Liliana Rybarska-Rusinek, Ewa Rejwer and Alexander Linkov
At present numerical simulation of seismicity, used in mining and hydraulic fracturing practice, is quite time expensive what hampers its combined employing with observed…
Abstract
Purpose
At present numerical simulation of seismicity, used in mining and hydraulic fracturing practice, is quite time expensive what hampers its combined employing with observed seismicity in real time. The purpose of this paper is to suggest a mean for drastic speeding up numerical modeling seismic and aseismic events.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose the means to radically decrease the time expense for the bottleneck stage of simulation: calculations of stresses, induced by a large group of already activated flaws (sources of events), at locations of flaws of another large group, which may be activated by the stresses. This is achieved by building a hierarchical tree and properly accounting for the sizes of activated flaws, excluding check of their influence on flaws, which are beyond strictly defined near-regions of strong interaction.
Findings
Comparative simulations of seismicity by conventional and improved methods demonstrate high efficiency of the means developed. When applied to practical mining and hydrofracturing problems, it requires some two orders less time to obtain practically the same output results as those of conventional methods.
Originality/value
The proposed improvement provides a means for simulation of seismicity in real time of mining steps and hydrofracture propagation. It can be also used in other applications involving seismic and aseismic events and acoustic emission.
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Gianluca Pescaroli, Kristen Guida, Jeremy Reynolds, Roger S. Pulwarty, Igor Linkov and David E. Alexander
This paper applies the theory of cascading, interconnected and compound risk to the practice of preparing for, managing, and responding to threats and hazards. Our goal is to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper applies the theory of cascading, interconnected and compound risk to the practice of preparing for, managing, and responding to threats and hazards. Our goal is to propose a consistent approach for managing major risk in urban systems by bringing together emergency management, organisational resilience, and climate change adaptation.
Design/methodology/approach
We develop a theory-building process using an example from the work of the Greater London Authority in the United Kingdom. First, we explore how emergency management approaches systemic risk, including examples from of exercises, contingency plans and responses to complex incidents. Secondly, we analyse how systemic risk is integrated into strategies and practices of climate change adaptation. Thirdly, we consider organisational resilience as a cross cutting element between the approaches.
Findings
London has long been a champion of resilience strategies for dealing with systemic risk. However, this paper highlights a potential for integrating better the understanding of common points of failure in society and organisations, especially where they relate to interconnected domains and where they are driven by climate change.
Originality/value
The paper suggests shifting toward the concept of operational continuity to address systemic risk and gaps between Emergency Management, Organizational Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation.
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David E. Alexander and Gianluca Pescaroli
The purpose of this paper is to explain the significance of cascading crises for translators and interpreters, and how their work may be affected by such events. It provides a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain the significance of cascading crises for translators and interpreters, and how their work may be affected by such events. It provides a theoretical basis for analysis and field practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors define cascades and explain how they influence the development of preparedness, mitigation and response. The authors identify key drivers of cascading crises and discuss how they challenge conventional approaches to emergency management. The authors discuss ways in which use of language could be a key factor in crisis escalation. The authors define priorities and operational challenges of cascading crises for translators and interpreters. In terms of methodology, this paper develops a conceptual framework that can be used for future enquiry and case history analysis.
Findings
The authors provide a qualitative description and synthesis of the key instructions to be used in the field. The authors offer a short list of key questions that can be referred to by linguists and scholars. The authors identify situations in which translation and interpretation are important ingredients in the success of emergency preparedness and response efforts. These include multilingual populations, migrant crises, international humanitarian deployment and emergency communication during infrastructure failures.
Research limitations/implications
This work has academic value for the process of understanding cascades and practical relevance in terms of how to deal with them.
Practical implications
Translators and interpreters need to understand cascading crises in order to be prepared for the challenges that such events will present.
Social implications
Society has become more complex and interconnected, with non-linear cascading escalation of secondary emergencies. Emergency planners and responders need to address this in new ways. Effective communication and information strategies are essential to the mitigation of cascading disaster risk.
Originality/value
The study of cascading crises from a socio-economic point of view is relatively new, but it is important because society is increasingly dependent on networks that can propagate failure of information supply.
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ABM Fazle Rahi, Jeaneth Johansson and Catherine Lions
This study aims to examine the factors that influence the relationship between sustainability and financial performance (FP) of the European listed companies.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the factors that influence the relationship between sustainability and financial performance (FP) of the European listed companies.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzed data from 795 companies in 21 European countries by applying linear mixed-effects multilevel regressions, a two steps system generalized method of moments and quantile regression models to uncover the links between sustainability and FP.
Findings
The past four decades have witnessed abundant research to determine the relationship between corporate sustainability and FP. Thus, conducting further research in 2023 could be seen as “reinventing the wheel.” Yet, earlier research considered firms as isolated entities with sustainability and FP being dependent only on that firm’s actions. By contrast, with the help of network governance theory, this study shows that a firm’s sustainability and FP depend on an interplay among interorganizational actors, such as institutional qualities, macroeconomic factors and an embrace of sustainability. Here, large firms play an essential role. Three significant findings are drawn. First, sustainability performance has a significant impact on FP in the European context. Second, the institutional quality (IQ) of the rule of law and control of corruption plays a crucial role in enhancing sustainability and FP, and finally the interaction of IQ and economic growth helps to increase companies’ market value (Tobin’s Q). The consistent and empirically robust findings offer key lessons to policymakers and practitioners on the interplay among multiple actors in corporate sustainability and FP.
Practical implications
A synergetic multifaced relationship between governmental institutions and corporations is inevitable for ensuring sustainable development. The degree of intimacy in the relationship, of course, will be determined by the macroeconomic environment.
Originality/value
In this research, this study theoretically and empirically identified that corporate sustainability and FP are not solely dependent on corporate operation. Rather, it is transformed, modified and shaped through an interaction of multiple actors’ trajectories in the macro business environment.
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C. Michael Hall, Alexander Safonov and Sarah Naderi Koupaei
This paper aims to identify research approaches and issues in relation to the main paradigms of resilience: engineering resilience, ecological resilience and socio-ecological…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify research approaches and issues in relation to the main paradigms of resilience: engineering resilience, ecological resilience and socio-ecological resilience. This paper provides a synthesis of the core elements of each resilience approach and their implications.
Design/methodology/approach
A critical thematic review was undertaken of the hospitality and tourism resilience literature.
Findings
Resilience is a contested boundary object with different understandings according to conceptual and disciplinary position. The dominant approach in hospitality and tourism studies is primarily informed by engineering resilience with the focus at the organizational level. The ontological and epistemological understanding of resilience and change concepts appears limited leading to a lack of appreciation of the multi-scaled nature of resilience and the importance of slow change.
Research/limitations/implications
The research has important implications for understanding the key elements of different approaches to resilience.
Practical implications
The research synthesis may help improve resilience strategy and policymaking, including indicator selection.
Social implications
The research notes the relationship of resilience to sustainability, the potential for learning and decision-making practices.
Originality/value
In addition to thematic analysis, a model of the multi-scaled nature of resilience is provided and the key elements of the three main approaches with implications for theory and practice.
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Abhilash Panda and Andrew Bower
The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on the place of cyber security risk in the framework of global commitments adopted in 2015 to reduce disaster risks in an all-hazards…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to concentrate on the place of cyber security risk in the framework of global commitments adopted in 2015 to reduce disaster risks in an all-hazards approach. It explores the correlations between traditional risks associated with critical infrastructures – as understood by the Sendai framework – cyber security risks and the cascading effects characteristic of today’s complex and interrelated shocks and stresses. It takes a step further, expanding the focus of traditionally understood technological risks to explore cyber security risks, at the heart of our societies’ digital transformations,and showcase opportunities from the European context.
Design/methodology/approach
By reviewing existing literature on cyber security, disaster resilience and cascading disasters, this paper highlights current challenges and good practices undertaken by various governments.
Findings
Understanding disaster risks is a precondition to improving the mitigation of impacts of existing risks and preventing new risks. Effective risk reduction relies on a solid understanding of losses resulting from events to inform future actions, and on the assessment of risks relying on a robust evidence base and state-of-the-art scientific capacity to model and simulate potential hazards. In this context, embedding cyber security risks, and the complexity of cascading impacts in improving the understanding of disaster risks, calls for appropriate methods and tools allowing for a multi-risk and holistic focus to the assessment of risks and the planning of risk management capacities that follow.
Research limitations/implications
Globally and in Europe, focus on interconnected risk and their impacts is steadily increasing. Risk assessments are still conservative; incorporation of cyber resilience into national and local level DRR plans is yet not visible.
Originality/value
Existing research is restricted to cyber security and disaster resilience, as separated subjects. This paper, for the first time, brings together the interconnection between the two topic options to address them.
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The objective of this chapter is to discuss how different techniques in Regional Science and Peace Science and the emerging techniques in Management Science can be used in…
Abstract
The objective of this chapter is to discuss how different techniques in Regional Science and Peace Science and the emerging techniques in Management Science can be used in analysing Disaster Management and Global pandemic with special reference to developing countries. It is necessary for me to first discuss the subjects of Disaster Management, Regional Science, Peace Science and Management Science. The objective of this chapter is to emphasise that the studies of Disaster Management should be more integrated with socioeconomic and geographical factors. The greatest disaster facing the world is the possibility of war, particularly nuclear war, and the preparation of the means of destruction through military spending.
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María Paula Flórez, María Catalina Ramírez, Luisa Fernanda Payán-Durán, Mauricio Peralta and Andres Esteban Acero Lopez
This study aims to present a systemic methodological proposal for the reduction of water consumption in rural areas, based on participatory tools.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present a systemic methodological proposal for the reduction of water consumption in rural areas, based on participatory tools.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical framework was constructed based on the importance of stakeholders’ participation in the adequate use of the hydro resources, technologies to save water and modeling the adoption of possible water-saving technologies. After that, it was proposed a methodology for the reduction of water consumption in rural areas. This methodology was tested in a participatory study case, including the system dynamics model.
Findings
This study proposes a participatory systemic methodology – PAWAME – participation-water waste-adoption-model-empowerment, which consists of four steps: identify stakeholders and the activities related with the waste of water in the study site and establish their values, measure the adoption that the technology would have based on the awareness generated, relate in a model the variables of the water-consuming activities and the variables of the technology and its adoption to analyze possible future behaviors and empowerment of the technology to reduce water consumption.
Practical implications
In Colombia, part of the population has the wrong perception about the abundance of the hydro resource, and for this reason, people do not use water in a correct way. The inclusion of a participatory systemic methodology was fundamental to apprehend the dynamic aspects of users’ behaviors, as well as of the management of the water resource. The model addresses the complexity of the situation, allowing exploring future scenarios of environmental protection.
Originality/value
This study advances the knowledge in participatory systemic methodology to design and adopt a local technology to save water.
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Kijan Vakilzadeh and Alexander Haase
Resilience is critical for organizations in today's volatile business environment, yet some will survive (and even thrive) despite adversity, while others will perish. Why do some…
Abstract
Purpose
Resilience is critical for organizations in today's volatile business environment, yet some will survive (and even thrive) despite adversity, while others will perish. Why do some organizations handle adversity better than others? The past literature confirms the importance of specific resources, capabilities and structures in dealing with adversity. However, empirical research on organizational resilience remains highly diverse, and the available results have not yet been presented succinctly.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review of empirical research on organizational resilience was conducted to summarize the diverse findings of 69 studies, focusing on the factors that lead to resilience.
Findings
Several building blocks affect how organizations successfully anticipate, cope with and adapt to adversity. Anticipation entails environmental scanning, resilience plans, specific leadership behavior and resources. Coping necessitates particular leadership qualities, a certain organizational culture and innovation. Adaptation requires an organization to learn from adversity and initiate change processes, which influences its ability to anticipate adversity in the long run.
Originality/value
By exclusively analyzing empirical research on organizational resilience, this study summarizes and assembles the results into building blocks for organizational resilience. The findings elaborate on the composition of a concept that is known for its complexity.
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Ka Leung Lok, Ian van der Pool, Andrew J. Smith, Alex Opoku and Ka Lam Cheung
This viewpoint paper aims to discuss sustainable digitalisation of facilities management (FM) through the implementation of the newly recognised International Organization for…
Abstract
Purpose
This viewpoint paper aims to discuss sustainable digitalisation of facilities management (FM) through the implementation of the newly recognised International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards within the ISO 41000 series.
Design/methodology/approach
This viewpoint paper provides a review of the literature of the recent ISO documents and academic study. The content is also dependent on the authors’ opinions and interpretation.
Findings
FM is currently shifting emphasis towards a strategic focus through the adoption of the new recognised international ISO standards that consider sustainable digitalisation in business decisions. However, the FM sector is encountering potential risks to the implementation of the new recognised international ISO standards. Digitalisation is one kind of force that has shaped the management of the built environment and FM recently and rapidly, especially in the Covid-19 period. This is impacting the FM industry. As standardisation aims at establishing a constantly evolving baseline of proven practices, standardisation can be considered a part of sustainable FM. It is believed that standardised and strategic level support is crucial for the smooth adoption of sustainable FM practices and processes. Standards such as the ISO standards, applied to the global FM industry, help in objectively quantifying the added value of FM to the core business. Advanced technology and digitalisation can contribute to the sustainability of any profession and industry, but it also requires a community to tackle the problems.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the FM industry by making recommendations for improvement in the use of digitalisation. In summary, the significant finding of this viewpoint paper is that digitalisation offers both possibilities and problems in the application of the new recognised international ISO standards within the FM industry.