RESUMEN
As COVID-19 swept across the world, it created a global pandemic and an unpredictable and challenging job market. This article discusses the future of the 2020-2021 job market in both academia and industry in the midst and aftermath of this pandemic.
Asunto(s)
Biofarmacia/economía , COVID-19/economía , Industria Química/economía , Universidades/economía , Biofarmacia/organización & administración , Biofarmacia/tendencias , COVID-19/epidemiología , Industria Química/organización & administración , Humanos , Pandemias , Investigación/economía , Investigación/organización & administración , SARS-CoV-2 , Red Social , Desempleo , Universidades/organización & administración , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This paper analyzes ICT diffusion in the biopharmaceutical industry. Since new paradigms emerge in the industry towards precision medicine and fasten the digitalization of health care, it is necessary to measure the changing value system, especially between life science and the IT industry. METHODS: The global value chain (GVC) concept is used and data are extracted from the Trade in Value Added (TiVa) dataset (June 2015) from the GVC-OECD project on interconnectivity of economics and industry. A number of indicators were selected: Foreign value added share of gross exports, % of ICT imported in chemicals as a final product, either exported or in use in domestic demand. Trade data are analyzed for two industries: chemical industry, including pharmaceuticals, and the ICT industry for a group of countries: USA, Switzerland, France, Germany, UK and Japan. RESULTS: Only 0.5 to 1% of value added embodied in final chemicals and chemical products can be attributed to the ICT industry. An additional analysis shows higher prices of connectivity for services in the USA versus Japan and Germany, on a price index for a basket of broadband services (fixed and wireless, OECD 2013); this may also reflect the open model of US innovation with more transactions. CONCLUSIONS: Fast digitalization of life science requires new measures. TiVa dataset is useful for some IT equipment, but not sufficient for all forms of digital economy. The value chain concept is useful for pricing mobile computing in pharmaceuticals, but needs specific data on connectivity. Complementary datasets (e.g. EU KLEMS) can also track ICT investment in chemicals.
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Comercio/organización & administración , Tecnología Digital/organización & administración , Industria Farmacéutica/organización & administración , Productos Biológicos , Industria Química/organización & administración , Comercio/economía , Tecnología Digital/economía , Industria Farmacéutica/economía , HumanosRESUMEN
Glycoscience is an interdisciplinary field, which leads to different industrial applications derived from physicochemical and/or biological properties of carbohydrates. This study aims to evaluate how glycoscience may act as a driving force to make research innovative and sustainable in industrial and/or commercial areas. To this end, we rationalized the two main properties of carbohydrate molecules into three main value chains. The regional biomass (sugar, starch, wood) value-chain exploits the physicochemical properties of carbohydrates; the glycomics explores the biological functions of carbohydrates and the non-regional biomass (microbial, pectin, chitin) value-chain exploits the two properties. Each value-chain harbors one or more niches prone to or at an emerging stage of development, and all these niches share a techno-scientific push approach aimed at developing high value-added products with new functionalities, new bioactive glycans, and new enabling technologies that will lead to new applications and possible novel therapies and diagnostics tools.
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Carbohidratos/química , Industria Química/organización & administración , Investigación/organización & administración , Animales , Biomasa , Secuencia de Carbohidratos , Industria Química/economía , Glicómica , Humanos , Invenciones , Microalgas/química , Plantas/química , Investigación/economíaRESUMEN
This study assessed the perceived safety culture among five petrochemical production companies in Japan. Current effects of the perceived safety culture on employee safety motivation and performance were also examined. A total of 883 workers from the five petrochemical companies, which were located in the Chugoku region of Japan, provided valid responses to the survey distributed by email. Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the personnel safety culture in these industries. The endogenous variables considered in this study included petrochemical safety culture, personnel error behavior and personnel attitudes toward violation behaviors. Petrochemical personnel safety motivation was a mediating variable. This study's findings highlight the importance of the perceived safety culture as a significant component of the organizational culture that influences employee behaviors and safety attitudes. This study further verifies the significant impact of the perceived safety culture in this industry sector on improving petrochemical personnel safety motivation and performance. Future research should explore the differences between the subcultures that have formed under larger safety cultures within similar high-risk industries, such as construction, aviation, manufacturing and mining.
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Contaminantes Ocupacionales del Aire/análisis , Industria Química/organización & administración , Enfermedades Profesionales/prevención & control , Exposición Profesional/análisis , Contaminación por Petróleo/análisis , Administración de la Seguridad/normas , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Japón/epidemiología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Enfermedades Profesionales/epidemiología , Percepción , Factores de Riesgo , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
This research is aimed at developing a questionnaire for the self-assessment of non-technical skills (NTS) leading to safety in the chemical sector and at analysing the properties of its scales in terms of construct validity. The research involved 269 Italian employees from three chemical plants of an international company, who occupied lowâ»medium levels in the organizational hierarchy. Results showed a good level of validity and reliability of the instrument and suggested that communication, situational awareness, decision-making, and fatigue/stress management are the four most important NTS for safety in the chemical sector.
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Industria Química/organización & administración , Salud Laboral/normas , Autoevaluación (Psicología) , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Concienciación , Comunicación , Toma de Decisiones , Humanos , PsicometríaRESUMEN
The unique selectivity of enzymes, along with their remarkable catalytic activity, constitute powerful tools for transforming renewable feedstock and also for adding value to an array of building blocks and monomers produced by the emerging bio-based chemistry sector. Although some relevant biotransformations run at the ton scale demonstrate the success of biocatalysis in industry, there is still a huge untapped potential of catalytic activities available for targeted valorization of new raw materials, such as waste streams and CO2. For decades, the needs of the pharmaceutical and fine chemistry sectors have driven scientific research in the field of biocatalysis. Nowadays, such consolidated advances have the potential to translate into effective innovation for the benefit of bio-based chemistry. However, the new scenario of bioeconomy requires a stringent integration between scientific advances and economics, and environmental as well as technological constraints. Computational methods and tools for effective big-data analysis are expected to boost the use of enzymes for the transformation of a new array of renewable feedstock and, ultimately, to enlarge the scope of biocatalysis.
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Biocatálisis , Biotecnología/economía , Desarrollo Económico , Dióxido de Carbono/metabolismo , Industria Química/economía , Industria Química/organización & administración , Administración de ResiduosRESUMEN
PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine how the developed taxonomy of cognitive work analysis (CWA) can be applied in combination with statistical analysis regarding different sociotechnical categories. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study applied a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Workers (n = 120) and managers (n = 85) in the chemical industry were asked in a questionnaire how different occupational safety and health (OSH) measures were being implemented. The exploration of the qualitative CWA taxonomy consisted of an analysis of the following topics: (a) work domain; (b) control task; (c) strategies; (d) social organization and cooperation; (e) worker competencies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The following hypotheses were supported - activities of the management had positive impacts on the aggregated variables: near-accident investigation and instructions (H1); OSH training (H2); operations, technical processes and safe use of chemicals (H3); use of personal protective equipment (H4); measuring, follow-up and prevention of major accidents (H5). The CWA taxonomy was applied in mixed methods when testing H1-H5. A special approach is to analyze the work demands of complex sociotechnical systems with the taxonomy of CWA. In problem-solving, the CWA taxonomy should seek to capitalize on the strengths and minimize the limitations of safety performance.
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Accidentes de Trabajo/prevención & control , Industria Química/organización & administración , Salud Laboral , Análisis y Desempeño de Tareas , Cognición , Estudios Transversales , Técnicas de Apoyo para la Decisión , Femenino , Finlandia , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Cultura Organizacional , Equipo de Protección Personal , Seguridad , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
The Center of Industrial Biotechnology (CIBT) was established in Huzhou for fine chemicals in 2006 and CIBT Shanghai was founded for bulk chemicals in 2008. CIBT is a non-profit organization under auspices of the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Huzhou Municipal Government. CIBT is affiliated with the CAS, which enables it to take advantage of the rich R&D resources and support from CAS; yet CIBT operates as an independent legal entity. The goal of CIBT is to incubate industrial biotechnologies and accelerate the commercialization of these technologies with corporate partners in China.
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Biotecnología/organización & administración , Industria Química/tendencias , Enzimas/biosíntesis , Biocatálisis , Biotecnología/tendencias , Industria Química/organización & administración , ChinaRESUMEN
Illegal trade in hazardous waste and harmful chemicals has caused severe damage on human health and the environment, and brought big challenges to countries to meet their commitments to related multilateral environmental agreements. Synergy-building, like organising law enforcement operations, is critical to address illegal trade in waste and chemicals, and further improve the effectiveness of environmental enforcement. This article discusses how and why law enforcement operations can help countries to implement chemical and waste-related multilateral environmental agreements in a more efficient and effective way. The research explores key barriers and factors for organising law enforcement operations, and recommends methods to improve law enforcement operations to address illegal trade in hazardous waste and harmful chemicals.
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Residuos Peligrosos/legislación & jurisprudencia , Cooperación Internacional , Administración de Residuos/legislación & jurisprudencia , Industria Química/legislación & jurisprudencia , Industria Química/organización & administración , Residuos Electrónicos , Contaminación Ambiental/legislación & jurisprudencia , Contaminación Ambiental/prevención & control , Plaguicidas , Plásticos , Administración de Residuos/economía , Administración de Residuos/métodosRESUMEN
Although knowledge is cumulating, very little is known about the effects of various sources of support on safety and health compliance. This study goes beyond previous research by investigating the relationships among perceived support from organizations, supervisors and co-workers, and employees' safety and health compliance behaviour at chemical and petroleum process plants. The results of this study show that the support from organizations, supervisors and co-workers was significantly related to employees' safety and health compliance. Also, the findings reveal that perceived supervisor support has the strongest influence in ensuring employees' safety and health compliance behaviour.
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Salud Laboral , Cultura Organizacional , Administración de la Seguridad/organización & administración , Percepción Social , Adulto , Industria Química/organización & administración , Conducta Cooperativa , Femenino , Humanos , Malasia , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Industria del Petróleo y Gas/organización & administración , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
With the use of a one-stage method we have carried out hygienic studies of the air of work area of the production of continuous glass fiber. There was revealed the emission of epichlorohydrin, formaldehyde, ethane acid, hydrochloride, spray of mineral petroleum oil, fine glass fiber dust in air of the work area. There was established the combined effect of hazardous substances of unidirectional action with the summation effect on the body. Hazardous substances containing in glass fiber sizers in combination with dust of glass fiber against the background of microtraumatization of the hand skin contribute to the development of occupational skin neoplasms. The studies became the basis of the development of preventive measures aimed at the reduction of risks of the impact of the chemical factor impact on workers.
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Industria Química , Vidrio , Enfermedades Profesionales , Exposición Profesional , Neoplasias Cutáneas , Lugar de Trabajo , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/efectos adversos , Contaminantes Atmosféricos/análisis , Contaminantes Ocupacionales del Aire/efectos adversos , Contaminantes Ocupacionales del Aire/análisis , Industria Química/métodos , Industria Química/organización & administración , Industria Química/normas , Sustancias Peligrosas/efectos adversos , Sustancias Peligrosas/análisis , Humanos , Evaluación de Necesidades , Enfermedades Profesionales/inducido químicamente , Enfermedades Profesionales/epidemiología , Enfermedades Profesionales/prevención & control , Exposición Profesional/análisis , Exposición Profesional/prevención & control , Exposición Profesional/normas , Federación de Rusia/epidemiología , Neoplasias Cutáneas/inducido químicamente , Neoplasias Cutáneas/epidemiología , Neoplasias Cutáneas/prevención & control , Lugar de Trabajo/clasificación , Lugar de Trabajo/normasRESUMEN
In this study we have observed the effects of using rabbit manure and slaughtering by-products in a composting process. Three piles of this material, 4700 kg each, with different amount and C/N ratio, have been investigated and experimental tests were carried out in an industrial horizontal axe reactor using a prototype of turning machine. The composting time lasted 85 days; 2 experimental cycles were conducted: one in Winter and one in Summer. In the Winter test, mesophilic reaction started only in the control mixture (animal manure + slaughtering by-products without straw). It is noteworthy that, the 3 investigated mixtures produced soil amendment by compost with good agronomical potential but with parameters close to the extreme limits of the law. In the Summer test, there was thermophilic fermentation in all mixtures and a better quality compost was obtained, meeting all the agronomic and legislative constraints. For each pile, we examined the progression of fermentation process and thus the plant limitations that did not allow a correct composting process. The results obtained in this study are useful for the development of appropriate mixtures, machines, and plants assuring continuance and reliability in the composting of the biomass coming from rabbit industry.
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Industria Química , Estiércol , Suelo , Animales , Industria Química/organización & administración , ConejosRESUMEN
To achieve the ultimate goal of sustainable chemicals management policythe transition to safer chemicals, materials, products, and processescurrent chemicals management approaches could benefit from a broader perspective. Starting with considerations of function, rather than characterizing and managing risks associated with a particular chemical, may provide a different, solutions-oriented lens to reduce risk associated with the uses of chemicals. It may also offer an efficient means, complementing existing tools, to reorient chemicals management approaches from time-intensive risk assessment and risk management based on single chemicals to comparative evaluation of the best options to fulfill a specific function. This article describes a functional approach to chemicals management we call "functional substitution" that encourages decision-makers to look beyond chemical by chemical substitution to find a range of alternatives to meet product performance. We define functional substitution, outline a rationale for greater use of this concept when considering risks posed by uses of chemicals, and provide examples of how functional approaches have been applied toward the identification of alternatives. We also discuss next steps for implementing functional substitution in chemical assessment and policy development.
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Industria Química/normas , Seguridad de Productos para el Consumidor , Sustancias Peligrosas , Industria Química/legislación & jurisprudencia , Industria Química/organización & administración , Contaminación Ambiental/prevención & control , Gobierno Federal , Sustancias Peligrosas/química , Sustancias Peligrosas/provisión & distribución , Formulación de Políticas , Medición de Riesgo , Gestión de Riesgos , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
If organizations would be able to learn more effectively from incidents that occurred in the past, future incidents and consequential injury or damage can be prevented. To improve learning from incidents, this study aimed to identify limiting factors, i.e. the causes of the failure to effectively learn. In seven organizations focus groups were held to discuss factors that according to employees contributed to the failure to learn. By use of a model of the learning from incidents process, the steps, where difficulties for learning arose, became visible, and the causes for these difficulties could be studied. Difficulties were identified in multiple steps of the learning process, but most difficulties became visible when planning actions, which is the phase that bridges the gap from incident investigation to actions for improvement. The main causes for learning difficulties, which were identified by the participants in this study, were tightly related to the learning process, but some indirect causes - or conditions - such as lack of ownership and limitations in expertise were also mentioned. The results illustrate that there are two types of causes for the failure to effectively learn: direct causes and indirect causes, here called conditions. By actively and systematically studying learning, more conditions might be identified and indicators for a successful learning process may be determined. Studying the learning process does, however, require a shift from learning from incidents to learning to learn.
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Accidentes de Trabajo , Industria Química/organización & administración , Industria de la Construcción/organización & administración , Aprendizaje , Salud Laboral , Administración de la Seguridad/organización & administración , Grupos Focales , Humanos , Industrias/organización & administración , Modelos Teóricos , Motivación , Cultura Organizacional , Innovación Organizacional , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impact of trends in smoking and obesity prevalence on productivity loss among petrochemical employees from 1980 to 2009. METHODS: Smoking and obesity informations were collected during company physical examinations. Productivity loss was calculated as differential workdays lost between smokers and non-smokers, and obese and normal-weight employees. RESULTS: During 1980-2009, smoking prevalence decreased from 32% to 17%, while obesity prevalence increased from 14% to 42%. In 1982, lost productivity from obesity was an estimated 43 days/100 employees, and for smoking, 65 days/100 employees, but by 1987, workdays lost due to obesity exceeded that attributable to smoking. In 2007, workdays lost from obesity were 3.7 times higher than for smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Owing to the increasing trend in obesity, the productivity impact on employers from obesity will continue to rise without effective measures supporting employee efforts to achieve healthy weight through sustainable lifestyle changes.
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Absentismo , Industria Química/organización & administración , Eficiencia Organizacional , Obesidad/epidemiología , Industria del Petróleo y Gas/organización & administración , Fumar/tendencias , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Salud Laboral , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , Fumar/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: This article looks into how perceptions of experience-based analysis (EBA) influence causal explanations of accidents given by managers and workers in the chemical industry (n=409) and in the nuclear industry (n=222). METHOD: The approach is based on the model of naive explanations of accidents (Kouabenan, 1999, 2006, 2009), which recommends taking into account explanations of accidents spontaneously given by individuals, including laypersons, not only to better understand why accidents occur but also to design and implement the most appropriate prevention measures. The study reported here describes the impact of perceptions about EBA (perceived effectiveness, personal commitment, and the feeling of being involved in EBA practices) on managers' and workers' explanations of accidents likely to occur at the workplace. RESULTS: The results indicated that both managers and workers made more internal explanations than external ones when they perceived EBA positively. Moreover, the more the participants felt involved in EBA, were committed to it, and judged it effective, the more they explained accidents in terms of factors internal to the workers. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Recommendations are proposed for reducing defensive reactions, increasing personal commitment to EBA, and improving EBA effectiveness.
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Accidentes de Trabajo/psicología , Salud Laboral , Lugar de Trabajo , Adulto , Causalidad , Industria Química/organización & administración , Industria Química/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Percepción , Administración de la Seguridad , Lugar de Trabajo/organización & administración , Lugar de Trabajo/psicologíaRESUMEN
This study empirically examines the extent of environmental management practiced by US chemical manufacturing facilities, as reflected in the number of environmental internal audits conducted annually. As its focus, this study analyzes the effects of firm-level organizational structure on facility-level environmental management practices. For this empirical analysis, the study exploits unique data from a survey distributed to all U.S. chemical manufacturing permitted to discharge wastewater in 2001; the data reflect internal audits conducted during the years 1999-2001. Empirical results reveal differences in auditing behavior based on whether facilities are owned by publicly held or non-publicly held firms, owned by U.S.-based or non-U.S.-based firms, and owned by larger or smaller firms.
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Industria Química/organización & administración , Conservación de los Recursos Naturales , Recolección de Datos , Residuos Industriales , Auditoría Administrativa , Modelos Econométricos , Propiedad , Estados Unidos , Aguas ResidualesRESUMEN
Despite the unanimity among researchers about the centrality of workplace analysis based on participatory ergonomics (PE) as a basis for preventive interventions, there is still little agreement about the necessary of a theoretical framework for providing practical guidance. In an effort to develop a conceptual PE framework, the authors, focusing on 20 studies, found five primary dimensions for characterising an analytical structure: (1) extent of workforce involvement; (2) analysis duration; (3) diversity of reporter role types; (4) scope of analysis and (5) supportive information system for analysis management. An ergonomics analysis carried out in a chemical manufacturing plant serves as a case study for evaluating the proposed framework. The study simultaneously demonstrates the five dimensions and evaluates their feasibility. The study showed that managerial leadership was fundamental to the successful implementation of the analysis; that all job holders should participate in analysing their own workplace and simplified reporting methods contributed to a desirable outcome. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: This paper seeks to clarify the scope of workplace ergonomics analysis by offering a theoretical and structured framework for providing practical advice and guidance. Essential to successfully implementing the analytical framework are managerial involvement, participation of all job holders and simplified reporting methods.
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Industria Química/organización & administración , Ergonomía/métodos , Enfermedades Musculoesqueléticas/prevención & control , Enfermedades Profesionales/prevención & control , Lugar de Trabajo , Participación de la Comunidad , Procesos de Grupo , Humanos , Liderazgo , Medición de Riesgo/métodos , Medición de Riesgo/organización & administración , Administración de la SeguridadRESUMEN
In Taiwan, relevant mid-term plans and projects of mitigating occupational hazards have been launched in recent years in the hopes of lowering the incidence of occupational hazards. In light of the lack of objective methodologies for researches on issues pertaining occupational safety and health, this research aims to explore the priorities of safety and health issues through focal groups, expert questionnaires and interviews on relevant issues such as hazard installations identified in R181 Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents Recommendation, 1993 proposed during the 18th World Congress on Safety and Health at work in Seoul 2008. Results revealed that distribute reports of major domestic/foreign occupational disasters to relevant sectors for the prevention of major accidents is needed, both from the importance and feasibility analysis. It is the only topic that scored over 4 points in average for expert and focal group consensus. Furthermore, the experts and focal groups came to consensus in the ranking of priority for 4 items, namely: 1) Installations containing/using large quantities of hazardous materials should be prioritized for inspection, 2) Incorporation of hazard installation review/inspection into OSH management system accreditation, 3) Impose operation shutdown as a means of penalty) and 4) Prioritize the promotion of preliminary PHA.