Zoekresultaten

Comparative analysis of market structures of P2P energy trading in a local energy system

Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading has been recognized as an important technology to increase the local self-consumption of photovoltaics in the local energy system. Different auction mechanisms and bidding strategies haven been investigated in previous studies. However, there has been no comparatively analysis on how different market structures influence the local energy system’s overall performance. This paper presents and compares two market structures, namely a centralized market and a decentralized market. Two pricing mechanisms in the centralized market and two bidding strategies in the decentralized market are developed. The results show that the centralized market leads to higher overall system self-consumption and profits. In the decentralized market, some electricity is directly sold to the grid due to unmatchable bids and asks. Bidding strategies based on the learning algorithm can achieve better performance compared to the random method.

SamenMarkt®, a Proposal for Restoring Trust in the Horticultural Fresh Food Market by Using Multi-Agent System Technology

This chapter presents the currently not established and identifies design requirements for new systems to address this challenge and provide directions for possible improvement. As a result, this chapter introduces the concept of SamenMarkt®, a participatory system in which multi-agent system technology enables distributed price negotiation, distribution and communication between producers, retailers and consumers.

Design Management and Business in Europe: A Closer Look

It is often said that European companies must stop trying to compete on price and concentrate more on developing products and services that offer customers and users a high level of added value. Design is an indispensable tool for such development and innovation, and this is why the findings of this survey are cause for concern. It is not enough to encourage companies to use design; they must also develop skill in managing design. It seems risky to assume that they will eventually find their own way to design and its effective management; as an economic necessity, attention and commitment will be required from those who set business policy. The survey results suggest that improved awareness of design and the management of design will drive increased business performance within SMEs. "is would likely also trigger increased demand for effective support services to develop design management skills, and thus more jobs. One of the study’s findings is the positive correlation between increasing design management capability and positive growth. At the same time, however, cost factors are widely cited as the main obstacle standing in the way of companies implementing design management. What this indicates is that design should cease to be seen as a cost, and instead should be considered as an investment in the future. One way to improve the perception of the cost factor is to raise awareness of design’s benefits. To do this, however, it is critical to find ways to measure and therefore value design effectiveness and, once it has been implemented, to measure its success in a way that can be understood by managers. Knowledge factors also present a considerable obstacle, and as such education is a second critical success factor. "e curricula of European design courses tend to dedicate relatively little time to the development of management skills or the understanding of the business implications of design decisions. And although the attention paid to ideas such as design thinking does show some movement in the world of management, things seem to be happening rather slowly. In management courses, there is still relatively little structural focus on design, and for experienced designersóeven those with sufficient management skillsótraining in design management is rarely available. Indeed, the relative lack of training opportunities for design management begs the question: Are we making enough progress with design management as a professional field? "e gap between design management “winners” and “losers” seems rather large, and the group of companies that is left behind is comparatively too big. Progress has and is being made within the profession of design management; however, to sustain this progress, and even to turn the situation around, will require the collaborative efforts of a broader group of stakeholdersónamely, the design sector, the training and education sector, trade associations, promoters of design management honors such as the DME Award, and government bodies themselves.

International framework agreements and management of global supply chain

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) have become global players in the current globalized labour market and their economic activities are no longer territorially limited, but they extend in different countries, thereby leading to the development of global supply chains. Against this background, companies’ operations are increasingly conducted by foreign subsidiaries and they are being outsourced to business partners worldwide. In both cases, lower working conditions and production costs in foreign countries are one of the driving factors leading to this business choice.

Crafting Conflict: Designing Meaningful Interactions in a Smooth Society Or: Beyond Seamless: Creating Impact Through Designed Friction

Our current smart society, where problems and frictions are smoothed out with smart, often invisible technology like AI and smart sensors, calls for designers who unravel and open the smart fabric. Societies are not malleable, and moreover, a smooth society without rough edges is neither desirable nor livable. In this paper we argue for designing friction to enhance a more nuanced debate of smart cities in which conflicting values are better expressed. Based on our experiences with the Moral Design Game, an adversarial design activity, we came to understand the value of creating tangible vessels to highlight conflict and dipartite feelings surrounding smart cities.

2021 European E-commerce Report