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The theoretical contribution of this paper is that it identifies, explores and explains the stimulating impact of four reverse logistics concepts - which are: drivers and barriers, product types and characteristics, process and recovery options, and actors - on firms' waste reduction practices. The paper builds upon a theoretical framework of reverse logistics and an empirical study of firms in the Dutch metal industry. Its aim is to develop a model of four reverse logistics concepts that enables an analysis of waste management practices in industry. Although the model is based on a young and emerging field in the literature, and is applied in one-single specific industry and country, the model provides a useful analytical frame of reference for further research in the same and in different empirical settings. This paper's contribution to good practice is that it provides various avenues for practitioners to develop and employ a waste management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate responsibility (CR), as a business contribution to sustainable development, implies that the environment affects the organisation and the organisation reacts to its changing environment. In this way, CR can be understood as a cybernetic system operating across the interface between the organisation and its environment. This paper elaborates a cybernetic model of CR, and uses it to distinguish ways that managers sense change in their environment. Three ways to 'sense' change are compared: following trends, issues and events; picking up signals from stakeholders; and adjusting to sustainable development as a specific definition of 'progress'. The paper discusses the merits and limits of each approach. Conclusions are drawn in terms of implications for managing CR. Moreover, the cybernetic model is held to provide for a theory of CR that is more in line with the multi-disciplinary nature of practice than is found in ideas that derive from business ethics or stakeholder theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the relationship among information, knowledge and technology management, with special emphasis on their applications in developing economies and how they relate to sustainable development. It also discusses the role of the national Information Technology (IT) policies in providing enabling environments for Knowledge Management (KM) for sustainable development. Finally, the paper appraises the national IT policies in two African countries (Nigeria and Ethiopia) to further provide insight into the provision of enabling environment that can lead to the process of KM for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable growth and technological development are achievable. This is possible when there is good governance striving for a vibrant entrepreneurship, with innovation at its very centre. In this regard, North African countries' records are strikingly lagging. Progress has been made, but remains far from expectations and potentialities. As globalisation has now pushed innovation to the top of the development agenda, new policies and strategies are needed. Successful integration into the world business requires innovation-based growth using all qualified people and initiatives. In these countries, competencies and creative forces do exist, but their effective utilisation requires greatest attention. As little is written about the issue, this paper aims at discussing obstacles of innovation in the countries in question and proposes some feasible solutions. The paper will draw from published and unpublished work and make reference of some factual records. Policy implications will be identified and specific actions will be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that Sub-Saharan Africa is a passive bystander in the global 'knowledge economy' race. In this race, success hinges on a country's capacity to develop and apply tacit knowledge to production systems, resulting in wealth creation and an enhanced quality of life. This race is currently led by four regions, called knowledge engines, namely, the European Union, East Asia, India and the USA. However, China, Brazil and others are making quiet strides as contenders. Africa's quest to join the race is crippled by complex problems which, arguably, are best solved through the adoption of modern knowledge systems and tools. In this Catch-22 situation, Africa can join the race only through pragmatic regional and global initiatives and resources, which would assist the region to develop the capacity to acquire the knowledge needed to pursue sustainable development. The paper suggests initiatives to radically hasten Africa's pace in the knowledge economy race. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, mainstreaming knowledge management practices in government processes has assumed increasing importance. How have governments in Africa, if at all, incorporated knowledge management in governance and how inclusive has this process been? This paper will attempt to answer these key questions by examining the experiences and lessons learned in efforts to build knowledge management capacity across Africa. In doing so, the paper will provide a summary of the key presentations of the latest two-day conference, Knowledge Management as an Enabler of Change and Innovation in Africa (Cairo, 2007). Central to discussions was the need to create an enabling environment encouraging the adoption of knowledge management practices in Africa and the utilisation of indigenous knowledge assets as an important input in poverty alleviation strategies. More importantly, the paper outlines the challenges that can be observed and what opportunities for building the Africa Knowledge System are available. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of strategic and policy implications of these findings for achieving sustainable development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, firms are increasingly adopting ecodesign practices in order to design products with lower environmental impact. This paper reports on a study which investigated the adoption of ecodesign practices among a sample of 30 South African electronic design firms, explored through a mixed methods approach. Key findings indicate relatively low awareness of ecodesign practice and very few firms implementing these practices with specific, strategic intent. Outliers demonstrate and have accrued significant benefits. Among the sample, there were also firms that reaped benefits coincidentally through the application of sound engineering principles, suggesting scope for win-win scenarios. Regulations were considered to be the most important motivating factor whereas cost concerns and conflicts with other product requirements were identified as being important hindering factors. Firms reported benefiting in terms of gaining strategic advantage but few are achieving demonstrable cost advantages. This study suggests that there is considerable scope for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a quantitative analysis of different equilibrium concepts employed in the literature on the cartel-fringe models. It is shown that small changes in parameter values can greatly affect outcomes due to changes in extraction schedules. Furthermore, it is shown that results of the closed-loop Stackelberg equilibrium are often closer to the results of the open-loop Nash equilibrium than to those of the open-loop Stackelberg equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The causal link between accessibility to resources and economic development is frequently claimed, but not always supported by evidence-based studies. This is also the case for increased access to public sector information which is believed to offer major opportunities to boost innovation and growth, and contribute to reducing current economic difficulties. Recognising that little is present in the literature to support conclusively this belief, this paper discusses the main issues that arise when trying to assess the impact of open public sector data on innovation and growth in the private sector. The authors focus in particular on the impact of publicly accessible spatial environmental information on small and medium enterprises, presenting some research questions and proposing a research strategy to address them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability discourse has largely played out in the domains of natural sciences and technology, with recent contributions from the social and political sciences. These contributions have been significant and our understanding of sustainability challenges has improved greatly over the past three decades. However, our individual, organisational and collective actions have lagged behind and the actual problems of sustainability have become worse in the same period. In this paper we argue that we can get better action and behavioural commitments to sustainability by using the arts, art-based methods, and aesthetics to develop passion and emotional connection for sustainable organising and living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides a classification for the literature on the relationship between sustainable business management and competitiveness. The researchers analysed journal articles published from 1999 to 2010 and found that they address the competitive advantages of sustainable business management not only in terms of innovation and economic performance (e.g., cost saving and profitability), but also of eco-efficiency. Using the multidimensional scaling approach, the researchers identified three main semantic dimensions: a) the operational dimension; b) the market dimension; c) the environmental dimension. Based on this representation, the environmental and the operational dimensions are distant from the area including market advantages for the firm. It is arguable that the approach used to analyse sustainable business management and competitiveness will be more and more tri-dimensional and multidisciplinary in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction to the special issue on managing knowledge and technology for sustainable development in Africa outlines the background to it and the technological transformation occurring in, and necessary for, African countries. It then discusses the papers presented and concludes with a section on the way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]