1. Professor of Strategy and Organization, School of Engineering, Bern University of Applied Sciences, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland</br>2. Dean of Studies BSc, Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Bern University of Applied Sciences, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland</br>3. Leader of the Research Group, Business Ecosystem Management (BEM), Bern University of Applied Sciences, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland</br>4. Deputy-Leader of the BFH-Centre for Energy Storage Research, Bern University of Applied S
Prof. Stefan Groesser
1. Professor of Strategy and Organization, School of Engineering, Bern University of Applied Sciences, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland</br>2. Dean of Studies BSc, Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Bern University of Applied Sciences, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland</br>3. Leader of the Research Group, Business Ecosystem Management (BEM), Bern University of Applied Sciences, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland</br>4. Deputy-Leader of the BFH-Centre for Energy Storage Research, Bern University of Applied S
As the solar photovoltaic market booms, so will the volume of photovoltaic (PV) systems entering the waste stream. The same is forecast for lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles, which at the end of their automotive life can be given a second life by serving as stationary energy storage units for renewable energy sources, including solar PV. The main objective of this paper is to systematically review the “state-of-the-art” research on the solar PV value chain (i.e., from product design to product end-of-life), including its main stages, processes, and stakeholder relationships, in order to identify areas along the value chain where circular strategies could be implemented, thereby advancing the transition of the PV industry towards circularity. To achieve this goal, we conducted a systematic literature review of 148 peer-reviewed articles, published in English between 2000 and 2020. Results show the PV value chain has been studied from a forward flow supply chain perspective and mostly from a technological point of view, with little regard for circular design, circular business models, and PV reuse. This article thus takes an integrated value chain perspective, introduces some of the barriers to circularity that industry players face, and argues that these barriers represent future opportunities for incumbent and new entrants to innovate within a circular PV industry.
With the dawn of the internet, mobile technology, cloud computing etc. our socio-technical environment has become ever more intertwined and hyper-complex. The field of complexity management tries to devise methods and methodologies to cope with the challenges arising from complexity. This chapter provides a brief overview of the field of complexity management. More specifically, it defines in detail the terms complexity and dynamic complexity. Dynamic complexity is most relevant for high impact decisions and I examine two methods First, causal context modelling (CCM). This is an integrative, qualitative, transdisciplinary approach which creates a qualitative description of a system including key variable interdependencies and system boundaries. The second methodology I explore is system dynamics (SD). Here I provide examples from a project carried out within the Use-it-Wisely project which helped the companies involved understand and deal with the dynamic problems facing them.
8 October 2012 in Systems Research and Behavioral Science