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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.

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.

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.

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.