The emergence of a global and technological world and its accelerating, dissemination before the beginning of the 21st century does not only give rise to technological, economic, social, environmental, political, and educational tasks. Significant philosophical questions, epistemic reflections, and cultural debates result. The aim of this book is to provide information about epistemic, ethical, and cultural implications of sustainable development on an interdisciplinary and international level.

A pioneering study that challenges the legal orthodoxy of sustainable development in international law from a non-Western perspective.

The emergence of a global and technological world and the accelerating dissemination of technology does not only give rise to technological, economic, social, environmental, political and educational tasks. Significant philosophical questions, epistemic reflections and cultural debates result and have to be pushed forward. To move sustainable development from a political mission statement and scientific challenge into everyday life we have to shift our focus of attention to those who are driving a non-sustainable development: human beings and their societal and cultural conditions and interactions. Ultimately not the ecological footprint is the core challenge, but we and those who are leaving this footprint. The idea of the present volume of Sustainable Development - Relationships to Culture, Knowledge and Ethics was developed in the course of the international conference "Sustainability 2010: The Cultural Dimension", which took place in July 2010 in Berlin. The aim of this book is to provide discussions about cultural, epistemic and ethical implications of contemporary changes and emerging challenges on an interdisciplinary and international level.

This book presents innovative research on various aspects of sustainability in the field of operations management and illustrates the potential of sustainability thinking and practice to improve operations performance and thereby meet customer needs. Particular attention is devoted to corporate social responsibility and marketing strategy, knowledge management for sustainability, the role of culture in a sustainable built environment, sustainable manufacturing through the application of lean and green concepts, advancing sustainability through ISO standards, and the sustainable supply chain. The present decade is proving to be a time of change in terms of business strategies and operations management. Many of the trends are still subject to uncertainty, but an understanding of the need for, and benefits of, sustainability can give a clear indication of their trajectory. Consumers and markets in general believe that while implementing their business strategies, companies should also try to improve society and the environment and to exercise social responsibility toward their employees. This book provides insights into how this may be achieved, and it is recommended for researchers as well as all practitioners and managers dedicated to enhancing sustainability in operations.

More than half of the world’s population now live in urban areas, and cities provide the setting for contemporary challenges such as population growth, mass tourism and unequal access to socio-economic opportunities. Urban Heritage, Development and Sustainability examines the impact of these issues on urban heritage, considering innovative approaches to managing developmental pressures and focusing on how taking an ethical, inclusive and holistic approach to urban planning and heritage conservation may create a stronger basis for the sustainable growth of cities in the future. This volume is a timely analysis of current theories and practises in urban heritage, with particular reference to the conflict between, and potential reconciliation of, conservation and development goals. A global range of case studies detail a number of distinct practical approaches to heritage on international, national and local scales. Chapters reveal the disjunctions between international frameworks and national implementation and assess how internationally agreed concepts can be misused to justify unsustainable practices or to further economic globalisation and political nationalism. The exclusion of many local communities from development policies, and the subsequent erosion of their cultural heritage, is also discussed, with the collection emphasising the importance of ‘grass roots’ heritage and exploring more inclusive and culturally responsive conservation strategies. Contributions from an international group of authors, including practitioners as well as leading academics, deliver a broad and balanced coverage of this topic. Addressing the interests of both urban planners and heritage specialists, Urban Heritage, Development and Sustainability is an important addition to the field that will encourage further discourse.