Value Functions for Environmental Management

Environmental decisions must satisfy a multitude of objectives and the matching of a plan, policy or project to such objectives is a matter of both facts and value judgements. Value Functions for E

A ‘handbook’ for Chief Financial Officers and Chief Risk Officers outlining a practical but theoretically sound framework for helping financial institutions create and manage value. This framework con

For advanced undergraduate or beginning MBA students, this textbook on strategic management provides both theoretical foundations and real world examples of key management functions in a global busine

This book explores the epistemological and ethical issues at the foundations of environmental philosophy, emphasising the conservation of biodiversity. Sahota Sarkar criticises attempts to attribute intrinsic value to nature and defends an anthropocentric position on biodiversity conservation based on an untraditional concept of transformative value. Unlike other studies in the field of environmental philosophy, this book is as much concerned with epistemological issues as with environmental ethics. It covers a broad range of topics, including problems of explanation and prediction in traditional ecology and how individual-based models and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is transforming ecology. Introducing a brief history of conservation biology, Sarkar analyses the consensus framework for conservation planning through adaptive management. He concludes with a discussion of directions for theoretical research in conservation biology and environmental philosophy.

This book explores the epistemological and ethical issues at the foundations of environmental philosophy, emphasising the conservation of biodiversity. Sahota Sarkar criticises attempts to attribute intrinsic value to nature and defends an anthropocentric position on biodiversity conservation based on an untraditional concept of transformative value. Unlike other studies in the field of environmental philosophy, this book is as much concerned with epistemological issues as with environmental ethics. It covers a broad range of topics, including problems of explanation and prediction in traditional ecology and how individual-based models and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology is transforming ecology. Introducing a brief history of conservation biology, Sarkar analyses the consensus framework for conservation planning through adaptive management. He concludes with a discussion of directions for theoretical research in conservation biology and environmental philosophy.

Drug-resistant epilepsy with negative MRI is frequently seen in patients considered for epilepsy surgery; however, clinical evaluation and surgical treatment is very complex and challenging. Advanced imaging techniques are needed to detect the location of the epileptogenic zone. In most cases, intracranial EEG recording is required to delineate the region of seizure onset - this carries some risks of major complications. Moreover, the borders between the recorded seizure onset and the location of important brain functions are often indistinct in MRI-negative epilepsy. Overall, the outcome of MRI-negative surgery is less favorable than that of MRI-positive surgery, but it can significantly improve with optimal management. Each chapter critically appraises the role and value of specific diagnostic and treatment techniques to address the challenges of MRI-negative epilepsy surgery. Authors critique evidence and share their expertise on the diagnostic options and surgical approaches that m

Medical equipment management ensures that equipment is appropriate for the needs of the clinical service, functions effectively and safely, and represents value for money. It extends far beyond the re

Waste-to-Energy: Sustainable Approaches for Emerging Economies presents the latest developments and applications for the conversion of waste into biofuels and other energy products. Divided into two parts, Section I reviews the major sources of solid waste and their management strategies in developing countries, and includes the collection, composition, segregation, and dispersal of various waste streams, as well as the generation of biogas and other value-added products. Section II examines the transformation of waste into biofuels and the management strategies required to efficiently implement waste-to-energy processes.Methods for the production of hydrogen, biomethane, biofuels, and bioenergy, as well as resource recovery are discussed in depth, and mathematical models are provided for anaerobic digestion techniques. The benefits and challenges of waste-to-energy as a waste management strategy are explored through dedicated chapters on the techno-economics, environmental and social

This book provides evidence on the relevance of environmental and social factors in decision making, discusses the Gold Standard Frameworks for integrating extra-financial risks into the value chain m

Pelvic Organ Dysfunction in Neurological Disease describes the neurological control of human bladder, bowel and sexual function and then details the dysfunctions which may arise as a consequence of various neurological diseases. Easy to read, the book will be of value to any healthcare professional managing patients in whom pelvic organ functions have been compromised by neurological disease. The book provides a structured approach to present day understanding of the neurological control of pelvic organs and the investigation and management of each type of organ dysfunction. A unique feature of this book is that it addresses the impact of specific neurological disorders on all three functions. The authors have all been associated with the Department of Uro-Neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London since it was established 20 years ago. This book is a timely review of their accumulated knowledge and the latest literature.

Coffee is one of the premier global traded commodities generating an annual income of approx. USD 200 billion, supporting the livelihoods of nearly 25 million smallholder farmers, and involving approx. 100 million people worldwide in the entire chain of value, from cultivation to the final product for consumption. The coffee crop sustainability is believed to be threatened by the ongoing and future climate changes, which can alter coffee growth, production, and cup quality in many of the actual production regions. The understanding of such impacts, together with the mechanisms underlying the responses of the coffee tree to new environmental conditions, is therefore of utmost importance. This book offers up-to-date information written by eminent coffee researchers worldwide with ultimate goals of increasing coffee production and quality. It deals with multiple aspects of the coffee crop, from plant physiology to genetics and omics in addition to productivity, crop management and bean qu

This volume represents a uniquely comprehensive overview of our current knowledge on tropical montane cloud forests. 72 chapters cover a wide spectrum of topics including cloud forest distribution, climate, soils, biodiversity, hydrological processes, hydrochemistry and water quality, climate change impacts, and cloud forest conservation, management, and restoration. The final chapter presents a major synthesis by some of the world's leading cloud forest researchers, which summarizes our current knowledge and considers the sustainability of these forests in an ever-changing world. This book presents state-of-the-art knowledge concerning cloud forest occurrence and status, as well as the biological and hydrological value of these unique forests. The presentation is academic but with a firm practical emphasis. It will serve as a core reference for academic researchers and students of environmental science and ecology, as well as practitioners (natural resources management, forest conserv

Stochastic scheduling is in the area of production scheduling. There is a dearth of work that analyzes the variability of schedules. In a stochastic environment, in which the processing time of a job is not known with certainty, a schedule is typically analyzed based on the expected value of a performance measure. This book addresses this problem and presents algorithms to determine the variability of a schedule under various machine configurations and objective functions. It is intended for graduate and advanced undergraduate students in manufacturing, operations management, applied mathematics, and computer science, and it is also a good reference book for practitioners. Computer software containing the algorithms is provided on an accompanying website for ease of student and user implementation.

This book analyzes the tradeoffs involved in restoring beaches and dunes on intensively developed coasts, the most effective approaches to use, and the ways to educate and involve stakeholders. It identifies restoration strategies that enhance natural processes and make coastal landforms more dynamic while maintaining their value for shore protection. In addition to ecological values, the concept of restoration is expanded to include physical, economic, social and ethical principles. Compromise management solutions are suggested to accommodate the needs of different user groups, including municipal managers and individual property owners. The means of overcoming inertia or antagonism to environmentally friendly actions are also discussed. The book is written for coastal scientists, engineers, planners and managers, and serves as a useful supplementary reference text for courses in coastal management, ecology and environmental ethics.