Applying King et al.'s taxonomy to frame the IS discipline's engagement in green IS discourse

This paper considers how the IS discipline can engage with discourse on the institutions and their interventions which influence and regulate green IS innovation. To consider possible responses, we apply King et al.’s (1994) taxonomy, based on Institutional Theory, to frame a research agenda to guide future exploration and debate on the interventions to facilitate green IS innovation. Through the application of the taxonomy, we derive several pertinent questions for the discipline to consider as part of this debate. We conclude that the IS discipline can, and indeed should, play a more prominent role both through traditional responses (e.g., descriptive studies of green IS methodologies, organisational best practice, maturity models, etc.), but also through more active engagement in the form of participation and advocacy in shaping future green policy and regulation.

Determinants of green supply chain implementation in the food and beverage sector

Using a grounded theory approach, this paper extracts emerging concepts in the implementation of green supply chain management from case data of New Zealand food and beverage (F&B) companies. In search of factors that may lead to theory-building, the study relates case studies in fruit, juice, and dairy product companies through in-depth interviews with ranking general and line managers. We uncover the outline of a theoretical framework focusing on determinants of GSCM behaviour. These include strategic and operational planning; management structure, systems, and decision-making; management of people and company culture; and relationships with supply-chain members.

Analysing stakeholder-associated risks in green buildings : a social network analysis method

In the research of risk associated with developing energy and water efficient green buildings, previous studies had mainly focused on "what the risks are and how the risks may impact on project objectives", which were from an inward looking self-perspective and treated the risks in isolation from one another. While intensive research efforts have been dedicated to risk identification, assessment, classification, prioritisation and mitigation, a research gap exists, that is previous studies had ignored the fact that most risks are interrelated and associated with internal or external project stakeholders. To remedy the gap, this current research developed and presented a SNA (Social Network Analysis) based stakeholder-associated risk analysis method to assess risks in green buildings and the interactions between the risks. A case study has been conducted to demonstrate and validate this method. This research contributes to the development of a new theory to model the interdependent and interactive relationships of risks by using SNA as a methodology. This research should broaden project managers' awareness of the influential risks in green building and enhance their ability to perceive, understand, assess, and mitigate the risks in an effective and efficient way, thereby achieving higher performance in strategic risk management and stakeholder communication in green building development.

An evaluation of the role of green marketing and a firm's internal practices for environmental sustainability

The management of a firm's green operations is increasingly important for marketing strategists. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cross-influences of green marketing strategy and the key internal green functional areas in a firm. We use the antecedents of marketing strategy and identify relationships between green marketing strategy and key supporting internal environmental operations of firms with respect to (1) green suppliers, (2) environmental resource management, (3) green research and development, and (4) environmental manufacturing processes and procedures. The statistical techniques of parallel analysis, factor analysis and multiple regressions are used to analyze data collected from 332 firms. The results identify that among the four functional areas of firms adopting green marketing strategy. Two are more likely to influence green marketing strategy – supplier selection and research and development. Implications are discussed. The findings contribute to the theory of green marketing strategy. Future research is recommended.

The essential role of social theory in qualitative public health research

OBJECTIVE: To define the role of social theory and examine how research studies using qualitative methods can use social theory to generalize their results beyond the setting of the study or to other social groups. APPROACH: The assumptions underlying public health research using qualitative methods derive from a range of social theories that include conflict theory, structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, the sociology of knowledge and feminism. Depending on the research problem, these and other social theories provide conceptual tools and models for constructing a suitable research framework, and for collecting and analysing data. In combination with the substantive health literature, the theoretical literature provides the conceptual bridge that links the conclusions of the study to other social groups and settings. CONCLUSION: While descriptive studies using qualitative research methods can generate important insights into social experience, the use of social theory in the construction and conduct of research enables researchers to extrapolate their findings to settings and groups broader than the ones in which the research was conducted.

The green waves of environmental sustainability in sport

 The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework surrounding the typology of environmental sustainability efforts made within the sport industry. We draw from multiple theoretical frameworks (i.e. institutional theory and diffusion of innovation) to understand the increased similarities of environmental sustainability efforts through organizational learning as environmental sustainability efforts become more purposeful and sophisticated across the sport industry. The paper uses examples from various sport organizations and leagues to classify the efforts of sport organizations into waves of sport environmental sustainability efforts and important implications arising from them.

An evaluation of the role of green marketing and a firm's internal practices for environmental sustainability

The management of a firm's green operations is increasingly important for marketing strategists. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cross-influences of green marketing strategy and the key internal green functional areas in a firm. We use the antecedents of marketing strategy and identify relationships between green marketing strategy and key supporting internal environmental operations of firms with respect to (1) green suppliers, (2) environmental resource management, (3) green research and development, and (4) environmental manufacturing processes and procedures. The statistical techniques of parallel analysis, factor analysis and multiple regressions are used to analyze data collected from 332 firms. The results identify that among the four functional areas of firms adopting green marketing strategy. Two are more likely to influence green marketing strategy – supplier selection and research and development. Implications are discussed. The findings contribute to the theory of green marketing strategy. Future research is recommended.

Equivalence of many-photon Green's functions in the Duffin-Kemmer-Petiau and Klein-Gordon-Fock statistical quantum field theories

Using the functional integral formalism for the statistical generating functional in the statistical (finite temperature) quantum field theory, we prove the equivalence of many-photon Greens functions in the Duffin-Kennner-Petiau and Klein-Gordon-Fock statistical quantum field theories. As an illustration, we calculate the one-loop polarization operators in both theories and demonstrate their coincidence.

Scalar quantum field theory in disordered media

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Equivalence of many-gluon Green's functions in the Duffin-Kemmer-Petieu and Klein-Gordon-Fock statistical quantum field theories

We prove the equivalence of many-gluon Green's functions in the Duffin-Kemmer-Petieu and Klein-Gordon-Fock statistical quantum field theories. The proof is based on the functional integral formulation for the statistical generating functional in a finite-temperature quantum field theory. As an illustration, we calculate one-loop polarization operators in both theories and show that their expressions indeed coincide.

Hamilton-Jacobi formalism to Podolsky electromagnetic theory on the null-plane

In this work we develop the Hamilton - Jacobi formalism to study the Podolsky electromagnetic theory on the null-plane coordinates. We calculate the generators of the Podolsky theory and check the integrability conditions. Appropriate boundary conditions are introduced to assure uniqueness of the Green functions associated to the differential operators. Non-involutive constraints in the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism are eliminated by constructing their respective generalized brackets. © 2013 American Institute of Physics.

Selecting green suppliers based on GSCM practices: Using fuzzy TOPSIS applied to a Brazilian electronics company

Due to an increased awareness and significant environmental pressures from various stakeholders, companies have begun to realize the significance of incorporating green practices into their daily activities. This paper proposes a framework using Fuzzy TOPSIS to select green suppliers for a Brazilian electronics company; our framework is built on the criteria of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices. An empirical analysis is made, and the data are collected from a set of 12 available suppliers. We use a fuzzy TOPSIS approach to rank the suppliers, and the results of the proposed framework are compared with the ranks obtained by both the geometric mean and the graded mean methods of fuzzy TOPSIS methodology. Then a Spearman rank correlation coefficient is used to find the statistical difference between the ranks obtained by the three methods. Finally, a sensitivity analysis has been performed to examine the influence of the preferences given by the decision makers for the chosen GSCM practices on the selection of green suppliers. Results indicate that the four dominant criteria are Commitment of senior management to GSCM; Product designs that reduce, reuse, recycle, or reclaim materials, components, or energy; Compliance with legal environmental requirements and auditing programs; and Product designs that avoid or reduce toxic or hazardous material use. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Problemas de valor de contorno não clássicos: uma abordagem usando funções de Green

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Predição de campo elétrico para TV digital usando Funções de Green diádicas

Este trabalho oferece um método para a predição da intensidade de campo elétrico para TV Digital utilizando a Função de Green diádica. A Diádica é uma ferramenta matemática eficiente que tem simplicidade simbólica e robustez permitindo, assim, que algumas características do meio (como permissividade, condutividade e permeabilidade, por exemplo) sejam consideradas na elaboração do modelo de campo elétrico, bem como levar em conta a anisotropia do meio. Na maior parte dos trabalhos correlatos, que utilizam as funções de Green diádicas, estão relacionados na faixa de VHF. Este trabalho irá apresentar desde os conceitos básicos das diádicas, desenvolvendo-a para o cálculo de um modelo que permita predizer o campo elétrico para a faixa de UHF, na qual os sistemas de TV Digital se encontram. Uma explanação teórica e um desenvolvimento matemático serão feitos de forma que um entendimento claro e objetivo sejam alcançados no estudo das funções de Green diádicas, numa parte da teoria do eletromagnetismo. Testes foram realizados para confirmar a aplicabilidade da formulação sugerida, fazendo simulações que realizem uma comparação entre os dados medidos, de duas emissoras de TV situadas na cidade de Belém, e o modelo de Okumura-Hata modificado, mostrando resultados satisfatórios, tanto para frequências na faixa de VHF e UHF.

A real-time thermal field theoretical analysis of Kubo-type shear viscosity: Numerical understanding with simple examples

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)