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Community Engagement for Sustainable Practices in Higher Education: From Awareness to Action
by Prabhat Mittal Rachna BansalThis book provides a deeper understanding of the concept of community engagement in higher education, encompassing crucial aspects such as stakeholder involvement, collaboration, community organization, and mobilization. It highlights the pivotal role of student engagement in promoting sustainable practices within higher education. The book goes beyond theory by showcasing real-world case studies and best practices from various institutions on successful student-led sustainability projects, campaigns, and initiatives. Furthermore, it uniquely highlights students' efforts in digitalizing communities, reflecting the relevance of technology in modern sustainability practices. It offers actionable insights to effectively engage students and empower them to translate their passion for sustainability into tangible actions. In doing so, the book equips readers to bridge the awareness-action gap, empowering students to implement sustainability practices in real life.
Community Engagement in Post-Disaster Recovery (Routledge Studies in Hazards, Disaster Risk and Climate Change)
by Graham Marsh Iftekhar Ahmed Martin Mulligan Jenny Donovan And Steve BartonCommunity Engagement in Post-Disaster Recovery reflects a wide array of practical experiences in working with disaster-affected communities internationally. It demonstrates that widely held assumptions about the benefits of community consultation and engagement in disaster recovery work need to be examined more critically because poorly conceived and hastily implemented community engagement strategies have sometimes exacerbated divisions within affected communities and/or resulted in ineffective use of aid funding. It is equally demonstrated that well-crafted, creative and thoughtful programming is possible. The wide collection of case studies of practical experience from around the world is presented to help establish ways of working with communities experiencing great challenges. The book offers practical suggestions on how to give more substance to the rhetoric of community consultation and engagement in these areas of work. It suggests the need to work with a dynamic understanding of community formation that is particularly relevant when people experience unforeseen challenges and traumatic experiences. This title interrogates the concept of community through an extensive review of the literature and explores the ways of working with communities in transition and particularly in their recovery phases through an array of case studies in a range of socioeconomic and political contexts. Focused on the concept of community in post-disaster recovery solutions—an aspect which has received little critical interrogation in the literature—this book will be a valuable resource to students and scholars in disaster management as well as humanitarian agencies.
Community Food Initiatives: A Critical Reparative Approach (Routledge Studies in Food, Society and the Environment)
by Oona Morrow Esther Veen Stefan WahlenThis book examines a diverse range of community food initiatives in light of their everyday practices, innovations, and contestations. While community food initiatives aim to tackle issues like food security, food waste, or food poverty, it is a cause for concern for many when they are framed as the next big "solution" to the problems of the current industrialised food system. They have been critiqued for being too neoliberal, elitist, and localist; for not challenging structural inequalities (e.g. racism, privilege, exclusion, colonialism, capitalism); and for reproducing these inequalities within their own contexts. This edited volume examines the everyday realities of community food initiatives, focusing on both their hopes and their troubles, their limitations and failures, but also their best intentions, missions, and models, alongside their capacity to create hope in difficult times. The stories presented in this book are grounded in contemporary theoretical debates on neoliberalism, diverse economies, food justice, community and inclusion, and social innovation, and help to sharpen these as conceptual tools for interrogating community food initiatives as sites of both hope and trouble. The novelty of this volume is its focus on the everyday doings of these initiatives in particular places and contexts, with different constraints and opportunities. This grounded, relational, and place-based approach allows us to move beyond more traditional framings in which community food initiatives are either applauded for their potential or criticized for their limitations. It enables researchers and practitioners to explore how community food initiatives can realize their potential for creating alternative food futures and generates innovative pathways for theorising the mutual interplay of food production and consumption. This volume will be of great interest to students and scholars of critical food studies, food security, public health, and nutrition as well as human geographers, sociologists, and anthropologists with an interest in food.
Community Futures, Legal Architecture: Foundations for Indigenous Peoples in the Global Mining Boom
by Marcia Langton Judy LongbottomHow are indigenous and local people faring in their dealings with mining and related industries in the first part of the 21st century? The unifying experience in all the resource-rich states covered in the book is the social and economic disadvantage experienced by indigenous peoples and local communities, paradoxically surrounded by wealth-producing projects. Another critical commonality is the role of law. Where the imposition of statutory regulation is likely to result in conflict with local people, some large modern corporations have shown a preference for alternatives to repressive measures and expensive litigation. Ensuring that local people benefit economically is now a core goal for those companies that seek a social licence to operate to secure these resources. There is almost universal agreement that the best use of the financial and other benefits that flow to indigenous and local people from these projects is investment in the economic participation, education and health of present generations and accumulation of wealth for future generations. There is much hanging on the success of these strategies: it is often asserted that they will result in dramatic improvements in the status of indigenous and local communities. What happens in practice is fascinating, as the contributors to this book explain in case studies and analysis of legal and economic problems and solutions.
Community Governance and Citizen-Driven Initiatives in Climate Change Mitigation (Routledge Advances in Climate Change Research)
by Jens Hoff Quentin GaussetOne of the most heartening developments in climate change mitigation in recent years has been the increasing attention paid to the principle of ‘thinking globally and acting locally’. The failure of the international community to reach significant global agreements on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has led local governments, environmental organisations and citizens themselves to focus increasingly on the local possibilities for action on climate change. This book analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the co-production of climate policies that take place where citizen engagement and local initiatives converge with public agencies. Case studies from Northern Europe, Australia/New Zealand and the USA reveal that traditional individualist approaches to promoting environmental behaviour epitomised by information campaigns and economic incentives cannot trigger the deep behavioural changes required to materially improve our response to climate change. Only by marshalling the forces of thousands, and eventually millions of citizens, can we manage to reach environmental sceptics, reinforce political action and create the new social norms that are sorely needed in our local, and global, response to climate change. This book will be of great relevance to scholars and policy makers with an interest in climate change politics and governance, community engagement and sustainable development.
Community Impact Evaluation: Principles And Practice
by Nathaniel LichfieldThis is a work summarizing in one volume the pioneering approach of the author to public-interest decision-taking in the field of urban & regional planning. This book is aimed at students, researchers and professionals in planning. Nathaniel Lichfield first introduced in his "Economics of Planned Development" the concept that, in any use and development of land, the traditional "development balance sheet" of the developers needed to be accompanied by a "planning balance sheet" prepared by the planning officer or planning authority. Over the forty years since this work was published, the author has brought to the operational level the "planning balance sheet", with many case studies, primarily for consultancy purposes. The present title reflects the incorporation during the 1970s of the then emerging field of environmental impact assessment.
Community Nutrition Resilience in Greater Miami: Feeding Communities in the Face of Climate Change (Palgrave Studies in Climate Resilient Societies)
by Franziska Alesso-BendischThis book conceptualizes community nutrition resilience as a critical area that is currently lacking the attention it requires from both the public and private sectors. The book spotlights Greater Miami’s resilience efforts, both responding to slowly developing challenges such as immigration, environmental deterioration, and the wealth distribution gap, as well as sudden disasters such as hurricanes or flooding driven by climate change. Drawing on existing literature as well as interviews with professionals working in the field, the author makes recommendations on how to incorporate food systems into urban resilience planning, how to prioritize resilience on urban food agendas, and how to strengthen food system resilience through public, private, and third sector level engagement. She also highlights how the availability of and access to nutritious food impact the health, performance, and well-being of communities in the region, thus making a strong case for the prioritization of this growing issue.
Community-Owned Transport (Transport and Mobility)
by Leigh GloverCity and state governments around the world are struggling to achieve environmentally sustainable transport. Economic, technological, city and transport planning and human behaviour solutions are often hampered by ineffective implementation. So attention is now turning to institutional, governmental and political barriers. Approaches to these implementation problems assume that transport ownership can only be public (owned by state entities) or private (corporate or personal). Another option – largely unexplored to date – is communal ownership of transport.Community-Owned Transport proposes and develops the notion that communal ownership has a historical basis and provides unique opportunities for providing personal mobility. It looks at the historical roots of modern urban transport’s failings as those of technological change and the associated governing of transport systems, particularly the role of public sector institutions. Community ownership is explored through the new ‘sharing economy’ developments – car sharing, ridesharing and bicycle share schemes – and older social innovations in ecovillages and communal living. Models and practices of community ownership of transport are provided and this study also discusses how community ownership might contribute to sustainable transport.Drawing widely on different disciplines and fields of scholarship, this book explores the conceptual and practical aspects of communal ownership of transport. It will be a valuable resource for those seeking innovative approaches to addressing the pressing problems of transport, including graduate and postgraduate students, as well as policymakers, practitioners and community groups.
Community Planning: An Introduction to the Comprehensive Plan, Second Edition
by Eric Damian KellyThis book introduces community planning as practiced in the United States, focusing on the comprehensive plan. Sometimes known by other names--especially master plan or general plan--the type of plan described here is the predominant form of general governmental planning in the U.S. Although many government agencies make plans for their own programs or facilities, the comprehensive plan is the only planning document that considers multiple programs and that accounts for activities on all land located within the planning area, including both public and private property. Written by a former president of the American Planning Association, Community Planning is thorough, specific, and timely. It addresses such important contemporary issues as sustainability, walkable communities, the role of urban design in public safety, changes in housing needs for a changing population, and multi-modal transportation planning. Unlike competing books, it addresses all of these topics in the context of the local comprehensive plan. There is a broad audience for this book: planning students, practicing planners, and individual citizens who want to better understand local planning and land use controls. Boxes at the end of each chapter explain how professional planners and individual citizens, respectively, typically engage the issues addressed in the chapter. For all readers, Community Planning provides a pragmatic view of the comprehensive plan, clearly explained by a respected authority.
Community Practices for Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan (Disaster Risk Reduction)
by Rajib ShawThis book presents key lessons from community-based risk-reduction practices in Japan, a country that is often hit by disasters and that also has shown strong resilience in coping with those disasters. Japan has a strong governance system for disaster risk reduction. However, the Kobe earthquake of 1995 showed the importance of community involvement in disaster response as well as recovery. With several examples from different parts of Japan, the book elaborates on the importance of community-based risk reduction and the innovations required for sustaining some of the community approaches. The book has 13 chapters and is divided into three parts: (1) Evolution of community-based risk reduction in Japan; (2) Community-based risk-reduction issues; and (3) Case studies. The primary target groups for this book are students and researchers in the fields of environment, disaster risk reduction, and climate change studies. The book provides them with a good idea of the current research trends in the field and furnishes basic knowledge about these vital topics. Another target group comprises practitioners and policy makers, who will be able to apply the knowledge collected here to policy and decision-making.
Community Resilience When Disaster Strikes: Security and Community Health in UK Flood Zones (Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications)
by Sonny S. PatelThis book addresses the operationalization of community resilience in the United Kingdom (UK) in connection with severe floods. Written for early academic professionals, students, and community practitioners, it investigates the educational and practical meaning and application of community resilience using a UK-centric local-level case study. Exploring the perceptions of both those who have been affected by a natural hazard and those who have not, the book reveals how trust, community resources, and neighborhood security can offer effective ways of bringing communities together after a natural hazard. The author introduces the topic of community resilience as it applies to disasters in Chapter 1 and its implications for securing and improving the wellbeing of disaster-affected communities in Chapters 2 and 3. In Chapter 4, the lessons learned contributing to the available information and research on community resilience are reviewed. Finally, the author offers recommendations and outlines future directions in coping with the uncertainty and insecurity caused by natural hazards in Chapter 5.
Community Rights, Conservation and Contested Land: The Politics of Natural Resource Governance in Africa
by Fred NelsonNatural resource governance is central to the outcomes of biodiversity conservation efforts and to patterns of economic development, particularly in resource-dependent rural communities. The institutional arrangements that define natural resource governance are outcomes of political processes, whereby numerous groups with often-divergent interests negotiate for access to and control over resources. These political processes determine the outcomes of resource governance reform efforts, such as widespread attempts to decentralize or devolve greater tenure over land and resources to local communities. This volume examines the political dynamics of natural resource governance processes through a range of comparative case studies across east and southern Africa. These cases include both local and national settings, and examine issues such as land rights, tourism development, wildlife conservation, participatory forest management, and the impacts of climate change, and are drawn from both academics and field practitioners working across the region. Published with IUCN, The Bradley Fund for the Environment, SASUSG and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Community Science in Ecology: Case Studies of Public Participation in Ecological Research in Japan (Ecological Research Monographs)
by Yukari Suzuki-OhnoThis book introduces community science (or citizen science) projects in Japan with a focus on ecology. Environments and ecosystems that have been slowly built up over time are changing and collapsing dramatically. In this rapidly changing environment, ecologists need to collaborate with volunteers in their research and activities to investigate and conserve a vast area. This book aims to guide ecologists in the practice of community science. The authors, who are leading ecologists and practitioners of community science projects, share their methods and lessons learned from practice. The book begins with the definition of community science and the following chapters introduce monitoring in ecological community science, using various methods such as observation, specimens, photographs, videos, sounds, and environmental DNA. Readers can learn about the advantages and disadvantages of these methods in ecological community science monitoring. The book also coverstopics such as scientific communication, data obtained from ecological community science monitoring, the rights of participants, decision-making in community science, and conservation activities with volunteers such as invasive alien species extermination and nature restoration. This book serves as a valuable resource for readers interested in ecological community science and its practice. The book is suitable for both undergraduate students and researchers as well as practitioners.
Community Seed Banks: Origins, Evolution and Prospects (Issues in Agricultural Biodiversity)
by Ronnie Vernooy Pitambar Shrestha Bhuwon SthapitCommunity seed banks first appeared towards the end of the 1980s, established with the support of international and national non-governmental organizations. This book is the first to provide a global review of their development and includes a wide range of case studies. Countries that pioneered various types of community seed banks include Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Zimbabwe. In the North, a particular type of community seed bank emerged known as a seed-savers network. Such networks were first established in Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA before spreading to other countries. Over time, the number and diversity of seed banks has grown. In Nepal, for example, there are now more than 100 self-described community seed banks whose functions range from pure conservation to commercial seed production. In Brazil, community seed banks operate in various regions of the country. Surprisingly, despite 25 years of history and the rapid growth in number, organizational diversity and geographical coverage of community seed banks, recognition of their roles and contributions has remained scanty. The book reviews their history, evolution, experiences, successes and failures (and reasons why), challenges and prospects. It fills a significant gap in the literature on agricultural biodiversity and conservation, and their contribution to food sovereignty and security.
Community Seed Production Sustainability in Rice-Wheat Farming
by Narayan Prasad Khanal Keshav Lall MaharjanThis book analyzes the sustainability of community seed production under a rice-wheat farming system from microeconomic perspectives, considering how seed producers benefit from community seed production and how those benefits continue into the future. Seed producers' performance in resource management, governance and marketing strategies indicates current benefits, whereas soil conservation and risk-management practices provide the basis for future benefits. Community seed production is a local-level seed management system owned by farmers. This system provides the institutional mechanism to supply diversified seed demands of open-pollinated varieties of food crops in a cost-effective way in rural regions. Being able to address the concerns of food insecurity, poverty, climate stress and biodiversity loss in programs and policies of development agencies, community seed production is gaining popularity among the farmers and the policy makers in developing countries. This book discusses the issues of organizational governance of the community seed producers' groups and links them with household-level benefits to understand the organizational dynamism and the probable development paths of such organizations in the future. It also highlights the necessity to institutionalize lessons learned in community seed production in the stakeholders' programs and policies. These understandings provide a basis for formulating policies for strengthening the system in developing countries. Students, researchers, policy makers and donor agencies working with CSP in the developing world will find this book useful in broadening their understanding of CSP in general and its sustainability in particular.
Community, State, and Market on the North Atlantic Rim: Challenges to Modernity in the Fisheries
by Bonnie Mccay Gene Barrett Knut Mikalsen Leigh Mazany Petter Holm Richard Apostle Svein JentoftThis is a study of Northern Norway and Atlantic Canada, two regions experiencing a severe crisis due to overexploitation of fisheries resources. The work of a group of researchers from Canada, Norway, and the United States, it examines the implications of common market integration, privatized resource management, and small business development policies for fishery-dependent communities in terms of long-term sustainability and participatory democracy. The book is broken into three sections: an examination of the economic and institutional history of the fisheries in Norway and Atlantic Canada, a study of the regulatory regimes used in the fisheries of these two regions, and an analysis of reactions in three communities, two in Canada and one in Norway, to the decline and collapse of fish stocks. Comparative, multidisciplinary, and multinational in approach, it is a major contribution to the literature on fishing regulations, the role of the state, and resource development in the North Atlantic.
Community Vision and Leadership in Practice: A Sustainable Approach (Social-Environmental Sustainability)
by Chris Maser Holly V. CampbellThis book is about building and maintaining involved, sustainable, and inclusive communities from the ground up during a period of unprecedented growth and global change. It explains the concepts and principles of community and sustainability and provides students with a framework of sustainable community planning to put into practice. It is also designed to help communities everywhere identify and reconnect the true essence of their ecological setting with the objective of raising their quality of life by increasing social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Features: Provides up-to-date frameworks for sustainable community planning processes and case studies on community planning Explains tools for sustainable planning in accessible (non-specialist) language Illustrates a roadmap to an inclusive, collaborative future Explains aspects of sustainable community planning to maximize ecological ecosystem services and climate co-benefits simultaneously Includes discussion questions and suggestions following each chapter Intended for undergraduate and graduate students taking leadership and community courses with an emphasis on sustainable practices and ethics, as well as for citizens and professionals involved in community projects related to sustainability, the authors provide a forward-thinking approach, showing readers that they are capable of making a positive impact on the future of community development through sustainable approaches and ethical leadership practices.
Community Vitalization and Rebuilding of Small Rural Economies: A Focus on Less-Favored Areas in Japan (New Frontiers in Regional Science: Asian Perspectives #79)
by Nobuyoshi Yasunaga Norikazu Inoue Yukiko NakamaThis book provides new perceptions of rural community development by considering the relationships between communities and individuals. It addresses how farming and local communities can be maintained in areas facing population decline and increased in abandoned farmland. As a sequel to Farm and Rural Community Management in Less-Favored Areas, this book focuses on the conditions for rebuilding small rural economies through rural community vitalization in less-favored areas of Japan. Key topics addressed in the book include farmland liquidation and conservation, along with applicable agricultural policies, agribusiness development under a broad-based community development process, the market characteristics of locally processed foods, and the relationship between participation in broad-based community management and residents’ characteristics. The primary target are hilly and mountainous regions, such as in Shimane Prefecture, in western Japan, and other mountainous areas that are the main less-favored areas in Japan. The book presents findings from econometric and statistical analyses, historical and actual condition surveys. Academically, the book contributes to the elucidation of community-based regional management through interactions between communities, residents, farmers, and policies. It identifies conditions for rebuilding small rural economies are based on research on the characteristics of regional agriculture and rural communities in less-favored areas. This book is written for researchers, graduate students, and readers who are concerned about agriculture-based rural development in less-favored areas. It promotes both public and field-level practice in rural areas. The content will be of interest to all those seeking to understand rural society in Japan.
Commutation Relations, Normal Ordering, and Stirling Numbers
by Toufik Mansour Matthias SchorkCommutation Relations, Normal Ordering, and Stirling Numbers provides an introduction to the combinatorial aspects of normal ordering in the Weyl algebra and some of its close relatives. The Weyl algebra is the algebra generated by two letters U and V subject to the commutation relation UV - VU = I. It is a classical result that normal ordering pow
Cómo estamos acabando con el planeta (How We're F***ing Up Our Planet): Guía gráfica del cambio climático
by Tony JuniperDiez millones de personas cada año se ven afectadas por inundaciones costeras y la contaminación por plásticos es una amenaza constante para la vida marina. La pandemia, el cambio climático, la superpoblación, el consumismo, la polución...¿tienen solución? Cómo estamos acabando con el planeta resuelve todas tus dudas sobre los retos y dificultades a los que se enfrenta el mundo en el que vivimos. - Imágenes, gráficos y datos claros para una mejor comprensión de aspectos como la polución, el calentamiento global, la deforestación o los patrones climáticos - Mensajes positivos e ideas para hacer de nuestro planeta un lugar mejor donde vivir - Cifras y comparativas por años de la población, del aumento de las energías renovables, de personas desplazadas... - Basado en las últimas investigaciones científicasEsta guía explicativa te invita a aprenderlo todo sobre los temas ambientales más actuales y a reflexionar cómo los problemas mundiales impactan nuestras vidas.
Cómo evitar un desastre climático: Las soluciones que ya tenemos y los avances que aún necesitamos
by Bill GatesEn este libro tan necesario y riguroso, Bill Gates expone un plan amplio, funcional y, sobre todo, asequible, para reducir a cero las emisiones de los gases causantes del efecto invernadero y evitar a tiempo una catástrofe medioambiental. Bill Gates ha dedicado una década a investigar el cambio climático. Con la orientación de expertos en física, química, biología, ingeniería, ciencias políticas y finanzas, se ha centrado en determinar qué medidas debemos tomar para detener la carrera del planeta hacia un desastre ambiental irreversible. En este libro, el autor no solo reúne la información básica para que tomemos conciencia de la necesidad de eliminar las emisiones de los gases causantes del efecto invernadero, sino que también explica qué debemos hacer para alcanzar este objetivo tan importante. Gates nos ofrece una descripción lúcida de los desafíos a los que nos enfrentamos. Aprovechando sus conocimientos en innovación y en lo que supone introducir nuevos conceptos en el mercado, nos detalla cuáles son los campos en los que la tecnología ya está ayudando a reducir las emisiones, cómo y cuándo se logrará que la tecnología actual sea más eficaz, dónde necesitamos dichos avances y quiénes están trabajando en estas mejoras tan necesarias. Por último, traza un plan práctico y específico para llegar a las cero emisiones, tanto con políticas gubernamentales como a título personal, implicando así a gobiernos, a empresas y a nosotros mismos en esta crucial misión. Como advierte Bill Gates, cumplir el objetivo de las cero emisiones no será una tarea sencilla, pero sí está a nuestro alcance si seguimos sus pautas.
Cómo evitar un desastre climático
by Bill GatesEn este libro urgente y necesario Bill Gates propone un plan amplio, práctico y comprensible para conseguir que el mundo llegue a cero emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero para así evitar una catástrofe climática. Bill Gates ha pasado una década investigando las causas y efectos del cambio climático. Con la ayuda de expertos en los campos de la física, la química, la biología, la ingeniería, las ciencias políticas y las finanzas, se ha centrado en investigar exactamente qué se debe hacer para detener la deriva del planeta hacia un desastre ambiental. En este libro, además de explicar por qué debemos esforzarnos en lograr emisiones netas cero de gases de efecto invernadero, también detalla lo que debemos hacer para lograr este objetivo tan importante. Gates nos presenta una descripción clara de los desafíos que enfrentamos. A partir de su conocimiento sobre innovación y lo que se requiere para introducir nuevas ideas en el mercado, describe las áreas en las que la tecnología ya está ayudando a reducir las emisiones, dónde y cómo la tecnología actual puede funcionar de manera más eficaz, dónde es necesario desarrollar tecnologías de punta, y quién está trabajando en estas innovaciones esenciales. Finalmente, presenta un plan concreto y práctico para lograr el objetivo de cero emisiones, sugiriendo no solo las políticas que los gobiernos deberían adoptar, sino lo que nosotros, como individuos, podemos hacer para que nuestro gobierno, nuestros empleadores y nosotros mismos nos responsabilicemos esta crucial iniciativa. Como deja claro Bill Gates, llegar a cero emisiones no será sencillo ni fácil, pero si seguimos el plan que aquí propone, es una meta que se encuentra decididamente a nuestro alcance. Para detener el calentamiento global y evitar los peores efectos del cambio climático, los humanos deben dejar de agregar gases de efecto invernadero a la atmósfera. Si nada cambia, el mundo seguirá produciendo gases de efecto invernadero, el cambio climático seguirá empeorando y el impacto en los seres humanos con toda probabilidad será catastrófico. Pero las cosas pueden cambiar. Este libro trata sobre lo que se necesitará para lograrlo y por qué estoy convencido de que podemos hacerlo. -- Bill Gates
Compact Slot Array Antennas for Wireless Communications (Signals and Communication Technology)
by Alan J. SangsterThis book describes and provides design guidelines for antennas that achieve compactness by using the slot radiator as the fundamental building block within a periodic array, rather than a phased array. It provides the basic electromagnetic tools required to design and analyse these novel antennas, with sample calculations where relevant. The book presents a focused introduction and valuable insights into the relevant antenna technology, together with an overview of the main directions in the evolving technology of compact planar arrays. While the book discusses the historical evolution of compact array antennas, its main focus is on summarising the extensive body of literature on compact antennas. With regard to the now ubiquitous slot radiator, it seeks to demonstrate how, despite significant antenna size reductions that at times even seem to defy the laws of physics, desirable radiation pattern properties can be preserved. This is supported by an examination of recent advances in frequency selective surfaces and in metamaterials, which can, if handled correctly, be used to facilitate physics-defying designs. The book offers a valuable source of information for communication systems and antenna design engineers, especially thanks to its overview of trends in compact planar arrays, yet will also be of interest to students and researchers, as it provides a focused introduction and insights into this highly relevant antenna technology.
Companies that Mimic Life: Leaders of the Emerging Corporate Renaissance
by Joseph H. BragdonIndustrial capitalism is broken. The signs, which transcend national ideologies, are everywhere: climate change; ecological overshoot; financial exhaustion; fraying social safety nets; corporate fraud; government deceit; civic unrest; terrorism; and war. But there is hope. This book tells how transformation is taking root in the corporate world – the last place many of us would look for solutions. The book tells the stories of seven exceptional companies. Their shared secret is a new mental model of the firm that is the virtual opposite of industrial capitalism. Each company, if not already a household name, is a significant player within their industry and, crucially, has outperformed their competitors. Lessons can be learned. It works like this. Instead of modeling themselves on the assumed efficiency of machines – a thought process that emerged during the industrial age – these firms model themselves on living systems. Firms with open, ethical, inclusive traditions – where employees have a voice and a stake in what happens – have a distinct advantage over traditionally managed companies where most decisions are made at the top. Understanding that everything of value ultimately arises from life, they place a higher value on living assets (people and Nature) than they do on non-living capital assets. The energy they invest in stewarding those assets – a practice described in the book as living asset stewardship (LAS) – is transformative.
Companion Encyclopedia of Geography: From the Local to the Global
by Ian Douglas Richard Huggett Chris PerkinsThis revised edition takes the theme of place as the unifying principle for a full account of the discipline at the beginning of the twenty-first century.The work comprises sixty-four substantial essays addressing human and physical geography, and exploring their inter-relations. The Encyclopedia does full justice to the enormous growth of social and cultural geography in recent years. Leading international academics from ten countries and four continents have contributed, ensuring that differing traditions in geography around the world are represented. In addition to references, the essays also have recommendations for further reading. As with the original work, the new Companion Encyclopedia of Geography provides a state-of-the-art survey of the discipline and is an indispensable addition to the reference shelves of libraries supporting research and teaching in geography.