Ecologically related transformation of the logistics theory: directions and content

In the context of sustainable development, the need to improve the models of functioning and development of society, as well as the scientific knowledge underlying them is urgent. In particular, an ecologically oriented improvement of logistics science is needed to ensure the full use of its tools to resolve the modern socio-ecological and economic problems of resource use. In this regard, it is important to identify the directions and content of the ecologically related transformation of theoretical and methodological foundations of logistics, which is the purpose of this article. The paper outlines the main directions of logistic theory change in the context of the sustainable development paradigm. These changes embrace the improvement of the methodological basis of logistic science on the ground of provisions of ecological economics, environmental ethics, and principles of industrial ecology, etc. As a result, modern logistic management goals and objectives include environmental and social targets, and wider interpretation of material flow allows to manage the waste, emissions, secondary materials, and flaw components. The improvement of a methodical framework of logistic decision-making is associated with the environmentally adjusted calculation and analysis of total costs, proceeding from the assessment of environmental aspects of flow processes through the use of material flows analysis and life cycle assessment tools. Thus, the conceptual provisions of logistics may be used to solve various tasks in the context of sustainable development, in particular: to minimize the negative environmental impact of certain production process, enterprise, network (supply chain), as well as to form the regulatory framework for the promotion of ecoindustrial parks.

A Resilience Approach to Symbiosis Networks of Ecoindustrial Parks Based on Cascading Failure Model

Evaluation and improvement of resilience in ecoindustrial parks have been the pressing issues to be addressed in the study of safety. In this paper, eco-industrial systems are extracted as symbiosis networks by using social network analysis first. We then construct a novel cascading failure model and propose an evaluation method of node importance according to the features of symbiosis networks of eco-industrial parks. Based on the cascading model, an effective new method, that is, the critical threshold, is put forward to quantitatively assess the resilience of symbiosis networks of eco-industrial parks. Some theoretical analysis is furthermore provided to the critical threshold. Finally, we take Jinjie eco-industrial system in Shanxi Province of China as a case to investigate its resilience. The key potential nodes are identified by using our model. We also find the respective relation among the resilience of symbiosis networks and the parameters in our cascading model. Theoretical analysis results and numerical simulations both show the optimal value of the tunable load parameter with which the strongest resilience level against cascading failures can be attained in symbiosis networks of eco-industrial parks.

Life-Cycle-Based Multicriteria Sustainability Evaluation of Industrial Parks: A Case Study in China

Along with increasing concerns on environmental protection and global warming mitigation, new industrial organization modes such as “Ecoindustrial Park” and “Low Carbon Industrial Park” are emerging. Since ecoindustrial parks and low carbon industrial parks may offer multifaceted benefits to the users, it naturally follows that the sustainability assessment of the industrial parks ought to adopt a multicriteria methodology. In this paper, a multicriteria sustainable evaluation framework is proposed in combination with the life cycle analysis and applied to a low carbon and high end industrial park (LCHE) in Beijing, China. Results show that the LCHE industrial park can contribute to both energy-saving and greenhouse gas emission mitigations compared with other industrial parks. In terms of economic performance, although the economic profits are considerable, the investment per constructed area is relatively high. The results of sustainable analysis of the LCHE industrial park can thus shed light on future upgrading of industrial parks.

Trust and Networking in Inter-firm Relations: the Case of Eco-industrial Development

Despite much rhetoric concerning the implementation of sustainable development within local and regional economic development strategies, very few concrete examples exist of projects that combine economic, social and environmental aims. However, recently, a number of developments have occurred, based around ideas drawn from industrial ecology. These ecoindustrial parks seek to reduce environmental impacts, while at the same time improving business competitiveness and creating jobs. Eco-industrial parks rely upon creating networks of material and by-product flows between participating firms. However, it is frequently assumed that the trust and cooperation between firms that this involves will arise automatically. In this paper it is argued that a much more nuanced approach is needed, drawing upon work in economic geography and regional economics on trust, networking and untraded interdependencies.