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People with disabilities will experience discrimination in many ways during their daily life; one way being the presence of physical barriers in the public built environment which prevent their full participation. Within the EU and in Germany, regulations and building standards are the primary tool used for ensuring accessibility within the built environment, however, full and equal access for people with disabilities has not been achieved. This discrepancy indicates the limitations of accessibility through standardization and regulation. Physical barriers, such as stairs, have long been identified and understood to prevent access for people with disabilities, however, there seems to be relatively little scientific literature discussing temporary forms of barriers which also prevent access in the built environment. This research project aims to identify and understand barriers which create temporary inaccessibility for people with disabilities. These barriers may reflect unregulated or unenforced situations within the public built environment, one example of this type of situation being construction sites. Of particular interest is the role temporality plays within the development of barriers and accessibility. The primary research takes the form of go-along case studies with three participants, each having a different disability or impairment. The setting for these case studies is Europaplatz, a plaza at Berlin’s central train station; this location can be considered as a critical case, findings here should be archetypal and can be expected to hold true in other similar situations. The research shows the existence of many temporary barriers which have long lasting inaccessible impacts for people with disabilities. These barriers primarily stem from the presence of nearby construction sites and activities. In most cases a small amount of initial consideration towards accessibility would have prevented these temporary inaccessibilities. Even after their creation, very minor changes could remove these barriers and create a more accessible environment. My research indicates that there are serious problems around construction related activities which create barriers for people with disabilities. A clear lack of consideration for accessibility during the planning, approval and oversight of construction activities is shown.

Abstract Background:  Electric Vehicles (EVs) have been identified as a sustainable alternative to reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels. EV sales are starting to reach significant numbers. Subsequently, the demand for Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs), a key component in EVs, has increased. Due to the higher demand, a greater volume of LIBs will enter the waste stream. The waste-management strategies commonly used for the disposal of LIBs create potential risks of soil and air pollution, affecting the sustainability of EVs. The underdeveloped waste-management strategies, and the environmental and social risks related to improper disposal of LIBs, makes the study of second-life strategies of LIBs relevant.  Circular Economy (CE) promotes circular instead of linear flows of materials to reduce environmental impacts and maximize resource efficiency. LIB recycling is gaining popularity since LIBs contain valuable metals such as cobalt and lithium. A major challenge for LIB recycling is developing economical ways to extract and process metals from spent LIBs. The reviewed literature points to aresearch gap formed by the lack of study on the standardization of LIBs aimed to improve LIB recycling. The research gap is relevant because the reviewed literature points to a connection between standardization, innovation, and sustainability. Innovation of LIBs is a driver of sustainable transportation solutions, and the study of LIB standardization is relevant for two reasons. Firstly, standardization may influence further innovations needed to enable sustainable transportation. Secondly, standardization is relevant to achieve better recycling of LIBs and reduce the negative environmental and health effects of improper LIB disposal. Objectives:  During the development of the theoretical framework, two paradoxes were observed. The first paradox is between the dimensions of innovation and sustainability. Innovation acts positively on sustainability by enabling LIB development necessary to include EVs in the transportation sector. On the other hand, improper disposal of LIBs results in pollution affecting sustainability negatively. The second paradox is between the dimensions of standardization and innovation. Academics perceive standardization either as an enabler or as a hinder to innovation. Standardization enables innovation by giving a path and conditions for further technological developments, but standardization could also constrain the freethinking needed in innovation. Considering that innovation of LIBs has been a driver in the development of EVs, often described as a sustainable transportation solution, the study of LIBs’ standardization is relevant in the context of further innovation and higher sustainability goals.  The purpose of this study is to help to fill the gap in existing research on LIB recycling by exploring what factors in the dimensions of standardization, innovation, and sustainability are perceived as relevant for LIBs’ standardization aimed for better recycling. Moreover, the purpose of this thesis is also to explore how these factors influence further innovation of LIBs. Consequently, this thesis seeks to answer the following research question: What factors are perceived to be relevant for standardization of LIBs in the dimensions of standardization, innovation and sustainability aimed to improve recycling, and why? Also, how could these factors influence innovation of LIBs? Methodology:  Research in standardization aimed for recycling of LIBs is in its infancy. Therefore, the research problem is perceived as unstructured and modestly understood. Consequently, an exploratory research design has been selected for this thesis. The chosen research strategy was to conduct a case study focused on automotive firms. The selection of the case was based on four criteria. The first criterion was to select a firm in Sweden. The second criterion was to choose a firm with a defined strategy towards electric vehicles and a track of being innovative. A third criterion behind the selection was the firm’s potential for growth in units sold. The fourth criterion was that the firm should have a publicly known ambition or strategy towards sustainability. Volvo Cars Corporation (VCC) fulfilled all four criteria and was selected as the study case for this thesis. Data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews with key organizational members involved in work related to second-life strategies of LIBs, development of LIBs, sustainability analysis, andlegislations or standardization. The sampling then focused on informants in the business areas of R&D,which covers these organizational activities. The interview questions were based on factors found to berelevant during the literature review within the dimensions of standardization, innovation, and sustainability. Also, each factor was associated with corresponding attributes. The formulation of the interview questions aimed to explore the relevance of an attribute for the standardization of LIBs aimed for better recycling and to explore how the factor influences innovation. The explored factors in the dimension of standardization were the source of standard, working groups for standardization development, practices during standard development, and design of standards. Meanwhile, the explored factors in the dimension of innovation were network effects and barriers to entry. In the sustainability dimension, the explored factors were exploration-exploitation balance and network effects.  The data analysis for the interviewees was based on first-order categorization of the answers, followed by creating second-order themes. The first-order categories and second-order themes were used for analyzing and assessing the relevance of the explored factors for the standardization of LIBs. Afterward, the second-order and aggregate themes were considered for the analysis of the factors’ influence on innovation. Moreover, the second-order themes have been used to identify new relevant factors to be considered in the standardization of LIBs with an influence in innovation. In this work, those identified relevant factors are referred asidentified elements. Finally, the analysis for the influence of the identified elements on innovation was visualized by the elaboration of a thematic map.  Results & Analysis:  The explored factors of standardization sources, working groups for standardization development, practices during development of standards and design of standards within the dimension of standardization were perceived as relevant and influenced innovation in combination with other identified elements. The most relevant identified elements were maturity, rigid standards, harmonization, flexibility, tacit knowledge, and culture. Maturity and rigid standards were perceived as the dominant among the identified elements by being important to avoid a negative influence on innovation caused by technology lock-in and obsolescence of the developed standards. Regarding identified elements with a positive influence on innovation, harmonization, culture, tacit knowledge, and flexibility are perceived as relevant to innovation by enabling common solutions in harmonized alliances, clarity in scope for the standards, and allowing freedom in the choice of methods. In the case of explored factors in the dimensions of innovation and sustainability, the explored factors of networks effects, entry barriers, and exploration-exploitation were perceived as relevant for the standardization of LIBs. Moreover, the results of the identified elements showed technology lock-in and iiiinefficient products as the biggest influence negatively affecting innovation and sustainability,respectively. The most important identified elements are maturity and investments for the technology lock-in aggregate theme, whereas efficiency, pricing, and environmental impact are identified for the case of inefficient products. Regarding aggregate themes enabling innovation and sustainability, they were presented in the form of resource and process optimization, market dynamics, and holistic view. Among the dominant identified elements enabling innovation are efficiency and specialized facilities.In addition to positive and negative aggregate themes, the aggregate theme of technology path was created. This aggregate theme refers to a technology development path that could influence innovation and or sustainability in potentially different ways: positive, neutral, or negative. The dominant identified elements in this theme are infrastructure, social realm, and consumer preference and awareness. Conclusions:  This thesis explored the relevance of factors in the dimensions of standardization, innovation, and sustainability on LIB standardization and their influence on the innovation of LIBs. The exploration of the factors’ perceived relevance answered the research question and resulted in new identified elementsrelevant to be considered in the standardization of LIBs with an influence on innovation. Consequently, this thesis fulfilled its purpose by helping to fill the gap in the existing research on LIB recycling. The main conclusions for the exploration of factors within the dimension of standardization are two. Firstly, the explored factors are relevant to be considered in the standardization of LIBs. Secondly, the exploration led to the new identified elements with negative and positive influence on innovation. The identified elements of maturity and rigid standards showed a negative influence on innovation in the form of technology lock-in or obsolescence of standards. However, the identified elements of harmonization, flexibility, tacit knowledge, and culture, showed a positive influence on further innovation of LIBs. The main conclusions for the dimensions of sustainability and innovation were that the explored factors are relevant in LIB standardization. Also, high compatibility between LIB manufacturers and recyclers raises challenges towards innovation while supporting sustainability. Also, consumer preferences and their shifts play a central role with negative and positive influence on innovation and sustainability and as a driver to certain segments of standardization.

Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a critical and looming threat to human health that requires action across the One Health continuum (humans, animals, environment). Coordinated surveillance within the environmental sector is largely underdeveloped in current National Action Plans to combat the spread of AR, and a lack of effective study approaches and standard analytical methods have led to a dearth of impactful environmental monitoring data on the prevalence and risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments. In this dissertation, integrated surveillance approaches of surface water and wastewater systems are demonstrated, and efforts are made towards standardizing both metagenomic- and culture-based techniques for globally comparable environmental monitoring. A field study of differentially-impacted watersheds on the island of Puerto Rico post-Hurricane Maria demonstrated the effectiveness of metagenomics in defining direct impact of anthropogenic stress and human fecal contamination on the proliferation of ARGs in riverine systems. The contribution of treated wastewater effluents to the dissemination of highly mobile and clinically-relevant ARGs and their connection to local clinical settings was also revealed. At the international scale, a transect of conventional activated sludge wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), representing both US/European and Asian regions, were found to significantly attenuate ARG abundance through the removal of total bacterial load and human fecal indicators, regardless of influent ARG compositions. Strong structural symmetry between microbiome and ARG compositions through successional treatment stages suggested that horizontal gene transfer plays a relatively minor role in actively shaping resistomes during treatment. Risk assessment models, however, indicated high-priority plasmid-borne ARGs in final treated effluents discharged around the world, indicating potentially increased transmission risks in downstream environments. Advancements were also made toward standardizing methods for the generation of globally representative and comparable metagenomic- and culture-based AR monitoring data via two comprehensive and critical literature reviews. The first review provides guidance in next-generation sequencing (NGS) studies of environmental AR, proposing a framework for experimental controls, adequate sequencing depths, appropriate use of public databases, and the derivation of datatypes that are conducive for risk assessment. The second review focuses on antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus spp. as robust monitoring targets and an attractive alternative to more widely adopted Gram-negative organisms, while proposing workflows that generate universally equivalent datatypes. Finally, quantitative metagenomic (qMeta) techniques were benchmarked using internal reference standards for high-throughput quantification of ARGs with statistical reproducibility. / Doctor of Philosophy / Antimicrobials have contributed to the reduction of infectious diseases in humans and animals since the early 20th century, increasing productivity and saving countless lives. However, their industrial-scale application across human, animal, and agricultural sectors over the last several decades, especially the use of antibiotics, have engendered the proliferation of antibiotic resistance (AR). AR occurs when changes in bacteria cause the drugs used to treat infections to become less effective and has become one of the leading public health threats of the 21st century. The global spread of AR through the transmission and evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB; known colloquially as "superbugs") and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) across the One Health continuum (i.e., humans, animals, and the environment) is resulting in increased hospitalization, length of hospital stays, suffering, death, and overall health-care associated costs globally. This dissertation demonstrates the use of metagenomics, the sequencing of all genetic material (e.g., DNA) recovered from a microbial community, for the comprehensive monitoring of ARB and ARGs in aquatic environments, a key pathway for the dissemination of AR into and out of human populations. In order to impede the proliferation of AR, surveillance systems are currently in place to track the spread and evolution of ARB and ARGs in humans and livestock, as well as agri-food sectors. However, the surveillance in natural and built environments (i.e., rivers and domestic sewage) has significantly lagged due to the lack of standard monitoring targets and methodologies. It is also a goal of this dissertation to suggest guidance for the collection of metagenomic- and culture-based AR monitoring data to generate universally comparable results that can be included in centralized databases. Riverine systems are ideal models for tracking input of antibiotic resistance to the natural environment by human activity. After Hurricane-Maria, many of Puerto Rico's wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) went offline, discharging raw sewage to local surface waters. In a cross-sectional study of watersheds impacted by WWTPs, the abundance of ARGs was directly correlated to increases in local population density. Also, highly mobile and clinically-relevant ARGs were found directly downstream of WWTPs across the island. We found that many of these ARGs corresponded well to forms AR endemic to the region. WWTPs are the primary engineering controls put in place to curb the spread of human and animal waste streams and can help to reduce AR. An international transect of conventional activated sludge WWTPs representing US/Europe and Asia were sampled to garner a mechanistic understanding of the fate or ARGs through treatment. Although WWTPs remove total bacteria, human fecal indicators, and much of the abundance of ARGs, mobile and clinically-relevant ARGs are discharged around the world in large quantities. Consideration is needed in certain regions of iv the world where the managing of human waste streams is the first line of defense against the dissemination of resistance to local communities. Two comprehensive critical literature reviews were conducted to evaluate the various methodologies for generating and analyzing metagenomic- and culture-based AR monitoring data. These reviews address the need for experimental rigor and disclosure of extensive metadata for inclusion in future, centralized databases. The articles further provide guidance with respect to universally comparable datatypes and efficient workflows that will aid in the scale-up of the collection of environmental monitoring data within a global surveillance framework. Finally, a study was conducted to benchmark the use of internal DNA reference standards for the absolute quantification of ARGs (i.e., on a ARG copy per volume of sample basis). The statistical framework for ARG detection and its implications for wastewater-based surveillance systems of AR are also discussed.

The Swedish public sector has been influenced by an increased demand for efficiency, legal security and scientific evidence during the last decades. As a result, the framework Children’s Needs in Focus (BBIC) was developed to be used by the social services within child welfare work. Every municipality in Sweden has the license required to use BBIC, however there are limited studies conducted regarding social workers' experience of working with the framework. The aim of this study was to explore what social workers’ experiences are from working with BBIC. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore what kind of obstacles and opportunities there are with working with the framework. In order to capture the social workers experience, five semi-structured interviews were carried out. The results show that the interviewed social workers have an overall positive experience of working with BBIC. BBIC was found to be a tool that benefits both the professionals and also the client by creating legal security and increased client participation. Eventhough some obstacles were mentioned, these were not linked to BBIC itself but rather to a lack of knowledge of the framework. Gathering the social workers experience, the described obstacles and opportunities, the results clearly show that professional competence, professional discretion and organizational support are key factors required to work with BBIC.

Tesis por compendio / [EN] Synthetic Biology is an emerging interdisciplinary field that aims to apply the engineering principles of modularity, abstraction and standardization to genetic engineering. The nascent branch of Synthetic Biology devoted to plants, Plant Synthetic Biology (PSB), offers new breeding possibilities for crops, potentially leading to enhanced resistance, higher yield, or increased nutritional quality. To this end, the molecular tools in the PSB toolbox need to be adapted accordingly, to become modular, standardized and more precise. Thus, the overall objective of this Thesis was to adapt, expand and refine DNA assembly tools for PSB to enable the incorporation of functional specifications to the description of standard genetic elements (phytobricks) and to facilitate the construction of increasingly complex and precise multigenic devices, including genome editing tools. The starting point of this Thesis was the modular DNA assembly method known as GoldenBraid (GB), based on type IIS restriction enzymes. To further optimize the GB construct-making process and to better catalog the phytobricks collection, a database and a set of software-tools were developed as described in Chapter 1. The final webbased software package, released as GB2.0, was made publicly available at www.gbcloning.upv.es. A detailed description of the functioning of GB2.0, exemplified with the building of a multigene construct for anthocyanin overproduction was also provided in Chapter 1. As the number and complexity of GB constructs increased, the next step forward consisted in the refinement of the standards with the incorporation of experimental information associated to each genetic element (described in Chapter 2). To this end, the GB package was reshaped into an improved version (GB3.0), which is a self-contained, fully traceable assembly system where the experimental data describing the functionality of each DNA element is displayed in the form of a standard datasheet. The utility of the technical specifications to anticipate the behavior of composite devices was exemplified with the combination of a chemical switch with a prototype of an anthocyanin overproduction module equivalent to the one described in Chapter 1, resulting in a dexamethasone-responsive anthocyanin device. Furthermore, Chapter 3 describes the adaptation and functional characterization of CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering tools to the GB technology. The performance of the adapted tools for gene editing, transcriptional activation and repression was successfully validated by transient expression in N. benthamiana. Finally, Chapter 4 presents a practical implementation of GB technology for precision plant breeding. An intragenic construct comprising an intragenic selectable marker and a master regulator of the flavonoid biosynthesis was stably transformed in tomato resulting in fruits enhanced in flavonol content. All together, this Thesis shows the implementation of increasingly complex and precise genetic designs in plants using standard elements and modular tools following the principles of Synthetic Biology. / [ES] La Biología Sintética es un campo emergente de carácter interdisciplinar que se fundamenta en la aplicación de los principios ingenieriles de modularidad, abstracción y estandarización a la ingeniería genética. Una nueva vertiente de la Biología Sintética aplicada a las plantas, la Biología Sintética Vegetal (BSV), ofrece nuevas posibilidades de mejora de cultivos que podrían llevar a una mejora de la resistencia, a una mayor productividad, o a un aumento de la calidad nutricional. Sin embargo, para alcanzar este fin las herramientas moleculares disponibles en estos momentos para BSV deben ser adaptadas para convertirse en modulares, estándares y más precisas. Por ello se planteó como objetivo general de esta Tesis adaptar, expandir y refinar las herramientas de ensamblaje de DNA de la BSV para permitir la incorporación de especificaciones funcionales en la descripción de elementos genéticos estándar (fitobricks) y facilitar la construcción de estructuras multigénicas cada vez más complejas y precisas, incluyendo herramientas de editado genético. El punto de partida de esta Tesis fue el método de ensamblaje modular de ADN GoldenBraid (GB) basado en enzimas de restricción tipo IIS. Para optimizar el proceso de ensamblaje y catalogar la colección de fitobricks generados se desarrollaron una base de datos y un conjunto de herramientas software, tal y como se describe en el Capítulo 1. El paquete final de software se presentó en formato web como GB2.0, haciéndolo accesible al público a través de www.gbcloning.upv.es. El Capítulo 1 también proporciona una descripción detallada del funcionamiento de GB2.0 ejemplificando su uso con el ensamblaje de una construcción multigénica para la producción de antocianinas. Con el aumento en número y complejidad de las construcciones GB, el siguiente paso necesario fue el refinamiento de los estándar con la incorporación de la información experimental asociada a cada elemento genético (se describe en el Capítulo 2). Para este fin, el paquete de software de GB se reformuló en una nueva versión (GB3.0), un sistema de ensamblaje auto-contenido y completamente trazable en el que los datos experimentales que describen la funcionalidad de cada elemento genético se muestran en forma de una hoja de datos estándar. La utilidad de las especificaciones técnicas para anticipar el comportamiento de dispositivos biológicos compuestos se ejemplificó con la combinación de un interruptor químico y un prototipo de un módulo de sobreproducción de antocianinas equivalente al descrito en el Capítulo 1, resultando en un dispositivo de producción de antocianinas con respuesta a dexametasona. Además, en el Capítulo 3 se describe la adaptación a la tecnología GB de las herramientas de ingeniería genética CRISPR/Cas9, así como su caracterización funcional. La funcionalidad de estas herramientas para editado génico y activación y represión transcripcional se validó con el sistema de expresión transitoria en N.benthamiana. Finalmente, el Capítulo 4 presenta una implementación práctica del uso de la tecnología GB para hacer mejora vegetal de manera precisa. La transformación estable en tomate de una construcción intragénica que comprendía un marcador de selección intragénico y un regulador de la biosíntesis de flavonoides resultó en frutos con un mayor contenido de flavonoles. En conjunto, esta Tesis muestra la implementación de diseños genéticos cada vez más complejos y precisos en plantas utilizando elementos estándar y herramientas modulares siguiendo los principios de la Biología Sintética. / [CA] La Biologia Sintètica és un camp emergent de caràcter interdisciplinar que es fonamenta amb l'aplicació a la enginyeria genètica dels principis de modularitat, abstracció i estandarització. Una nova vessant de la Biologia Sintètica aplicada a les plantes, la Biologia Sintètica Vegetal (BSV), ofereix noves possibilitats de millora de cultius que podrien portar a una millora de la resistència, a una major productivitat, o a un augment de la qualitat nutricional. Tanmateix, per poder arribar a este fi les eines moleculars disponibles en estos moments per a la BSV han d'adaptar-se per convertir-se en modulars, estàndards i més precises. Per això es plantejà com objectiu general d'aquesta Tesi adaptar, expandir i refinar les eines d'ensamblatge d'ADN de la BSV per permetre la incorporació d'especificacions funcionals en la descripció d'elements genètics estàndards (fitobricks) i facilitar la construcció d'estructures multigèniques cada vegada més complexes i precises, incloent eines d'edidat genètic. El punt de partida d'aquesta Tesi fou el mètode d'ensamblatge d'ADN modular GoldenBraid (GB) basat en enzims de restricció tipo IIS. Per optimitzar el proces d'ensamblatge i catalogar la col.lecció de fitobricks generats es desenvolupà una base de dades i un conjunt d'eines software, tal i com es descriu al Capítol 1. El paquet final de software es presentà en format web com GB2.0, fent-se accessible al públic mitjançant la pàgina web www.gbcloning.upv.es. El Capítol 1 també proporciona una descripció detallada del funcionament de GB2.0, exemplificant el seu ús amb l'ensamblatge d'una construcció multigènica per a la producció d'antocians. Amb l'augment en nombre i complexitat de les construccions GB, el següent pas fou el refinament dels estàndards amb la incorporació de la informació experimental associada a cada element genètic (es descriu en el Capítol 2). Per a aquest fi, el paquet de software de GB es reformulà amb una nova versió anomenada GB3.0. Aquesta versió consisteix en un sistema d'ensamblatge auto-contingut i complemtament traçable on les dades experimentals que descriuen la funcionalitat de cada element genètic es mostren en forma de fulla de dades estàndard. La utilitat de les especificacions tècniques per anticipar el comportament de dispositius biològics compostos s'exemplificà amb la combinació de un interruptor químic i un prototip d'un mòdul de sobreproducció d'antocians equivalent al descrit al Capítol 1. Aquesta combinació va tindre com a resultat un dispositiu de producció d'antocians que respón a dexametasona. A més a més, al Capítol 3 es descriu l'adaptació a la tecnologia GB de les eines d'enginyeria genètica CRISPR/Cas9, així com la seua caracterització funcional. La funcionalitat d'aquestes eines per a l'editat gènic i activació i repressió transcripcional es validà amb el sistema d'expressió transitòria en N. benthamiana. Finalment, al Capítol 4 es presenta una implementació pràctica de l'ús de la tecnologia GB per fer millora vegetal de mode precís. La transformació estable en tomaca d'una construcció intragènica que comprén un marcador de selecció intragènic i un regulador de la biosíntesi de flavonoïdes resultà en plantes de tomaca amb un major contingut de flavonols en llur fruits. En conjunt, esta Tesi mostra la implementació de dissenys genètics cada vegada més complexos i precisos en plantes utilitzant elements estàndards i eines modulars seguint els principis de la Biologia Sintètica. / Vázquez Vilar, M. (2016). DESIGN OF GENETIC ELEMENTS AND SOFTWARE TOOLS FOR PLANT SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/68483 / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales / Compendio

Reforms early in the 21st century purported to close the achievement gap between White students and students of color, to provide accountability and transparency to taxpayers, to implement meaningful consequences for low-performing schools, and to create the workforce for the century. In this study, I investigated the effects of school reform on the lived experiences of students who graduated from high school in 2014 by inquiring into six young people’s perceptions of their schooling. I sought to better understand whether participants were aware of the existence and intent of school reforms, and how or whether their aspirations for their futures had evolved over the course of their formal schooling in concert with the expressed goals of those reforms. The data set consisted of narratives from six recent low-income male and female high school graduates of color. Analysis revealed striking similarities between their experiences despite the variety in outcomes. The narratives indicated that school reforms have had little impact on students’ lives other than to graft the go-to-college imperative, onto the young people’s inherent aspirations. Young people remained alienated from their education, and outcomes continued to adhere to racist, classist, and gendered expectations.

The relationship between the MNCs organizational units, HQ and subsidiaries, has beencharacterized as an inherently conflictual arena and conflicts may arise due to the counterpartsnot being completely aligned and having conflicting interests. This is often caused by thedifferent pulls towards global standardization by the HQ and local adaptation by thesubsidiaries, and different internal and external pressures and factors. Through a case study ofthe MNC Arla Foods, the causes and consequences of the conflict regarding the HQ desire forthe discontinuation of the local Swedish brand, Arla Cow, in favor of global standardization hasbeen discussed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with managers from theHQ and Swedish subsidiary and a microethnographic study on-site at the Swedish subsidiary.The results show that the primary causes of the conflict are due to bounded rationality by theHQ, which results in problems related to communication and knowledge transfer between theSwedish subsidiary. Institutional or cultural aspects did not seem to be an influencing factor inthe conflicting interests.