We investigate entrepreneurial ecosystems that support circular start-ups and innovation. We argue that entrepreneurial ecosystems for circularity are constellations of existing entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems that extend across geographies and sectors. Our research question centres on understanding ecosystem intermediation that facilitates the embedding of circular start-ups in different ecosystems and addresses a pertinent gap in the literature about ecosystem intermediation for circular transitions and circular start-ups Focusing on the emerging circular transition in the textiles and apparel industry, we gathered data from in-depth interviews, field observations, and archival documentation over a seven-year period. Our findings show that entrepreneurial ecosystems for circular start-ups are purposefully intermediated at a meta level, combining elements of extant ecosystems to focus on circularity. Drawing on these insights, we conceptualize ecosystem intermediation as connecting diverse ecosystems across geographic and sectoral boundaries. Our study contributes to the literatures on circular entrepreneurship, circular ecosystems, and ecologies of system intermediation as well as provides practical implications for practitioners and policy makers.
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We investigate circular entrepreneurial ecosystems that support circular startups and innovation. We argue that circular entrepreneurial ecosystems are constellations of existing entrepreneurial ecosystems that extend across geographies and sectors, requiring ecosystem intermediaries to bridge institutional environments and provide access to actors and resources. Focusing on the emerging circular transition in the textiles and apparel industry, we gathered data from in-depth interviews, field observations, and archival documentation over a seven--year period. Our findings show that circular entrepreneurial ecosystems are purposefully intermediated at a meta level, generating nested and distributed ecosystems. To elucidate circular ecosystem intermediation, we devised a model of system level 5 intermediation that extends the conceptualization of ecologies of system intermediation across geographic and sector boundaries. Our study contributes to the literatures on circular entrepreneurship, circular ecosystems, and ecosystem intermediation as well as provides practical implications for practitioners and policy makers.
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Lawmakers as representatives of the people should resist the anti-competitive proposals of the banking sector and embrace a vision of the digital euro that serves the collective interests of Europeans, Dr Martijn van der Linden and Vicky Van Eyck write. The influence of the banking lobby on policymakers risks undermining the digital euro's potential. Lawmakers as representatives of the people should resist the anticompetitive proposals of the banking sector and embrace a vision of the digital euro that serves the collective interests of Europeans. This means that the digital euro must be attractive, accessible and beneficial to all. The deliberation process must be free from the disproportionate influence of an industry that has much to lose from a level playing field for payment services and financial intermediation.
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Our planet’s ecology and society are on a collision course, which manifests due to a contradiction in the assumptions of unlimited material growth fueling the linear economic paradigm. Our closed planetary ecosystem imposes confined amounts of space and a finite extent of resources upon its inhabitants. However, practically all the economic perspectives have been defiantly neglecting these realities, as resources are extracted, used and disposed of reluctantly (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2015). The circular economy attempts to reconcile the extraction, production and usage of goods and resources with the limited availability of those resources and nature’s regenerative capabilities This perspective entails a shift throughout the supply chain, from material science (e g non-toxic, regenerative biomaterials) to novel logistical systems (e g low-carbon reverse logistics). Because of this, the circular economy is often celebrated for its potential environmental benefits and its usefulness as a blueprint for sustainable development (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2017). Unfortunately, the promise of the circular economy aiming at enhanced sustainability through restorative intent and design (McDonough & Braungart 2010), is often inhibited by institutional barriers posed by the current linear economy of take, make, use and waste (Ghisellini et al. 2016). Underlying those barriers our cultural paradigm celebrates consumerism, exponential growth and financial benefit instead of human values such as diversity, care and trust. Based on a mapping exercise of the circular economy discourse in the Netherlands and an overview of international (academic) literature (Van den Berg 2020) supplemented with collaborative co-creation sessions, visiting events, conferences, giving talks and classes, we have defined a gap leading to the focus of the Professorship. First, we highlight the importance of a process approach in studying the transition from a linear to a circular economy, which is why we use the verb ‘entrepreneuring’ as it indicates the movement we collectively need to make. The majority of work in the field is based on start-ups and only captures snapshots while longitudinal and transition perspectives - especially of larger companies - are missing (Merli et al. 2019; Geissdoerfer et al. 2018; Bocken et al. 2014). We specifically adopt an entrepreneurship-as-practice lens (Thompson, Verduijn & Gartner 2020), which allows us to trace the doings – as opposed to only the sayings - of organizations involved in circular innovation. Such an approach also enables us to study cross-sector and interfirm collaboration, which is crucial to achieve ecosystem circularity (Raworth 2019). As materials flow between actors in a system, traditional views of ‘a value chain’ slowly make way for an ecosystem or value web perspective on ‘organizing business’. We summarize this first theme as ‘entrepreneurship as social change’ broadening dominant views of what economic activity is and who the main actors are supposed to be (Barinaga 2013; Calás, Smircich & Bourne 2009; Steyaert & Hjorth 2008; Nicholls 2008). Second, within the Circular Business Professorship value is a big word in two ways. First of all, we believe that a transition to a circular economy is not just a transition of materials, nor technologies - it is most of all a transition of values We are interested in how people can explore their own agency in transitioning to a circular economy thereby aligning their personal values with the values of the organization and the larger system they are a part of Second, while circularity is a broad concept that can be approached through different lenses, the way in which things are valued and how value is created and extracted lies at the heart of the transition (Mazzucato 2018). If we don’t understand value as collectively crafted it will be very hard to change things, which is why we specifically focus on multiplicity and co-creation in the process of reclaiming value, originating from an ethics of care Third, sustainability efforts are often concerned with optimization of the current – linear – system by means of ecoefficient practices that are a bit ‘less bad’; using ’less resources’, causing ‘less pollution’ and ‘having less negative impact’. In contrast, eco-effective practices are inherently good, departing from the notion of abundance: circular thinking celebrates the abundance of nature’s regenerative capacities as well as the abundance of our imagination to envision new realities (Ellen MacArthur Foundation 2015). Instead of exploiting natural resources, we should look closely in order to learn how we can build resilient self-sustaining ecosystems like the ones we find in nature. We are in need of rediscovering our profound connection with and appreciation of nature, which requires us to move beyond the cognitive and employ an aesthetic perspective of sustainability This perspective informs our approach to innovating education: aesthetics can support deep sustainability learning (Ivanaj, Poldner & Shrivastava 2014) and contribute to facilitating the circular change makers of the future. The current linear economy has driven our planet’s ecology and society towards a collision course and it is really now or never: if we don’t alter the course towards a circular economy today, then when? When will it become urgent enough for us to take action? Which disaster is needed for us to wake up? We desperately need substitutes for the current neo-liberal paradigm, which underlies our linear society and prevents us from becoming an economy of well-being In Entrepreneuring a regenerative society I propose three research themes – ‘entrepreneurship as social change’, ‘reclaiming value’ and ‘the aesthetics of sustainability’ – as alternative ways of embracing, studying and co-creating such a novel reality. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-poldner-a003473/
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We wonen in een land met het hoogste welvaartsniveau ter wereld en toch staat onze manier van leven onder druk. Hoe realiseren we uitnodigende en comfortabele steden in tijden van crisis? Het is voor mij eervol om als lector aan het roer te mogen staan van een lectoraat dat met de stad en regio samenwerkt om de meest urgente opgaven van de 21ste eeuw op te pakken. De gevolgen van klimaatverandering en grootschalig biodiversiteitsverlies zijn immers inmiddels voelbaar in ons leven.
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Few people I know act likea magnet in the way Laura does. If you hear her speak, see her move, enjoy her smile - you can't help but want to be a part of what makes her heart beat faster. She radiates passion for her dream topic biomimicry and before you know it you're caught in that dream. From the day I met her, I was captivated by her enthusiasm and knowledge about this topic. In fact, meeting Laura made me decide to join the university as I thought: if people like Laura work at THUAS, I want to be a part of this organization'. Over the years I have seen her finish the Msc in biomimicry at Arizona State University followed by a PhD at TUDelft. And all that next to her full time job as a teacher. It's only a miracle that she still found the time to go outdoors and be in Nature. But luckily, she did as this is what nourishes her - and that nourishment is brought into the classroom affecting generations of students. I am very proud of how she builds her tribe just like Nature does; grassroots from the bottom up, not supported but also not inhibited by formal structures. In that way she truly acts as a bridge helping others to tap into Nature's wisdom. This morning I harvested the remaining vegetables from my garden and turned them into lunch. It's the second year I grow vegetables and it feels like I am only at the beginning of learning to collaborate with Nature. In Spring and Summer, Ihave witnessed in awe how seeds become seedlings which then grow into mature plants carrying fruit. The sheer wonder of Nature never ceases to amaze me, and my garden is only an attempt to be more aware of seasonal rhythms. It's Autumn right now, a time of year that invites us to go inside, reflect and let go of old baggage that no longer serves us. We'll be approaching the stage of wintering soon in which our inner journey will benefit from the darkness of wintertime introspection, along with the space to process the old, integrate learnings, and then germinate the new. Over the course of her career, Laura has gone through these seasonal cycles - reinventing herself in the past decade as a teacher, researcher and regenerative leader. One of Laura's many qualities is that she embodies three leadership characteristics derived from Nature. First, she acknowledges the importance of interconnection. Many times, we think of Nature as being separate from us, but in reality we humans are Nature. Connection with Nature enables us to think within systems and understand that we can't direct the system, but instead we're all part of multiple systems. Second, sensing the system and our part in it builds resilience. Even if things don't go as we expected or imagined, rather than reacting, we can step back and engage with more insight. Laura's adaptability to a system's needs while spotting opportunities to crack it open, is admirable. As the system is always in evolution, so is she - remarkably receptive to change even in the final stages of her career. Third, Laura creates space for people to develop and thrive, acting as multipliers of her vision and love for the natural world. In her leadership she embodies the ideal elder while being able to perceive the world through the eyes of a child - with continuous wonder for how life unfolds. This book is a bricolage of Laura's post-doc research conducted the past two years. In it you will find an array of fascinating reads and tools that help you deepen your practice as a biomimicry professional. The book is a community effort integrating tools Laura has co-created with her ecosystem as well as more in-depth readings written by some of the talents she has nourished over time. I wish for you to enjoy this careful curation of both practical as well as more conceptual contributions. May it inspire your own thriving in bringing Nature based wisdom to the core of our daily lives.
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Bespreking van twee ontwerpen voor inpassing woningbouw in regio Waterland.
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De Haagse economie is hersteld van de coronacrisis. De economie van het stadsgewest ‘s-Gravenhage is in 2021 met 3,5 procent gegroeid en liet het BBP per inwoner een groei zien van bijna 6 procent. Hiermee zet de groei van pre-corona door. Na een lange periode van matige economische groei en minder gecreëerde banen dan de andere drie grote steden laat Den Haag in de laatste paar jaar een beter economisch verhaal zien. Terwijl het economisch herstel verder doorzet in de eerste helft van 2022, is de Nederlandse economie in de laatste helft van het jaar afgekoeld. De ramingen van regionale cijfers laten een soortgelijke ontwikkeling zien voor Den Haag. De groei in economische bedrijvigheid heeft tot versnelde banengroei geleid in de gemeente. De werkgelegenheid in de regio is met bijna 3 procent gegroeid ten opzichte van het jaar ervoor. De werkloosheid in de stad ontwikkelt zich volgens de dalende trend die zich had ingezet voor de uitbraak van corona. Het werkloosheidspercentage bedroeg in het derde kwartaal van 2022 4,6 procent. Daarmee lag de werkloosheid in Den Haag opnieuw lager dan Amsterdam en Rotterdam. Den Haag heeft zoals andere Nederlandse steden veel last van de krappe arbeidsmarkt en er zijn veel onvervulde vacatures binnen de gemeente in vrijwel alle beroepsgroepen. De lage arbeidsdeelname is hierdoor een groter punt van aandacht voor de stad. Het biedt de stad kansen om de lage arbeidsparticipatie in de stad aan te pakken. De groei in werkgelegenheid in 2021 verklaart zich voornamelijk door startende ZZP’ers en het grootbedrijf. Daartegenover lieten kleine mkb-vestigingen een daling zien in het aantal banen. Begin 2022 telde Den Haag ruim 321.000 banen. De ZZP’er blijkt een steeds groter deel te worden van de werkgelegenheid in de stad en neemt bijna 18 procent van de banen voor haar rekening. In verhouding tot andere steden zijn er meer ZZP’ers in de agglomeratie’s-Gravenhage. De groei van de economie en de zeer krappe arbeidsmarkt heeft zich vertaald naar een lager niveau van bijstandsuitkeringen. Er is een dalende trend in het percentage van personen die na een beëindiging van hun WW-uitkering de bijstand instromen. Ook hebben Haagse ZZP’ers minder vaak een langdurig laag inkomen. Wanneer we verder kijken dan alleen ontwikkelingen in werk en inkomen wordt duidelijk dat de beleving van brede welvaart in de regio op een lager niveau ligt dan het gemiddelde van Nederland en Amsterdam en Utrecht. Den Haag blijft groeien. Wel is het binnenlandse migratiesaldo negatief: er vestigen zich minder Nederlanders uit andere gemeenten in Den Haag dan er vertrekken naar andere Nederlandse gemeenten. De stad trekt veel immigranten en studenten. Ongeveer een vijfde van de studenten aan de Haagse Hogeschool blijft ook in Den Haag wonen. Daarnaast vestigen zich vooral veel alumni uit Delft in Den Haag. Het aantal hbo/wo-studenten is na jaren van groei in 2021 vrij stabiel gebleven ten opzichte van 2020. De uitbraak van de coronapandemie heeft geleid tot minder aanmeldingen van buitenlandse studenten aan Nederlandse onderwijsinstellingen. Vooruitblikkend wordt duidelijk dat Den Haag wordt geconfronteerd met meerdere knelpunten. Inflatie, torenhoge energieprijzen en een tekort aan personeel en grondstoffen zorgen ervoor dat binnenlandse en buitenlandse vraag afneemt. Ook zijn ondernemers huiverig om te investeren. De meest recente landelijke cijfers laten zien dat de economie sterk is afgekoeld, het derde kwartaal kromp de Nederlandse economie met 0,2 procent ten opzichte van een kwartaal eerder. Het vierde kwartaal is er weer een kleine plus van 0,6 procent. Zeker is dat de groei beduidend lager zal zijn in 2023. Voor Den Haag betekent de aanwezigheid van een grote tertiaire sector een dempend effect op de gemiddelde economische groei omdat deze minder crisisgevoelig is. Daarbij is ook een pluspunt dat de economische activiteiten in de stad minder afhankelijk zijn van de toeleveringsproblematiek van grondstoffen en de zeer hoge gasprijzen dan steden met meer industrie. Daarentegen heeft de stad veel ZZP’ers die de effecten van het wegvallen van vraag sneller en heviger zullen ondervinden. Dit heeft als gevolg dat de werkloosheidscijfers in de stad sneller zullen reageren op dalende vraag. De grote uitdagingen om over te stappen naar een duurzame economie zullen veel vaker voelbaar worden voor de economische bedrijvigheid van de stad. Het energieverbruik in de regio is in vergelijking met de andere drie grote steden aanzienlijk lager. Dit wordt met name door de sectorstructuur gedreven, waarbij de zware industrie in Den Haag relatief minder vertegenwoordigd is. De stad heeft in de afgelopen jaren stappen gezet in verduurzaming, maar bevindt zich nog wel in de startblokken. Zo is het verbruik van hernieuwbare energie relatief laag. Dit verbruik is voor een groot deel afhankelijk van opwekking van binnen de regio. Daarnaast worden steeds meer gebouwen verduurzaamd. Het aantal vacatures in klimaatberoepen stijgt op vergelijkbaar niveau als de rest van de G4. Ondernemers ervaren steeds vaker belemmeringen in het voortzetten van hun bedrijfsactiviteiten. Inmiddels vormen de ervaren tekorten aan passend personeel een belemmering in het voortzetten van bedrijvigheid voor meer dan 40 procent van de ondernemers en ligt in Den Haag hoger dan de andere drie grote steden. De krapte breidt zich uit en is inmiddels een zorg voor vrijwel alle beroepsgroepen en sectoren. Ook ervaren ondernemers hinder van de tekorten aan grondstoffen om hun bedrijfsactiviteiten uit te voeren en vaker problemen met financiering. Dit heeft negatieve gevolgen voor de potentiële groei van de regionale economie. De stad heeft een krappe kantorenmarkt en weinig kwalitatief aanbod van bedrijventerreinen. Deze krapte heeft gevolgen voor de transactiedynamiek in de stad. Terwijl in Rotterdam en Amsterdam het opnamevolume flink is gestegen, blijkt er in Den Haag voor een tweede keer achter elkaar een dalende opnamevolume te zijn. Ook zijn grote bedrijventerreinen van goede kwaliteit schaars in de regio en is het aanbod in de laatste jaren gedaald. Dit vormt een beperking voor de (potentiële) ondernemer om zich uit te breiden of te vestigen in de stad. De arbeidsproductiviteit in het stadsgewest ‘s-Gravenhage blijft laag. De sectoren Industrie en Bouw moeten een duidelijke inhaalslag maken ten opzichte van de andere drie grote steden. Ook Logistiek, een belangrijke sector voor de Haagse werkgelegenheid, laat lagere productiviteit en productiviteitsgroei zien. Daarnaast is de productiviteit in de sectoren Overheid en Zorg, die oververtegenwoordigd zijn in Den Haag, sterk gedaald sinds de coronacrisis. Dit wordt gedreven door de hoge werkdruk in deze sectoren bij minder snel stijgende lonen. Recente ontwikkelingen in afspraken voor loonstijgingen in deze sectoren zou dit beeld kunnen veranderen.
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Social media and sharing economy platforms do not only disrupt industries. They also bypass democratic institutions. That’s not without risk, because the dominant Silicon Valley based online platforms are designed to create shareholder value, not to strengthen society or democracy. Which is unfortunate, because online platforms – if designed to that purpose – can be uniquely power full tools for organising our networked society.In Amsterdam over 90 neighbourhood networks use online platforms for self organisation. This development accelerated from 2010 on. The networks aim at strengthening social ties and local initiatives and are increasingly involved in some way of democratic innovation. This study is a deep dive into this urban bottom-up-movement. It puts the phenomena of online neighbourhood platforms in a broader societal and economical context. It points at the importance of user owned platforms and data. And it draws conclusions on how society and specifically municipal management can bring this movement to a next level. Ultimately with the potential of growing into an alternative for the Silicon Valley owned online platform ecosystem.
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Ecocentrism is the broadest term for worldviews that recognize intrinsic value in all lifeforms and ecosystems themselves, including their abiotic components. Anthropocentrism, in contrast, values other lifeforms and ecosystems insofar as they are valuable for human well-being, preferences and interests. Herein, the authors examine the roots of ecocentrism and discuss its mixed history of international recognition. They argue that non-human nature has intrinsic value irrespective of human preferences or valuation, and they refute the claim that ecocentrism is misanthropic. They then summarize four key examples from the academic literature in which anthropocentrism fails to provide an ethic adequate for respecting and protecting planet Earth and its inhabitants. The authors conclude that ecocentrism is essential for solving our unprecedented environmental crisis, arguing its importance from four perspectives: ethical, evolutionary, spiritual and ecological. They contend that a social transformation towards ecocentrism is not only an ethical but a practical imperative, and they urge support for ecocentric understanding and practices. https://www.ecologicalcitizen.net/article.php?t=why-ecocentrism-key-pathway-sustainability https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
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