Expanding the Definition and Measurement of Knowledge Economy： Integrating Triple Bottom Line Factors into Knowledge Economy Index Models and Methodologies

The application of knowledge is a primary source of growth in the knowledge economy. The World Bank Group has developed a rigorous assessment methodology for assessing a country＇s ability to access and use knowledge to become more competitive in the knowledge economy of the 21st century. The World Bank＇s annual knowledge economy index is grounded on a four-pillar model： （1） economic incentives and institutional regime; （2） education and skills; （3） information and communication infrastructure; and （4） innovation systems. An argument can be made that the model lacks coverage of some key factors that pertain to intellectual capital and the production and consumption of knowledge. The model＇s heavy focus on economic incentives and open institutional regimes comes at a societal cost. This paper proposes an alternative knowledge economy index which is grounded in a more holistic and balanced view of a knowledge society. Adopting the perspective of triple bottom line shifts the purpose and design of a knowledge economy from one of aggregation and reporting to action and involvement. The World Bank＇s scorecard and indexing methodology are adaptable to this new perspective and a new set of indicators.

A Literature Review on Sustainability of Bio-Based and Biodegradable Plastics:Challenges and Opportunities

This study examines the literature on bio-based and biodegradable plastics published between 2000 and 2021 and provides insights and research suggestions for the future.The study gathers data from the Scopus and ISI Web of Science databases,then picks 1042 publications objectively and analyses their metadata.Furthermore,144 papers from the Web of Science are analysed to present insights and classifications of the literature based on content analyses,including assessment/evaluation of the sustainability of bio-based and biodegradable Plastics,sustainability of biodegradable Plastics,and factors driving the uptake of biodegradable plastics.The study finds that most research on bio-based and biodegradable plastic film evaluations considered only one dimension of sustainability,few considered two dimensions,and very few considered three dimensions.Though,in recent years,academic and industrial interest has grown dramatically in biodegradable plastics towards sustainability.The triple bottom line method in this report(economic benefit,social responsibility,and environmental protection)was employed to assess the biodegradable plastics towards sustainability.Top journals,Influential authors,top contributing institutions,top contributing nations,and contributions by fields are all identified in this study.This research gives a detailed but straightforward theoretical design of bio-based and biodegradable polymers.The study’s results and future research initiatives provide a new path for further investigation and contribution to the field.

THE GREENING OF THE PARKING INDUSTRY–BEST PRACTICES,AND A NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR PARKING STRUCTURES

Sustainable building design is now mainstream.The United States Green Building Council(USGBC)and the LEED Ratings Systems have moved the market,proving that“a rising tide lifts all boats.”Consumers now factor environmental effect into their buying decisions,a trend that looks to continue and intensify with the millennial generation.Renters and homeowners are willing to pay more for high-performing and better quality housing based on environmental standards.Companies recognize that indoor air quality and daylighting improve employee performance and boost retention rates.And even bottom-line businesses are investing in benchmarking and efficiency projects that have the right return on investment rates.The Urban Land Institute’s Greenprint Center for Building Performance serves as a prime example of the ways developers implement benchmarking,energy efficiency,and high-performance standards in the major real estate sectors:office,retail,industrial,multifamily,and hotel.Energy efficiency gains and higher-quality buildings in each of these sectors will be essential to reducing emissions and energy use.While the transportation sector implements its own standards and benchmarking tools to achieve greater levels of sustainability across all modes of transportation,one industry that stands at the nexus of every building type and the transportation modes used to access them is parking.There is a key consideration that links land use and transportation:Parking is often the connection between where we are and where we want to go.Parking may not have been at the forefront of the sustainability discussion or the media surrounding it in previous years,but the professionals who work in the world of parking know exactly how important the role of their industry is to the success of our cities,towns,institutions,and businesses.Parking is big business;it is conservatively estimated to be a$30 billion industry.It directly contributes to the economic vitality and accessibility of where we live,work,and play。

A new look on wetting models:continuum analysis

In this study,we considered the wetting phenomenon on a general substrate from a new viewpoint of continuum mechanics.The analyses first show how the Wenzel and the Cassie models deviate the practical results in some special substrates,and then elucidate the mechanism of the triple contact line(TCL) moving.Based upon variational theory of the total free functional dealing with the movable boundary condition,we show that the macroscopic contact angle(MCA) expression is the corresponding transversality condition.It manifests that the MCA depends only on the chemical and geometric property at the TCL,and is not affected by the gravity of the droplet and the contact area beneath the liquid.Our continuum model also shows the exploration of the pinning effect on a sharp wedge or the interface between two different phases.This investigation will help designing super-hydrophobic materials for novel micro-fluidic devices.