Chapter 13. Electricity and electrification of factories and homes.- Chapter 14. Communications: From carrier pigeons to telephones and radio (1876-1976).- Chapter 15. The history of artifiicial light.- Chapter 16. Electronic broadcast media: radio and TV.- Chapter 17. Photography and movies.- Chapter 18. The transistor transition: 1945-1969.- Chapter 19. Machine computation and digitization.- Chapter 20. The Internet and the Worldwide Web.- Chapter 21. The Eco-footprint of material wealth: pollution, climate change and epidemics.- Chapter 22. Nuclear power.- Chapter 23. Solar Power and renewables.- Chapter 24. Scarce elements and scarce metals.- Chapter 25. Food and agriculture.- Chapter 26. Biotechnology and Human Health.- Chapter 27. Can technology save Homo Sapiens from Extinction? Utopia 2120.
£47.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Sustainable Investing: Beating the Market with
Book SynopsisThis book reviews the latest methods of sustainable investing and financial profit making and describes how ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) analysis can identify future business opportunities and manage risk to achieve abnormal returns. Megatrends such as climate change, sustainable development and digitalisation increase uncertainty and information asymmetry and have an impact on the future returns on investments. From a profit perspective, it is largely about how ESG factors affect the long-term value added by companies and the valuation of companies in the financial markets. Although sustainability provides an opportunity for abnormal returns, this phenomenon must be considered in a critical light. The book describes the risks and limitations associated with the accountability and availability of ESG data and tools. This book provides both academic findings and practical models for assessing the sustainability of investees and introduces practical tools and methods to make ESG analysis practice. It focuses on the ESG analysis of equity investments and fund investments in institutional investment organizations and provides a handbook for all investment analysts who are involved with investment decisions. Readers will benefit from understanding the methods, opportunities and challenges that professionals use in their ESG analysis with cases, interviews and practical tools for both institutional and private investors. Trade Review“An excellent book to start with. … Filled with useful case studies on companies and investors, the book discusses relevant recent trends, initiatives and approaches. The reader comes away with useful possibilities to consider … . These case studies are explicitly detailed and applicable for readers, making the book a valuable resource on its own. … Silvola and Landau examine this well, especially from a public equity perspective, in a clear and concise manner … .” (Cary Krosinsky, responsible-investor.com, September 22, 2021)“This book provides both academic findings and practical models for assessing the sustainability of investees and introduces practical tools and methods to make ESG analysis practice. It … provides a handbook for all investment analysts who are involved with investment decisions. Readers will benefit from understanding the methods, opportunities and challenges that professionals use in their ESG analysis with cases, interviews and practical tools for both institutional and private investors.” (investesg.eu, September 14, 2021)Table of ContentsPart I. Basics of Sustainable Investing.- Chapter 1. Motivation for Sustainable Investing – What Is the Purpose? .- chapter 2. Methods of Sustainable Investing.- Part II. Engaging with Investees.- Chapter 3. Active Ownership.- Part III. Sustainability in Investment Analysis.- Chapter 4. Sustainability as Part of Qualitative Analysis.- Chapter 5. ESG Analysis Tools for Assessing Listed Shares.- Chapter 6. Sustainability of Various Investment Products.- Part IV. The Link between Sustainability and Returns.- Chapter 7. The Nordic Perspective on Integrating ESG.- Chapter 8. Is Sustainable Investing Profitable?.- Chapter 9. What Is the Profitability of Sustainability Based on?.- Part V. Sustainability Trends and the Future of ESG.- Chapter 10. Changes in International Politics and Legislation.- Chapter 11. Sustainability Trends and International Frameworks.- Chapter 12. Global Investment Trends and Impacts on Sustainable Investing.
£29.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Impact of Corporate Culture and CMS: A Cross-Cultural Analysis on Internal and External Preventive Effects on Corruption
Book SynopsisEntering developing markets, companies are challenged by various cultures and widespread corruption. This book is a cross-cultural survey that explores the crime preventive effects of corporate cultures and compliance management systems (CMS) in China, India, Russia and Germany. Almost 2,000 managers anonymously reported about the compliance programs in place and cultures in their companies as well as on their experience with corruption at work and in everyday life.Despite differences across countries, results suggest that the elements of an integrity-promoting corporate culture are similarly important in their corruption preventive effects.The second major result is that a CMS can develop its effectiveness only when combined with an appropriately practiced integrity-promoting company culture.Third, companies can counteract the negative external influences of a corruption-prone national culture. Moreover, spill-over effects of an integrity-promoting company culture can make an important contribution to national cultural change. For this reason, an integrity-promoting corporate culture is a contribution to corporate social responsibility.Table of ContentsChapter 1. State of Research and Methods.- Chapter 2. Cultural and Structural Conditions of Corruption.- Chapter 3. Impact of Law and Market Mechanisms on CMS.- Chapter 4. Internal Crime Preventive Effects of Corporate Culture and Compliance Management Systems.- Chapter 5. External Crime-Preventive Effects of CMS and Corporate Culture.- Chapter 6. Corporate Social Responsibility.
£54.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Adventure Finance: How to Create a Funding
Book SynopsisThe venture capital model doesn’t work—at least not for 99% of startups and small businesses. In this 99% are a lot of companies with incredible potential: businesses headed by female founders and those from diverse racial backgrounds, organizations headquartered outside of venture capital hubs, and purpose-driven enterprises that are creating social and environmental impact alongside financial success. Counter to what the press-savvy venture capital world would have you believe, there are a lot of funding options out there for startups and small businesses. Adventure Finance is designed to help you understand some of these options, and walk you through real examples of how other founders and funders have put them to use. In simple, approachable language, the book breaks down the different types of funding options available from revenue-based financing to recoverable grants to redeemable equity to distributed ownership and more. Through a mix of storytelling and frameworks, based on a decade of research and experience in investing in early-stage companies, this book will give you the ability to determine how each of these structures can contribute to your own funding journey. The goal for this book is to shift the conversation about startup funding and help founders and funders widen the spectrum of “mainstream” investment options in order to make the venture financing world more inclusive and purpose-driven.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Who are you?.- Chapter 2: Where are you?.- Chapter 3. Where are you headed?.- Chapter 4. The innovative financing spectrum.- Chapter 5. Helium Health: Our Equity Journey.- Chapter 6. Soko & Powered by People: Our Debt Funding Journey.- Chapter 7. Candide Group: Our Structured Exits Journey.- Chapter 8. Provive: Our Revenue Based Debt Journey.- Chapter 9. Get Vantage & Viwalla: Our Technology Enabled RBF Journey.- Chapter 10. Maya Mountain Cacao: Our Demand Dividend Journey.- Chapter 11. Earnest Capital: Our Shared Earnings Journey.- Chapter 12. Earth Equity: Our Redeemable Equity Journey.- Chapter 13. Agora Partnerships: Our Variable Payment Obligation Journey.- Chapter 14. Riders for Health: Our guarantee journey.- Chapter 15. Purpose Capital: Our Steward Ownership Journey.- Chapter 16. Codeforall: Our Crowdfunding Journey.- Chapter 17. Steward Farms: Our Crowd Financing journey.- Chapter 18. Solar: Our Distributed Ownership Journey.- Chapter 19. Project Equity: Our journey facilitating exits to communities.-Chapter 20. Upaya Social Ventures: Our Recoverable Grant Journey.- Chapter 22. Trackosaurus: Our Convertible Grant Journey.- Chapter 23. PRIME Coalition: Our Catalytic Capital Journey.- Chapter 24. Ikamva Youth: Our Forgivable Loan Journey.- Chapter 25. MacArthur Foundation: Our PRI journey.- Chapter 26. Michael and Susan Dell Foundation: Our margin rate rebate journey.- Chapter 27. Clinicas de Azucar: Our SIINC Journey.- Chapter 28. Bertha Centre: Our Impact Bond Journey.- Chapter 29. Decoding Term Sheets.- Chapter 30. Embedding Impact into Contracts.- Chapter 31. Tax and Accounting Considerations.- Chapter 32. Looking forward: Emerging Enablers.
£29.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Blue Governance in the Arctic and Antarctic:
Book SynopsisThis book discusses to what extent the precautionary approach to fisheries management is reflected in the MSC Fisheries Standard and in the certification of four clusters of fisheries in polar waters. Certification according to private sustainability standards (ecolabelling) has become an important addition to public fisheries management in recent years. The major global ecolabel in terms of comprehensiveness and coverage is the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard. Becoming and remaining certified requires continuous behavioural adaptation from fisheries through a fine-meshed system of improvement conditions attached to certification. Focus is on how certification has influenced fisher behaviour and state practice. In the Southern Ocean krill and toothfish fisheries, MSC certification has generated new scientific knowledge about the stocks. In the Barents Sea cod and haddock fisheries, fishing companies have voluntarily adapted their behaviour to reduce the fishery’s impacts on endangered, threatened and protected species and bottom habitats. In the local lumpfish fisheries in Greenland, Iceland and Norway, measures have been introduced to reduce the effects on seabirds and marine mammals. In the Northeast Atlantic mackerel fisheries, impacts have been more modest. Private certification is no panacea, but it seems to have found a niche as a supplement to national legislation and international agreements. Table of Contents1. Introduction2. The precautionary approach, implementation and state practice3. The MSC Certification Scheme and the precautionary approach4. MSC certification of Arctic and Antarctic fisheries5. Influence on fisher behaviour and state practice
£54.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Market Interrelationships and Applied Demand Analysis: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Empirics in Commodities Markets
Book SynopsisThis textbook addresses the core issues facing economists concerning price determination in commodity markets, especially food and agricultural commodities. This book hones in on the conceptual basis of the various relationships, with special emphasis on market interrelationships, both horizontally and vertically. This book covers key concepts such as consumer demand theory; quality, heterogeneous goods, and cross section demand; derived demand, marketing margins, and relationship between output and raw material prices; retail-to-farm demand linkages, imperfect competition, and short-run price determination; dynamic consumer demand; and dynamic models of the firm.What makes this textbook of particular use to students is its focus on bridging the gap between theory and empirical analysis. Going from theory to empirics requires that we have data—time series or cross section—that match the theoretical constructs. Often the data match is not perfect, either by definition or how the data are computed. In addition to problems of matching data with theoretical constructs, students and researchers need to know how to specify, estimate, and interpret results within the context of imperfect and often incomplete data. This textbook uses several data sets to illustrate how one might address problems in real-world settings. Furthermore, with exercises at the end of each chapter, students are able to test themselves on their ability to bring theory to life.Table of Contents1. Introduction.- 2. Consumer Demand: Theory.- 3. Consumer Demand: Separability and Commodity Aggregation.- 4. Consumer Demand: Empirical Analysis I.- 5. Consumer Demand: Empirical Analysis II.- 6. Quality, Heterogeneous Goods, and Cross Section Demand.- 7. Derived Demand, Marketing Margins, and Relationship between Output and Raw Material Prices.- 8. Retail-to-Farm Demand Linkages, Imperfect Competition, and Short-Run Price Determination.- 9. Dynamic Consumer Demand.- 10. Dynamic Models of the Firm.
£49.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Decision-Making Analyses with Thermodynamic Parameters and Hesitant Fuzzy Linguistic Preference Relations
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£80.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Geography of Serbia: Nature, People, Economy
Book SynopsisThis is a comprehensive regional geography synthesis of the most important physical and human spatial processes that shaped Serbia and led to many interesting regional issues, not only to Serbia but to the Balkans and Europe. The book provides an overall view on the Serbian physical environment, its population and economy. It also highlights important regional issues such as regional disparities and depopulation, sustainable development and ecological issues and rural economy in the context of rural area development, which have been shaped by different political and historical processes. This highly illustrated book provides interesting and informative insights into Serbia and its context within the Balkans and Europe. It appeals to scientists and students as well as travelers and general readers interested in this region.Table of ContentsPreface.- Acknowledgements.- Part I: Historical and Geopolitical Context (edited by Emilija Manić and Vladimir Nikitović).- Chapter 1. Geographical Position of Serbia (Milutin Tadić, Emilija Manić).- Chapter 2. Prehistory of Serbia: A Brief Review (Dušan Mihailović, Dragana Antonović, Aleksandar Kapuran).- Chapter 3. Serbia: A Historical Survey (Radmila Pejić, Sofija Petković, Dejan Radičević).- Chapter 4. Political Geography of Serbia: Territorial Organization and Government (Nebojša Vuković).- Part II: Physical Geography (edited by Predrag Đurović).- Chapter 5. Climate of Serbia (Boško Milovanović, Gorica Stanojević, Milan Radovanović).- Chapter 6. Hydrological Characteristics of Serbia (Marko Urošev, Ana Milanović Pešić, Jelena Kovačević–Majkić, Dragoljub Štrbac).- Chapter 7. Geomorphological Characteristics of Serbia (Predrag Djurović).- Chapter 8. Biogeographical Characteristics of the Territory of Serbia: Richness and Spatial Distribution of Biodiversity, Endemism and Biogeographical Regionalization (Vladimir B. Stevanović).- Chapter 9. Geohazards and Geoheritage (Ivan Novković, Slavoljub Dragićević, Mirela Djurović).- Part III: Demography (edited by Vladimir Nikitović).- Chapter 10. Demographic Profile of Serbia at the Turn of the Millennia (Daniela Arsenović, Vladimir Nikitović).- Chapter 11. Demographic Challenges in Serbia (Mirjana Rašević, Marko Galjak).- Chapter 12. Migration and Mobility Patterns in Serbia (Vesna Lukić).- Chapter 13. Approaching Regional Depopulation in Serbia (Vladimir Nikitović).- Part IV: Economy (edited by Emilija Manić).- Chapter 14. Serbian Economy – History, Transition and Present (Đorđe Mitrović).- Chapter 15. Agriculture in Serbia (Žaklina Stojanović).- Chapter 16. Natural Resources and Manufacturing Sector (Emilija Manić, Milena Lutovac).- Chapter 17. Transport Sector in Serbia (Ivan Ratkaj).- Chapter 18. Services: Finance, Trade and Tourism (Svetlana Popović, Dragan Stojković, Radmila Jovanović).- Chapter 19. Serbia Internationally: International Trade and Integrations (Predrag Bjelić, Ivana Popović Petrović). Part V: Regional Development and Specificities (edited by Vladimir Nikitović and Emilija Manić).- Chapter 20. Environmental Issues in Serbia: The Pollution and Nature Conservation (Vladimir Stojanović, Milana Pantelić, Stevan Savić).- Chapter 21. Development Challenges Faced by Cities in Serbia (Nikola Krunić, Aleksandra Gajić, Dragutin Tošić).- Chapter 22. Rural Areas and Rural Economy in Serbia (Marija Drobnjaković, Žaklina Stojanović, Sonja Josipović).- Chapter 23. Regional Disparities in Serbia (Dejan Molnar).- Index.
£999.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Beyond D&I: Leading Diversity with Purpose and
Book SynopsisD&I is no longer a passing fad. It’s not about legal compliance or HR box-ticking, in fact diversity and inclusion is a critical factor for success. #MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter and the ballooning disparate consequences of Covid-19 on minorities brings renewed emphasis on D&I agendas, and the economic reality that diverse talent is good for business and good for sustainability. In Beyond D&I, Kay Formanek brings her more than twenty years’ experience working with the world’s leading organizations to take diversity and inclusion into the strategic roadmap of the organization. Whether you’re a leader, HR practitioner, sponsor of a D&I initiative or an employee who wants to see your organization benefit from more inclusivity, the book equips you with the tools you need to develop the strategic case for diversity, craft a compelling narrative and chart a tailored roadmap to lock in diversity gains and close key performance gaps. As well as two core anchor models—the Virtuous Circle and Integrated Diversity Model— the book features case studies, profiles of inclusive leaders, engaging and intuitive visuals and a wealth of evidence-based initiatives that you can start implementing today. With five essential elements and six core capabilities, the result is a definitive, holistic and practical guide that will help you convert your D&I initiatives into sustainable diversity performance.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Setting the stage for a new leadership paradigm Business leaders, scholars and politicians agree that we are facing a watershed moment in the history of our world. Organisations are required to anticipate and respond to fundamental changes stoked by the exponential role of technology (e.g. exponential growth in computing speed, 5G connectivity, exploding data storage capacity and deep learning artificial intelligence); highly connected financial and trade markets; and a pronounced consumer shift towards socially responsible consumption. Organisations need to consider their business footprint on a fragile world, for the traditional business model no longer serves a world that is overpopulated and where climate change systematically reduces habitable and productive land. The traditional business model has generated relative economic growth, but a significant portion of the world’s population lives in poverty and is at war. A new leadership paradigm is required to successfully navigate an increasingly complex environment (VUCA: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous). Just as the environment is fluid, so are the capabilities of a leader fluid. Just as the traditional operating model of organisations requires adaptation, so do the capabilities of leaders require adaptation. Specifically, future sustainability for organisations requires a 360-degree view on complexity (through cognitive diversity), the ability to create conditions for transformative innovation (enabled by inclusiveness), and a strategic narrative that inspires, energises and unites efforts (expressed through purpose). At the global-level, diversity and inclusiveness are found in the UN Resolution (The Future We Want), which contains 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in an effort by the UN to create a comprehensive plan of action to build a global partnership for sustainable development to improve human lives and protect the environment. The future we want supposes a global interconnectedness of economics, social issues and the environment – and realising it requires diversity, inclusiveness and purpose. Organisations are inspired by this global SDG blueprint and are driven to incorporate these SDGs into their purpose, their strategy and their operational measures (ESG) by their stakeholders, who increasingly adhere to SDG goals, including assessing organisations based on how they treat their employees, their environment and their community. This creates the conditions for a virtuous and reinforcing circle between diversity, inclusion and purpose. Leaders at the helm of organisations need to respond to these new organisational conditions with new capabilities and a new leadership approach. Specifically, leaders need to authentically embody and express their own diversity and inclusive leadership and purpose as they connect and unite their teams and organisation through the shared pursuit of organisational purpose. Chapter 2: Introducing the Virtuous Diversity, Inclusiveness and Purpose (DIP) Circle This chapter describes the evolution of the terms and meaning of diversity, inclusive leadership and purpose and their mutual influence and impact, presented via the Virtuous DIP Circle. It also addresses the interplay between diversity, inclusiveness and purpose. Diversity means having a seat at the table. Inclusiveness means making sure voices are heard at the table. Purpose is having different voices aligned around a common intent. And bias is the reason why some seats at the table are provided to the same people and why some people are listened to more than others. An example of what is covered in the chapter: Diversity encompasses inherited dimensions of diversity (such as race and gender both tightly associated with systemic social disadvantages) and also acquired dimensions of diversity (such as work experience) that together result in expanded cognitive diversity. How diversity is defined is how it is led. This means that acquiring and nurturing a rich understanding of diversity and how it links back to organisational performance is critical. With this richer framing of what diversity means to an organisation, the diversity gap, with reference to the organisational journey, can be defined. FIGURE1: Proprietary Virtuous Circle Diagram Chapter 3: Putting the Virtuous DIP Circle to work This chapter enables leaders to apply the Virtuous DIP Circle within their organisation by leading a strategic assessment of the level of environmental complexity, the associated transformation journey their organisation faces, and their gaps in the Virtuous DIP Circle. The leader is given the tools to identify gaps in diversity, inclusiveness and purpose vis-a-vis their external environment. This Chapter also dwells on the movements in 2020 around COVID-19 and the #BLM offering case studies and examples on how organisational leaders can raise their voices and that of their organisation to support their societal purpose. FIGURE 2: Proprietary Virtuous DIP Circle Assessment Chapter 4: Introducing the Integrated Diversity Model The Virtuous DIP Circle creates a compelling strategic narrative for the organisation vis-a-vis its external environment. The Virtuous DIP Assessment provides the leader with an understanding of the gaps allows the leader to power their transformational journey by capitalizing on their Virtuous DIP Circle within the belly of their organisation. This is done by way of applying the Integrated Diversity Model. The model comprises six critical intervention areas that need to be acted upon in an integrated manner, so that the strategic narrative is fulfilled by tapping into the power of diversity and inclusion. 1. The first intervention area is about extinguishing implicit bias and talent blind spots that lead to a homogeneous talent pool and reduce the richness of talent and its perspectives to support the realisation of the strategic narrative. The second intervention area is to develop a clear case for diversity and inclusion that goes beyond the traditional business case that only was expressed across all levers of business performance. The new case for diversity and inclusion is wedged in the societal case and the Sustainable Development Goals. Organisations that are truly operating in accordance with these values can then benefit through the more traditional business case levers. The third intervention area is to build inclusive leadership as a key organisational capability so that leaders are groomed not only to lead the diversity agenda, but also to practice day-to-day diversity leadership through their values, behaviours and actions. The fourth intervention area is to re-engineer systems, processes and protocols such that diversity and inclusion are maximally supported and magnified to realise the strategic narrative. The fifth intervention area is to upgrade diversity metrics so that diversity is measured not only by demographics, but also by engagement and leadership profiles and attributes. The sixth intervention area is to celebrate and augment the diversity and inclusion initiatives and to evaluate to what degree the strategic narrative has been enabled by these initiatives. This chapter not only introduces the Integrated Diversity Model, but also ratifies the strategic efficacy of the model through sharing the latest research validation and illustrating how the model has been applied in varied forms within organisations. FIGURE 3: Proprietary Integrated Diversity Model Chapter 5. Assessing your diversity and inclusion initiatives against the Integrated Diversity Model Over the past 50 years, there has been an increasing focus on realising diversity in society, by legalizing out discrimination, supporting affirmative action in the 1960s, creating a compelling business case for diversity, and holding CEOs and boards accountable for achievement within organisations and through quotas in many nations. Despite this focus on diversity in society, many companies still treat diversity as a side-pillar and 75% of organisations have not been able to convert their focus on diversity into results and many have hit a ceiling. The barriers include a lack of embedding diversity into the transformational journey and leaders who don’t walk-the-talk of inclusive diversity; the failure to comply with legal regulations and industry diversity-linked codes; the inability to capture the hearts and minds of the organisation, resulting in a lack of engagement and “divided diversity”; and finally, lack of supporting systems and processes that operationalise diversity and inclusion initiatives and deliver the desired performance. The authors provide a strategic way for leaders to assess the way that diversity and inclusion initiatives are currently embedded in their organisation (their organisational typology). This is by way of the Diversity and Inclusion Typology Framework. Through this Typology Framework they can discover where the axis of the Diversity and Inclusion initiatives reside in their organisation and envisage how to re-configure and re-enforce new and current initiatives so as to assure effectiveness of an overall integrated effort. The Typology Framework reveals whether the organisation treats diversity and inclusion strategically or operationally and whether diversity and inclusion initiatives are focused more on external compliance or on capturing the engagement and support of its people. It is when organisations are able to drive their initiatives strategically and operationally, with compliance and with the hearts of employees, that there is a sweet spot of diversity performance that creates magnified and sustainable diversity performance. However, there are usually one or more blind spots within an organisation, which results in the organisation placing more emphasis on one or more dimensions to the exclusion of the others, consequently undermining diversity performance. An analysis of companies reveals a certain typology of diversity initiatives that occurs: 1. Compliance Focus (focus on metrics and quotas, but little focus on inclusion and people) 2. Soft Focus (focus is mostly on inclusion and people engagement, often heavily driven by HR, but lacks the strategic focus and initiative to measure diversity like a business) 3. Missionary Focus (there is genuine commitment to diversity by the CEO and board, but it is not operationalised in the organisation) 4. Disparate Focus (there are many disparate initiatives, often from within the organisation itself, but they lack strategic sponsorship) During the Typology assessment, the following questions are addressed: 1. How has the focus on diversity changed within your organisation? 2. Which diversity initiatives get the most attention? 3. Do you recognise yourself in one of the Typology Types? 4. Can you provide characteristics and examples for each typology in your organisation? 5. What typology is most important for your organisation, given your strategic narrative and your transformational journey? 6. Why is there no integrated view, and what opportunities are being missed by having a fragmented view? 7. What are the key immediate actions that would allow the organisation to build an integrated program? 8. What is the role of your board in supporting you to achieve an integrated focus within your organisation? FIGURE 4: Proprietary Diversity and Inclusion Typology Framework (comprises 4 figures for each typology type) Chapter 6: Surfacing implicit bias that negates the Virtuous DIP Circle’s benefits The ability to reap the benefits of the Virtuous DIP Circle and its related journey is deeply compromised by the automatic, restricted lens of leadership. System 1 is a catchphrase for the host of implicit bias, cognitive bias, and automatic and stereotypical thinking that leadership unwittingly exhibits as it attempts to put the Virtuous DIP Circle to work. It is important to recognize that the restricted lens of leadership is a feature of human survival and has its seeds in the hard-wiring of humans, from birth through a process of biological development (with its roots in neuroscience), and is a feature of the world we live in, where there is strong interaction between societal norms, values and roles and the decisions leadership makes. The biological and social hard-wiring causes the most fervent leaders of the Virtuous DIP Circle to be unwittingly waylaid in their pursuit of the dynamics required to deliver its benefits. Leadership requires not only awareness of the limitations of their lens, but also support from rituals, practices and behaviours that create an environment wherein the results of their leadership efforts become effective. Neuroscience has provided a perspective on why this is: it is our hard-wiring. Although it has been critical to our survival for the past 10,000 years, this hard-wired and lazy default of in-group and out-group thinking creates barriers to entry and the nourishment of diverse talent. Furthermore, we are characterized by System 1 and System 2 thinking, and this creates lazy and default thinking (i.e. stereotyped thinking) when we are under stress and making talent decision. These are talent blind spots. FIGURE 5: Proprietary Adapted Implicit Bias Codex Chapter 7: Moving beyond the traditional business case for diversity and inclusion This chapter sets out both the societal case for diversity (forged on the principle of equality) and the business case for diversity in your organisation. Societal Case Moving beyond the traditional business case means leading the conversation with the social case (‘the right thing to do’) first instead of the traditional business case levers. Increasingly CEOs are motivated to develop diversity because it’s the right thing to do, and it’s good for society. Moreover getting stuck in the statistics of the business case will delay the real work from happening. For organizations looking to increase the representation of severely underrepresented social groups, communicating messages about their commitment to fairness and equality is crucial. However, as representation increases, the organization might think about shifting diversity communication to valuing and appreciating social group differences. Business Case Ever since the BOLD initiative in the 1990s, there has been formidable research attempting to prove the correlation between diversity and performance. This business case has been built mainly on demographics (e.g. diversity performance related to gender, race and age) and surfaced the genuinely accepted levers for performance in our society and within organisations. These business case levers include the following: 1. Increased bottom line performance, such as ROE and ROI 2. Increased customer congruence 3. Increased innovative capability and creativity 4. Increased talent pool 5. Increase employee engagement and wellness of people 6. Increased access to networks and information Of the 6 key business case levers identified above, there is causal* research evidence supporting business case levers 3 and 6. There is correlational* evidence supporting business case levers 1, 2, 4 and 5. Organisations also struggle to develop a business case for their organisation and are unable to fully articulate how diversity and inclusion investments and initiatives translate directly to the fulfilment of their strategic narrative, support their transformational journey and yield bottom-line benefits. Leaders are presented with a compelling view of what constitutes a moral and business case for diversity and inclusion initiatives illustrated by the latest research and case studies of organisations that have finely tuned their business case to their context, purpose and transformational journey. FIGURE 6: Proprietary Societal and Business Case for Diversity Chapter 8: Creating an inclusive leadership capability This chapter explores inclusiveness as a capability, the characteristics of inclusive leaders, and what constitutes the actions, metrics and behaviours of inclusive leaders. Research has confirmed (ref. Stefano et al.) that only when teams are diverse and they are supported by inclusive leaders do abnormal positive benefits accrue to diverse teams. Within organisations where diversity is pursued for the benefit of window-dressing and where managers suppress diversity, those diverse teams deliver abnormal negative performance relative to the homogeneous teams. This research is not widely known and is not often talked about, which has created a sense that by simply adding diversity to a team, one can deliver on the societal and business case for diversity. The reason inclusive leadership is so important is that diverse voices need to be not only invited to the table, but also encouraged to speak and be heard. These outcomes of being invited and being heard are facilitated by leaders who are able to create an environment of respect and support for diversity and to sponsor diversity initiatives. Inclusive leaders create workplace dignity and are regarded as stewards of the values of diversity and inclusiveness. Further research highlights that there is no more impactful manner to create an inclusive environment than through the behaviour, practices and actions of inclusive leaders, for these leaders create a culture-in-motion and are emulated for being fine diversity and inclusion leaders. Research and experience also confirm that the Inclusive Leadership Capability is one of the most important capabilities for organisations that wish to navigate a complex world and where inclusive leadership is impressed in all the organisation’s leadership processes, including the assessment of leaders as inclusive leaders and the manner whereby inclusive leaders are rewarded. FIGURE 7: Proprietary Inclusive Leadership Capability Assessment Chapter 9: Embedding diversity and inclusion in the belly of your organisation Given that the hard-wiring of people – leaders included – is difficult to adjust, the best method for creating an inclusive environment is to develop rituals, processes and structures which constantly serve as a reminder for why diversity is important and to de-bias processes within the employee life cycle. This chapter deals with the manner through which senior leaders in an organisation can ensure that the strategic narrative for diversity and inclusion are cascaded within the belly of the organisation. This chapter also addresses rituals and practices that can be adopted by the chair of board, executive board members, the CEO and other senior leaders so as to send an important signal to other leaders and the organisation about their personal commitment to and support of diversity and inclusion. Rituals, practices and policies for pioneering organisations in diversity and inclusion are listed and compared to those in less mature organisations. These pioneering rituals, practices and policies are natural candidates for being cascaded into the belly of the organisation. Pointers are given to senior leaders regarding the type of interventions that should be initiated by practitioners in their organisation to review and de-bias the talent-touching processes. The specific operational actions are dealt with in the Practitioner Handbook, which will be published as a separate book. FIGURE 8 : Proprietary List of Highly Effective Interventions for Leadership of Diversity and Inclusion Chapter 10: Formulating relevant diversity and inclusion metrics Since the early 1950s, the focus on and measurement of diversity have largely been at the demographic level, with specific focus on gender, race, age and sexual identity. The measurement of demographics is largely targeted to the senior levels of the organisation (e.g. the percentage of women on a board) in aggregate and still largely dominates the measurement of most diversity programs. However, pioneering organisations are demanding a richer view on their diversity and inclusion interventions by attempting to measure additional aspects, such as new dimensions of diversity (e.g. work specialisation) at all levels of the organisation as well as measuring critical contributors to diversity performance, such as the engagement of their people, the presence of inclusive leadership, the return on diversity investments, and the realisation of the societal and business case levers for diversity and inclusion. This chapter proposes a formula by which a 360-degree view on the state of diversity and inclusion can be measured, thereby better supporting the realisation of the strategic narrative for diversity and inclusion and its contribution to realising performance goals. FIGURE 9: Proprietary Diversity and Inclusion Measurement Formulae Chapter 11: Celebrating and diversity and inclusion The first chapter of the book painted a picture of the changing context for organisations. Next, the case was made that a Virtuous DIP Circle powers organisations that wish to navigate this external complexity and deliver on a new paradigm in which organisations strive to be strong in a sustainable and SDG-linked world. A dynamic environment requires an agile and dynamic Virtuous DIP Circle, resulting in an expanded strategic narrative. Consequently, the Integrated Diversity Model is also dynamic. Thus, diversity and inclusion is not a project nor a program, but a journey – and the journey does not end, because the context and the transformational agenda of the organisation are never constant. Given that reality, the journey needs to be seen in waves and celebrated per wave, and the learnings need to be distilled, shared and celebrated. This chapter explains to leadership what constitutes external and internal recognition that is at the origin of well-deserved celebration. The chapter also provides best practices for leadership rituals and practices that sustain and renew the Virtuous DIP Circle and seed the reinforcement and enrichment of the Integrated Diversity Model interventions. FIGURE 10: Proprietary Diversity and Inclusion Recognition Score Card Chapter 12: Summary of strategic interventions for the leader and their organisation to put the Integrated Diversity Model to work This chapter concludes the book by offering the leader a way forward to encapsulate the learnings and reflections in strategic yet practical interventions that allow them to serve as a strategic leader of diversity and inclusion and to translate their vision to an actionable way forward for those who will operationalise these efforts within the organisation. This chapter also makes the case that successful leadership incorporates leadership of self (i.e. the leader), leadership of the team and the leadership of the organisation. Consequently, the chapter creates an inventory of personal, team and organisational interventions that have an impact by creating reinforcing mechanisms for realising the Virtuous DIP Circle
£999.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Engaged Fatherhood for Men, Families and Gender
Book SynopsisThis aim of this open access book is to launch an international, cross-disciplinary conversation on fatherhood engagement. By integrating perspective from three sectors—Health, Social Policy, and Work in Organizations—the book offers a novel perspective on the benefits of engaged fatherhood for men, for families, and for gender equality. The chapters are crafted to engaged broad audiences, including policy makers and organizational leaders, healthcare practitioners and fellow scholars, as well as families and their loved ones. Table of Contents
£31.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG New Frontiers for Design of Interior Lighting Products
Book SynopsisThis book explores the single components that commonly constitute luminaires for interiors, describing their operating principles, families, strengths and weaknesses. It opens with the product classification and main standard requirements. The following chapters describe the different components: light sources, power supplies, thermal dissipation techniques, control technologies, optical systems. The description focuses on the most recent technologies to allow the reader to consider a product design capable of confronting future lighting scenarios. The book provides a simple path addressed to all those who want to try their hand at designing luminaires for interiors, even without a specific engineering background.
£49.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Financial Markets and Economic Performance: A
Book SynopsisEffective decision making requires understanding of the underlying principles of financial markets and economics. Intellectually, economics and financial markets are genetically intertwined although when it comes to popular commentary they are treated separately. In fact, academic economic thinking appears separate from financial market equity strategy in most financial market commentary. Historically, macroeconomics tended to assume away financial frictions and financial intermediation whereas financial economists did not necessarily consider the negative macroeconomic spill overs from financial market outcomes. In more recent years, the economic discipline has gone through a serious self-reflection after the global crisis. This book explores the interplay between financial markets and macroeconomic outcomes with a conceptual framework that combines the actions of investors and individuals. Of interest to graduate students and those professionals working in the financial markets, it provides insight into why market prices move and credit markets interact and what factors participants and policy makers can monitor to anticipate market change and future price paths. Table of ContentsChapter 1: Why Finance Matters for Economics: The Story of Financing the Railroad.- Chapter 2: The Story of the Original Boom and Bust in Western Finance: The Mississippi Bubble.- Chapter 3: Price Determination in a Multi Sector Global Economy.- Chapter 4: Credit Allocation and the Role of the Price of Credit.- Chapter 5: Short-term Credit: Financing the Consumer and Business.- Chapter 6: Capital Markets: Financing Business over the Long Term.- Chapter 7: Internal Dynamics of Corporate Finance: What’s Behind the Curtain?.- Chapter 8: Evolution of Household Finances.- Chapter 9: Global Capital Flows: Credit Allocation across Borders.- Chapter 10: Profits: Rewards and Incentives.- Chapter 11: Equity Finance: Financing Innovation and Long-term Household Wealth.- Chapter 12: Federal Government Finance: The Grand Assumption.
£41.24
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Vision Zero Handbook: Theory, Technology and
Book SynopsisThis open access handbook provides a comprehensive treatment of Vision Zero, an innovative policy on public road safety developed in Sweden. Covering all the major topics of the subject, the book starts out with a thorough examination of the philosophy, ideas and principles behind Vision Zero. It looks at conditions for the effectiveness of the policy, principles of safety and responsibility as well as critique on the policy. Next, the handbook focuses on how the Vision Zero ideas have been received and implemented in various legislations and countries worldwide. It takes into account the way Vision Zero is looked at in the context of international organizations such as the WHO, the UN, and the OECD. This allows for a comparison of systems, models and effects. The third part of the handbook discusses the management and leadership aspects, including ISO standards, equity issues, other goals for traffic and transportation, and opportunities for the car industry. Part four delves into tools, technologies and organizational measures that contribute to the implementation of Vision Zero in road traffic. Examples of specific elements discussed are urban and rural road designs, human factor designs, and avoiding drunk and distracted driving. The final part of the handbook offers perspectives on the transfer of Vision Zero policy to other areas, ranging from air traffic to suicide prevention and nuclear energy. Vision Zero is a public road safety policy including both a long-term goal that no one shall be killed or seriously injured as a consequence of accidents in road traffic and a safety principle stating that the design and function of the road transport system shall be adapted to meet the requirements that follow from that goal. It is a new road safety paradigm which has resulted in new types of responsibilities among stakeholders, technological innovations, and new strategies and organizational measures to achieve a safe system. The road safety work based on Vision Zero has shown promising results, and although Sweden has not yet reached a safe system, the number of fatalities and severe injuries has decreased substantially.This is an open access book.Table of ContentsPart I: Ideas and Principles.- Part 2: Vision Zero – an International Movement for Traffic Safety.- Part 3: Management and Leadership for Vision Zero.- Part 4: Tools and Technologies for Vision Zero.- Part 5: Vision Zero in Other Areas.
£449.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Connected Business: Create Value in a Networked
Book SynopsisHow do you develop business in a world certain to be dominated by Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and the Economy of Things?This book brings together leading scholars from academia, established practitioners, and thought-leading consultants who analyse and provide guidance to answer this question.Case studies, checklists, success factors, help readers get a grip on this fast-paced development. At the same time, the authors do not shy away from addressing the hurdles and barriers to implementation.This book provides an essential food-for-thought for leaders and managers, both visionary and pragmatic, who are faced with the responsibility of steering their business through these challenging, yet exciting, times.Table of ContentsPart I: Exploring the Networked Economy.- Connected Business: Creating Value in the Networked Economy.- Platform Economy: Converging IoT Platforms and Ecosystems.- Ecosystems: Unlocking the Potentials of Innovation Beyond Borders.- Digital Health Interventions.- Mobility: From Autonomous Driving Towards Mobility-as-a-Service.- Industry 4.0: Navigating Pathways Toward Smart Manufacturing and Services.- Decentralized Platform Ecosystems for Data and Digital Trust in Industrial Environments.- Sustainable AIoT: How Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things Affect Profit, People, and Planet.- Part II: Management Strategies for Connected Business.- Digital Transformer’s Dilemma: Innovate Twice to Survive.- Experimenting: What Makes a Good Business Experiment?.- Driving Connected Business Initiatives: Do’s and Dont’s.- AI for Decision-Making in Connected Business.- Cybersecurity: Balancing Efficiency with Long-Term Resilience in Connected Ecosystems.- Patent Strategies in the Networked Economy.- Part III: Case Studies on Connected Business.- Bosch IoT Suite: Exploiting the Potential of Smart Connected Products.- GF Machining Solutions: Real-Time Manufacturing Process in a Cloud Environment.- Linde: Business Value with Connected Cylinders in Hospitals.- ABB: Creating Value with Open Smart Home Automation Systems.- Covestro: Digital Technical Services as New Business Model for the Polymer Processing Industry.- BASF: Precision Farming with Lark Bread Initiative.- AgriCircle: Innovating Agricultural Ecosystems.- AGL Energy: Moving to the Connected and Orchestrated Customers.- EnBW SMIGHT: Addressing the Energy and Mobility Transition as Electricity Grid Operator.- Siemens: UK’s First Fully Converted Electric Avenue “W9”.- Groupon: Managing a Rapidly Growing Platform with Scale-Up Metrics.- Marquard Media: 4Player’s Learning DNA to Survive Disruptions.- Vontobel: Rethinking Wealth Management.- Cambridge Analytica: Magical Rise, Disastrous Fall.
£19.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Financial Storm Warning for Investors: How to
Book SynopsisIs an investors’ “perfect storm” brewing? If you’re not careful, it could sweep your wealth away. Long-dormant inflation looks to be catching fire. A stock market in overdrive may crash and burn for years. And taxes to fund deficits and social programs look to be rising to punishing levels not seen in a generation. This triple threat could mean a financial apocalypse from which many investors won’t ever recover. Getting straight talk on smart wealth management has never been more critical. With Social Security and Medicare tracking to go belly-up in a few short years, there will be dire consequences for millions. Already-retired boomers, living far longer than ever expected, will strain government resources and risk running out of money. Who will pay for it all? Without smart planning, your taxes may rise to confiscatory levels, sapping net worth and lifestyle quality. Your retirement lifestyle and legacy for your kids could get crushed. Some may never be able to retire.Investors and savers of every age and stripe will want to pay careful attention to the concentrated wisdom in this book and take proactive steps to protect themselves while there’s still time.Table of ContentsChapter 1: The coming storm and why you are at risk.- Chapter 2: The Social Security and Medicare Crisis.- Chapter 3: The Government Debt Crisis.- Chapter 4: The Coming Tax Storm.- Chapter 5: The Changing World Crisis.- Chapter 6: The Bernie Madoff - Bad Advisor Risk.- Chapter 7: The AI Displacement Risk.- Chapter 8: The Hyperinflation Risk The Inflationary Storm Crisis.- Chapter 9: The COVID Stock Bubble.- Chapter 10: Putting All Together.- Chapter 11: Charting Your Path to Financial Salvation.- Chapter 12: Estate Planning for Protection.- Chapter 13: Advanced Asset Protection.- Chapter 14: Converting Avoidable Taxes.- Chapter 15: Converting Income Tax to Family Wealth.- Chapter 16: Converting Estate Tax.- Chapter 17: Controlling Other Expensive Taxes.- Chapter 18: Investment Strategies to Prosper. - Chapter 19: Retirement income planning.- Chapter 20: Screening for Smart Advisors.- Chapter 21: Its Your Ship - Concluding Chapter.
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Springer Nature Switzerland AG Business Models for Sustainability Transitions:
Book SynopsisCan innovations in business change society? Can innovations in society change business? These two questions have become critically urgent in recent years, but are rarely considered together. ‘Business Models for Sustainability Transitions’ therefore asks, can contemplating both concepts together result in a flourishing, sustainable future? Technology alone cannot save us. We cannot consciously consume our way out of trouble. This book represents a start at bridging the dynamic world of business model innovation with the constant and unprecedented transitions underway in the world around us. For researchers, practitioners, and policy makers, the coupling of the two questions has the potential to unlock answers to our grand global challenges with responses that are at the same time rapid and enduring. This work offers unique and considered glimpses into what it may take to harness wide-ranging innovations for the collective good.Table of ContentsCHAPTER 1 Introduction to Business Models for Sustainability Transitions CHAPTER 2 Transformative business and sustainability transitions: A framework and an empirical study CHAPTER 3 Bridging the gaps between business models and sustainability transitions CHAPTER 4 The business model dilemma: the conflicting institutional logics between regime and niche level CHAPTER 5 Reorganizing Systems and Delivering Sustainable Transition: Business Models that Interlink Solutions to Social and Environmental Problems CHAPTER 6 The Business Model of Enough –Value Creation for Sufficiency-oriented Businesses CHAPTER 7 Business models for energy efficiency services: Four archetypes based on user-centeredness and dynamic capabilities CHAPTER 8 Collaborative business models and platforms in shared mobility transitions CHAPTER 9 Business models for sustainability service in buildings CHAPTER 10 Smart Products as Enabler for Circular Business Models: the Case of B2B Textile Washing Services CHAPTER 11 An approach to integrate business model and system level sustainability CHAPTER 12 Circular economy in the waste water sector: Identifying appropriate Business Models for resource-oriented sanitation systems in rural GermanyCHAPTER 13 Reverse Logistics Process for Business Transition – a case example from the textile industry
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Springer Nature Switzerland AG Work-Life Matters: Crafting a New Balance at Work
Book SynopsisWork-life balance isn’t about where or how you spend your time. At least not solely. It’s about where and how you use and replenish your energy. Work matters. Life matters. Work-life matters.As we start to navigate life during and after the pandemic, employers and employees are increasingly re-evaluating how work can be made more sustainable and more fulfilling. Many employees - particularly Gen X and Gen Z - are seeking a new psychological contract with their employers. Putting these trends into context and offering practical solutions, this book takes a deep dive into why work matters as part of a healthy and fulfilling life. The authors present a new and different way of thinking about the matter of balance, arguing that there is no hard divide between ‘work’ and life’ because ‘work’ takes place entirely within ‘life’ and you can’t balance two things when one is a subset of the other. To achieve the balance required for a healthy existence, we need to recognise that there are activities in all parts of work-life that drain our energy and others that give us a buzz. Rather than trying to solve the drain of hard work by living it large at the weekend – or compensating for an unfulfilling home life by working like a demon, we need to create balance at work and balance at home. Now is a golden opportunity to re-examine the world of work and job-craft to make them more satisfying, less draining and more energising. The ideas in this book provide a practical guide to help that process.Table of Contents1. Introduction: A Sideways Look at Work-Life Balance2. A Brief History of Work Life Balance3. Work Matters4. Life Stages and Transitions5. The Future of Work6. New Balance; Work -Life Balance Is Non-Sense7. Analysing Worklife8. Job Crafting9. Leadership in the Fourth Industrial Age10. Enabling Job Crafting, a Call to Action11. Balance at HomeAppendix: A Re-design Exercise
£26.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Entrepreneurial Vision: A Guide for Charting and
Book SynopsisWhile many texts on entrepreneurship and biographies of great entrepreneurs and leaders talk about vision and its importance, few delve into what vision is, how it comes to be, and, how it can be more successfully developed. This book, built on evidence-based research, delves into the entire entrepreneurial visioning process. Starting with understanding the elements which characterize strong and sustainable vision, the authors detail proposed steps, supported by examples and worksheets, that students and entrepreneurs can take to build and implement their vision and, in turn, help put them on the path to build great businesses.Table of ContentsChapter 1: The Entrepreneurial Vision Imperative.- Chapter 2. Understanding Entrepreneurial Vision.- Chapter 3. The motivational roots of entrepreneurial vision.- Chapter 4. Measuring Entrepreneurial Motivation.- Chapter 5. Vision Frameworks based on Motivation.- Chapter 6. Creating Context through Networks: The Role of Early Advisors.- Chapter 7. Creating Context through Networks: Building the Entrepreneurial Team.- Chapter 8. Creating Vision Context through Market Insights: Deep Diving an Industry.- Chapter 9. Creating Market Vision Context: Proactive Market Orientation.- Chapter 10. Creating Market Vision Context: Using Market Learning Tools.- Chapter 11. Market Vision Creation.- Chapter 12. Technology Vision Creation.- Chapter 13. Crafting the Vision Statement.- Chapter 14. Determining the Market Niche Beachhead for Testing your Vision.- Chapter 15. Concept Testing.- Chapter 16. Refining the Vision’s Value-add and Value Proposition- Chapter 17. Willingness-to-Adopt (‘WTA’) Testing.- Chapter 18. Developing your Financial Vision.- Chapter 19. Communicating Your Vision.- Chapter 20. Conclusion: Bringing Your Vision to Life.
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Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Philosophy of Geo-Ontologies: Applied Ontology of Geography
Book SynopsisPlaced at the intersection among philosophy, geography, and computer science, the domain of investigation of applied ontology of geography ranges from making explicit assumptions and commitments of geography as a discipline, to the theoretical and technical needs of geographical/IT tools, such as GIS and geo-ontologies. Such a domain of investigation represents the central topic of discussion of this book, which intends: 1) to provide an overview of the mutual interactions among the disciplines encompassed in the domain; 2) to discuss notions such as spatial representation, boundaries, and geographical entities that constitute the main focus of the (philosophical) ontology of geography; 3) to propose a geographical classification of geo-ontologies in response to their increasing diffusion within the contemporary debate, as well as to show what ontological categories best systematize their contents. The second edition of the book differs from the first one as it offers a broader analysis of the (philosophical) ontology of geography: an analysis that is no more limited to the theoretical need of geo-ontologies.Table of ContentsIntroductionPart I. Among Computer Science, Philosophy, and Geography: An Ontological Investigation1. From the philosophies of geographies to the applied ontology of geography2. The ontological backgroundPart II. Systematizing the Geographical World3. Spatial representation4. Boundaries5. Geographical entitiesPart III. The Philosophy of Geo-ontologies6. Geo-ontologies: from the spatial turn to geographical taxonomy7. Ontological categories for geo-ontologiesConclusionIndex
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Springer Nature Switzerland AG Introduction to Digital Economics: Foundations,
Book SynopsisInnovations and developments in technology have laid the foundations for an economy based on digital goods and services—the digital economy. This book invites students and practitioners, to take an in-depth look at the impact that technological innovations such as social media, cryptocurrencies, crowdsourcing, and even online gaming is having on today’s business landscape. Learn about the various business models available for the digital economy, including the business models used by Bitcoin, Spotify, Wikipedia, World of Warcraft, Facebook, and Airbnb. This book details the evolution of contemporary economics within the digital stratosphere and highlights the complex ecosystem that makes up the field of digital economics. The foundational text with case studies is also peppered with anecdotes on the various technological innovations which have shaped markets throughout history. The authors provide several models and tools that are essential for analysis, as well as activities that will allow the reader to reflect, analyze, and apply the knowledge and tools presented in each chapter. Introduction to Digital Economics is a definitive guide to the complexities and nuances of this burgeoning and fascinating field of study.Table of ContentsThe Digital Economy.- Information and Communication Technologies.- Convergence of Technologies and Services.- Digital Economy Ecosystem.- Digital Market Evolution.- Digital Goods and Services.- Production Models.- Value Creation Models and Competitive Strategy.- Network Effects.- Multisided Platforms.- Path Dependence.- Lock-in and Switching Costs.- Digital Monopolies and Oligopolies.- Mergers and Acquisitions.- Standards.- The Long Tail.- Digital Markets.- Digital Market Modeling.- Digital Business Models.- Big Data Economics.- Net Neutrality.- Digital Regulation.
£41.24
Springer Nature Switzerland AG “Ye Shall Know Them by Their Fruits”: A Mixed
Book SynopsisWhy are historically Catholic countries and regions generally more corrupt and less competitive than historically Protestant ones? How has institutionalization of religion influenced the prosperity of countries in Europe and the Americas?This open access book addresses these critical questions by elucidating the hegemonic and emancipatory religious factors leading to these dissimilarities between countries. The book features up-to-date mixed methods from interdisciplinary research contributing to existing studies in the sociology of religion field by demonstrating—for the first time—the effect of the mutually reinforcing configuration of multiple prosperity triggers (religion–politics–environment). It demonstrates the differences in the institutionalization of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism by applying quantitative and qualitative methods and by performing a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) of 65 countries. The author also provides a comprehensive survey and results of empirical research on different theories of development, focusing on the influence of religion.Table of ContentsPart I: Introductory Considerations and Research Setting.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Research Setting.- Part II: Conceptual Framework.- 3. The Outcome (Criterion Variables).- 4. Diagnosing Corruption and Prosperity in Europe and the Americas (A).- 5. Conditions (Predictor Variables): Theories Explaining Prosperity Differences (B), (C), (D), (E).- Part III: Theoretical Foundations.- 6. Corruption and Religion (A), (B), (1).- 7. Prosperity and Religion (A), (B), (1).- 8. Institutions, Corruption/Prosperity, and Religion (A), (B), (D), (1), (3), (6).- 9. Education, Religion, and Corruption/Prosperity (A), (B), (C), (1), (2).- 10. Culture, Religion, and Corruption/Prosperity (A), (B), (C), (1), (2).- 11. Language and Religion.- 12. Environment/Geography and Prosperity/Transparency (E), (4), (7).- Part IV: Research Paradigms, Methodology, and Research Design.- 13. Applied Research Paradigms.- 14. Methodology.- Part V: Empirical Results.- 15. Component 1 (Macro): Quantitative (Regression) Analysis.- 16. Component 2 (Meso): Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA).- Part VI: Component 3 (Micro).- 17. Case Selection Criteria, Methods, and Data Treatment.- 18. a) Switzerland: Extreme Positive Case Study (Worldwide).- 19. b) Uruguay: Extreme Positive Case Study (Latin America).- 20. c) Cuba: A Sui Generis Case Study (Communist proxy).- 21. d) Colombia: Extreme Negative Case Study.- 22. Summary Overview of the Four Case Studies.- Part VII: Discussion and Conclusions.- 23. Integrative Conclusions.- 24. Other Considerations.- 25. Concluding Remarks.
£34.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Co-creation for Responsible Research and Innovation: Experimenting with Design Methods and Tools
Book SynopsisThis open access book summarizes research being pursued within the SISCODE (Society in Innovation and Science through CO-DEsign) project, funded by the EU under the H2020 programme, the goal of which is to set up an analytical, reflective and learning framework to explore the transformations in initiatives and policies emerging from the interaction between citizens and stakeholders. The book provides a critical analysis of the co-design processes activated in 10 co-creation labs addressing societal challenges across Europe. Each lab as a case study of real-life experimentation is described through its journey, starting from the purpose on the ground of the experimentation and the challenge addressed. Specific attention is then drawn on the role of policies and policy maker engagement. Finally, the experimentation is enquired in terms of its output, transformations triggered within the organization and the overall ecosystem, and its outcomes, opening the reasoning towards the lessons learnt and reflections that the entire co-creation journey brought.Table of Contents
£24.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Africa and Sustainable Global Value Chains
Book SynopsisThis book contains a collection of studies on the interactions between businesses in Africa and Global Value Chains (GVCs) in terms of social, environmental and economic sustainability. This is particularly pertinent given the asymmetrical power distribution between the global buyer and the African supplier, their governance relationships and the ongoing competitive pressures to reduce costs and increase flexibility to meet GVC demands. Rather than focusing on the sustainability of a single organization, GVCs address the sustainability of inter-firm value chains and global industries as a whole. With little differentiation between value chain creation and social / environmental degradation extending to people and raw material extraction (upstream) and disposal or recycling (downstream), sustainability issues need to be at the forefront of African business research interests. Nowadays, sustainability is considered a competitive advantage for a firm looking to join a GVC. Whether sustainability is approached from the viewpoint of an exporting firm motivated to join a GVC in its respective industry or whether a firm’s continuing contractual or collaborative relationship with a buyer depends on its compliance with sustainability standards, both approaches focus on the ability of firms in Africa to benefit from joining sustainable GVCs.Trade Review“Africa and Sustainable Global Value Chains has many merits. … it offers many distinct approaches to and perspectives on GVCs and sustainability in Africa. The inroads built by it are informative. They have the potential to inspire future research on the topic.” (Sören Scholvin, Africa Spectrum, November 4, 2022)Table of ContentsForeword - Diego Vazquez-Brust and Joseph Sarkis: Foreword Editorial - Regina Frei, Sherwat Ibrahim and Temidayo Akenroye Part 1: Background and motivation - Why do global buyers engage in GVCs with Africa? 1. Sustainable practices of African big firms in Global Value Chain - April Bai and Matthew Quayson 2. Sustainability for Global Value Chains: A bibliometric review on African based studies - Jamal elBaz, Saadia Iddik and Fedwa Jebli 3. Embodied land resources trade in major African countries: A global trade and supply chains perspective - Joseph Sarkis and Xu Tian (Mini) 4. Risk assessment for global buyers in GVCs with Africa - Lanre Jawando Part 2: Why do African suppliers engage in GVCs? 5. Maatian Philosophical Perspective of Sustainability - David B. Zoogah 6. Adoption of Supplier Codes of Conduct through the lens of Innovation Diffusion Theory - Johannes Heller 7. Practical insights to developing sustainability conscientious African Firms - Ekpen Owie 8. Exploring the barriers to adoption of sustainable agriculture practices in the process of coffee farming: implications for global value chain - Temidayo Akenroye 9. An explorative study of the extent to which multinational buyer firms’ sustainability requirements include/exclude Zambian Contractors and suppliers - Progress Choongo, Christine Chanda Nakamba, Peter Lubosi Simasiku Part 3: How do African suppliers engage in GVCs? 10. Assessing Lean readiness in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment in Sudan - Mohammed Hassan Sayed and Alfatih H. Ismail 11. The buyers’ response to bridge the gap across markets: a case of exporting agricultural products from Nigeria - Frank Ojadi 12. Sustainability in Ethiopian Textile Supply Chains - Marcus Brandenburg, Berihun Bizuneh, Taame Berhanu and Ambachew Maru Woubou 13. Handcraft Export business in Ghana - Audrey Forson Part 4: How do global buyers engage in GVCs with Africa? 14. The Impact of EPA on West Africa: The mediating role of an intra-African Trade Policy for Africa’s sustainable growth in the Global Value Chain - Peter Adjei-Bamfo, Emmanuel Lartey, Bernard Odoi, Stephanie Adjei-Bamfo and Emmanuel Baiden 15. Governance mechanisms and Sustainability compliance in Egypt Food Chains - Yasmine Elhenawy 16. Danish-Nigerian dairy supply chains - Natalie Heinisch 17. Re-imagining corporate sustainability in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from the maize supply chain of a leading Nigerian commodities business - Lanre Jawando Conclusion - Regina Frei, Sherwat Ibrahim and Temidayo Akenroye
£75.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Digital Journey of Banking and Insurance,
Book SynopsisThis book, one of three volumes, showcases the effective transformation of companies providing banking and insurance services. This first volume gives a business-oriented introduction to the setting and the current challenges of fintech, regtech, and insurtech and provides an outlook on what will be needed in the future. Specific sub-departments in financial services are examined with a view to accounting, risk, and regulatory segments. The book also addresses the importance of cultural aspects of the coming digital transformation with an eye to requirements that will enable a digital bank or insurance company to thrive in 2025. The angle shifts over the volumes from a business-driven approach in “Disruption and DNA” to a strong technical focus in “Data Storage, Processing and Analysis”, leaving “Digitalization and Machine Learning Applications” with the business and technical aspects in-between.Table of ContentsPart I. Market View. - Chapter 1. Digitalization Landscape Banking. - Chapter 2. Digitalization Strategy. - Chapter 3. The Knab Story: How We Turned the Bank Around. - Part II. Accounting/Controlling. - Chapter 4. The Need for Resilience and Agility in Finance. - Chapter 5. Value-Driver-Oriented Planning – Management-Oriented Design and Value Driver Identification. - Chapter 6. AI for Impairment Accounting. - Part III. Risk Management. - Chapter 7. Financial Navigator – A Modern Approach to Analytical Banking. - Chapter 8. Actuarial Data Science. - Chapter 9. BSDS – Balance Sheet Dynamics Simulator (Application ABM). - Chapter 10. Breaking New Grounds in Non-Financial Risk Management. - Part IV. Culture and Projects. - Chapter 11. Digi-Cultural Mindset. - Chapter 12. New Project Structure – Agile & Scrum. - Chapter 13. Hybrid Project Management. - Chapter 14. Remote Projects. - Chapter 15. Project Management and RPA. - Part V. Summary.
£66.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG The Digital Journey of Banking and Insurance,
Book SynopsisThis book, the third one of three volumes, focuses on data and the actions around data, like storage and processing. The angle shifts over the volumes from a business-driven approach in “Disruption and DNA” to a strong technical focus in “Data Storage, Processing and Analysis”, leaving “Digitalization and Machine Learning Applications” with the business and technical aspects in-between. In the last volume of the series, “Data Storage, Processing and Analysis”, the shifts in the way we deal with data are addressed.Table of ContentsPart I. Big Data and Special Databases. - Chapter 1. Data Lineage. - Chapter 2. Digitization and MongoDB – The Art of Possible. - Chapter 3. Graph Databases. - Chapter 4. Data Tiering Options with SAP HANA and Usage in a Hadoop Scenario. - Part II. Streaming. - Chapter 5. Kafka – Real-Time Streaming for the Finance Industry. - Chapter 6. Architecture Patterns – Batch & Real-Time Capabilities. - Chapter 7. Kafka – A Practical Implementation of Intraday Liquidity Risk Management. - Part III. Data: A View on Meta Aspects. - Chapter 8. Data Sustainability – A Thorough Consideration. - Chapter 9. Special Data for Insurance Companies. - Chapter 10. Data Protection – Putting the Brakes on Digitalization Processes? - Part IV. Distributed Ledger. - Chapter 11. Digital Identity Management – for Humans Only? - Part V. Machine Learning and Deep Learning. - Chapter 12. Overview Machine Learning and Deep Learning Frameworks. - Chapter 13. Methods of Machine Learning. - Part VI. Summary.
£52.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Corporate Governance in the Knowledge Economy:
Book SynopsisWith the transition into the Knowledge Economy, a formidable series of new challenges arise within the corporate governance space. This book tackles the issue of corporate governance along two axes. Firstly, it confronts the developments in corporate governance within the context of the Knowledge Economy and all its implications in relation to the pre-eminence of intangible assets, the advent of technologies such as smartphones and advanced forms of artificial intelligence, and cultural changes associated with the incorporation of Gen Y into the workforce and the proliferation of social networks and effects such as Big Data and cyber-threats. Secondly, it highlights the challenges for multinational organizations and the tension that exists between headquarters and subsidiary offices due to the need to combine the corporation’s ethical culture and corporate governance values with the institutional forces of the subsidiaries’ context. The combination of these two axes addressed viz a viz the relationship between senior management and the rank and file of the organization to create an ethical corporate culture leads to a completely different positioning of corporate governance and make the book truly unique and of interest to researchers, students of corporate finance and corporate governance alongside practitioners within financial organizations and more broadly. Table of ContentsChapter 1 Conceptual Framework: Corporate responsibility, governance, business ethics, culture, and the Knowledge Economy.- Chapter 2 First things first: The hidden costs of poor governance.- Chapter 3 Challenges to global governance in MNE: Strategy adaptation to local markets.- Chapter 4 Challenges to local governance in international business: The risks of corruption.- Chapter 5 Different approaches to governance in adopting a sustainable business model.- Chapter 6 The way forward.
£71.24
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Teaching the Entrepreneurial Mindset Across the
Book Synopsis“It stretches no point to suggest that creativity, innovation and risk-taking will decide our future societal prosperity. We cannot spread those values too widely, so having taught engineering faculty in their first book, these authors now aim to boost the spirit across all disciplines. What a great success for all of us if they succeed.” – Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., president of Purdue University and former governor of Indiana Despite the relevancy of the entrepreneurial mindset for all career paths, only a small percentage of the higher education student population takes part in entrepreneurially-minded learning opportunities. This gap can be attributed to several factors. From a program perspective, many degrees are already at credit capacity which allows limited room in the existing curriculum to add new courses. From a student perspective, entrepreneurship education is thus positioned as optional and requires extra time (and in some cases tuition) to do so. Finally, from an educator perspective, the majority of faculty members across the university have not been trained in entrepreneurship and may not know where to start.Teaching the Entrepreneurial Mindset Across the University: An Integrative Approach overcomes these challenges by providing higher education faculty with a toolkit, including tips and strategies, to integrate the entrepreneurial mindset into existing courses regardless of discipline. The book is broken into three core parts: Motivation: The importance of the entrepreneurial mindset for all students is established; Design: The Entrepreneurial Mindset Teaching Blueprint is introduced as a tool for integrating entrepreneurially-minded curricular learning experiences within existing courses; Application: Example entrepreneurially-minded curriculum from across the university are provided. By integrating the entrepreneurial mindset across the curriculum, students from all disciplinary backgrounds will be better prepared to enter the workforce, solve complex social issues, and leverage entrepreneurial thinking in their everyday lives. This book is meant for educators who want to make an impact and truly prepare graduates for the real world.Table of ContentsWhat is the Entrepreneurial Mindset and Why is It Needed?.- What Are the Current Approaches to Teaching the Entrepreneurial Mindset and What Are the Gaps With Current Approaches?.- How Can Faculty, Students, and Administration Benefit From Integrating the Entrepreneurial Mindset Into All Disciplines?.- What is the Entrepreneurial Mindset Toolkit and Why is It Needed?.- Teaching the Entrepreneurial Mindset Through Value Identification.- Overview and Importance of Value Identification.- How to Teach the EM Through Value Identification Using Everyday Life Lessons.- How to Teach the EM Through Value Identification Using Classroom Topics.- Overview and Importance of Developing EM Skill Sets and Capabilities.- How to Teach the EM Through Skill Development Using Everyday Life Lessons.- How to Teach the EM Through Skill Development Using Classroom Topics.- Overview and Importance of Building a EM Supportive Environment.- How to Teach the EM Through Ecosystem Cultivation Using Everyday Life Lessons.- How to Teach the EM Through Ecosystem Cultivation Using Classroom Topics.
£52.24
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability and
Book SynopsisThis book explores the interaction between sustainability, corporate responsibility, consumers, and the market. It aims to discover if consumers are seeking out small, ethical, socially responsible firms to buy from rather than large corporations; if markets and organisations are supported by a new sensitivity to social responsibility and sustainability ideas; if the integration of corporate responsibility strategies and practices change how market sectors are assembled. Bringing together international case studies – including research on the Italian wine industry, German butchers, Spanish football, Polish marketing and the Portuguese financial sector – this book is valuable reading for scholars working on corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and good governance.Chapter 12 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.Table of ContentsIntroduction: an overview of the book, the importance of corporate responsibility and sustainability in the creation of various markets. A summary of every chapter, and how different chapters link together. Editorial team. Section 1: Changing Market Systems In this section, we provide chapters that explore changing market systems, including how these can be made more responsible and sustainable. The section includes: models of capitalism and institutions (Chapter 1), a systematic review of CSR and social enterprise literature (Chapter 2), ways to transform linear market systems from linear to circular structural arrangements (Chapter 3), corporate responsibilities towards minority stakeholders like indigenous people or remote communities (Chapter 4), and it ends with an intercultural study on whether consumers’ value systems impact sustainable consumption of groceries (Chapter 5). These chapters include both conceptual and empirical work. Chapter 1. Models of Capitalism, Institutions and Corporate Social Responsibility Robert Kudłak, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań One of the intriguing research topics related to corporate social responsibility (CSR) concerns the noticeable discrepancies in terms of the level of CSR uptake across economies. These discrepancies are especially well noticeable among well developed countries such as the USA and Western European countries. The purpose of the paper is to show that the differences in the level of CSR involvement between countries result from the distinct institutional environments characteristic for the different models of capitalism, particularly, for different models of the welfare state. The respective models of welfare stare vary in terms of how the institutional arrangements determine the form and level of public delivery of social services such as health care, pensions, education, culture and social assistance. Using the comparison between Anglo-Saxon (USA) and Western European countries, it is argued that companies operating under stronger institutional pressure occurring in countries with an extensive welfare state model (such as Western European countries) are less likely to engage in voluntary provision of social services such as health care, pensions and education. In contrast, when companies operate in countries with a relatively minor role of the state in creating and redistributing well-being (e.g. the USA) and a relatively low institutional pressure in this regard, it increases the chances of their involvement in socially responsible activities. Keywords: models of capitalism, welfare state, institutions, social services, corporate social responsibility Chapter 2. ‘Fruits of the Same Tree’? A Systematic Review of Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Enterprise Literature Sadaf Shariat, University of South Wales & Zahra Khamseh, University of Minho This paper presents the first systematic review of the literature in the area of intersection between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Social Enterprise (SE). We have reviewed 50 scholarly articles in social entrepreneurship research focused on the comparative analysis of CSR and SE published during the period 2009 to 2019. Reviewing the selected articles, we identified different views regarding the overlap between SE and CSR. Social Enterprise may be viewed as a CSR model (Permana & Mursitama 2018), and one may argue that SE and CSR seem like ‘fruits of the same tree’ (Page & Kartz 2011), or that they are ‘both socially constructed societal processes’ (Grant & Plakshap 2018). Nevertheless, some critics find the differences between CSR and SE more striking than similarities or even ‘lamentable’ for some CSR proponents. It is argued that they receive support from different sources and that they embrace different social missions and intended beneficiaries (Page & Kartz 2011). This paper investigates the above arguments and many more issues regarding the overlap between the two concepts to shed light on the ambiguity in current SE and CSR literature. The novelty of this research is to develop a better understanding of the relationship between CSR initiatives and SE organisations and activities. The paper presents a comprehensive discussion of comparative studies of CSR and SE to identify future fields of research. Through a review of literature, we demonstrate the key questions and notions that are discussed in the literature, issues that have been previously assessed only to a very limited extent and a number of gaps and shortcomings that deserve further investigation. The results of this study would be beneficial for researcher or practitioners with an interest in CSR and SE. Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Enterprise, Social Impact, Literature review Chapter 3. In Search of Morphogenetic Mechanisms to Transform Marketing Systems from Linear to Circular Structural Arrangements Nicola Thomas, De Montfort University Sustainability challenges the linear production and consumption model that currently shapes global marketing systems. In contrast, the Circular Economy (CE) seeks to transform market structures, resources and material flows from linear to circular arrangements. Despite CE’s broad appeal, its uptake remains low; scant theoretical attention is paid to how marketing systems transition and transform. This lack of theorising restrains society’s ability to shift towards a circular economy. This chapter explores the application of Archer’s social realist theory, The Morphogenetic Approach, to better understand how these systemic shifts could be better realised in the global fashion system. Four complex causal mechanisms are identified to illuminate how the system could be causally reconfigured to enable a circular transition. Systemic implications for theory, policy and practice are deliberated. Keywords: circular economy, marketing systems, systems change, morphogenesis, transition Chapter 4. Transnational Activism on Minority Stakeholder Saliency: CSR in the Developing Region Context Kamala Vainy Kanapathi Pillai, Open University Malaysia (OUM) While corporate social responsibility (CSR) discourse continues to gain more attention in developing regions, corporate responsiveness tends to primarily revolve around key stakeholder groups like customers, shareholders and employees. What about CSR towards minority stakeholders like indigenous peoples or remote communities? The study expounds on corporate practice involving mega projects in the era of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Did you know that tropical rainforests, represents the earth’s carbon sink? Deforestation of the tropical rainforests contributes to more than 15% greenhouse gas emissions, posing a grand challenge to SDGs. In the advent of mega hydroelectric dams as renewable energy resource, thousands of hectares of rainforest areas are being deforested; leading to displacement of Indigenous peoples, accelerated loss of biodiversity and ecological impact. Corporate responsibility towards social and environmental concerns has never been more pressing. A striking phenomenon is the emergence of non-governmental (NGOs) initiatives through transnational activism, driving heightened governance and corporate practice towards sustainability. This paper expounds on insights from a longitudinal, five-year study with mixed methods approach in examining prevalent CSR practices, influence of transnational activism and implication on management and leadership in a developing region context. The case study revolves on Malaysia and the Borneo Rainforest. Theoretical foundation: This study is guided by the stakeholder theory and stakeholder identification salience model. Contribution of Study: The insights contribute to theoretical extension of the stakeholder identification and salience model for CSR with a socio-cultural perspective and leadership approach for adaptation in a developing region context. Keywords: CSR, transnational activism; developing region; Borneo; stakeholder theory Chapter 5. Do Consumers’ Value Systems Impact their Consumption of Sustainable Groceries? An Intercultural Study Udo Wagner & Sophie Strobl, University of Vienna This research aims to reveal cultural discrepancies in the purchase motives of groceries with environmentally friendly product attributes. For the purpose of measuring cultural influences, we chose interculturally validated values as explanatory variables. The conceptual model builds, on the one hand, on Schwartz’s value theory (1992)—especially on the altruism vs. selfishness dimension; on the other hand, the Value-Belief-Norm model from Stern, Dietz, and Guagnao (1995) provides a means to explain how consumers’ values affect their behaviors (via opinions and norms). Based on theoretical reasoning, we offer two research hypotheses, namely, that altruistic persons are more inclined to purchase groceries with ecological or social product attributes than are selfish persons, and that micro- and macroenvironments are important drivers of consumer behavior. These hypotheses were qualitatively tested by means of expert interviews and focus group discussions. Research was conducted in the two culturally distinct countries of Austria and Sri Lanka. Results imply a positive effect of biospherical, altruistic, and egoistic values on the purchase of sustainable groceries. These observations seem to hold true irrespective of culture, but the strength of the relationship between the variables is moderated by country-specific factors, such as product price and availability, as well as individual factors, such as awareness of ecological and social issues and trust in certification. Keywords: sustainable groceries, value system, industrialized vs. emerging economies Section 2: Making Market Sectors Responsible In this section, we focus on ways in which various market sectors can be made more responsible and sustainable. These chapters therefore contribute to knowledge on sector specific CSR. It includes chapters on sustainability and omnichannel strategies in the Italian wine industry (Chapter 6), competency management for integrating sustainability in the vocational education of German butchers (chapter 7) and a CSR map in the case of Spanish professional football league (Chapter 8). Finally, the section ends with two chapters that discuss the banking sector in Poland and Portugal: and an exploration about risk of unethical behaviour in the Polish financial sectors (Chapter 9) and banks non-financial reporting in Portugal (Chapter 10). Chapter 6. Sustainability and Omnichannel Strategies in the Italian Wine Industry Marta Galli, Roberta Sebastiani & Alessia Anzivino, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore The sustainability issue in the Italian wine industry is increasingly gaining momentum. The general principles about sustainability, given by the Organisation of vine and Wine (OIV) in the 2016, are about environmental, social, economic and cultural stances. Indeed, sustainability is not only the respect of the environment, the reduction of wastes and pollution and the biodiversity, but it is also linked to social, cultural and economic dimensions. The intangible aspects such as the culture, the landscape, the history, the traditions and the human capital that is contained in a bottle of wine are the basis for sustainable quality, from the vineyards to the wine. Wineries today leverage on sustainability in order to obtain a competitive advantage, efficiency and brand image. However, consumers are still not always aware about the characteristics of a sustainable product and thus they are not always willing to pay a higher price for it. The aim of the paper is to investigate how in particular small and medium Italian wineries implement sustainable practices and the impact of omnichannel strategies on the communication of sustainability issues to consumers. In order to pursue this, aim we collected data through a survey involving more than 100 Italian small and medium wineries and 15 direct in-depth interviews to wineries’ managers and key informants. Findings suggest that the sustainability challenge is becoming a “must have” for small and medium Italian wineries and that their focus is increasingly on the relationship with the different stakeholders but in particular with the consumers in order to co-define and a co-create value. Wineries still prefer to communicate the nature of their products through the physical contact and for this reason they organize activities in the cellar and promote the discovery of the “terroir” with winery tours, wine tastings and lunches with local products. Nevertheless, the most advanced ones have started to introduce the use of social media and have launched e-commerce platforms. Interestingly, the integration of off-line and on- line strategies is impacting both on the development of sustainable practices and their diffusion among consumers through the creation of a unique and seamless experience. Keywords: Sustainability, Omnichannel strategy, Wine industry, SME Chapter 7. Trans-Sustain - Transversal Competency Management for Integrating Sustainability in the Vocational Education of German Butchers Carolin Ermer, Julia Schwarzkopf & Kai Reinhardt, HTW Berlin Business School, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin The food industry is in a state of flux, and with it not least the butchery trade. The profession of the butcher is one of the oldest traditionally grown trades. But this profession has changed dramatically in recent years. The professional role of the butcher itself has changed from traditionally pure slaughter and sausage production to the creation and refinement of meat-based products. Besides, this profession experienced a noticeable loss of image, which is also reflected in the declining number of employees. The decrease in the number of employees further accelerates by the persistence lack of applicants in the butchery sector. In addition, there is a lack of modern and state-of-the-art concepts in vocational training for butchers. In this respect, sustainability is one of the most pressing topics that should be covered and understood in and by this occupational field. In this paper we therefore discuss a systemic approach to vocational training for buchters: transversal competency management. This concept links the world of knowledge acquisition of apprentices in the profession with the context of sustainability, which might lead to a far more “osmotic” learning behavior within the butcher's profession. Keywords: Sustainability, Vocational Education, Competency Management, Butchers Chapter 8. The map of Social Responsibility of the clubs of the Spanish Professional Football League Roberto Fernández-Villarino & José Andrés Domínguez-Gómez, University of Huelva For many years, football has not only been an industry with a high economic impact, but also with an undoubted social impact. This is evident both in the specialized literature and in the normative references themselves. As an example, the Resolution of the European Parliament of 29 March 2007 on the future of professional football in Europe (2006/2130 (INI), section B) states: "football plays an important social and educational role and it is an effective instrument of social inclusion and multicultural dialogue". The purpose of this paper will be to develop a descriptive diagnosis of the state of Social Responsibility of the clubs belonging to the Professional Football League of Spain. We will try to identify elements such as the type and scope of their activities and projects, degree of collaboration or participation with other entities, level of relationship and dialogue with their stakeholders or the link between their social projects and the problems perceived by society. These results will offer us, where appropriate, a framework for comparison with the data we have from other leagues in Europe. The objective will be to identify: a) possible tendencies of evolution and social performance in the field of contemporary Professional Football; b) common patterns or habits of social performance based on territorial issues; c) to know the strategies of approaching followers and fans, in order to analyze if the consumers of the football industry (especially those who consume football on television) show greater closeness or rejection to the clubs according to their Social Responsibility strategy. Keywords: Social Performance, Corporate Social Responsibility, Social impact, local stakeholders, professional Football, ethics and sustainable business Chapter 9. ‘Taming wolves’: The High Risk of Unethical Behavior in the Polish Financial Sector and Possible Solution Marta Kightley, Warsaw School of Economics The purpose of this paper is to show that very low financial knowledge and very high trust in the banking sector in Poland in the light of low level of ethics pose high risk of misconduct towards the retail customers. Recent examples of financial scams ill-advised or mis-sold financial products such as: Amber Gold Ponzi scheme, Swiss franc denominated mortgages or GetBack corporate bonds prove the case. The author looks into the mechanism behind unethical behavior in financial industry. She also shows that post-crisis regulatory framework takes into account common behavior bias that make it often difficult for retail customers to make fully rational decisions. Given the evidence the author argues that current financial consumer protection architecture in Poland is flowed. She argues that financial consumer protection should be among top priorities for Polish Financial Supervision Authority, at the same time splitting prudential supervision with financial conduct supervision might be recommended. Key words: Ethics in financial services, Financial knowledge, Trust in banking sector Chapter 10. Banks’ Non-Financial Reporting: Empirical Evidence from Portugal Aldina Lopes Santos, Escola de Economia e Gestão & Lúcia Lima Rodrigue, Universidade do Minho Non-financial reporting is based on the construction of a more inclusive society and a more sustainable economy, so that societies increasingly require companies, banks included, to act responsibly and transparently. Directive 2014/95/EU about non-financial reporting was transposed in Portugal by the Decree-Law 89/2017, which is part of the Portuguese legislation concerning the non-financial statement. This decree-law establishes that all large companies which are public-interest entities and which, at the balance sheet date, exceed an average of 500 employees during the year, must include a non-financial statement in their management report. The non-financial statement should contain enough information for an understanding of the evolution, performance, position and impact of the company's activities, with at least environmental, social and worker issues, equality between women and men, non-discrimination, respect for human rights, anti-corruption and bribery, including: brief description of the business model of the company; policies followed by the company, including due diligence procedures applied; results of such policies; associated risks; and key performance indicators relevant to your specific activity. The purpose of this study is to evaluate compliance with these regulations by banks in Portugal, in the first year of application (2017). Collected data indicate that the regulations were mainly fulfilled, since the main topics are disclosed. However, the information disclosed shows that there are differences among banks in terms of communication, detail and specificity. Overall results suggest that regulations should advance more in the standardization of the information, to improve comparability between banks. Keywords: Banks, Disclosures, Directive 2014/95/EU, Non-financial reporting, Portugal Conclusion: concluding thoughts from the editors and key recommendations for practitioners and academics, based on the contribution of the authors. Editorial team.
£67.49
Springer Nature Switzerland AG High-Dimensional Covariance Matrix Estimation: An Introduction to Random Matrix Theory
Book SynopsisThis book presents covariance matrix estimation and related aspects of random matrix theory. It focuses on the sample covariance matrix estimator and provides a holistic description of its properties under two asymptotic regimes: the traditional one, and the high-dimensional regime that better fits the big data context. It draws attention to the deficiencies of standard statistical tools when used in the high-dimensional setting, and introduces the basic concepts and major results related to spectral statistics and random matrix theory under high-dimensional asymptotics in an understandable and reader-friendly way. The aim of this book is to inspire applied statisticians, econometricians, and machine learning practitioners who analyze high-dimensional data to apply the recent developments in their work.Table of ContentsForeword.- 1 Introduction.- 2 Traditional Estimators and Standard Asymptotics.- 3 Finite Sample Performance of Traditional Estimators.- 4 Traditional Estimators and High-Dimensional Asymptotics.- 5 Summary and Outlook.- Appendices.
£52.24
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Solutions Manual for Econometrics
Book SynopsisThis Fourth Edition updates the "Solutions Manual for Econometrics" to match the Sixth Edition of the Econometrics textbook. It adds problems and solutions using latest software versions of Stata and EViews. Special features include empirical examples replicated using EViews, Stata as well as SAS. The book offers rigorous proofs and treatment of difficult econometrics concepts in a simple and clear way, and provides the reader with both applied and theoretical econometrics problems along with their solutions. These should prove useful to students and instructors using this book.Table of ContentsWhat Is Econometrics?.- A Review of Some Basic Statistical Concepts.- Simple Linear Regression.- Multiple Regression Analysis.- Violations of the Classical Assumptions.- Distributed Lags and Dynamic Models.- The General Linear Model: The Basics.- Regression Diagnostics and Specification Tests.- Generalized Least Squares.- Seemingly Unrelated Regressions.- Simultaneous Equations Model.- Pooling Time-Series of Cross-Section Data.- Limited Dependent Variables.- Time-Series Analysis.
£39.59
Springer Nature B.V. Solutions Manual for Econometrics
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£37.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Modern Industrial Services: A Cookbook for
Book SynopsisThis open access book is an outcome of several years of research, practice, and teaching experience of the authors on the challenges that underpin the successful switch to services for manufacturing firms. Ideal for a student as well as a practitioner, the book describes the industrial services ecosystem, the barriers and challenges, and a roadmap for building service excellence. Curated cases are used to describe the current approaches in practice to overcome the barriers. The book also provides several tools, each with a short introduction, that the authors have used successfully in projects to help overcome the servitization barriers. Many of these tools are from management, design thinking, or service design. The service excellence roadmap is based on the development methodology and helps current and future business leaders to create their own individual roadmaps.Table of Contents1. Understanding the Barriers That Slow Firms Shifting from Products to Services.- 2. Overcoming the Barriers to Service Excellence.- 3. Methods and Tools for Overcoming the Barriers to Servitization and Service Excellence.
£44.99
Springer Nature Switzerland AG Partial Least Squares Structural Equation
Book SynopsisPartial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) has become a standard approach for analyzing complex inter-relationships between observed and latent variables. Researchers appreciate the many advantages of PLS-SEM such as the possibility to estimate very complex models and the method’s flexibility in terms of data requirements and measurement specification. This practical open access guide provides a step-by-step treatment of the major choices in analyzing PLS path models using R, a free software environment for statistical computing, which runs on Windows, macOS, and UNIX computer platforms. Adopting the R software’s SEMinR package, which brings a friendly syntax to creating and estimating structural equation models, each chapter offers a concise overview of relevant topics and metrics, followed by an in-depth description of a case study. Simple instructions give readers the “how-tos” of using SEMinR to obtain solutions and document their results. Rules of thumb in every chapter provide guidance on best practices in the application and interpretation of PLS-SEM.Table of ContentsAn Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling.- Introduction to R and RStudio.- Introduction to SEMinR.- Evaluation of Reflective Measurement Models.- Evaluation of Formative Measurement Models.- Evaluation of the Structural Model.- Mediation Analysis.- Moderation Analysis.
£40.49
