Search results for "economic benefits"
showing 10 items of 16 documents
Are alternative food networks winning strategies to increase organic SMEs profitability? Evidence from a case study
2020
The aim of this study was to understand how and how much alternative food networks (AFNs) contribute to increasing the profitability of the organic SMEs, compared to traditional organic sales channels. For this purpose, an economic analysis and an in-depth interview were carried out in a case study located in the Sicilian northern coast. Findings showed a clear convenience of the participation to alternative food networks compared to the case in which all farm production was conferred to traditional sales channels, highlighting an increase both of farm profit (+76.9%) and net income (+72.1%). However, the in-depth interview revealed that AFNs are a mean, not only to have economic benefits, …
Experimental results on the economic management of a smart microgrid
2020
The aim of this paper is to assess economic benefits deriving from the adoption of a smart microgrid. To this end, a case study consisting of 250 houses connected to the distribution network through a MV/LV transformer substation has been investigated and implemented in the experimental microgrid built at the Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy. The analysis has been performed by comparing three different energy providers: the utility grid, the utility grid with the inclusion of non-programmable renewables generators, and the inclusion of such residential loads into a smart microgrid. The obtained results demonstrated that with the adoption of a smart microgrid significant costs savings c…
Nationalisation, Localisation and Globalisation in Finnish Higher Education
2004
This article analyses and discusses the interplay between the social processes of nationalisation, localisation and globalisation in a single European nation state. The view of nationalisation put forward draws on a national case study based on historical and sociological research findings. The second part of the article presents a case study of the nature of globalisation and localisation in an average Finnish university. The article shows that nationalisation of Finnish higher education has created a cultural understanding of higher education institutions important for competition with other nations. As for localisation, on the one hand higher education institutions support their local co…
La filiera corta: una possibile strategia per migliorare la competitività dell'azienda agraria
2013
The paper aims to determine the possible competitive advantage for farms thatadopt a short supply-chain strategy. In particular, by carriying out an analysis of asample of fruit and vegetable farms, we wanted to find out how the business relatesto the market and the reasons that induced the entrepreneur to move into a shortsupply-chain set up. The study was prompted by the wish to determine, empirically,the economic benefits arising from the adoption of the short supply chain. In fact,there is a vast literature on the economic benefits produced by the short supply chainsuch as the demand stability due to customer loyalty and the ability to influencedirectly the price through the reduction o…
<title>Tradeoff between environmental impacts and economic benefits?: A case study of the Finnish and British pulp and paper industries</tit…
2001
Due to the increased used paper collection rates in Western Europe, more recycled fibre will be used in the manufacture of paper. This will affect both the environmental and economic performance of the pulp and paper industry. The potential for the increase of the collection rate varies significantly in different countries in western Europe. In some countries the collection rate is already close to 70% (Austria, Germany) and in others it is around 45% (Italy, United Kingdom). With the increased demand for recycled fibre also the collection will increase. When the collection of waste paper is increased something has to be done with the collected paper. Different utilisation modes results in …
Economic benefits of the use of a PV plants reconfiguration systems
2015
This paper shows the economic convenience of the application of a reconfiguration system for photovoltaic plants, considering the incentives system in different Countries. The reconfiguration is an alternative to the Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking, DMPPT, technique used to overcome the mismatch problem in Photovoltaic, PV, plants. The reconfiguration techniques employ a microprocessor-based system that modifies the layout of the PV plant by physically changing the connections among modules. After having presented the working principle of the PV reconfiguration system allowing the improvement of the efficiency of the same plant and the relevant installation, the main strength and w…
Smart renewable generation for an islanded system. Technical and economic issues of future scenarios
2012
The subject addressed in this paper is the analytical study of the transition of an energy generation system for a real MV/LV distribution system from one that is “fuel-based” to a distributed and smart “renewables-based” system. The paper outlines both the technical and the economic issues related to such a transition from one type of system to the other. The study is carried out for a real islanded network located in the Island of Pantelleria (Mediterranean Sea). The results obtained are presented and discussed, putting into evidence the technical, environmental and economic benefits of using smart technologies and renewable energy sources.
Impacto social de un gran evento deportivo: el Gran Premio de Europa de Fórmula 1. (Social impact of a major athletic event: The Formula 1 Grand Prix…
2012
The aim of this study was to analyse the residents´ perceptions of the impact of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe after the first three races (2008, 2009 and 2010) in the city of Valencia. Therefore, we surveyed 1,065 residents to analyse their opinion of this event. Results indicate that aspects related to the economic benefits, the image, the athletic prestige, and opening the city up to the world are those which are rated the highest. However, aspects related to job creation, public investment, problems related to noise and traffic, public transportation and security, taking full advantage of and utility of infrastructure, and increase in sports practice and facilities are the worst ra…
Dynamic Analysis of sectorial Specialization and Agglomeration Economies in the Sicilian Local Labour Systems
2008
This paper examines the spatial dependence among productive specialization, variety of the economic environment and knowledge spillovers. With the aim of identifying localization benefits in a particular area, some aspects of business settling are compared with trends in the development of economic activities and, particularly, with agglomeration process of the firms. On the basis of the model proposed by Ellison and Glaeser (1997) it is possible identifying an “agglomerate space” that is to say a “continuous set of territorial areas specialized in a specific sector one of which, at least, proves to be provided with a level of specialization noticeably exceeding the expected value under the…
Towards a novel conceptual framework for understanding mergers in higher education
2015
ABSTRACTThis paper tries to develop a conceptual framework for a comprehensive understanding of the merger process, which is regarded as a matter of institutionalization of organizational innovation. In the framework, a number of factors affecting merger process or institutionalization of merger are identified, such as those related to environmental issues, economic benefits, institutional compatibility and human agency. The framework hopefully narrows our knowledge gap on theorizing innovation process, in general, and university merger, in particular. It also has a potential to better assist decision-makers and managers in planning and implementing university mergers.