Weeks 5-7 Content Flashcards
what is a circular economy?
this is a term for an economic model that stands in direct contrast to the linear model of our current industrial economy
what does the circular economy rely on?
mass production and consumption
what does mass production and consumption require?
constant delivery of raw materials and energy
according to WRAP, what is a circular economy?
“A circular economy is an alternative to a traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of each service life.”
what supports the rationale and prospects for a circular economy?
macroeconomic reports
what have the EU and China signed?
a memorandum of understanding on circular economy cooperation
What is China investing in?
renewable energy, digital technologies, and asset-sharing platforms
what is china transitioning to?
from a giant of manufacturing to the world’s largest consumer market
who is having the biggest organisational impact on the circular economy?
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF)
what is them Ellen MacArthur Foundation?
a leading charity supporting the transition to a circular economy
what does the Ellen MacArthur Foundation do?
“works with business, government and academia to build a framework for an economy that is restorative and regenerative by design.”
what does the circular economy rely on?
business model innovations that redefine products and services to minimise negative impacts
what are feedback loops enabled by?
current and emerging technologies which can change the relationships between people, energy, consumption and use
how can systems be optimised?
by creating more effective flows and useful feedback mechanisms
what are the enablers of circular economy initiatives?
digital technologies and internet-connected devices
what new business opportunities do digital technologies provide?
Improving the user experience. Mobile technology, for example, simplifies and improves user experience by making remote interactions possible across customers, suppliers and the goods themselves.
Monitoring performance of assets. Mobile apps combined with other digital technologies like machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity and big data analytics can enable remote control, predictive maintenance, mobile payments and automated monitoring.
what is the sharing economy?
the exchange of surplus assets for some form of payment
what has made the sharing economy grow?
the growth of mobile digital platforms has made this type of transaction possible at an unprecedented scale
what does the sharing economy focus on?
the sharing of underutilised assets, monetised or not, in ways that improve efficiency, sustainability and community
what does the collaborative economy focus on?
collaborative forms of consumption, production, finance and learning
what does the on-demand economy focus on?
“on-demand” (i.e. immediate and access-based) provision of goods and services
what does the gig economy focus on?
workforce participation and income generation 3 via “gigs”, single projects or tasks for which a worker is hired
what does the crowd economy focus on?
economic models powered by “the crowd”, including but not limited to crowdsourcing and crowdfunding.
what gives the sharing economy a bad name?
fake reviews, uncertain quality and lack of accountability
what is a critical success factor in the sharing economy?
trust
what is the danger of focusing on the success stories of the sharing economy?
Confirmation bias - it’s easy to confirm preconceived opinions and conclude that any new venture adopting the same principles will be equally successful