According to W. Edwards Deming, American companies require nothing less than a transformation of management style and of governmental relations with industry. In Out of the Crisis, originally published in 1982, Deming offers a theory of management based on his famous 14 Points for Management. Management's failure to plan for the future, he claims, brings about loss of market, which brings about loss of jobs. Management must be judged not only by the quarterly dividend, but by innovative plans to stay in business, protect investment, ensure future dividends, and provide more jobs through improved product and service. In simple, direct language, he explains the principles of management transformation and how to apply them.

Out of the Crisis

Social Vulnerability to Environmental Hazards

Over the last decade, the concept of the circular economy has regained attention, especially related to efforts to achieve a more sustainable society. The ‘revival’ of the circular economy has been accompanied by controversies and confusions across different actors in science and practice. With this article we attempt at contributing to advanced clarity in the field and providing a heuristic that is useful in practice. Initially, we take a focus on the historical development of the concept of circular economy and value retention options (ROs) for products and materials aiming for increased circularity. We propose to distinguish three phases in the evolution of the circular economy and argue that the concept – in its dominant framing – is not as new as frequently claimed. Having established this background knowledge, we give insights into ‘how far we are’ globally, with respect to the implementation of circularity, arguing that high levels of circularity have already been reached in different parts of the globe with regard to longer loop value retention options, such as energy recovery and recycling. Subsequently, we show that the confusion surrounding the circular economy is more far reaching. We summarize the divergent perspectives on retention options and unite the most common views a 10R typology. From our analyses, we conclude that policymakers and businesses should focus their efforts on realization of the more desirable, shorter loop retention options, like remanufacturing, refurbishing and repurposing – yet with a view on feasibility and overall system effects. Scholars, on the other hand, should assist the parties contributing to an increased circular economy in practice by taking up a more active role in attaining consensus in conceptualizing the circular economy.

The circular economy: New or Refurbished as CE 3.0? — Exploring Controversies in the Conceptualization of the Circular Economy through a Focus on History and Resource Value Retention Options

Contents: Variety and Quality. Variability loss and tolerance. Determining tolerances. Tolerance design and experimental design. Offline and online quality control. Parameter design and tolerance design: case study. Experimental design for smaller is better characteristics. Experimental design for larger is better characteristics. Bypassing the S/N ratio: spring experiment. Experimental design for dynamic characteristics.

Introduction to quality engineering. designing quality into products a

Uneconomical extension of the grid has led to generation of electric power at the end user facility and has been proved to be cost effective and to an extent efficient. With augmented significance on eco-friendly technologies the use of renewable energy sources such as micro-hydro, wind, solar, biomass and biogas is being explored. This paper presents an extensive review on various issues related to Integrated Renewable Energy System (IRES) based power generation. Issues related to integration configurations, storage options, sizing methodologies and system control for energy flow management are discussed in detail. For stand-alone applications integration of renewable energy sources, performed through DC coupled, AC coupled or hybrid DC–AC coupled configurations, are studied in detail. Based on the requirement of storage duration in isolated areas, storage technology options can be selected for integrated systems. Uncertainties involved in designing an effective IRES based power generation system for isolated areas is accounted due to highly dynamic nature of availability of sources and the demand at site. Different methodologies adopted and reported in literature for sizing of the system components are presented. Distributed control, centralized and hybrid control schemes for energy flow management in IRES have also been discussed.

A review on Integrated Renewable Energy System based power generation for stand-alone applications: Configurations, storage options, sizing methodologies and control

Design for sustainability (DFS): the intersection of supply chain and environment

This research effort details the modeling component of a comprehensive decision support system for energy planning that allows for combining existing electricity generating capabilities with increased use of renewable energy sources. It focuses on energy planning at the regional level, and it is illustrated by applying it to the greater southern Appalachian mountains of the eastern United States: a region that was chosen for analysis not only due to its heavy dependence on coal for electricity, but also because of its potential for increased use of wind and solar power. The paper specifically discusses the development of a multi-objective linear programming (MOLP) model that can be used to determine the optimal mix of renewable energy sources and existing fossil fuel facilities on a regional basis. This model allows a decision maker to balance annual generation costs against the corresponding greenhouse gas emissions, and it provides significant support for implementing a variety of different policy analyses.

An optimization model for regional renewable energy development

Spatial analysis of renewable energy potential in the greater southern Appalachian mountains

More effective methods of eliciting and summarizing stakeholders' goals can assist in improving watershed management. This paper discusses the process of summarizing the goals that were generated during a workshop of watershed stakeholders in Virginia by using the Vector Analytic Hierarchy Process, and then grouping them into homogeneous subgroups by using two different methods: 1) assigning subgroups based on individuals' stated affiliations from a participant bio-sheet; and 2) assigning subgroups based on the similarity of individuals' actual preferences between the goals. Several different clustering approaches are considered for creating the preference-based subgroups, and the relative advantages and disadvantages of each approach are discussed. The process of combining the subgroups to generate a single overall preference structure for the group as a whole is also considered, and the final results are compared based on both the resulting rankings and the coherence, or variability of opinion, that they reflect. Determining the ''best'' set of subgroups can be valuable not only in exploring the underlying nature of the population's preferences, but also in supporting additional discussion and analysis of the results. As such, it can ultimately lead to much stronger and better informed decision-making by the stakeholders.

Stakeholder ranking of watershed goals with the vector analytic hierarchy process: Effects of participant grouping scenarios

Built on a framework that combines geographic analysis and a multi-objective optimization model used to analyze costs and benefits of renewable energy sources (wind farms, solar farms, biomass co-fire, rooftop solar), this research introduces the potential for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in the model as a tool for carbon emissions reduction. The carbon capture process is available for retrofit at existing coal plants and the sequestration of carbon is allowed in underground saline aquifers. The aim of this research is to provide a model that can compare renewable energy and CCS to determine the optimal combination of these resources. Over the course of 47 model iterations, CCS is implemented five times, with a maximum of 1.71% of a required 30% decrease in carbon emissions. Renewable energy options were more cost-effective means of achieving environmental goals. With respect to public policy and planning, expanding the potential role of rooftop solar generation is more cost-effective than implementing CCS. Finally, the introduction of a $30/ton carbon tax was not always sufficient to encourage investment in CCS, and through the use of tax incentives for renewable energy combined with a carbon tax, the greatest reduction in emissions were found.

Andrew N. Arnette

Papers

Design for sustainability (DFS): the intersection of supply chain and environment

An optimization model for regional renewable energy development

Spatial analysis of renewable energy potential in the greater southern Appalachian mountains

Stakeholder ranking of watershed goals with the vector analytic hierarchy process: Effects of participant grouping scenarios

Renewable energy and carbon capture and sequestration for a reduced carbon energy plan: An optimization model