Unwanted effects of European Union environmental policy to promote a post-carbon industry. The case of energy in the European ceramic tile sector

Global warming combined with low carbon transition plans is threatening the future of high energy consumption industry sectors in the European Union (EU). The need to respond to environmental challenges is demonstrated by support for international level energy policies and legal requirements, such as the Kyoto Protocol which the EU supports, and increased EU-level environmental legislation and energy policies. The effect of these initiatives is gradually transforming industrial activities in the EU. However, since not all countries have adopted these policies, evaluation of their net effect needs to take account also of side-effects such as delocalization of industry activity and the legal …

Heterogeneity versus Homogeneity in Schools: A Review of the Educational Value of Classroom Interaction

The degree of homogeneity and heterogeneity among schools affects the comprehensiveness and inclusiveness of the school system and the type and scope of classroom interaction. Since the beginning of the 1980s, interest has gradually increased in the effects of homogeneity and heterogeneity of schools on classroom interactions

The green factor in European manufacturing: a case study of the Spanish ceramic tile industry

This paper analyses how environmental issues have affected and are continuing to affect the evolution of European manufacturing industries based on the example of the Spanish Ceramic Tile Industry (SCTI).1 The Ceramic Tile Industry (CTI)2 in Europe became very competitive and innovative in the early 1990s, with the Italian and the Spanish sectors, which are cluster-based, becoming world leaders. However, since 2008, this leadership position is being eroded. We provide an in depth analysis of the SCTI focusing on the influence of new European environmental regulations. The CTI has a major impact on the environment and has been the focus of environmental regulations. We also consider the inno…

An analysis of the Spanish ceramic tile industry research contracts and patents

In this work, we apply a systemic approach to the analysis of a particular geographic territory, the industrial district. We are particularly interested in analysing the interaction between the productive-technological environment and the scientific environment by an examination of research contracts and patents. Our analysis shows that R&D activity in the Spanish ceramic tile District Innovation System was mainly conducted by suppliers. Final producers’ innovation efforts were related to non-technological aspects and differentiation.

The Future We Want: a Learning Experience to Promote SDGs in Higher Education from the United Nations and University of Valencia

This article shares the strategy for mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the University of Valencia (UV), which, although limited in its scale, may compel other Higher Education Institutions to think in technological and social progress aligned with the 2030 Agenda. It explicates a process driven by the UV, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN), and in collaboration with the Service for Geospatial, Information, and Telecommunications Technologies from the UN Support Base in Valencia (Spain) to prepare the online event: “The United Nations We Want”. It was the culmination of a collaborative project between students and faculties from differe…

Framework for Sociological Research on Education in Spain

Educación infantil, ideología y clase social. Una lectura al sur de Europa a través de los datos del CIS.

A diferencia del modelo nórdico, en el que junto a los permisos parentales de larga duración predomina la oferta pública y privada subsidiada de centros de educación infantil, la realidad del sur de Europa es menos favorable, desde el punto de vista institucional, a la conciliación de la vida familiar y laboral. No obstante, la escolarización en la primera etapa de la educación infantil (0-2 años) ha mostrado un incremento sostenido en los últimos años también en los países del sur de Europa, aunque, en este contexto, poco se sabe acerca de las razones que justifican o no la escolarización de los más pequeños. El objetivo de la presente investigación es estudiar si existen diferencias entre…

The Spanish Turn against Renewable Energy Development

[EN] In this study, we focus on the case of Spanish energy policy and its implications for sustainable energy development. In recent years, Spanish legislation has changed dramatically in its approach to sustainable energy sources. This change is despite EU and international efforts to increase energy efficiency, and to accelerate the transition to renewable energy sources (RES) in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Based on the socio-technical transitions literature, this paper assesses the role of the new legislation in this altered scenario, and analyzes the evolution of energy production in Spain in the EU context. The results are triangulated with two expert assessments. We find…

Innovation Diffusion in the European Ceramic Tile Industry Supply Chain

Following Nelson's primary typology of enterprises based on a characterization of their technical change process (bulk commodities; complex systems producers; and chemical products producers) this chapter presents a case study on the innovation diffusion in the European tile industry based on the analysis of its manufacturing process and supply chain. The producers of ceramic tiles, the machinery producers and the frits and glazes producers fit each of Nelson's categories. Further, the European ceramic tile industry is clustered in two southern European regions: Emilia Romagna (Sassuolo – Italy) and Valencia Region (Castelló de la Plana – Spain) with a different configuration of the type of…

How to reduce energy and water consumption in the preparation of raw materials for ceramic tile manufacturing: Dry versus wet route

Abstract Dry and wet routes in the ceramic tile manufacturing process refer to two different technologies for preparing the raw materials for the forming stage. Both result in a granulated solid ready for use in the pressing stage, but with different characteristics. The dry route was the first to be developed. As quality standards and tile sizes increased, the wet route was developed and introduced successfully into the manufacturing process. Since 1990, the wet route has been the most used around the world to prepare ceramic tile body raw materials. The powder produced by the wet route has finer particles and higher flowability, which has allowed the production of higher quality ceramic t…

VALORISATION OF FOREST AND AGRICULTURAL BIOMASS FOR THE SPANISH CERAMIC TILE INDUSTRY

Since ceramic tile industry is an energy intensive industry, European ceramic companies are challenged to reduce their CO2 emissions in the medium and long-term. According the Roadmap for moving to a low-carbon economy in 2050 (European Commission, 2011) the objective is to achieve a reduction in CO2 emissions of between 34 % and 40 % by 2030, and between 83 % and 87 % by 2050. In the present paper we present a study on the viability of the incorporation of biofuels in the energy mix of the Spanish ceramic industry with the objective of (1) identifying the potential use of biomass resources, with a special focus of forest and agricultural biomass, in the manufacturing process of ceramic til…

Percepciones sobre materiales didácticos y la formación en competencia digital

En este trabajo exponemos un analisis sobre la percepcion de los agentes educativos en relacion con la seleccion, uso y creacion de los materiales didacticos digitales, asi como un analisis de la oferta formativa en diversas plataformas educativas. En el estudio realizado han participado representantes de diferentes agentes y estamentos relacionados con la educacion como: Administracion, editoriales, familias, profesorado y alumnado de la Comunidad Valenciana. Para la recogida de la informacion se han utilizado tanto entrevistas semiestructuradas, individuales y grupales, como un analisis de contenido de una seleccion de plataformas institucionales, de editoriales y de asociaciones del prof…

Innovative culture in district innovation systems of European ceramics SMEs

We need to understand the dynamics of current local production systems in the form of industrial districts and, particularly, how culture and innovation are interlinked. In this paper, we argue that the district innovation system approach, which covers the innovation systems and industrial district literatures, provides a set of ideas useful for understanding the role of culture in innovation in industrial districts. We study the role of innovation culture in two of the most important European ceramics industrial districts in Italy and Spain. Specifically, we analyse how, within a given district system, the innovation culture, networks and social structure, and their inter-relations, influe…

Broader impacts of the fare-free public transportation system in Tallinn

In this paper, we focus on the rationale for implementing the fare-free public transportation system (FFPTS) in Tallinn, Estonia, that took place on 1 January 2013. Through a series of interviews w...

How does diversity affect district innovation systems?Findings from a comparative study of european ceramics

This research applies Nelson’s (1993) primary typology of enterprises to understand why the propensity for innovation varies across ceramics district innovation systems in Europe. We use innovation systems and industrial district theories to explore the innovation capacity of the two most important ceramic tile industrial districts in Europe—Emilia Romagna in Italy and Castellon in Spain. Our analysis shows that, in both districts, innovation plays a decisive role in allowing companies to maintain competitiveness in a globalizing market. However, by comparing the composition of their district innovation systems, our analysis shows that: (i) although levels of competition in both districts a…