Network analysis of eight industrial symbiosis systems

Abstract

Industrial symbiosis is the quintessential characteristic of an eco-industrial park. To divide parks into different types, previous studies mostly focused on qualitative judgments, and failed to use metrics to conduct quantitative research on the internal structural or functional characteristics of a park. To analyze a park’s structural attributes, a range of metrics from network analysis have been applied, but few researchers have compared two or more symbioses using multiple metrics. In this study, we used two metrics (density and network degree centralization) to compare the degrees of completeness and dependence of eight diverse but representative industrial symbiosis networks. Through the combination of the two metrics, we divided the networks into three types: weak completeness, and two forms of strong completeness, namely “anchor tenant” mutualism and “equality-oriented” mutualism. The results showed that the networks with a weak degree of completeness were sparse and had few connections among nodes; for “anchor tenant” mutualism, the degree of completeness was relatively high, but the affiliated members were too dependent on core members; and the members in “equality-oriented” mutualism had equal roles, with diverse and flexible symbiotic paths. These results revealed some of the systems’ internal structure and how different structures influenced the exchanges of materials, energy, and knowledge among members of a system, thereby providing insights into threats that may destabilize the network. Based on this analysis, we provide examples of the advantages and effectiveness of recent improvement projects in a typical Chinese eco-industrial park (Shandong Lubei).

Keywords

industrial ecology / network analysis / density / network degree centralization / eco-industrial park

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Fund for Innovative Research Group of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51421065), by the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (No. NCET-12-0059), and by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41171068), and by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2015KJJCA09).

Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11707-015-0520-9 and is accessible for authorized users.

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