Today, increasingly more, the word sustainability is present in all kinds of discussions: at home, at work, at school, in all society. Conscious of the environment where we live everybody looks to find the best solutions to solve problems that result from Human Being evolution. Management for a sustainable development appears as a process from which organizations try to use all its resources, as well as improve its organizational and technological development, in order to answer not only to the present but also to future human and social needs. Only in this way is it possible to improve the quality of life. Seen in this way, sustainable development is understood to be people centred. We have a special concern with cultural, social and economic dimensions, where individuals can develop, together as a society, whilst at the same time individual and organizational activities can be implemented without destroying the present diversity and complexity of the ecological system where we live. Taking into account these concerns, this book looks to cover issues related to the management for sustainable development in a context where organizations are continually facing high challenges for what concerns the items related to, amongst others, the re-use, recycling, waste reduction, add value, low costs and time of production, sustainable behaviour, not only in an environmental perspective but also in an organizational perspective. Today’s organizations can no longer develop their practices based in the existent paradigms. On the contrary, it is necessary to completely break from these paradigms, creating a total change of mentality in the way we manage the organizational activities. Taking into account this reality, managing for a sustainable development appears as a management philosophy focused in productivity improvement considering different kinds of goals, such as biological, economic and social systems goals. Conscious of this reality, this book contributes to the exchange of experiences and perspectives about the state of research related to the management for a sustainable development, as well as the future direction of this research field. It looks to provide a support to academics and researchers, as well as those operating in the management field and who need to deal with policies and strategies related to sustainable development issues.

This book highlights the vital necessity for combining sustainable development processes from different areas, with applications in areas such as science, education and production sectors. These sectors have previously been separated by linguistic and technological barriers. Breaking down these barriers will allow an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary flow of information, leading to greater efficiency, and towards a more real resilient and sustainable economy development. This book fills in the gap in respect of publications addressing aspects of innovation and sustainable development and focuses on a range of areas, such as I. Gradual transition to innovative development; II. Continuity of technology in education, science and industry; III. Convergency directions, interdisciplinary relations in scientific research; IV. Digital technologies for sustainable development; V. Global trends and regional aspects of innovation and traditions in environmental management; VI. International legal regulations and environmental and economic relations among business communities. The publication fosters the global efforts towards taking better advantage of the many opportunities which innovation in specific areas may offer.

A rapidly growing population, industrialization, modernization, luxury life style, and overall urbanization are associated with the generation of enhanced wastes. The inadequate management of the ever-growing amount of waste has degraded the quality of the natural resources on a regional, state, and country basis, and consequently threatens public health as well as global environmental security. Therefore, there is an existent demand for the improvement of sustainable, efficient, and low-cost technologies to monitor and properly manage the huge quantities of waste and convert these wastes into energy sources. Innovative Waste Management Technologies for Sustainable Development is an essential reference source that discusses management of different types of wastes and provides relevant theoretical frameworks about new waste management technologies for the control of air, water, and soil pollution. This publication also explores the innovative concept of waste-to-energy and its application in safeguarding the environment. Featuring research on topics such as pollution management, vermicomposting, and crude dumping, this book is ideally designed for environmentalists, policymakers, professionals, researchers, scientists, industrialists, and environmental agencies.

This book analyses state-of-the-art techniques in business process management as drivers of advanced entrepreneurship, financial management, supply chain management, and sustainability management. The role of management in a rapidly-changing environment and the use of innovative methods and techniques to address and solve key management problems are also explored.

An increasingly competitive environment can lead to considerable problems for many organizations as they struggle to adapt to change. As a result, they fail to create the conditions that can lead to sustainable development over the long term, thus affecting the capabilities of employees. This book provides a fresh perspective on sustainable change and development in organizations, as well as a critical perspective on lean implementation, work environment and sustainability. The expert contributors address the development in, and of, organizations, as well as the development process between organizations, such as in networks or clusters. They discuss topics, such as the role of customers in the development of public organizations; developing knowledgeable practice at work; exploring evidence-based practice and the challenge of regional gender contracts. Undergraduates and postgraduates in different management fields including organizational theory, innovation, human resources, quality development and entrepreneurship will find this book to be of interest. The empirical results and interdisciplinary approach will appeal to practitioners and policy-makers at national, as well as international levels.

In today's business landscape, a pressing challenge looms large – the harmonious integration of digitalization, innovation, and sustainable development. As organizations grapple with the dizzying pace of digital transformation, they also confront the imperative of sustainability. Yet, the synergy between these two crucial facets remains uncharted territory, leaving a void in both academic discourse and practical application. Convergence of Digitalization, Innovation, and Sustainable Development in Business emerges as the much-needed solution to the complex interplay of digitalization, innovation, and sustainable development. Drawing from the insights of leading scholars and practitioners convened at the International Conference on Digitalization, Innovations, and Sustainable Development, this book offers a meticulously curated selection of papers that illuminate the path forward. For university professors, researchers, students, and industry practitioners, this book is an indispensable resource. It offers a multifaceted exploration of the intersection between digitalization and sustainable development, empowering organizations with a diverse array of digital innovative solutions and strategies. With topics spanning sustainable supply chain management, renewable energy innovations, smart cities, sustainable finance, and more, this book is poised to make a profound impact on academia and real-world decision-making processes.

Sustainable innovation (SI) is considered to be a key driver of societal progress in an era of enormous economic, environmental and societal challenges, and the uncertainties and future consequences that come with them. This book provides evidence, insights and reflections related to specific issues of governance, the management of sustainable innovation and applying a multi-level, multi-stakeholder approach to sustainable innovation analysis. Building on the European Commission (EU) funded research project “Public Participation in Developing a Common Framework for the Assessment and Management of Sustainable innovation” (CASI), it presents tools for assessing and managing sustainable innovation, and reflects on SI-related policies as well as citizens’ aspirations. The book is intended for scholars in the field of sustainable innovation, as well as to policymakers, innovators, students and citizens.

Ian Maxwell applies decades of research and application to present a novel approach to innovation, with an emphasis on sustainable and renewable practices that benefit many, and not just a handful of executives and shareholders. Featuring examples from a wide range of innovators around the world, from Google to Genentech to the Masdar “clean” city initiative in Abu Dhabi, Maxwell argues that organizations that embrace structured innovation management systems and drive a “top down” innovation culture will achieve sustainable high growth and strong shareholder returns. Countries that provide the right physical, financial and human resource infrastructure to support a highly innovative macro-economic environment will experience both strong GPD growth and high living standards. Those companies and countries that fail to support innovation will struggle to compete and raise living standards, respectively. Maxwell considers the cases of China and India, whose low-cost innovation strategies are posing a serious competitive threat to established multinationals in the developed world, and considers the impact of innovation on such timely issues as climate change, environmental pollution, fossil fuel shortages, third world poverty, rising healthcare costs and ageing populations.