Newly emerging information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) models are not just about business . Some of these models are also guided by a strong underlying social mission to do good and create social value . Collectively they are now being referred to as impact sourcing (ImS) models. In brief, ImS is a social innovation in outsourcing that aims to bring digitally-enabled outsourcing jobs to marginalized individuals. The ImS model of outsourcing consciously provides employment opportunities to communities and groups whose life chances are deemed poor. In this thesis we study ImS companies, i.e., IT-BPO vendor firms, which aim to create a significant impact (hence the term impact sourcing ) on the lives of hitherto disadvantaged and deprived communities by giving them gainful employment and thereby improving their material conditions. Using qualitative methods, the thesis takes multiple approaches to study the ImS model. The thesis is comprised of three empirical chapters, each exploring a different aspect of the ImS model. Chapter 2, using a multiple case-study approach, draws on concepts from social entrepreneurship to study the triggers of ImS entrepreneurship and the process through which ImS entrepreneurs build and operate ImS companies. The chapter also looks into the institutional influences that have shaped the ImS model. Most importantly, the findings demonstrate the inherent difficulty of scaling and sustaining the ImS model, as it is the individual entrepreneurs intense personal experiences, not market-based considerations, which play a crucial role in launching new ImS companies. Drawing on the initial findings of Chapter 2, Chapter 3 explores the challenges of operating ImS companies in marginalized communities. Specifically, the chapter analyzes how ImS companies frame their ventures to the local community, drawing on frame alignment literature. The findings from this chapter suggest that local communities are not passive recipients of ImS companies framing work and may indeed resist ImS company activities for reasons such as the perceived incompatibility of the ImS model with local norms and belief systems and perceptions of inequality stemming from the merit-based recruitment strategies underpinning the model. The chapter finds that deployment of progress, family, material-benefit and egalitarianism frames may help ImS companies to overcome resistance, and gain the acceptance of local communities. While Chapters 2 and 3 focus on the ImS companies and their founders, Chapter 4 analyzes the challenges faced by marginalized individuals as they transition into the ImS workplace from their relatively traditional community spaces. The findings suggest that the distinct norms and values embodied in the community space and the ImS workplace create challenges for ImS employees. In response to these challenges, the findings show that ImS employees craft a variety of coping strategies such as integration and compartmentalization to manage work and non-work boundaries. ImS employees were also found to create fictive kinships, experiment with provisional selves and craft jobs to cope with the socioculturally alien environment of ImS workplaces. Overall, the thesis makes theoretical and practical contributions to the small but growing business and management literature on the ImS phenomenon. The thesis also makes theoretical contributions to the literatures on social entrepreneurship, frame alignment and organizational studies.

Throughout the twenty-first century, the lowering cost and increased availability of travel options has resulted in virtually uninterrupted economic growth of the international tourism sector. While financially beneficial, the increased movement of people has also been shown to have a negative impact on the environment, leading to the growth of a more environmentally-friendly approach to travel called nature-based tourism. One country at the forefront of the nature-based tourism movement is Iceland, and while the sector has grown significantly in the country over the past decade, the way in which information concerning environmental issues is communicated to tourists has not been widely researched. Being the case, the aim of this study was to examine the extent to which environmental issues are communicated to the general public through the use of the ecosystem services framework. Four popular nature-based tourism activities were selected for analysis; a whale watching tour, a horse riding tour, a boat tour of a glacial lagoon and a spa experience in a geothermal hot spring. A literature review concerning how the ecosystem services framework related to each of these tours was carried out and findings were compared to observatory data gathered through participation in said tourism activities. Results showed that while scientific publications could be found for each tour/ecosystem service combination, information concerning environmental issues was not widely communicated to participants in the nature-based tourism activities using the ecosystem services framework.

Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) offer flexibility, mobility, and scalability to educational institutions. Students are increasingly expecting anywhere, anytime access to online resources. Secondary school administrators, who serve a similar population as the National Job Corps Program (NJCP), realize that student success in the 21st century workplace depends upon the student's ability to use new and emerging technologies, including wireless technology. Computer access anytime and anywhere is crucial to the success of students today. Wireless technology has been broadly deployed at educational institutions, such as the Hartford Job Corps Academy (HJCA), but little is known about how these networks are deployed and used, specifically at a Job Corps center. HJCA deployed a WLAN in 2005. Information about the core aspects of the design and implementation of anytime, anywhere initiatives, such as wireless solutions in education, is needed to complement the current research. The NJCP does not have a model for standardizing, organizing, and maintaining wireless networks. The goal of this investigation was to develop a model for planning, designing, and implementing a wireless solution for the Job Corps system. The case study findings from the investigation and the systems development life cycle (SDLC) provided the framework for structuring WLANs at other Job Corps centers. This framework also facilitated the investigation and a determination of the significance of the case study findings, and the analysis and development of the WLAN implementation model for the NJCP. The findings of the HJCA investigation from multiple sources are presented. Using the SDLC framework and the findings from the case study, the NJCP WLAN implementation model is presented. The NJCP WLAN implementation model may be used to facilitate the deployment of WLANs at government-operated, education and training facilities, such as the NJCP.

Although awareness of cultural diversity is slowly occurring, the need for multicultural curricula is increasing more each day as even more ethnically and linguistically diverse students enter into United States classrooms. The education of English Language Learners is a controversial topic due to people's mixed beliefs on the amount of English and primary language instruction needed to aid students' English language development. Due to the shortage of bilingual teachers many English Language Learners in the Unites States are learning English through the regular education classroom instructed by monolingual English-speaking teachers. This case study implemented qualitative research methods in order to extend understanding of how a monolingual English speaking teacher can strategically incorporate Hispanic English Language Learner's primary language into the classroom setting and the teacher's experiences throughout this process. This case study will introduce a monolingual English speaking teacher to interventions that can foster the use of Hispanic English Language Learners' primary language in the classroom setting. The findings of this study include the experiences the participating teacher encounters throughout the intervention process. These findings include: heightened awareness, challenges, changes to interventions and enjoyment.

Corporations have increasingly turned to CSR-initiatives in order to monitor workers’ rights and responsibilities in global supply chains. This article argues that in order for these CSR- initiatives to succeed in enabling workers’ voice at the workplace, the shared benefits of the practice must be realized by all stakeholders. In this article, H&M’s social dialogue project in Bangladesh has been analyzed through the lens of social practice theory identifying three crucial elements which must exist or be created, linked and sustained in order to produce behaviour change, which in this case is social dialogue between factory workers and factory management. This article argues that H&M’s social dialogue project has all the essential elements and objectives to increase workers’ voice and improve industrial relations. It also points out the importance of not viewing bipartite social dialogue as the end goal. Instead, H&M’s implementation of bipartite social dialogue at their suppliers’ factories should serve as the stepping stone toward tripartite social dialogue where trade unions can empower workers in the readymade garment-sector. The trade unions have the unique right to bargain collectively and if corporations truly want to ensure workers’ rights, they must promote increased union activity in the industry. This research describes the key activities, training methodology, objectives and expected outcomes of H&M’s social dialogue project followed by an analysis of workers employed in Bangladeshi readymade garment-sector experiences, attitudes and associations to social dialogue. By analysing workers’ associations to social dialogue and H&M’s objectives of the social dialogue project, certain conditions have been identified as crucial in order to enable efficient social dialogue at the workplace.

Det här arbetet är handlar om uppgifter inom bildämnet. Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka hur bilduppgifter styr mottagarens skapande och i slutändan de bilder som produceras. Som blivande lärare så har jag upptäckt det lustfyllda och kreativa arbete som konstruerande av bilduppgifter för med sig, samtidigt väcktes frågor kring makt och styrning av andra människors skapande. I uppsatsen undersöker jag denna styrning genom att konstruera tre bilduppgifter som med form och formuleringar försöker styra tre informanter med olika mycket erfarenhet inom bildämnet mot ett och samma mål. Detta för att se om det fanns tillfällen då informanterna begränsades i sitt skapande, eller om det gick att se möjligheter för uppgifterna att uppmuntra och främja deras kreativa arbete. Flera olika sätt att utföra och jobba med bilduppgifter synliggjordes och tillsammans skapar de en bild av hur man kan förhålla sig till bilduppgifter, både som mottagare och som den som konstruerar bilduppgifter. Undersökningen resulterade även i en gestaltning som sammanfattar undersökningen och visar på det kreativa arbete som går in i att konstruera bilduppgifter. Relationen mellan uppgiftens försök till styrning och de bilder som producerades skapade ett slags kretslopp i tre delar, uppgiften och dess försök till styrning, informanternas bilder samt hur och om styrningen fungerat. Gestaltningen resulterade i tre verk och ställdes ut på Konstfacks Våruställning 12-22 maj 2016.

Au cours des dernières années, le nombre de catastrophes naturelles a subi une augmentation effrayante partout dans le monde. Même si le nombre de décès déclarés a diminué sur les dernières années, le nombre de personnes affectées ne cesse pas d'augmenter, ayant un grand impact dans la façon dont les opérations d'aide humanitaire sont développées. L'aide humanitaire comprend une myriade d'acteurs parmi lesquels on trouve les donateurs, les agences d'aide, les organisations non-gouvernementales (ONG), les gouvernements et les prestataires de service logistique. Dans ce contexte, la logistique représente 80% des activités, et est impliquée dans les trois phases du cycle de la gestion des catastrophes. Dans l'industrie, logistique est considéré comme une source d'avantage concurrentiel, expliquant les différences de performance entre les entreprises. Pour le contexte humanitaire, la logistique a la capacité d'assurer le succès des opérations, de contribuer à la stratégie d'une organisation et permet aux bénéficiaires et aux donateurs de distinguer une ONG d'une autre. Cela est possible grâce au développement des compétences et capacités logistiques organisationnelles. L'objectif de cette thèse est donc d'identifier ces compétences et capacités logistiques organisationnelles qui peuvent assurer le succès des opérations humanitaires. À travers d'une étude de cas unique effectuée au sein de MSF Logistique, la centrale d'achat et d'approvisionnement de Médecins Sans Frontières, cette thèse fournit la preuve du rôle stratégique que la logistique joue dans les activités de l'organisation et propose un modèle de compétences et capacités logistiques pour le contexte humanitaire. / Over the past years, the number of natural disasters reported has suffered a frightening increase all around the world. Even though the number of people reported killed has decreased on the last years, the number of people reported affected has augmented having a great impact in the relief operations undertaken. Humanitarian relief comprises a myriad of actors which include donors, aid agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), governments and logistics providers. In this context, logistics accounts for 80% of the relief effort and is involved in all three of the disaster management phases. In industry, logistics is considered to be a source of competitive advantage, explaining the differences in performance among firms. Moving this to the humanitarian context, logistics has the capacity to ensure the success of the operations, to contribute to an organization's strategy, and allows beneficiaries and donors to distinguish an organization from another. This is only possible through the development of organizational logistics competences. The purpose of this thesis is thus to identify those organizational logistics competences and capabilities that can ensure the success of humanitarian relief operations. Through a single-embedded case study performed with MSF Logistique, the international logistics platform for Médecins Sans Frontières France, this thesis provides evidence of the strategic role that logistics plays in the organization's activities, and proposes a Logistics Capability and Competence Framework for Humanitarian Relief.

[pt] O objetivo da dissertação é avaliar os impactos econômicos das normas em empresas selecionadas de diversos setores e países, no contexto de um projeto internacional da ISO. Esse projeto foi concluído em 2011 e teve por objetivo desenvolver estudos de caso para avaliar os impactos econômicos das normas em 11 empresas de setores industriais distintos, em 10 países. No Brasil, a ABNT coordenou o estudo de caso referente à empresa Festo Brasil, que contou com a participação da pesquisadora na equipe do projeto, através de uma parceria com a PUC-Rio. Quanto aos fins, a pesquisa pode ser considerada aplicada e descritiva. Quanto aos meios de investigação, a metodologia compreende pesquisa bibliográfica e documental; pesquisa de campo, com entrevistas semiestruturadas para o caso da empresa Festo Brasil; descrição do estudo de casos múltiplos, com análise comparada dos indicadores gerados. Destacam-se como resultados: (i) quadro comparativo dos resultados dos estudos de casos internacionais e demonstração, pelo estudo de caso brasileiro, da aplicabilidade e efetividade da metodologia baseada no conceito de cadeia de valor; (ii) funções das respectivas cadeias de valor identificadas como relevantes para a avaliação do impacto econômico gerado pela adoção de normas; e (iii) conjunto de indicadores operacionais que deverão ser usados pelas empresas, visando maximizar o valor gerado pelas normas. / [en] The objective of this dissertation is to demonstrate the economic benefits of standards in selected companies from different sectors and countries, within the context of an international project carried out by ISO. This project was concluded in 2011 and aimed to develop 11 case studies in 10 countries in order to assess the economic benefits of standards in selected industrial sectors. In Brazil, the selected company was Festo Brasil and the researcher integrated the project team coordinated by ABNT, through a partnership with PUC-Rio. This research can be considered descriptive and applied and the methodology encompasses bibliographical and documental research, field research by mean of semi-structured interviews for the case of Festo Brasil; description of a multiple case study with comparative analysis of indicators and metrics. The main results can be summarized as follows: (i) a comparative framework for analyzing the results of multiple case studies at international level, and demonstration of applicability and effectiveness of the methodology based on concept of value chain through Festo Brasil s case study; (ii) functions of the respective value chains that are relevant for assessing economic benefits generated by the adoption of standards, and (iii) a set of operational indicators to be used by industrial companies to maximize the value generated by the standards adoption.

Parte-se da teoria do análogo de Herrmann (2006b) para considerar a possibilidade de identificar Psicanálise (e psicanálises) como forma literária. Segundo esta teoria, todo homem de ciência retira-se para um campo do pensar análogo ao de seu conhecimento. Os físicos retiraram-se para as matemáticas e os cientistas humanos e sociais para a literatura de ficção, assim criando teoria. A meu ver, a teoria do análogo torna possível a afirmação de constituir a literatura de ficção matéria prima da Psicanálise; por assim dizer, seus tijolos. Entretanto é com Candido (1957/2009) que se torna possível elencar psicanálises mais definitivamente no campo da estética, a partir dos conceitos de função, estrutura e unidade estética. Considerando-se uma possível harmonia entre função e estrutura das psicanálises relatadas, estariam definidas nesse campo. Note-se: se a estrutura de quaisquer psicanálises funciona bem ou mal é menos a questão desta investigação, que pensar se é possível considerá-las nesses termos. Minha pesquisa levanta estas hipóteses a partir de cinco denominadas ficções freudianas de Herrmann (2002a) que aliás é possível que engendrem um gênero literário, transformado a partir daquele inaugurado nos casos clínicos de Freud e dois casos clínicos meus. As ficções freudianas de Herrmann e os meus casos clínicos estão estruturados pelo método psicanalítico, descrito por Herrmann (1979), buscado em Freud (1893-1895). Adicionalmente, aquelas consideram a produção da Teoria dos Campos e engendram, definitivamente, unidade estética. Meus casos clínicos sendo psicanálises podem ser considerados como forma literária, no sentido desta investigação, mas não é claro que engendrem unidade estética. Esta é uma distinção entre esses dois, digamos tipos de psicanálises estudados, entre outros vislumbrados / I begin describing the theory of the analogous reign (Herrmann, 2006b), in order to consider Psychoanalysis, and psychoanalyses, as literary form. According to this theory, every man of science removes himself to a field of knowledge analogous to his own, in order to produce knowledge in his particular field. Physicists, for example, remove themselves to the realm of mathematics, and human and social scientists to that of literary fiction, as they produce theory creatively. In my view, it is by the theory of the analogous reign that it has become possible to propose literary fiction as the raw material of psychoanalyses: their building blocks. Nevertheless, it is with Brazilian literary critic Candido (1957/2009) that psychoanalyses may most definitively be contemplated as pertaining to the field of aesthetics, by use of his literary concepts: function, structure and aesthetic unit. In other words, it becomes conceivable that psychoanalyses be aesthetically defined in the realm of Literature, when a harmonious relationship between a psychoanalysis function and structure is encountered. It must be added that: whether the structure of a particular psychoanalysis functions well or poorly is less the question of this dissertation, than to determine whether it is possible to consider this matter in these terms. My research analyses these hypotheses in four of Herrmanns denominated Freudian fictions (2002a) and two case studies of my own. The former may offer elements to consider the Freudian fiction as a literary genre, as created by Freud and transformed by Herrmann, which is a proposition hinted at by my investigation. In conclusion, I have found that Herrmanns Freudian fictions, like my case studies, are structured by the psychoanalytic method described by Herrmann (1979) but created by Freud (1893-1895) although additionally they have the function of considering the theories of the Multiple Fields Theory and they engender aesthetic unity. My case studies may also be considered as literary form as may psychoanalyses in general, in the sense of this investigation but it is not clear that they engender aesthetic unity. This is one distinction between these two types of psychoanalyses studied, among others surmised

The use of co-branding as a strategy has become increasingly important to managers due to saturation in mature markets and the search for growth in emerging nations (Chul, 2009; Helmig, Huber, & Leeflang, 2008; Uggla & Asberg, 2010). In this study, a co-branded joint venture strategy is seen as an enterprise or an organisation introducing a national brand into a foreign market using brands that are successful in that foreign market, thus creating a co-brand (Kuvykaite & Mascinskiene, 2010). Co-branded strategies do not necessarily last for an indefinite period of time and the companies involved may want to separate after some time, particularly when the multi-national firm wants to align subsidiaries under the same corporate identity and brands. This split leads to impacts on a number of different levels including internal stakeholders (e.g. employees), external stakeholders (suppliers, consumers etc.) and the reputation of the firms. It can be argued that employees are the most affected by co-branded ventures above all other stakeholders. Danone Southern Africa is a firm of French origin which entered the South African dairy market through a joint venture with Clover South Africa. The two companies formed the Joint venture, Danone-Clover in 1998 (Abratt & Motlana, 2002), to operate within the fresh dairy produce market (i.e. Yoghurt, Custard and Maas). Whilst the two organisations had formed a joint-venture, Clover South Africa continued to operate separately within the broader dairy and beverages market. Danone subsequently bought out Clover’s share in the joint-venture in 2010 (Danone, 2010), resulting in the two firms no longer having a joint venture operation and functioning as separate entities within the South African market. This study explored the effects of a co-branding joint-venture separation, on the brand commitment of employees of the separated organisation. The study explored the process of the separation from a case study perspective. One-to-one interviews were conducted, with the use of open-ended and semi-structured questions with the responses recorded. The population of the study were employees of Danone Southern Africa, based at the Roodepoort head office. There were two sets of respondents, the first being employees who were part of Danone-Clover and are now employees of Danone Southern Africa. The second were respondents that had only being under the employment of Danone Southern Africa, i.e. joining the organisation post the joint venture separation in 2010. The study made use of judgemental sampling where sample sizes are often determined on the basis of theoretical saturation, as a result 18 respondents were interviewed. The results of the study showed that a co-branding joint venture separation has a negative impact on brand commitment, in that brand commitment decreases after the dissolution of the joint venture. In this specific case study, Danone’s brand performance was not negatively impacted particularly in terms of market share, where Danone is the dominant player within its category. The corporate brand, however, was negatively impacted in terms of external brand recognition, as there is confusion between the Clover and Danone brands with consumers seeing Danone as part of Clover South Africa. The Danone brand, post dissolution, performed well in the marketplace due to the fact that there was high fit between the two organisations that had formed the joint venture, a restraint of trade agreement post the joint venture dissolution, Danone Southern Africa buying the dominant sub-brands from Clover, the inability of competitors to take advantage of the dissolution of the joint venture and manager performance in managing the brand post dissolution. Danone has however, been negatively impacted internally by the dissolution. The organisation has experienced high turnover across senior, middle and junior management, leading to a loss of institutional knowledge. The results also suggest that due to the high fit between the firms, brand promise and understanding of the brand were negated as issues, post dissolution, for Danone. The dominance of the sub-brands also made it somewhat easier for employees to continue to perform, as those brands were already well established within the organisation and the country. The Danone organisation also experienced a negative culture in the eyes of the internal stakeholder, which in part has been a large contributor to the higher turnover. The study also showed that employees who remained with the organisation post the co-branded joint venture separation had higher commitment than employees who joined post the joint venture separation. There were also informal processes for learning within the organisation post dissolution, it was recognised that a more formal and prioritised knowledge management process needed to be started by the organisation. This study has theoretical and managerial implications. Future research could include other geographic territories, industries and a consumer evaluation on the effects of the dissolution. Given that the two organisations will become competitors (from 2015 onwards), it offers an opportunity for a longitudinal study on the two organisations and how they interact (in the areas of brand standing, identity, employee perception, market share and brand interaction with consumers) over the coming years.