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Keynote Speaker I


Professor Chung-Li Tseng

University of New South Wales, Australia

Speech Title: Modeling Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Mathematical Insights and Propositions from Socially Influenced Recycling Dynamics


Abstract: Understanding and influencing pro-environmental behaviors are crucial for achieving sustainable development goals, particularly in the context of environmental engineering. Elevating recycling rates is pivotal for enhancing the efficacy of remanufacturing, thereby mitigating waste and addressing environmental concerns. Drawing from studies in environmental science and psychology, this presentation explores the impact of socially-influenced pride and guilt on consumers' recycling behaviors. Employing an evolutionary game model, we depict how these psychological factors and community interactions shape consumers' recycling decisions.

Our analysis of the evolutionarily stable equilibrium of the recycling rate yields intriguing results. While environmental psychology literature often advocates for pride-focused interventions to improve recycling rates, our findings reveal nuanced dynamics. Pride-framed interventions prove more effective when the prevailing recycling rate is low (below 25%), whereas guilt-framed interventions become more impactful for moderate rates (between 25% and 50%). Remarkably, when the prevailing recycling rate is sufficiently high (50% and above), only guilt-framed interventions demonstrate the potential to further increase participation.

The model predicts various recycling behaviors, including guilt-motivated bandwagoning and a blend of free-riding and pro-environment behaviors. Insights derived from the proposed game-theoretical model provide potential propositions for further exploration by environmental psychology researchers. This research contributes valuable mathematical insights, challenging existing recommendations and shedding light on the intricate interplay of psychological factors in shaping socially influenced recycling behaviors.


Bio: Chung-Li Tseng a Professor of Operations Management at the UNSW Business School in Sydney Australia. He is currently the Executive Director at the Business School's UNOVA Knowledge Hub for Digital Transformation, where he leads multidisciplinary research projects, providing expert insights to companies navigating technical and managerial challenges in their digital transformation journeys. He has successfully managed projects funded by prominent Australian companies, including National Broadband Network (NBN) company, WooliesX, Sydney Metro, the George Institute of Global Health, and Kent Removals. He has taught operations management and supply chain management in various programs including MBA and EMBA.

Prior to joining UNSW, he held faculty positions at the University of Maryland and the University of Missouri-Rolla in the US. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of California-Berkeley and a M.S. from UC Davis. He has edited or co-edited several special issues of peer-reviewed journals. His published work has appeared in Operations Research, Manufacturing & Service and Operations Management, The Energy Journal, Energy Economics, European Journal of Operational Research, and other journals. He is a past President of the Section on Energy, Natural Resources, and the Environment of the INFORMS. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Energy Engineering, which is among ASCE’s 15 flagship journals that have reached the 150th volume milestone this year. He has served on the Editorial Board of the ASCE Journal of Infrastructure Systems, IET Energy Conversion and Economics, and the International Journal of Business Analytics. His research interests include operations management, healthcare, sustainability, financial engineering, and project management.





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