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Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health, Well-Being and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 30066

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Joseph Amankwah-Amoah

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Guest Editor
Kent Business School, University of Kent, Kent ME4 4TE, UK
Interests: business failure in emerging economies; global business; technologies in emerging economies; international business strategy
Dr. Frederick Ahen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Rehtorinpellonkatu, 3, 20500 Turku, Finland
Interests: corporate responsibility; stakeholder engagement; ethics; developing nations; global health; ecological sustainability; sustainable innovations

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) has grown exponentially across the globe. Indeed, e-waste exports have also grown, thereby providing opportunities for market-seeking and growth-seeking firms to thrive. The trend is similar with regards to plastic, pharmaceutical and chemical waste. Overconsumption and technology obsolescence have also imposed pressures on governments to develop environmental, economic and social policies aimed at reducing electronic and other forms of waste that contaminate the environment and bring about serious adverse effects on population health.

Extant literature has offered important introductory analysis of the impact of such waste. However, there are gaps in our understanding of the complexity of the phenomenon and emerging innovations meant to halt its damaging effects. Novel policies and techno-scientific innovations are turning the take-make-use-dispose paradigm into regenerative, restorative and environmentally conscious design economy, also known as circular economy.

Against this backdrop, this Special Issue seeks articles that explain the nature, dynamism and complexity of the phenomenon and the emergence of (recycling) firms that are harnessing clean techno-scientific innovations to stem the tide of chemical (especially plastic), pharmaceutical, and e-waste. We adopt an inclusive approach by welcoming rigorous and relevant empirical, theoretical or policy contributions. Interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary  and critical contributions between scholars, practitioners and policy-makers are particularly encouraged. Below is a non-exhaustive list of themes to be considered:

  • Which emerging policies, techno-scientific models or best practices can serve as lessons for curbing the environmental and health effects of plastic, pharmaceutical or e-waste?
  • Which incentive structures and institutional, regulatory or ethical foundations drive waste management innovations by SMEs, cities, or nations?
  • Which social innovations are changing attitudes towards overconsumption, overproduction, programmed obsolescence and their environmental effects?
  • What are the major enablers and inhibitors to the adoption and diffusion of novel technological innovations for pharmaceutical, plastic and e-waste management?

References:

  1. Ahen, Frederick (2018) Dystopic prospects of global health and ecological governance: Whither the eco-centric-humanistic CSR of firms? Humanist Management Journal (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41463-018-0034-1.
  2. Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2016a). Global business and emerging economies: Towards a new perspective on the effects of e-waste. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 105, 20-26.
  3. Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2016b). Navigating uncharted waters: A multidimensional conceptualisation of exporting electronic waste. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 105, 11-19.
  4. Danquah, M., & Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2017). Assessing the relationships between human capital, innovation and technology adoption: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 122, 24-33.
  5. Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2017). Integrated vs. add-on: A multidimensional conceptualisation of technology obsolescence. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 116, 299-307.
  6. Ahen, Frederick and Zettinig, Peter (2015) What is the biggest question in CSR research? Foresight: The journal of future studies, strategic thinking and policy, Vol. 17 Iss. 3, pp. 274-290.

Dr. Joseph Amankwah-Amoah
Dr. Frederick Ahen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • circular economy
  • corporate responsibility
  • developing nations
  • ecological sustainability
  • e-waste
  • global health
  • international business
  • pharmaceutical waste
  • plastic waste
  • sustainable innovations
  • waste disposal

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 170 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial: Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing
by Joseph Amankwah-Amoah and Frederick Ahen
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7132; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137132 - 25 Jun 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1408
Abstract
In this Editorial, we synthesise the articles in the Special Issue with unique insights into sustainable waste management innovations and sustainable business practices [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing)

Research

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14 pages, 1316 KiB  
Article
Working towards Sustainable Innovation for Green Waste Benefits: The Role of Awareness of Consequences in the Adoption of Shaded Cocoa Agroforestry in Ghana
by Fred A. Yamoah, James S. Kaba, David Botchie and Joseph Amankwah-Amoah
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1453; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031453 - 30 Jan 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3493
Abstract
Drawing on the awareness of consequence literature, this paper unpacks how the awareness of the consequences of full-sun cocoa production can encourage farmers to adopt shaded cocoa agroforestry that preserves the land and favours better cocoa farm waste management. Using Ghana as a [...] Read more.
Drawing on the awareness of consequence literature, this paper unpacks how the awareness of the consequences of full-sun cocoa production can encourage farmers to adopt shaded cocoa agroforestry that preserves the land and favours better cocoa farm waste management. Using Ghana as a case study, the paper provides distinctive insights on how shaded cocoa agroforestry systems provide sustainable yields in the medium- to long-term, relative to unshaded systems. We also find that cocoa farmers’ awareness of consequences about the effects of undertaking unshaded cocoa production could make individual farmers exhibit pro-environmental behaviour, leading to the adoption of cocoa agroforestry systems that help preserve soil fertility and improve waste management. We recommend that the utilization of awareness of consequence protocols, coupled with the efficient diffusion of information on the benefits of agroforestry in terms of waste management and environmental improvements to the cocoa farmers, could increase the adoption of shaded cocoa production regimes in Ghana. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing)
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22 pages, 1188 KiB  
Article
Measuring Sustainable Marketing Orientation—Scale Development Process
by Andrea Lučić
Sustainability 2020, 12(5), 1734; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12051734 - 26 Feb 2020
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 8898
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore how sustainable marketing orientation (SMO) should be properly implemented in an organization built on the theoretical model of market-oriented sustainability. The aim of the paper is to explore and confirm the elements of sustainable marketing [...] Read more.
The purpose of this paper is to explore how sustainable marketing orientation (SMO) should be properly implemented in an organization built on the theoretical model of market-oriented sustainability. The aim of the paper is to explore and confirm the elements of sustainable marketing orientation and to develop a measurement tool with a mixed method approach. First, the construct was conceptualized through a literature review and qualitative research of in-depth interviews on a purposive sample of 20 experts, who generated items. The next stage included collection of data from 112 respondents that resulted the item purification and exploratory factor analysis, which confirmed the three dimensions of SMO: strategic integration, societal engagement and ethical capabilities. The main study consisted of 174 respondents and confirmed the measurement instrument, which contains three subscales proposed by the theoretical model, each containing six, five and four items, respectively, with high degrees of proven reliability and validity. The paper confirmed and further explored the framework of multidimensional SMO; the measurement tool captured the actual implementation of the construct in practice, allowing it to be investigated across industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing)
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15 pages, 283 KiB  
Article
Managerial Perceptions of Firms’ Corporate Sustainability Strategies: Insights from Croatia
by Richard Nyuur, Ružica Brečić and Patrick Murphy
Sustainability 2020, 12(1), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010251 - 27 Dec 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3272
Abstract
Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained increasing academic attention, we lack a solid understanding of how managerial perceptions underpin firms’ sustainability practices. This study interprets and sheds light on managers’ perceptions of sustainability activities under various stakeholder domains in Croatia through a [...] Read more.
Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained increasing academic attention, we lack a solid understanding of how managerial perceptions underpin firms’ sustainability practices. This study interprets and sheds light on managers’ perceptions of sustainability activities under various stakeholder domains in Croatia through a multi-theoretical approach. Using 21 semi-structured interviews with managers, the study reveals that sustainability activities in the research context tend to focus more on environmental issues and customer service, as well as employees and supplier domains. The study further establishes three distinct levels of sustainability commitments by firms. These stages include sustainability as a minimal response, corporate culture-driven, and committed response. These findings, as a whole, are insightful and enable us to advance research on sustainability by elucidating how managerial perceptions underpin firms’ strategic sustainability activities. The contributions to theory and practice are also discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing)
18 pages, 448 KiB  
Article
Renewable Energy Development as a Driver of Economic Growth: Evidence from Multivariate Panel Data Analysis
by Nadia Singh, Richard Nyuur and Ben Richmond
Sustainability 2019, 11(8), 2418; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11082418 - 24 Apr 2019
Cited by 87 | Viewed by 8449
Abstract
Renewable energy is being increasingly touted as the “fuel of the future,” which will help to reconcile the prerogatives of high economic growth and an economically friendly development trajectory. This paper seeks to examine relationships between renewable energy production and economic growth and [...] Read more.
Renewable energy is being increasingly touted as the “fuel of the future,” which will help to reconcile the prerogatives of high economic growth and an economically friendly development trajectory. This paper seeks to examine relationships between renewable energy production and economic growth and the differential impact on both developed and developing economies. We employed the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) regression model to a sample of 20 developed and developing countries for the period 1995–2016. Our key empirical findings reveal that renewable energy production is associated with a positive and statistically significant impact on economic growth in both developed and developing countries for the period 1995–2016. Our results also show that the impact of renewable energy production on economic growth is higher in developing economies, as compared to developed economies. In developed countries, an increase in renewable energy production leads to a 0.07 per cent rise in output, compared to only 0.05 per cent rise in output for developing countries. These findings have important implications for policymakers and reveal that renewable energy production can offer an environmentally sustainable means of economic growth in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing)
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Review

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17 pages, 986 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Waste Management Innovations in Africa: New Perspectives and Research Agenda for Improving Global Health
by Frederick Ahen and Joseph Amankwah-Amoah
Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6646; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126646 - 10 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3575
Abstract
The need for green business practices and green innovations underscores a growing recognition that climate change is now an existential threat not just to population health but also to the survival of businesses that are unable to embrace green practices with a sense [...] Read more.
The need for green business practices and green innovations underscores a growing recognition that climate change is now an existential threat not just to population health but also to the survival of businesses that are unable to embrace green practices with a sense of urgency. This paper contributes to the literature on market violence as an inhibitor of green innovations for sustainable waste management to curb the unneeded health effects of wastes in Africa. Our purpose is to problematize received wisdom, unquestioned assumptions, and incorrect diagnosis of the sources and health consequences of various forms of wastes in Africa. Much of the discourse on this issue remains ahistorical, and that risks leaving aside a vital question of exploitative extraction. By including this ‘out-of-the-box’ explanation through major case references, we are able to shed light on the critical issues that have hitherto received limited attention, thus enabling us to propose useful research questions for future enquiries. We propose a framework that delineates the structural composition of costs imposed by market violence that ranges from extraction to e-waste disposal. We advocate for the engineering of policies that create conditions for doing more with less resources, eliminating waste, and recycling as crucial steps in creating sustainable waste management innovations. Additionally, we highlight a set of fundamental issues regarding enablers and inhibitors of sustainable innovations and policies for waste management worth considering for future research. These include programmed obsolescence, irresponsible extraction, production, and consumption, all seen through the theoretical lens of market violence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Waste Management Innovations: Developing New Ventures for Improved Health and Environmental Wellbeing)
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