Amidst escalating environmental and social challenges, this study explores regenerative business models’ definition and characteristics. While sustainable models have made considerable strides in research, policy, and practice, the advent of regenerative business models offers a progressive leap forward. Regenerative business models aspire to contribute to ecological restoration and societal well-being. The regenerative business model concept is, however, still in its infancy and lacks a comprehensive definition. Our study aims to expand this knowledge, using a Delphi-inspired approach that builds on the knowledge of academic and business experts. Our approach includes three rounds of surveys: an open-ended survey, a survey for rating and ranking the earlier responses of all participants, and a final survey to select key characteristics. We investigate patterns and distinctions among regenerative, regenerative business, and regenerative business models, and analyze their positioning vis-a-vis circular and net-positive models. Findings underscore that organizations adopting regenerative business models focus on planetary health and societal well-being. They generate value across multiple stakeholder levels, including nature, societies, customers, suppliers, shareholders, and employees. Despite overlapping with circular and net-positive models, regenerative business models also emphasize interdependencies between humans and nature, and provide a more holistic approach, centered on restoration rather than mere mitigation.
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Inaugural address of Frederike Praasterink, Professor Future Food Systems 22 February 2018. Three important principles contribute to the transformation of food systems: - Redesign food systems from ‘less bad’ to ‘net positive’ - Reconnect consumers, producers, youth - Revalue food through true cost accounting and new business models
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This article analyzis two Dutch experiments in which the government guarantees a job to tackle long-term unemployment. The experiment with the Melkert jobs was carried out in the 1990s. Recently the municipality of Groningen implemented a project in which long-term unemployed people are offered a so-called basic job. The research results of this project demonstrate that the target group can do productive work on a regular basis and that basic jobs have a net positive social added value based on a Social Cost Benefit Analysis (SCBA).In this article we also pay attention to the recent academic debate betweenan unconditional basic income (BIG) and a job guarantee (JG).
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Looking at the trends in the four quarters of 2021, it is clear that (partial) lockdowns of sectors have been very bad news for business performance. Also not directly hit sectors like the care and service industry underperformed. The horeca, retail and cultural sectors were hit hardest by recurring lockdowns. Business services and technical professionals were more resilient. We have observed a strong decrease in sales, net margins, investment (willingness), solvability and entrepreneurial wages in periods of lockdown. They are (far) below the levels of the pre-Corona year 2019. Start-ups and the self-employed were the most vulnerable. The type of market in which entrepreneurs operate is of great importance. Turnover, net margins and entrepreneurial wages in the B2B markets are significantly higher than in the B2C markets. We were unable to establish any direct positive effects of the degree of digitization of businesses on net margins (Q2 special). Rather, the utilization of too many applications seems to deteriorate business performance. Entrepreneur digital skills are able to predict net margins better and positively. We will repeat this special in the near future as many businesses have only recently started to digitize. Entrepreneurs have lost their way in the forest of local, provincial, national and EU subsidies (Q3 special), halving the number of applications compared to 2015. Tax deduction programs seem far more effective than the dazzling diversity of subsidies. Owners of businesses with staff are especially willing to pay specialized advisors to detect and apply for subsidies on a “no cure, no pay” basis. There appears to be a strong link between the self-estimated sales skills of entrepreneurs and their turnover, and the short-term growth expectations (Q4 special). The more experienced and skilled in sales, the higher the quarterly turnover and the higher the growth expectation. However, 62% of entrepreneurs are unskilled or untrained in sales skills. And 30% of entrepreneurs indicate that they are not effective at selling. Overall, the lockdowns resulted in a growing number of entrepreneurs developing into marginal companies. Financial reserves, such as saved pensions and private/partner/family capital were depleted. Lockdowns also increased firm and private debts, which the majority of companies are unable to repay. Poverty is knocking at the door of many Dutch entrepreneurs and, even with the support of a partner income, only 4 out of 10 entrepreneurs earn a more than marginal living. Our main recommendations in the quarterly reports of 2021 are: 1. Strengthen the solvability of micro-businesses by converting tax debts in subordinate loans. 2. Pro-actively contact entrepreneurs to support them with support possibilities, (poverty alleviation) allowances and free coaching and sales, financial and digital training possibilities. 3. Start proactively discussing the viability of the firm and business model and possible ways to resolve debts. There is strong demand and shortages on the labor market, which makes this the perfect time to guide depleted entrepreneurs to (far) better paid jobs.
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Shani and Arad (2014) claimed that tourism scholars tend to endorse the most pessimistic assessments regarding climate change, and that anthropogenic climate change was a "fashionable" and "highly controversial scientific topic". This brief rejoinder provides the balance that is missing from such climate change denial and skepticism studies on climate change and tourism. Recent research provides substantial evidence that reports on anthropogenic climate change are accurate, and that human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, including from the tourism industry, play a significant role in climate change. Some positive net effects may be experienced by some destinations in the short-term, but in the long-term all elements of the tourism system will be impacted. The expansion of tourism emissions at a rate greater than efficiency gains means that it is increasingly urgent that the tourism sector acknowledge, accept and respond to climate change. Debate on tourism-related adaptation and mitigation measures is to be encouraged and welcomed. Climate change denial is not.
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One potential renewable energy resource is green gas production throughanaerobic digestion (AD). However, only part of the biogas produced (up to50-60%) contains the combustible methane; the remainder are incombustiblegasses with the biggest being carbon dioxide. These gasses are often not usedand expelled in the atmosphere. Through the use of BIO-P2M where hydrogenis mixed with the remaining CO2 additional methane can be produced,increasing the yield and using the feedstocks more effectively. Within thisresearch the environmental sustainability and effectiveness of BIO-P2M isevaluated using the MEFA and aLCA method, expressed in; net green gasproduction, efficiency in (P)EROI, emissions in GWP100, and environmentalimpact in Ecopoints. The functional unit is set as a normal cubic meter ofGroningen quality natural gas. Results indicate a net improvement of allindicators when applying BIO-P2M in several configurations (in situ, ex situ).When allocating the production of renewable energy to the BIO-P2M systemenvironmental impacts for wind the results are still positive; however, whenusing solar PV as an energy source the environmental impact in Ecopointsexceeds that of the reference case of Groningen natural gas. An additionaloption for improving the indicators is optimization of the process. When usingBIO-P2M combined with heat and power unit for producing the internalelectricity and heat demands all indicators are improved substantially. On anational scale when utilizing al available waste materials for the BIO-P2Msystem around 1217 MNm3/a of green gas can be produced, which is 3% ofthe total yearly consumption in the Netherlands and around 60% more thanwhen using normal AD systems. Within the context BIO-P2M is an interestingoption for increasing green gas output and improving the overall sustainabilityof the AD process. However, the source of green electricity needs to be takeninto account and process optimization can ensure better environmentalperformance.
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"This publication, leaded by the National University of Singapore School of Design and Environment, presents the research by design results of four consecutive years in four different countries (China, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand) responding to the current challenge of building more resilient cities in front of impacts of climate change, such as coastal and river flooding, water and air pollution, water scarcity, urban heat island effect, aquifer depletion or subsidence. The book brings together the work of highly-reputed academics, professionals and scholars from 20 universities worldwide with the aim of serving as a guide for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change, and more specifically to reinstating the environmental qualities of our cities through carbon-neutral or carbon net-positive urban designs and plans.The book demonstrates ‘seven inspirations’ – seven ideas –and 80 design interventions that contribute to the debate on how to address urban resilience through design, planning, technology, management, policies or community involvement in uncertain, unpredictable and transient scenarios, while suggesting creative and innovative design solutions to anticipate, prevent and adapt to the effects of climate-change. The research and designs included in this publication, aim to be speculative visions and provocative reflections that might present alternatives or paradigm shifts for imagining anticipatory and preventive scenarios for our cities. With Contributions of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Bangladesh), CEPT University (India), Louisiana State University (USA), National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan), National University of Singapore (Singapore), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia), Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands), Technische Universität Darmstadt (Germany), Université de Montréal (Canada)." -- Actar
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Economische impact World Rowing Championships 2014 Van 24 tot 31 augustus 2014 vond op de Bosbaan in Amsterdam de World Rowing Championships (WRC) plaats. Met het oog op de verdere ontwikkeling van het evenement wil de World Rowing Federation (FISA inzicht krijgen in de economische impact van dit evenement. Zij heeft de Hogeschool van Amsterdam in samenwerking met Hogeschool Inholland en Sport2B gevraagd hier onderzoek naar te doen. Daarnaast heeft de FISA enkele aanvullende vragen geformuleerd over de tevredenheid van bezoekers en vrijwilligers. Bezoekers Het bezoekersaantal wordt geschat op 40.000, waarvan 30.000 unieke bezoekers. Buitenlandse bezoekers besteedden gemiddeld 77 euro per dag, Nederlandse bezoekers 27 euro en Amsterdamse bezoekers 20 euro. De bezoekers waren goed voor 28.500 overnachtingen in de dagen rondom het evenement. De totale bestedingsimpuls gerealiseerd door bezoekers bedroeg 3,1 miljoen. Deelnemers In totaal namen 1.800 atleten en begeleiders deel aan het evenement. Conservatief geschat gaven de deelnemers gemiddeld 25 euro per dag uit. De totale additionele uitgaven van atleten en begeleiders komen daarmee op 534.000 euro. In totaal waren de atleten goed voor 19.500 overnachtingen. De totale uitgaven voor de accommodatie komen daarmee op meer dan 2 miljoen euro. Zes nationale teams hebben als voorbereiding op WRC in juni deelgenomen aan de International Rowing Regatta Amsterdam (IRRA), dit genereerde een lokale economische impact van 149.000 euro. De totale bestedingsimpuls gerealiseerd door deelnemers bedroeg 2,7 miljoen euro. Organisatie en media Het saldo van in- en uitgaande geldstromen veroorzaakt door de organisatie en de media bedroeg 0,8 miljoen euro. De totale directe en indirecte economische impact: 9,2 miljoen euro.
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De onderzoekslijn Studentenwelzijn is een nieuwe onderzoekslijn en is onderdeel van het lectoraat Studiesucces van Hogeschool Inholland. Deze onderzoeksagenda is bedoeld voor Hogeschool Inholland en haar (onderzoeks)partners. Met deze onderzoeksagenda worden de onderzoeksplannen van de onderzoekslijn gepresenteerd. In de agenda zal ingegaan worden op het belang van de onderzoekslijn naar studentenwelzijn, de thematische pijlers van de onderzoekslijn - Stress, Burnout, Veerkracht en Bevlogenheid - en de relatie van deze thema’s met studiesucces. Daarnaast worden de doelstellingen en onderzoeksvragen van de onderzoekslijn uiteengezet en wordt het onderzoeksmodel, het Student Wellbeing Model, beschreven. Tenslotte zal er een overzicht gegeven worden van de aankomende, lopende en afgeronde onderzoeken binnen de onderzoekslijn. De agenda zal periodiek bijgesteld worden.
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Purpose – Against the background of current leadership theory, this research paper analyses and compares the leadership approaches of two outstanding leaders: Daniel Vasella, chairman of the leading Swiss pharmaceutical organization Novartis and Ricardo Semler, owner of the Brazilian conglomerate Semco. In contrast to many rather abstract, unpractical and pointlessly theoretical papers on leadership this analysis provides a more applied view of leadership by means of the life history approach delivering insight into both leaders’ development and leader personality. Methodology/approach – First, this paper locates the ideas and practices associated with the term “leadership” as a concept through theories that have developed over time and shows how the practices of leading can be derived and understood through chosen theories. Based on this, the specific characteristics and career paths of both leaders are presented and compared so that a final analysis of their leadership approach can be done. The paper is based on secondary sources such as peer-reviewed business journals and literature on leadership. Information about both leaders and their approach to leadership is gathered mainly from published interviews with them. Additional information on Semler is taken from his autobiography. Conclusions – It is difficult to identify an “essence” of leadership, whether that takes the form of personality characteristics or traits, charisma, the ability to transform people or organizations or a brain function. All presented theories of leadership seem to have their raison d’être. Both Vasella and Semler apply a combination of different attitudes and behaviours that characterize their leadership style containing elements of transformational, charismatic, ethical, servant and authentic leadership.
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