Lecture 4 (4.1, 4.2, 4.3) Flashcards
(Rohit)
Distributed Economies (DE) Definition 1
“selective share of production distributed to regions where activities are organized in the form of small scale, flexible units that are synergistically connected with each other”
What are the classifications of Distributed Economies? (List of 2)
- HARDWARE/NATURAL RESOURCE-BASED DE
. Distributed energy Generation (DG)
. Distributed Food production (DF)
. Distributed Water management (DW)
. Distributed Manufacturing (DM) - KNOWLEDGE/INFORMATION-BASED DE
. Distributed Software development (DS)
. Distributed Knowledge generation (DK)
. Distributed Design (DD)
Main Characteristics of DE (Distributed Economies):
1. Size (Production Unit) (Describe)
2. Size (Distribution Unit) (Describe)
3. Control Structure (Describe)
- Size (Production Unit)
From LARGE production unit (centralized), to SMALL (distributed). - Size (Distribution)
From GREAT distribution network (centralized), to LIGHT sharing network (distributed). - Control Structure
From HIERARCHICAL (centralized), to PEER-TO-PEER (distributed).
Centralised Production Unit (Definition)
Large-scale production units that control all essential activities and deliver their goods and services via great distribution networks, to very many (often) far away customers, whether individuals, entrepreneurs, or other organizations/institutions
DECENTRALIZED PRODUCTION UNIT (Definition)
Small-scale production units that deliver their goods and services via light distribution networks, directly to customers, whether individuals, entrepreneurs, or other organizations/institutions, increasing customer’s control on essential activities
could be standalone or connected to each other to share various forms of goods and services
DISTRIBUTED PRODUCTION UNIT (Definition)
(Very) Small-scale production units of goods (physical and/or knowledge-based ones) located by the end-users (that become the producers, i.e. prosumers) that have control over essential activities, whether individuals, entrepreneurs, or organizations/institutions
could be standalone or peer-to-peer connected to each other to share various forms of goods and services
Distributed Economy (Lens Labs Definition)
“Distributed Economies are small-scale production units, shifting the control on essential activities towards or by the end-user, whether individuals, entrepreneurs or organisations, i.e. there are no intermediaries, or the producers are the same end-users. The production unit could be standalone or network-structured with other DE units to share various forms of products, semi-finished products, resources and/or services, i.e. they become a Distributed Economy Network (DEN), which may in turn be connected with similar networks.
If properly designed they are promising to promote locally-based resilient sustainability, i.e. Sustainable Distributed Economies (S.DE)”
Guys - Check out the last few slides from 4.1
-Go check now!
-(Oh, fuck you)
DISTRIBUTED ECONOMIES PROFILES WITH A SYSTEM PERSPECTIVE:
WHAT ARE ALL THE ELEMENTS RELATED TO THE SATISFACTION UNIT?
ALL THE ELEMENTS RELATED TO THE SATISFACTION UNIT:
- DE PRODUCTION UNIT/S: DG, DF, DW, DM, DS, DK, DD, a combination (Check this deck’s card 2 for acronym definitions)
- DE PRODUCED UNIT/S: what is the outcome of the DE production unit/s?
- DE SATISFACTION UNIT RELATED PRODUCT/S AND/OR RESOURCES
What are the environmental benefits of locally based DEs
- make local DE stakeholder directly interested to safeguard the environment and the resources available of the context in which they live/work, by fostering:
> the use of conservative/renewable local resources
> the decrease of waste generation at the local/regional level
> the decrease/avoidance of toxic harmful local/regional emissions - reduce overall goods distribution
> reduce/avoid transportation and packaging (i.e. their environmental impacts)
What are the Socio-ethical benefits of locally based DEs
- gives to local end-user (more) direct access to resources + increasing their participation in the extraction, production, use and disposal:
> democratize the access to resources
> add value to resources in the region
> increase the connection between producers and consumers (removing intermediaries), hence improving knowledge on sustainability
> increase local information/knowledge, know-how and local people’s capabilities
> give power to individuals and local communities
> reduce poverty and inequality
What are RESILIENCE AND OTHER TECHNO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS of DE
- resilience (to shocks)
- flexibility and adaptability to change (responsiveness)
- customisation (diversification)
- low distribution costs
Other important Points to remember:
DE Resilience: From Centralised System (which is vulnerable because the whole system is dependent on the central node) to a Distributed Resilient System (where the system functions despite some nodes that may be dysfunctional).
DE Responsiveness: From Static (for centralised systems) to Flexible (for Distributed systems)
DE Offer Diversification: From Standardised offerings in a Centralised system to customisation in offering for a distributed system
ARE DISTRIBUTED ECONOMIES ALWAYS MORE SUSTAINABLE (ECONOMICALLY, ENVIRONMENTALLY AND SOCIALLY) THAN CENTRALISED ONES?
No.
there are cases in where centralised economies are better e.g. could be more efficient because of the economy of scale
ARE ALL DISTRIBUTED ECONOMIES SUSTAINABLE?
No.
e.g. cultivation of tomatoes on an urban balcony, buying plants with artificial additives, over irrigating them, adding (non-organic) fertiliser, with low quality/quantity of eatable produces
What are the considerations/requirements for THE DIFFUSION/DESIGN OF SUSTAINABLE DE (S.DE)?
> KNOWLEDGE, CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES ARE NEEDED
METHODS AND TOOLS ARE NEEDED to orientate design towards such DE system that is both environmentally and socio-ethically sustainable as well as economically viable
