RESUMO
Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 97.4% of all businesses in Australia and, contribute, by revenue, 32% to the country's economy. In the last decade, Australian SMEs have become increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability and need to shift away from a linear to circular economy (CE). Since 2019, there has been considerable growth on CE adoption research in SMEs, but empirical research examining Australian SMEs has yet to be undertaken. This study has used a survey and aims to understand the enablers and barriers of CE adoption in Australian SMEs. The research addresses three specific research questions- What are the barriers that impact CE adoption in Australian SMEs?; What enablers facilitate CE adoption in Australian SMEs?; and What is the effect of industry type, geographic location and job roles on enablers and barriers identification for CE adoption in Australian SMEs? Based on 352 responses from the survey of Australian SMEs, the paper identifies and analyses the enablers and barriers that these organizations face as they transition towards circular economy. The impact that location, industry sector and the role respondents undertake within the organization provides some interesting insights into how Australian SMEs are managing the process of adoption of CE. The research demonstrates that there is an overwhelming need for the development of consistent, sectoral, industry and location-specific policies by the federal and state governments to support internal policy development and the acquisition of new technologies in order to stimulate Australian SME CE adoption. In addition, Australian SMEs need to have a better understanding of how budgetary constraints, the lack of customer awareness and an absence of clearly defined business process impact CE adoption.
RESUMO
Dependence on drugs has enduring effects on drug intake and relapse. The role of choice in enhanced susceptibility to drug use in drug dependence has been little studied. Here we determine the effects of alcohol dependence on the choice between alcohol and a non-drug reward, saccharin, using the discrete choice model in food-restricted male rats. We trained rats to self-administer alcohol (12% w/v) and saccharin (0.05, 0.1%), tested their choice of alcohol vs. saccharin, and determined the effects of deprivation and intertrial interval (ITI) duration on choice. We then determined the effects of alcohol dependence, induced by repeated intermittent exposure to alcohol vapor on choice of alcohol vs. saccharin (0.1%) in discrete choice trials as well as on the effects of adulteration of alcohol with quinine on choice. We trained another group of rats to self-administer intravenous (i.v.) nicotine (0.03 mg/kg/infusion) and oral saccharin (0.1%), determined their choice, and examined the roles of ITI duration and concurrent access on choice. Rats chose equivalent amounts of 0.05% saccharin and 12% alcohol, showed a stronger choice for 0.1% saccharin, and alcohol and saccharin choice were modestly decreased and increased, respectively, by deprivation. Alcohol dependence led to profound increases in the choice of alcohol over saccharin while adulteration of alcohol with quinine did not affect choice in non-dependent or dependent rats. Rats showed marked choice for 0.1% saccharin over i.v. nicotine. The strong effect that dependence had on alcohol choice is an important validation of the discrete choice procedure.
