Upon completion of the case study, the students will be able to apply business upscaling strategies to an upcycling social enterprise that is embracing a circular economy approach…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of the case study, the students will be able to apply business upscaling strategies to an upcycling social enterprise that is embracing a circular economy approach by using the Ansoff growth matrix; to analyze strategies for transition to circularity using the butterfly diagram tool for both business and personal use; to indulge in upcycling exercises for a used product of their choice, not only unleashing their creative potential but also contributing to an idea that might get them to win a contest; to analyze different operational problems and efficiency opportunities that arise when a company takes on social and environmental causes as a business opportunity; and to strategize how a social enterprise can be sustained and made for-profit by applying business strategies.
Case overview/synopsis
This case study covers the concepts of upcycling under the gamut of circular economy, a concept that has become more of a strategy to sustain and survive in today’s world. This case is about Rimagined, an upcycling company that could be a model for circular ideas and upcycling of stuff. This case study narrates the growth and the challenges faced in upcycling and encourages students to ideate a new design for any upcycling item of their choice. This case will also make students strategize the expansion plan for Rimagined. Shailaja Rangarajan is the protagonist of this case study who started this social enterprise to make a difference and do her bit. Sustaining a social enterprise requires business acumen and risk-bearing capacities like any other business. Rangarajan was facing the dilemma of expansion and was trying out several feasible options. Rimagined had been unable to attract investors because their expectations of quick returns could not be immediately fulfilled. Investors focused more on waste management as an industry and not on upcycling as a separate area of work.
Complexity academic level
This case study is suitable for students of MBA or executive MBA level. Specifically, this case study can be used in business strategies and circular economy courses.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS 4: Environmental management.
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N. Venkataraman, S. Rangarajan, M.J. Matthewson, B. Harper, A. Safari, S.C. Danforth, G. Wu, N. Langrana, S. Guceri and A. Yardimci
Fused deposition of ceramics (FDC) is a solid freeform fabrication technique based on extrusion of highly loaded polymer systems. The process utilizes particle loaded…
Abstract
Fused deposition of ceramics (FDC) is a solid freeform fabrication technique based on extrusion of highly loaded polymer systems. The process utilizes particle loaded thermoplastic binder feedstock in the form of a filament. The filament acts as both the piston driving the extrusion and also the feedstock being deposited. Filaments can fail during FDC via buckling, when the extrusion pressure needed is higher than the critical buckling load that the filament can support. Compressive elastic modulus determines the load carrying ability of the filament and the viscosity determines the resistance to extrusion (or extrusion pressure). A methodology for characterizing the compressive mechanical properties of FDC filament feedstocks has been developed. It was found that feedstock materials with a ratio (E/ηa) greater than a critical value (3×105 to 5×105 s‐1) do not buckle during FDC while those with a ratio less than this range buckle.
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Harinath Venkata Yadavalli, T.V. Krishna Mohan, Rangarajan S. and Shaju K. Albert
Concentrated solar power and molten salt reactors use molten salts for heat energy storage and transfer. FLiNaK salts are being proposed to be used in these plants. However…
Abstract
Purpose
Concentrated solar power and molten salt reactors use molten salts for heat energy storage and transfer. FLiNaK salts are being proposed to be used in these plants. However, structural material compatibility is the main hurdle for using molten salt in these systems. Hence, it is essential to study the degradation of materials in high temperature molten FLiNaK salt environment. In view of this paper aims to describe, a simulation facility which was established and operated for carrying out high temperature static corrosion studies of materials under molten FLiNaK salt.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes about the design criteria, method of designing using ASME codes, material selection, fabrication, testing, commissioning and operation. Also, a few experimental results have been illustrated.
Findings
A simulation facility could be designed, fabricated, commissioned and is being successfully operated to carry out corrosion experiments under static molten FLiNaK environment.
Research limitations/implications
The facility has been designed for 800°C and maximum temperature of experiment would be restricted to 750°C. The materials tested in this facility can be validated only up to 750°C temperature. A maximum of four exposure periods can be studied at a time with around ten specimens for each exposure.
Originality/value
Selection of compatible material for the facility and design certain unique features like extracting exposed specimens of intermediate periods without actually shutting down the autoclave and measuring the level of molten salt at high temperature.
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Erin Leif, Kirsten McLean, Pearl Subban and Christine Grove
Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Australia shape the country's economic, social, and political landscape and equip students with the skills they need to succeed in…
Abstract
Higher education institutions (HEIs) in Australia shape the country's economic, social, and political landscape and equip students with the skills they need to succeed in ever-changing work environments. Embedded within Australian HEIs are sets of values that reflect and reinforce collective Australian values, which describe the shared beliefs of the leadership, academic staff, students, and the local community. These shared values then direct all members of the university community. Using a top-tier university in Melbourne, Australia, as a case study, this chapter explores how the values of accessibility, inclusion, and collaboration are embedded into the curriculum, teaching, and assessment practices. Relationship-building and positive student interaction within learning contexts are also crucial to learning contexts in higher education (HE) and are essentially driven by values in HE. Furthermore, values identified in this chapter align with broader Australian values relating to fairness, equity, cooperation, and support. Utilizing the experience and reflection of four contributing academics in HE, this chapter offers ideas and strategies on how these values can be fundamentally rooted within learning and teaching programs, thereby increasing student engagement, interaction, and success. This chapter acknowledges that the needs of contemporary education have changed, as the HE sector now accommodates students from all walks of life. Additionally, a fundamental premise of the discourse is that learner diversity can be accommodated more effectively if it is spurred by values that respect and appreciate learner diversity.
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Qiao Sun, Shengxiu Zhang, Lijia Cao, Xiaofeng Li and Naixin Qi
The purpose of this paper is to improve the robustness of the traditional Bhattacharyya metric for the effect of histogram quantization in the histogram-based visual tracking…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to improve the robustness of the traditional Bhattacharyya metric for the effect of histogram quantization in the histogram-based visual tracking. However, the traditional Bhattacharyya metric neglects the correlation of crossing-bin and is not robust for the effect of histogram quantization.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors propose a visual tracking method via crossing-bin histogram Bhattacharyya similarity in the particle filter.
Findings
A crossing-bin matrix is introduced into the traditional Bhattacharyya similarity for measuring the reference histogram and the candidate histogram, and the basic tasks of measure such as maximum similarity of self and the triangle inequality are proven. The authors use the proposed measure in the particle filter visual tracking framework and address a model update strategy based on the crossing-bin histogram Bhattacharyya similarity to improve the robustness of visual tracking.
Originality/value
In the experiments using the famous challenging benchmark sequences, precision of the proposed method increases by 12.8 per cent comparing the traditional Bhattacharyya similarity and the cost time decreases by 38 times comparing the incremental Bhattacharyya similarity. The experimental results show that the proposed method can track the object robustly and rapidly under illumination change and occlusion.
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Diptiranjan Mahapatra and Ravindra H. Dholakia
Pricing of natural gas in India suffers from asymmetry because of the presence of limited suppliers having byzantine contracts. The oligopolistic market combined with price…
Abstract
Pricing of natural gas in India suffers from asymmetry because of the presence of limited suppliers having byzantine contracts. The oligopolistic market combined with price regulation results in welfare losses, and market failure. We argue that for the sake of long-term development of natural gas sector in fast developing economies like India, the long-run marginal cost (LRMC) seems to be the most suitable pricing policy. In the case analysis, we present a theoretical framework of calculating LRMC while acknowledging that the conditions necessary for a ‘first-best world’ rarely exist. We conclude that it is very much possible to gradually move from the existing ad-hoc pricing mechanism to a more robust LRMC regime that takes into account not just the production cost but also a scarcity premium as well as any externalities resulting from the natural-gas fuel cycle. The outcome based on our model compares very well with the one from the Rangarajan Committee's formula that got the government's nod recently for fixing of price of indigenously produced natural gas, to be effective from 01st April 2014.
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![Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad](/insight/static/img/indian-institute-of-management-ahmedabad-logo.png)
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Abdul Rahim Norhayati Rafida and Ab Wahab Norailis
Environmental communication has been a profession and a subject of study for decades. Communication currently revolves around the anthropogenic ecological catastrophe, which makes…
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental communication has been a profession and a subject of study for decades. Communication currently revolves around the anthropogenic ecological catastrophe, which makes the field’s early self-description as a crisis discipline even more pertinent. How communication is used and perceived significantly impacts how human-caused climate disasters and other environmental and social problems develop and how solutions are offered. The phenomenon of technology has shown significant impacts on how people refer to environmental communication. While bibliometric analysis (BA) helps understand the trends, ChatGPT can generate information related to environmental communication. How are they different from each other? What are the limitations? This study aims to identify the trends and limitations of BA and ChatGPT that are associated with environmental communication.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach is used, which refers to BA using the Biblioshiny software (n = 867) and content analysis on ChatGPT 3.5. It uses a systematic technique for keyword search, namely, environmental and communication, from 2000 to 2022.
Findings
There has been a decrease in the scientific production of studies starting in 2021 and 2022, which is believed to be due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ChatGPT provides valuable information but is rather complimentary to BA. ChatGPT is unable to provide statistical information related to environmental communication among Scopus-indexed publications.
Research limitations/implications
This study focuses on the literature published in Scopus from 2000 to 2022. The keyword is limited to “environmental” and “communication.” Besides, the choice of keywords made it specific to the studies involved in the BA, which may not include some other studies if the keywords are not listed.
Originality/value
The originality of the research focuses on the field of environmental communication, its evolution within previous literature and the comparison between BA and the use of ChatGPT for understanding trends and limitations within this field. The text touches upon various aspects, such as the historical context of environmental communication, the impact of technology, the trends in scientific production among Scopus journal papers and the limitations of using ChatGPT compared to BA.
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Josephine S.F. Chow, Andrew Hopkins, Hany Dimitri, Hui Tie, Rachael Williams, Rohan Rajaratnam, Sumana Gopinath, Suzana Lazarovska, Stanica Andrijevic, Upul Premawardhana, Veronica E. Gonzalez-Arce and Alan McDougall
This study has demonstrated how technology may contribute to integrated care solutions by comparing conventional ward telemetry (WT) to a wearable ECG monitor (S-Patch) to detect…
Abstract
Purpose
This study has demonstrated how technology may contribute to integrated care solutions by comparing conventional ward telemetry (WT) to a wearable ECG monitor (S-Patch) to detect atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with stroke.
Design/methodology/approach
51 patients admitted for stroke workup were recruited across two major tertiary centres to compare WT monitoring for two days versus S-Patch for four days in the detection of AF. The efficacy to detect AF using both technologies was assessed via data extractions and medical officer review. A matrix was used to measure nursing/patient satisfaction and setup/resource times were assessed.
Findings
Patients (84–94%) and nursing staff (75–95%) preferred the S-Patch wearable technology. Non-parametric tests indicated significant time saving for removal of S-Patch versus WT [2.2 min vs 5.1 min (p = 0.00)]. Efficacy of S-Patch to detect AF following medical officer review was greater than WT, with seven patients identified with AF by S-Patch versus one using WT. The S-patch had a false positive rate of 78%.
Research limitations/implications
The S-Patch is sensitive in the detection of AF; however, it showed a high false-positive rate with automated reporting. This study has provided insight into the details of delivery of integrated healthcare using wearable technology.
Originality/value
The technology and partnership were the first-in-kind in Australia. The S-Patch had a higher detection rate of AF compared to WT which allows patients to be anti-coagulated appropriately for the prevention of further stroke. The results of this study will be ideally placed to inform future policy in integrated healthcare using new technologies.
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Hakim Singh, Narinder Kumar and S. Rakhshand Suman
Introduction: The Udaan Scheme was implemented in response to enduring conflict, economic downturn, and employment scarcity. Under the Rangarajan Committee, the scheme aimed to…
Abstract
Introduction: The Udaan Scheme was implemented in response to enduring conflict, economic downturn, and employment scarcity. Under the Rangarajan Committee, the scheme aimed to address unemployment in a selected region through skill development programmes. Based on practical experience, Udaan aimed to build a competitive workforce for India and the global economy.
Purpose: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the success ratio of the Udaan Scheme in addressing the employment challenges faced by the youth.
Need of the study: The chapter highlights the potential of the scheme to be a part of a resilient industry for job employability in politically disturbed areas.
Methodology: The compiled data were analysed using a spreadsheet collected from online sources, providing information on the number of registrations for the skill development programme between March 2012 and May 2018, that is, the programme’s implementation in the pre-UT era, mainly sourced from the Udaan Impact Assessment Report and the Review of the Udaan Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
Findings: The programme, which provided professional training and increased the job-securing capacity of youth, has had a dismal success rate despite the government’s investment of Rs 246 crore. The initiative has employed less than 10,000 individuals, or at most 10% of the target population, falling short of its claimed goals.
Significance of the study in the global market: The scheme addresses unemployment and career development for educated youth, enhancing India’s economic growth and global competitiveness. By providing skill development and exposure to the corporate sector, it empowers youth and attracts international business opportunities. It aligns with global efforts to bridge the skills gap and showcases India’s commitment to human capital development in a conflict-driven state.
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The purpose of this paper is to cull out leadership lessons from one of India's oldest books on statecraft and economics – The Arthashastra by Kautilya – and present an Indian…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to cull out leadership lessons from one of India's oldest books on statecraft and economics – The Arthashastra by Kautilya – and present an Indian model of leadership which may be used by scholars and practitioners for leadership development in modern global context.
Design/methodology/approach
An analysis of Kautilya's teachings is done based on English translation of his original works by two eminent scholars. A model of leadership is derived on the basis of Kautilya's writings.
Findings
Kautilya presents a holistic perspective as he synthesizes the Eastern and Western approaches on leadership. His skill‐based and strategic approach gets support and direction from his value‐based, ethical considerations. Also, an in depth study of his writings shows that he was a precursor to a few leadership theories developed in the Western world in modern times.
Originality/value
Scholars have studied The Arthashastra as a treatise on economics, politics, diplomacy and statecraft. Lessons have also been drawn on a few aspects of management and leadership. There is no comprehensive commentary available on his views on leadership. In this paper, an attempt is made to develop a leadership model which integrates the Eastern and the Western approaches on leadership and can be used for leadership development in modern times.