English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Environmental threats associated with demographic and technological trends have resulted in calls for transition to a global economy that operates within the carrying capacity of the natural environment. Because of their centrality to economic activity, this transition must include small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). At the same time, because of their role as knowledge holders on both sustainability and business, higher education institutions (HEIs) can play a more active role in supporting SMEs to address this transition through the provision of timely and appropriate information. Dalhousie University’s Eco-Efficiency Centre (EEC) works with SMEs to support them to identify opportunities to pursue sustainability through improved resource (material and energy) efficiency. To date, much of the support for improved resource efficiency within business has focused large corporations; it has not addressed the particular characteristics of SMEs. Supporting that transition needs a different approach, one that understands SMEs’ learning dynamics; i.e. their drivers and motivators to apply new knowledge as part of their internal strategies. This paper will discuss one approach taken that focused specifically on developing the absorptive capacity of SMEs to incorporate innovation – where in this case ‘innovation’ reflects the strategies for improved resource efficiency. By investigating the relationships and impacts of the EECs involvement with 70 SME manufacturers through their Eco-Efficiency Program for Manufacturers this paper looks at the development of a localized ‘knowledge creation and transfer system’. By acting as an interlocutor within this system, they successfully promoted the transfer and integration of resource efficiency knowledge within the sector.

Knowledge Transfer for Sustainable Innovation: A Model for Academic-Industry Interaction to Improve Resource Efficiency within SME Manufacturers