Environmental pressures from consumer products and mechanisms of predetermination were examined in this thesis using causal loop diagram (CLD) and life cycle assessment (LCA) footprinting to respectively illustrate and provide some indicators about these mechanisms. Theoretical arguments and their practical implications were subjected to qualitative and quantitative analysis, using secondary and primary data. A study integrating theories from various research fields indicated that combining product-service system offerings and environmental policy instruments can be a salient aspect of the system change required for decoupling economic growth from consumption and environmental impacts. In a related study, modes of system behaviour identified were related to some pervasive sustainability challenges to the design of electronic products. This showed that because of consumption and investment dynamics, directing consumers to buy more expensive products in order to restrict their availability of money and avoid increased consumption will not necessarily decrease the total negative burden of consumption. In a study examining product systems, those of washing machines and passenger cars were modelled to identify variables causing environmental impacts through feedback loops, but left outside the scope of LCA studies. These variables can be considered in LCAs through scenario and sensitivity analysis. The carbon, water and energy footprint of leather processing technologies was measured in a study on 12 tanneries in seven countries, for which collection of primary data (even with narrow systems boundaries) proved to be very challenging. Moreover, there were wide variations in the primary data from different tanneries, demonstrating that secondary data should be used with caution in LCA of leather products. A study examining pre-consumer waste developed a footprint metric capable of improving knowledge and awareness among producers and consumers about the total waste generated in the course of producing products. The metric was tested on 10 generic consumer goods and showed that quantities, types and sources of waste generation can differ quite radically between product groups. This revealed a need for standardised ways to convey the environmental and scale of significance of waste types and for an international standard procedure for quantification and communication of product waste footprint. Finally, a planning framework was developed to facilitate inclusion of unintended environmental consequences when devising improvement actions. The results as a whole illustrate the quality and relevance of CLD; the problems with using secondary data in LCA studies; difficulties in acquiring primary data; a need for improved waste declaration in LCA and a standardised procedure for calculation and communication of the waste footprint of products; and systems change opportunities for product engineers, designers and policy makers. / <p><strong>Jury committee</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Henrikke Baumann, </strong>Associate Professor<strong></strong></p><p>Chalmers University of Technology</p><p>Department of Energy and Environment</p><p>Division of Environmental System Analysis</p><p></p><p><strong>Joakim Krook, </strong>Associate Professor</p><p>Linköpings Universitet</p><p>Department of Management and Engineering (IEI) / Environmental Technology and Management (MILJÖ)</p><p></p><p><strong>Karl Johan Bonnedal, </strong>Associate Professor</p><p>Umeå University</p><p>Umeå School of Business and Economics (USBE)</p><p></p><p><strong>Sofia Ritzén</strong>, Professor</p><p>KTH Royal Institute of Technology</p><p>School of Industrial Engineering and Management</p><p>Department of Machine Design</p><p>Integrated Product Development</p><p>QC 20160405</p><p></p>

The aim of this research is to find out what environmental impact a wave power park has on the Swedish west coast by creating a consultation paper (”Samrådsunderlag”) for the Lysekilproject at Uppsala University. To highlight the complexity of the problem a system analytic approach was used and illustrated by a Causal Loop Diagram. The overall assessment of the Lysekilprojects wave power park at the Swedish west coast is that it will have a low impact on the environment. This is due to the relative small size of the wave power park and some technical solutions made with the environmental aspect in mind. Artificial reefs and a sanctuary for marine species are effects created by the wave power park and in the longer term the impact will give access to an untapped source of renewable energy, wave energy. Thus reducing the need of fossil fuels and making it possible to reach the Swedish national environmental goals. / Lysekilsprojektet

Sistemas de saúde têm sido cada vez mais exigidos a serem mais eficientes, o que encorajou o uso de iniciativas de melhoria de processos. A partir de então, a Produção Enxuta (PE) surgiu como uma abordagem amplamente utilizada. Alguns resultados insatisfatórios da PE podem ser, parcialmente, explicados pela falta de considerar a complexidade dos serviços de saúde. Os sistemas de saúde são classificados como sistemas sócio-técnicos complexos (SSTC) devido à incerteza, diversidade e interações não-lineares. De acordo com a literatura, as implementações de Lean em serviços de saúde geralmente envolvem Kaizen, que tende a produzir ganhos significativos de eficiência e segurança através de mudanças relativamente pequenas e localizadas. Contudo, as melhorias locais podem implicar resultados globais indesejados, uma vez que as interações entre os elementos de sistemas complexos podem não ser lineares. Para isso, este trabalho desenvolve e aplica uma framework que visa avaliar projetos de melhoria em SSTC. O estudo foi realizado em uma unidade de internação de um hospital escola. As interações entre os projetos foram modeladas através do desenvolvimento de um diagrama de loop causal, o qual representou variáveis relacionadas a cinco projetos de melhoria analisados e um modelo FRAM. Os projetos também foram avaliados quanto ao seu impacto no sistema e sua adesão a boas práticas em Kaizen, identificadas na literatura. A framework demonstrou-se eficaz em elencar as variáveis para que possam influenciar positivamente os resultados dos projetos e embasar recomendações para a condução de novos projetos de melhoria por meio de uma visão sistêmica. / Healthcare systems have been increasingly demanded to be more efficient, which has encouraged the use of process improvement initiatives. From these, lean production has emerged as a widely used approach. Some disappointing results of lean production can be partially due to the lack of consideration of the complexity of healthcare. Health systems are classified as Complex socio-technical systems (CSTS) due to the uncertainty, diversity, and non-linear interactions. According to the literature, the implementation of Lean in healthcare usually involves Kaizen, which tends to produce significant gains in efficiency and safety through relatively small and localized changes. However, local improvements may imply unwanted overall results, since interactions between elements of complex systems may not be linear. For this, this work develops and applies a framework that aims to evaluate improvement projects in CSTC. The study was performed in an in-patient surgical ward of a teaching hospital. The interactions between the projects were modelled through the development of a causal-loop diagram, which accounted for variables related to all five projects, and a FRAM model. The projects were also evaluated as to their impact on the system and their adherence to good Kaizen practices identified in the literature. The framework proved to be effective in highlighting the variables so that they can positively influence the projects results and support recommendations for conducting new improvement projects through a systemic view.

This thesis investigates the use of a combined set of quantitative and qualitative tools to help address known barriers associated with adopting and sustaining pollution prevention (P2) in an industrial manufacturing setting. The research was conducted at an Ontario dairy processing facility in the form of a case study. P2 is an alternative approach to traditional pollution control or abatement techniques. P2 is a preferred method for pollution management, both environmentally and economically, as it focuses on the efficient use of resources to prevent pollution at the source. The tools used in this research included: wastewater treatability testing, hierarchical process mapping, employee interviews, and causal loop diagrams (CLDs). The application of these tools assisted the participating facility in better characterizing its existing environmental problems, uncovering concrete resource saving opportunities within its processes, and providing more adaptive visual approaches of documenting and conveying P2 concepts. / OMAFRA Agri-Food and Rural Link KTT Funding Program

Sistemas de saúde têm sido cada vez mais exigidos a serem mais eficientes, o que encorajou o uso de iniciativas de melhoria de processos. A partir de então, a Produção Enxuta (PE) surgiu como uma abordagem amplamente utilizada. Alguns resultados insatisfatórios da PE podem ser, parcialmente, explicados pela falta de considerar a complexidade dos serviços de saúde. Os sistemas de saúde são classificados como sistemas sócio-técnicos complexos (SSTC) devido à incerteza, diversidade e interações não-lineares. De acordo com a literatura, as implementações de Lean em serviços de saúde geralmente envolvem Kaizen, que tende a produzir ganhos significativos de eficiência e segurança através de mudanças relativamente pequenas e localizadas. Contudo, as melhorias locais podem implicar resultados globais indesejados, uma vez que as interações entre os elementos de sistemas complexos podem não ser lineares. Para isso, este trabalho desenvolve e aplica uma framework que visa avaliar projetos de melhoria em SSTC. O estudo foi realizado em uma unidade de internação de um hospital escola. As interações entre os projetos foram modeladas através do desenvolvimento de um diagrama de loop causal, o qual representou variáveis relacionadas a cinco projetos de melhoria analisados e um modelo FRAM. Os projetos também foram avaliados quanto ao seu impacto no sistema e sua adesão a boas práticas em Kaizen, identificadas na literatura. A framework demonstrou-se eficaz em elencar as variáveis para que possam influenciar positivamente os resultados dos projetos e embasar recomendações para a condução de novos projetos de melhoria por meio de uma visão sistêmica. / Healthcare systems have been increasingly demanded to be more efficient, which has encouraged the use of process improvement initiatives. From these, lean production has emerged as a widely used approach. Some disappointing results of lean production can be partially due to the lack of consideration of the complexity of healthcare. Health systems are classified as Complex socio-technical systems (CSTS) due to the uncertainty, diversity, and non-linear interactions. According to the literature, the implementation of Lean in healthcare usually involves Kaizen, which tends to produce significant gains in efficiency and safety through relatively small and localized changes. However, local improvements may imply unwanted overall results, since interactions between elements of complex systems may not be linear. For this, this work develops and applies a framework that aims to evaluate improvement projects in CSTC. The study was performed in an in-patient surgical ward of a teaching hospital. The interactions between the projects were modelled through the development of a causal-loop diagram, which accounted for variables related to all five projects, and a FRAM model. The projects were also evaluated as to their impact on the system and their adherence to good Kaizen practices identified in the literature. The framework proved to be effective in highlighting the variables so that they can positively influence the projects results and support recommendations for conducting new improvement projects through a systemic view.

Sistemas de saúde têm sido cada vez mais exigidos a serem mais eficientes, o que encorajou o uso de iniciativas de melhoria de processos. A partir de então, a Produção Enxuta (PE) surgiu como uma abordagem amplamente utilizada. Alguns resultados insatisfatórios da PE podem ser, parcialmente, explicados pela falta de considerar a complexidade dos serviços de saúde. Os sistemas de saúde são classificados como sistemas sócio-técnicos complexos (SSTC) devido à incerteza, diversidade e interações não-lineares. De acordo com a literatura, as implementações de Lean em serviços de saúde geralmente envolvem Kaizen, que tende a produzir ganhos significativos de eficiência e segurança através de mudanças relativamente pequenas e localizadas. Contudo, as melhorias locais podem implicar resultados globais indesejados, uma vez que as interações entre os elementos de sistemas complexos podem não ser lineares. Para isso, este trabalho desenvolve e aplica uma framework que visa avaliar projetos de melhoria em SSTC. O estudo foi realizado em uma unidade de internação de um hospital escola. As interações entre os projetos foram modeladas através do desenvolvimento de um diagrama de loop causal, o qual representou variáveis relacionadas a cinco projetos de melhoria analisados e um modelo FRAM. Os projetos também foram avaliados quanto ao seu impacto no sistema e sua adesão a boas práticas em Kaizen, identificadas na literatura. A framework demonstrou-se eficaz em elencar as variáveis para que possam influenciar positivamente os resultados dos projetos e embasar recomendações para a condução de novos projetos de melhoria por meio de uma visão sistêmica. / Healthcare systems have been increasingly demanded to be more efficient, which has encouraged the use of process improvement initiatives. From these, lean production has emerged as a widely used approach. Some disappointing results of lean production can be partially due to the lack of consideration of the complexity of healthcare. Health systems are classified as Complex socio-technical systems (CSTS) due to the uncertainty, diversity, and non-linear interactions. According to the literature, the implementation of Lean in healthcare usually involves Kaizen, which tends to produce significant gains in efficiency and safety through relatively small and localized changes. However, local improvements may imply unwanted overall results, since interactions between elements of complex systems may not be linear. For this, this work develops and applies a framework that aims to evaluate improvement projects in CSTC. The study was performed in an in-patient surgical ward of a teaching hospital. The interactions between the projects were modelled through the development of a causal-loop diagram, which accounted for variables related to all five projects, and a FRAM model. The projects were also evaluated as to their impact on the system and their adherence to good Kaizen practices identified in the literature. The framework proved to be effective in highlighting the variables so that they can positively influence the projects results and support recommendations for conducting new improvement projects through a systemic view.

The impacts of climate change on livestock production are complex problems, existing in the rela-tionship among this sector and others sectors such as environmental, social, economic and political systems. The complexity and dynamic of these impacts cannot be solved simply in isolation with the linear approach. A system thinking methodology is introduced in this paper to understand the impacts of climate change on livestock production, and identify effective interventions strategies to address this systemic problem. System thinking is a way of thinking about the world and relationships which has been developed far along way in the past. Today, systems thinking has become increasingly popular because it provides a \'new way of thinking\' to understand and manage complex problems, whether they rest within a local or global context. While four levels of thinking is a fundamental tool to identify systemic problems, Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) is a visual tool created by a computer program to illustrate the whole picture of climate change impacts. CLD consist of feedbacks for system, which help strategists identify appropriate intervention strategies in solving the systemic problem. / Ảnh hưởng của biến đổi khí hậu đến ngành chăn nuôi là một trong những vấn đề phức tạp, bởi mối quan hệ chặt chẽ có hệ thống của chúng với các lĩnh vực khác như môi trường, xã hội, kinh tế và chính trị. Những tác động phức tạp đa chiều này không thể giải quyết đơn thuần bằng các giải pháp mang tính đơn lẻ. Phương pháp tư duy hệ thống được giới thiệu trong bài này cho phép hiểu đầy đủ, có hệ thống các tác động của biến đổi khí hậu đến ngành chăn nuôi, đồng thời xác định được những giải pháp chiến lược phù hợp để giải quyết vấn đề mang tính hệ thống này. Tư duy hệ thống là cách tư duy và tiếp cận với sự vật, hiện tượng khách quan, và các mối quan hệ của chúng, phương pháp này đã được nghiên cứu và phát triển từ xa xưa. Ngày nay, tư duy hệ thống đang được ứng dụng phổ biến và rộng rãi hơn trong các nghiên cứu phát triển bền vững vì phương pháp này cung cấp một “tư duy mới” để hiểu và quản lý được các vấn đề phức tạp, dù chúng ở qui mô địa phương hay trên phạm vi toàn cầu. Trong đó, bốn cấp bậc của tư duy là công cụ cơ bản để nhận biết các vấn đề phức tạp, và sơ đồ các vòng tròn tác động (CLD) là công cụ trực quan được xây dựng bằng phần mềm máy tính để chỉ ra bức tranh toàn cảnh các tác động của biến đổi khí hậu. Các vòng tròn tác động này phản ánh các diễn biến thực tế và các thông tin giúp cho việc xác định các giải pháp chiến lược.

This thesis deals with modelling of project teams and their behavior using the principles of system dynamics. Main goal of this thesis is to create a model using system dynamics, which will allow to simulate how projects are finished. Results from the model are going to be used to define the best possible strategy to finish a project in required time. Theoretical part of this work is composed of presentation of project management and further the thesis extensively describes system dynamics, principles of system dynamics, used diagrams and possible ways of application of system dynamics in the real world. Furthermore are described the principles and advantages of using models and specifically system dynamics models. In the practical part of this thesis is presented the created model, which allows for simulating of project team behavior based on the input from the user of the model. Model serves the purpose of finding the best possible strategy to finish the product successfully.

This diploma thesis is focused on the application of a system approach, which was configured by the author. Configured approach was used to analyze project of implementation of data warehouse tool. Dynamics of the project delivery system was shown by causal loop diagram and then by system dynamics model. Thesis defined and used terms like system, system complexity, system approach, system approach configuration, causal loop diagram, system dynamics model, system archetype of shifting the burden, data warehouse and its definition against a database definition, project, project organizational structures, methods and their necessity in implementation of information systems projects, feasibility of the information system projects and problems with measurement of project performance. Time-proportional simulation of system dynamics model quantified effects of factors and also quantified different results of project implementation approaches. Based on the analyzed project was provided a brief general recommendations for information systems projects.

Urbanization coupled with the lack of space has led to soil sealing and encroachment upon stream corridors in many cities the world over. This has caused not just the degradation of the riparian ecosystem, but has also increased the frequency and intensity of flash flooding. India is one of the countries worst affected by urban floods. To manage flood risk, especially in the case of rain-fed urban streams, not just the government but also the public needs to be engaged in the management of the stream corridor. In this context of flood risk management, the resilience concept is increasingly being applied. It revisits some fundamental notions conventionally associated with viewing and managing floods, beginning by acknowledging that floods are natural and unavoidable, and resilience, not stability is the desirable quality. This research aims to study how governance attributes like public participation can enhance flood resilience. To this end, relevant literature on resilience and governance has been studied followed by a study of the events surrounding the flooding of the Ramnadi stream corridor in Pune city through policy analysis, data derived from documents and maps, and through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders like locals, experts, activists and civic authorities. Categorization and meaning interpretation of relevant data has enabled an analysis of the governance structure for the Ramnadi corridor using a causal loop diagram. The nodes, linkages and feedback loops in this diagram have been studied to understand how public participation affects resilience characteristics. Findings of this investigation along with draft recommendations for specific actors were presented to stakeholders in a validation workshop. Implications of the results on the theories of flood resilience, governance and public participation have been examined which has enabled their analytic generalization. General policy recommendations have been based on this. Subsequently, recommendations which promote systems approach based public participation and systems thinking in the governance of social-ecological systems have been made.:Table of Contents i List of figures iv List of tables vi Abbreviations vi Definitions vii 1 Introduction: Urban Floods, Urban Causes 1 1.1 Urban flood risk in India 3 1.2 Flooding in urban stream corridors 5 1.3 Rationale and aims of the research 8 1.4 Structure of the document 9 2 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 13 2.1 Flood risk management 15 2.1.1 Towards a systems approach 16 2.2 Social-ecological systems 17 2.2.1 The stream corridor as a social-ecological system 17 2.3 Resilience 22 2.3.1 From ecological resilience to social-ecological resilience 23 2.3.2 Characteristics of resilience 24 2.4 Resilience in the light of other prevalent concepts for flood risk management 29 2.5 Flood Resilience 30 2.5.1 Flood resistance vs flood resilience 31 2.6 Governance 32 2.6.1 Resilience building attributes of governance 33 2.6.2 The Resilience characteristics vs. Governance attributes matrix 36 2.6.3 Special focus: Public participation 37 2.7 Research Questions 44 2.8 Conclusions from the theoretical and conceptual study 45 3 Research design and methods 47 3.1 Overall research design 48 3.1.1 The case study approach 51 3.1.2 Sampling of the case study 54 3.1.3 Boundaries of the case study 56 3.2 Data collection methods 57 3.2.1 Why interviews? 57 3.2.2 Interviewing techniques 58 3.3 Data analysis 61 3.3.1 Coding and Categorization 63 3.3.2 Meaning interpretation: 64 3.3.3 Causal loop diagram 65 3.3.4 Validation of the results and recommendations 66 3.4 Concluding remarks on the adopted research design and methods 67 4 The Ramnadi corridor: A Social-Ecological System 69 4.1 Ramnadi in context 70 4.2 A journey along the Ramnadi 75 4.2.1 Section 1: Ramnadi at the source 77 4.2.2 Section 2: Ramnadi in Bhukum 79 4.2.3 Section 3: Ramnadi between Bhukum and Pune Municipal Corporation limits 84 4.2.4 Section 4: Ramnadi in Bavdhan 87 4.2.5 Section 5: Ramnadi between the Pashan Lake and its confluence with the Mula River 91 4.3 Conclusion after the Ramnadi corridor reconnaissance 93 5 Changes in flood governance and observations from the case study 95 5.1 The history of local governance in India 96 5.2 Institutional framework for urban flood management in India 97 5.3 Flood governance and participation in the stream corridors of PunePune 98 5.3.1 The Ramnadi 98 5.3.2 The Devnadi 103 5.4 Remarks on the changes in flood governance seen in the case study 105 6 Understanding the causal links between governance attributes and flood resilience 107 6.1 The need for a Causal Loop Diagram 108 6.2 Causal Loop Diagram 109 6.2.1 Use of Causal Loop Diagram in this Thesis 109 6.2.2 The importance of identifying archetypes 111 6.2.3 Explanation of the causal loop diagram of governance of the Ramnadi corridor 113 6.2.4 Understanding the implications of change in the governance structure between 2010 and 2016 on flood resilience 141 6.3 The importance of public participation for flood resilience 142 6.3.1 Public participation promotes self-organization 142 6.3.2 Public participation increases the adaptive capacity through promotion of learning 142 6.3.3 Public participation increases robustness 143 6.3.4 Public participation increases redundancy 143 6.3.5 Public participation can increase resilience by boosting other governance attributes 143 6.3.6 Some emerging ideas on complex systems and their implications for public participation 145 6.4 Benefits of systems thinking and of the causal loop diagram for public participation 147 6.5 Conclusions from the causal loop diagram based study 149 7 Towards flood resilience through public participation 151 7.1 Continuous public participation and event-based public participation 153 7.1.1 The need for continuous public participation 154 7.1.2 Disadvantages of continuous public participation 158 7.2 Institutional recommendations for continuous public participation 158 7.2.1 Municipal Corporations and other urban local development bodies 158 7.2.2 Schools: 164 7.2.3 NGOs: 166 7.2.4 Ward Councils: 167 7.3 Conclusion 169 8 Epilogue: Discussion and Avenues for Further Research 171 8.1 Answering the research questions in the course of this research 172 8.2 Key lessons 173 8.3 Theoretical contribution to governance, public participation and resilience 174 8.3.1 Interplay between governance attributes 174 8.3.2 A new paradigm for classification of public participation 175 8.3.3 Systems approach for social-ecological resilience 175 8.4 Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 176 8.5 Limitations of the research 176 8.6 Avenues for further research 177 9 References 179 10 Appendices 193