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In the last years, management scholars have looked into the phenomenon of disruptive innovation, mostly focusing on the characteristics that identify a disruptive innovation and on the managerial solutions that incumbent firms should adopt to respond to the threat of a disruptive innovation. However, studying the characteristics of the context in which a disruptive innovation unfolds remains an under-researched topic. To fill this gap, this exploratory study examines how the disruptive innovation phenomenon is influenced by a set of variables that shape the context in which it takes place. This is done through a historical analysis of Uber, a widely discussed example of disruptive innovation. The exploratory analysis suggests that the extant regulatory framework plays a key role in influencing the impact that Uber has had on the taxi industry. By doing so, the paper points to the importance — for future researchers — to study disruptive innovation by carefully placing it in the regulatory context in which it takes place, given the importance that this aspect plays in influencing the anatomy of the disruption phenomenon.

There is a substantial concern for the economic impacts of global warming. This study identifies the effects of seasonal temperatures on total economic output in the cities of China, and then projects the changes in local economic performance under future climate and development scenarios. The results suggest that there are significant negative effects of warm seasonal temperature but positive effects of cold seasonal temperature on economic growth. These different effects increase as more lags of temperature are included. By 2090, the cities may have the average reduction of 44% in GDP per capita under RCP8.5, but some of them in Northeast China are predicted to get positive impacts under RCP2.6. The difference in the estimated aggregate impacts under the two RCPs could be as much as 24%. The poor cities are likely to have higher economic damages, which amplifies the economic inequality. Finally, the ranges of economic impacts projected by different climate models are presented.

In 2012, China's urbanization rate reached 52.57% and cities entered into the crucial period of overall transformation, meanwhile, new changes and patterns emerged in urban scientific development. First, even though the pace of economic development in eastern cities slowed down, the livelihood security, ecological environment and city supporting capacity improved significantly, which means the strategy of transformation and restructuring got some achievements. Second, gradient features of city development still remained obviously among provinces. Third, small and medium-sized cities had outstanding performance, which contributed to improvement in urban scientific development. However, the imbalance among different kinds of cities was still serious. Faced with the complex domestic and international development environment, how to keep the main line with development mode transformation and further promote the economic, social and ecological transformation will be a great challenge to China.

Environmental governance of city hinges on the balance between technology possibility and rigid constraints of boundaries. Environmental carrying capacity of city constitutes rigid constraints of boundaries. The multiplier effect, incremental effect, and substitution effect of technology efficiently break through the constraints of environmental capacity posed upon city development, enable continuous expansion of city size, and lead to increasing amount and size of mega-cities. Nevertheless, rebound effect, accelerating effect, and ultimate effect of technology innovation also imposes limitations upon expansion of environmental carrying capacity and has negative effects on city operation and sustainability. Boundaries of mega-city cannot be broken though by technology possibility because of natural, social, and economic rigidity. Alternative solutions beyond technology, such as reformations and innovations on socio-economic and institutional mechanisms, should be concerned in the context of technical bottleneck of environmental governance of mega-city.

During China’s rapid urbanization, cities are threatened by ever more severe meteorological disasters. Urban meteorological disasters are characterized by massive destruction, high diffusion, and extensive social impact, which further complicate prevention and control. Therefore, non-engineering countermeasures are given a more prominent role in the process. China has primarily established a system of non-engineering countermeasures against urban meteorological disasters. However, this system does have its problems and flaws. The authors propose that disaster prevention should be technology-based and carried out in a scientific manner. A well-rounded disaster prevention institution should be established, and social participation must be raised. Urban meteorological monitoring, forecasting, and early warning abilities should be enhanced, prevention and control plans improved, relative legislation and administration completed, and social participation promoted so as to strengthen China’s non-engineering response to meteorological disasters.

Promoting low-carbon development (LCD) is one of the basic requirements of building new-type urbanization with Chinese characteristics. Research on the formulation of low-carbon city development roadmap (hereinafter referred to as the “Roadmap”) is a necessity for systematic control of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and the construction of low-carbon cities. Based on the actual conditions of cities as well as the regional and national development strategies, the Roadmap panoramically describes the strategic objectives, development plans, and key sectors' initiatives for the transformation of city development through planning techniques and solutions. Generally, the formulation of a low-carbon roadmap involves six steps: understanding the present situation of GHG emissions; analyzing the future emission scenarios; setting LCD targets; developing action plans for key sectors; assessing mitigation potential of low-carbon technologies/projects; and proposing measures for implementation. This paper, based on the practical experience in low-carbon city roadmap development and the needs of divisional management, establishes an analytical structure of GHG inventory for seven sectors, so as to link the key sectors for LCD, namely the seven major sectors for emissions reduction proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Moreover, this paper integrates sectorial (industrial) low-carbon technology needs assessment (TNA) into the formulation of the Roadmap. It also provides several recommendations for better incorporating the two methods into the Roadmap: firstly, to strengthen the core function of GHG inventory by enhanced accounting quality and scientific and systematic analysis of the temporal and sectorial distribution of GHG emissions so as to serve the Roadmap formulation and decision-making. Secondly, to reinforce the derivative function of GHG inventory that serves the LCD planning, assessment, and decision-making by improving the quality and continuity of GHG inventory. Thirdly, to develop the derivative function of GHG inventory by integrating the improved GHG inventory and TNA into the formulation of the Roadmap.

This paper evaluates the low-carbon development of 176 Chinese cities in 2018 using the Low-carbon City Evaluation Indicator System developed by Research Institute for Eco-civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The evaluation shows an overall improvement of low-carbon development of cities in China, with 10 cities scoring 90 points and above, and 106 cities scoring 80–89 points. From the perspective of city category, the low-carbon development scores present an order as follows: service-oriented $\mathrm{\text{cities}}>\mathrm{\text{comprehensive cities}}>\mathrm{\text{ecology}}$-prioritized $\mathrm{\text{cities}}>\mathrm{\text{industrial}}$ cities. Geologically speaking, eastern cites perform best, western cities come second and central cities come last. Of the three batches of low-carbon city pilots, the scores follow the pattern of Batch $1>\mathrm{\text{Batch}}2>\mathrm{\text{Batch}}$ 3. Most cities are characterized by high carbon consumption and reduced efforts in low-carbon management and capital investment. Finally, this paper proposes to attach more importance to low-carbon development and strengthen capacity building for low-carbon governance; intensify efforts for constructing low-carbon pilots in order to help achieve the goal of carbon emission peak during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period; and to improve the Low-carbon City Evaluation Indicator System.

The term “sustainability” has become a commonly used and widely accepted term in both an ecological sense and a business sense. In this chapter, sustainability is seen as part of something bigger and can be seen as an ecosystem. The objective is to understand and assess how service and quality research can be used to meet transformative societal practice in city contexts to build city ecosystem frameworks. The main purpose is to develop and conceptualize in an explorative way a multilevel ecosystem for societal practice in the city context. The multilevel ecosystem for societal practice can be used for challenge-driven transformative change where sustainability, in the light of 2030 Agenda Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs), will get a more regenerative and societal meaning in interaction with transformation and innovation. The suggested multilevel ecosystem model addresses the interaction between the three levels (macro, meso, and micro) and the interdependence of the systemic, institutional, and processes. The model highlights that it is about a real transformative change process and not about SDG-washing.

To reflect on the multilevel ecosystem for societal practice in city contexts in the light of 2030 Agenda SDGs, a case study of the ongoing process of Karlstad City’s transformation is developed. The suggested model will not make any transformative change without a proactive method to make a real mind shift or a paradigm shift. The chapter contributes the idea of building a lab platform for orchestrating innovation and transformation, to further develop ideas, create interaction and dialogues, and integrate and allocate resources to achieve a more radical change process and be aware that the devil is in the implementation process.

In the last years, management scholars have looked into the phenomenon of disruptive innovation, mostly focusing on the characteristics that identify a disruptive innovation and on the managerial solutions that incumbent firms should adopt to respond to the threat of a disruptive innovation. However, studying the characteristics of the context in which a disruptive innovation unfolds remains an under-researched topic. To fill this gap, this exploratory study examines how the disruptive innovation phenomenon is influenced by a set of variables that shape the context in which it takes place. This is done through a historical analysis of Uber, a widely discussed example of disruptive innovation. The exploratory analysis suggests that the extant regulatory framework plays a key role in influencing the impact that Uber has had on the taxi industry. By doing so, the paper points to the importance — for future researchers — to study disruptive innovation by carefully placing it in the regulatory context in which it takes place, given the importance that this aspect plays in influencing the anatomy of the disruption phenomenon.

Starting with research on excavator using environment, analyze the morphological characteristics and the demand of function for excavators in the special application environment. Putting forward innovative design of excavator's body shape and the way of walking based on the urban construction environments, which provide a reference for special excavator design. At the same time, it is a good foundation for building the excavator characteristic statistic database with the basis of special application.

Environmental issue has seriously affected the physical and mental health of many people in our country, and at the same time, it plays an important role in our country's the economic and social development, which has become a major social problem. This article aims to raise the whole society's awareness of environmental protection, strengthen the propaganda of environmental protection and environmental protection consciousness.