Today, global socio-ecological problems are too complex and urgent for isolated actions, and cross-sector collaboration is increasingly required to generate transformational change towards a sustainable future. Partnerships between businesses and civil society organisations (CSOs) in particular have the potential to achieve the required change for sustainability. However, the ‘backcasting’ approach used in this study highlights a gap between current approaches and what partnerships might look like in a sustainable future. Research draws on literature, eighteen interviews and an action research project with Interface Europe. Results indicate that: 1) in the current paradigm shift, collaboration provides a competitive advantage; 2) individual, organisational and societal benefits of partnering are significant; 3) understanding the art and science of partnering is needed to make them work 4) organisational development and strategy affect partnership type and outcomes; 5) Corporate Social Responsibility efforts initiate cross-sector partnerships, but are responsive and fall short of being strategic; 6) articulation of visions for a sustainable future is rare and; 7) most partnerships are not aligned with core business strategies. In conclusion, dialogue across all sectors is advocated to co-create a sustainable future and The Natural Step Framework is recommended to align business planning and partnership strategies with sustainability. / <p>Andrew Outhwaite (arouthwaite@gmail.com) Miriam Karell (jazzminq@gmail.com) Richard Blume (rblume@gmail.com) Website http://partnerships4SSD.blogspot.com</p>

The purpose of this research was to investigate place development and the role of heritage in Västra Götaland, partially through the case of the destination island of Åstol. An overarching area of interest was how regional development and heritage may intertwine. First, the region’s development strategy was analyzed in relation to a regional developer’s understanding of heritage as synonymous with the sustainable reuse of buildings and places. The second analytical chapter dealt with the region’s place development method. Place development is about cross-sectororal collaboration, where heritage is one of many resources that are to be reused innovatively. The last analytical chapter highlighted Åstol. Heritage is an ongoing development goal in Åstol’s strategy plan. Nature has shaped the island’s heritage, the locals and its identity of today. Branding as a calm, historical fishing community is useful for Åstol, as it gives the place both unique and universal characteristics in a Bohuslän west coast environment.

Sweden's economy is currently heavily dependent on a linear economy model, where raw material ultimately is discarded as waste. The linear approach is unsustainable for manufacturing companies in the long term. To embrace a sustainable business model and ensure future competitiveness, vehicle manufacturers are actively exploring alternative strategies to reduce emissions. To meet the emission reduction targets established by EU regulations, the industry is actively embracing the adoption of electrification and autonomous vehicles. However, the management of end-of-life for electric vehicles and waste has not kept pace with the industry's growth. To address these challenges, there is a growing recognition of the need to transition towards a circular economy, which focuses on eliminating waste, maximizing the value of materials, and promoting environmental regeneration. This study focuses on identifying the barriers, enablers and opportunities that support the implementation of circular economy strategies within a Swedish vehicle manufacturing company, specifically in the areas of Rethink, Remanufacture, and Repurpose. The research methodology involved conducting literature reviews and interviews with company representatives, research institutes, and external experts in relevant fields. Additionally, an internal survey was conducted to assess employee attitudes and knowledge regarding circular business and the selected strategies. Through the analysis, several barriers and opportunities emerged, including cross-sector collaboration, co-creation, circular design, technology, ownership models, regulations, and organisational considerations. The findings from the literature study, the survey and the interviews were used for the development of the conceptual framework Case Company Circularity Platform. The platform aims to foster cross-sector collaborations through Repurposing vehicle components on a digital platform. To validate the potential of the concept, workshops were conducted with potential customers. The feedback received from the potential customers provided valuable insights, enabling further research and refinement of the concept. The analysis highlights the importance of clear goal-setting and defining objectives within the organisation. It emphasizes the need for cross-sector collaboration, leveraging advanced technologies for component tracking and Repurposing throughout their lifecycle, implementing a Product-as-a-Service ownership model. To achieve the desired legislative changes that promote circular economy, the case company must demonstrate a strong commitment and unified approach alongside the industry. By embracing circular practices and advocating for legislative changes, the case company can play a leading role in promoting sustainability and setting new industry standards. Overall, Repurposing presents an exciting opportunity for the case company to contribute to the way towards a sustainable future. / Sverige präglas av en linjär ekonomi, vilket innebär att råvaror utvinns, produceras, konsumeras, och sedan slängs som avfall. Detta koncept är inte hållbart på lång sikt för att driva ett tillverkningsföretag. I Sverige står transportsektorn för den största andelen av utsläpp i hela landet, där 94% av transportsektorns utsläpp kommer från vägtransporter. EU-förordningar har fastställt mål för att minska utsläppen. För att uppnå dessa mål arbetar tillverkningsföretag aktivt med utvecklingen av elektrifierade och autonoma fordon, medan hanteringen av "end of life" för dessa fordon och deras avfall inte hänger med i branschens tillväxt. Dessa utmaningar möts genom att övergå till en cirkulär ekonomi, som fokuserar på att minska avfall, maximera värdet av material och främja miljömässig återhämtning. Studiens mål är att undersöka hinder och möjligheter för att stödja implementeringen av cirkulära ekonomistrategier för en fordonstillverkare i Sverige, med fokus på strategiområdena "Rethink", "Remanufacture" och "Repurpose". Forskningsmetoden genomfördes genom litteraturstudier och intervjuer med företagsrepresentanter, forskningsinstitut och externa experter inom relevanta områden. En intern enkät genomfördes för att undersöka de anställdas förhållningsätt och kunskaper kring en cirkulär affärsverksamhet samt de valda strategierna. Resultaten från litteraturstudien, enkäten och intervjuerna användes för att utveckla det konceptuella ramverket "Case Company Circularity Platform". Syftet med plattformen är att främja tvärsektoriellt samarbete och en förlängning av fordonskomponenternas "end-of-life" genom utvecklingen av universellamodulära fordonskomponenter. För att validera potentialen i konceptet genomfördes fokusgrupper med potentiella kunder. Återkopplingen från de potentiella kunderna gav värdefulla insikter och förslag för framtida arbete med konceptet. Analysen betonar vikten av tydliga målsättningar inom en organisation. Den understryker också behovet av tvärsektoriellt samarbete och att nyttja avancerad teknik för spårning och återanvändning av komponenter under hela dess livscykel. Produkter som tjänster är en ägandeskapsmodell som anses vara en viktig faktor i en cirkulär ekonomi. Det är nödvändigt för företag inom fordonsindustrin att samarbeta för att uppnå lagändringar som främjar en cirkulär ekonomi. Genom att implementera cirkulära metoder och påverka lagstiftningen kan företaget inta en ledande roll i att främja hållbarhet och etablera nya branschstandarder. Sammantaget ger Repurposing en spännande möjlighet för företaget att bidra till en hållbar framtid.

Some administrative border areas are recently defined as cross-border areas, and have become a key phenomenon that is challenged by disparities between urban and rural areas. In this setting, the cross-sector collaboration is presented as a type of organization to respond challenges generating from these disparities. Despite its complexity, the cross-sector collaboration is becoming a significant strategy in cross-border areas to instigate sustainable development issues through bringing new dynamics into the traditional settings. From a realist perspective, the researchers in this study explore the cross-sector collaboration and approaches to organizing cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas. Each side ofan administrative border in cross-border areas, there exists three main societal sectors - public, private and third sector having representation as collaboration stakeholders. In order to deal with sustainable development of cross-border areas through cross-sector collaboration, resource management and stakeholder management approaches are problematized as not adequate to address various dimensions of complexities regarded in cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas. Moreover, the village of Röstånga has been studied in order to examine the practice of these approaches to cross-sector collaboration along the administrative border between Svalöv and Klippan municipalities in Skåne region.Fundamental factors in organizing cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas have been identified throughout the case study. In order to organize cross-sector collaboration in such setting, the researchers also find out that there are 'other issues', commonly known by public and third sector as meeting points, local logic and social capital, that are not approached within neither resource management nor stakeholder management approach. These other issues need to be instantly addressed in cross-sector collaboration in cross-border rural areas in addition to the identified fundamental factors. At the end, the researchersdevelop 'Social Issue Management Approach' that integrates management-with-stakeholders approach, as having no focal organization but a common focal issue, and social issue approach as an ideal strategy suggested to organize cross-sector collaboration in cross-border areas.

Återuppbyggnaden av Sveriges totalförsvar har sedan 2022 inneburit inrättandet av flera beredskapsmyndigheter och återupprättandet av en högre regional nivå genom civilområdena som ska samverka med Försvarsmaktens militärregioner. Samverkan ska ske tvärsektoriellt mellan myndigheter med skiftande organisatoriska strukturer, resurser och geografiska områdesindelningar. Syftet är att förstå hur faktorer dessa påverkar möjligheten till och effektiviteten i myndigheternas tvärsektoriella samverkan. För att förstå och analysera myndigheternas tvärsektoriella samverkan användes det teoretiska ramverket om samarbetsstyrningsregimer. Materialet för studien har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med representanter från Sveriges norra och mellersta civilområden och militärregioner. Materialet från intervjuerna analyserades genom en abduktiv tematisk metod där empirin och teorin bearbetats tillsammans. Intervjuerna visar på ett samarbete som ännu är tidigt under en uppstartsfas med organisationer som gått in i samarbetet med olika förutsättningar och resurser. De har visat en skillnad på samarbetet mellan norra och mellersta Sverige där Norrland även har haft fördelen med korrelerande geografisk områdesindelning. Författaren kommer fram till att det finns betydande organisatoriska skillnader som påverkar civilområdena och militärregionernas effektivitet kring samverkan, resursmässigt såväl som geografiskt. Det finns även ett behov inom myndighetssverige att gemensamt se över och anpassa sina geografiska områdesindelningar så att dessa korrelerar med varandra för att effektivisera deras tvärsektoriella samverkan. / The reconstruction of Sweden’s total defense concept has since 2022 meant the establishment of several readiness authorities and the restoration of a higher regional level through the civilian areas that will cooperate with the military regions of the armed forces. Collaboration must take place across sectors between authorities with varying organizational structures, resources, and geographical area divisions. The purpose is to understand how these factors affect the possibility and efficiency of the authorities cross-sector collaboration. To understand and analyze this, the theoretical framework for collaborative governance regimes was used. The material for the study has been gathered through semi-structured interviews with representatives from Sweden’s northern and central civilian areas and military regions. The material from the interviews was analyzed through an abductive thematic method where empiricism and theory were processed together. The interviews show a collaboration that is still early during a startup phase with organizations that have gone into the collaboration under different conditions and resources. They have shown a difference between the collaboration between northern and central Sweden, where Norrland has had the advantage of a correlating geographical area division. The author concludes that there are significant organizational differences that affect the efficiency of the civilian areas and the military regions, concerning collaboration, resources as well as geographical differences. There is also a need government Sweden to jointly review and adapt their geographical area divisions so that they correlate with each other to streamline their cross -sectoral collaboration.

För att tillgodose grundläggande mänskliga behov och skapa välfärd använder världens länder en betydande andel av jordens resurser. Under de senaste 50 åren har det gått att bevittna en stigande trend när det gäller resursanvändning men för att möjliggöra en hållbar utveckling krävs en minskad resursanvändning vilket kan uppnås genom ökad resurseffektivitet. En ökad resurseffektivitet kan också leda till en ökad energieffektivitet, eftersom  extraktion, bearbetning och användning av material och vatten kräver energi. Ett verktyg för att uppnå detta är industriell och urban symbios vilket innebär att synergier skapas mellan aktörer inom och mellan sektorer för att bättre nyttja olika typer av resurser.  Syftet med examensarbetet var att undersöka vilka restflöden av energi, material och vatten i den svenska ekonomin som kan anses vara underutnyttjande och möjligheten att nyttja dessa flöden mer resurseffektivt genom sektorsövergripande samverkan som industriell och urban symbios. För att besvara syftet och forskningsfrågorna genomfördes en intervjustudie med branschföreträdare för de sektorer i Sverige som använder mest energi och vatten samt genererar mest avfall. Befintlig litteratur och tidigare projekt användes också för att fördjupa, analysera och verifiera resultatet. Genom intervjustudien identifierades 26 underutnyttjade restflöden i 13 sektorer. Av dessa analyserades följande 16 flöden; anrikningssand, avloppsslam, bark, energiaskor, fiberslam, GROT, grönlutsslam, gödsel, halm, koldioxid, lignin, livsmedelsavfall och livsmedelsförluster, restvärme, slagg, värme i avloppsvatten samt återvunnet vatten. Alla dessa flöden har potential att generera ett högre värde genom en alternativ hantering och är möjliga att material- eller energiåtervinna. Totalt identifierades 45 olika typer av alternativa hanteringar för dessa flöden.  I arbetet presenteras flödenas storlek, nuvarande hanteringssätt och möjliga alternativa metoder. Hur utbud och tillförsel av flödena ser ut och i vilken grad de är kontaminerade av andra ämnen och därmed kräver bearbetning innan en alternativ hantering är möjlig behandlas också. Vilka krav som finns på omgivningen och andra aktörer, så kallade ekosystemkrav, presenteras tillsammans med de hinder som identifierats för en mer resurseffektiv hantering. Ekosystemkraven och hindren klassificeras utifrån determinanter för industriell och urban symbios. De mest frekvent återkommande var teknofysiska ekosystemkrav samt ekonomiska- och marknadsrelaterade hinder.  De analyserade restflödena motsvarar 28 % av Sveriges inhemska materialkonsumtion, 8 % av Sveriges energitillförsel samt 46 % av lantbrukets och industrins vattenanvändning i Sverige. För att nyttja restflödena mer resurseffektivt krävs både en förändrad definition av värdet på restflödena och sektorsövergripande samverkan som exempelvis industriell och urban symbios. Lokala och regionala förutsättningar kan påverka potentialen för varje specifikt fall. Kemisektorn, energisektorn samt massa- och pappersindustrin är tillsammans med statliga aktörer viktiga för att utveckla mer sektorsövergripande samverkan. / To meet fundamental human needs and foster well-being, nations worldwide consume a substantial portion of Earth’s resources. The past half-century has witnessed a consistent uptrend in resource utilization. However, sustainable development necessitates a reduction in resource consumption, achievable through increased resource efficiency. Such efficiency not only conserves resources but could also lead to energy efficiency, given that the extraction, processing, and usage of materials and water are energy-intensive processes. Industrial and urban symbiosis fosters synergies among stakeholders within and across sectors, optimizing the use of diverse resource types. This thesis aims to explore the underutilized residual flows of energy, materials, and water within the Swedish economy and to assess the feasibility of their more efficient utilization through cross-sectoral collaborations, exemplified by industrial and urban symbiosis. An interview study involving representatives from Sweden’s most energy and water-intensive sectors, as well as the largest producers of waste, was conducted to address the thesis objectives and research questions. The study was complemented by a review of existing literature and previous projects to deepen the analysis and validate the findings. This approach led to the identification of 26 underutilized residual flows across 13 sectors. Among these, 16 flows were analysed: tailings, sewage sludge, bark, energy ashes, fiber sludge, tops and branches, green liquor dregs, manure, straw, carbon dioxide, lignin, food waste and losses, residual heat, slag, heat in wastewater and recycled water. Each flow harbors the potential for value generation through alternative management practices that could lead to material or energy recovery. In total, 45 distinct alternative management practices were identified for these flows. The thesis presents the magnitude of the flows, their current management practices, and potential alternative methods. It also examines the supply of the flows, the degree of contamination by other substances, and the necessary processing before alternative management can be put into practice. Additionally, it outllnes the ecosystem requirements, alongside the barriers to more efficient resource management. These requirements and barriers are categorized based on the determinants of industrial and urban symbiosis where the techno-physical and economic and market related are more common. The analyzed residual flows represent 28 % of Sweden’s domestic material consumption, 8 % of its energy supply, and 46 % of the water used in the nation’s agriculture and industry. To utilize these flows more efficiently, a reevaluation of their value is imperative, as is the establishment of cross-sectoral collaborations like industrial and urban symbiosis. The potential for such utilization is subject to local and regional conditions. The chemical sector, energy sector, and paper and pulp industry, together with governmental agencies, play an important part in fostering broader cross-sectoral cooperation.

Recent years have brought the private and non-profit sectors closer together in terms of cross-sectional collaborations. As businesses have become more involved in communities, initiatives such as employee volunteering (EV)—where employees are encouraged to volunteer by their employers—are becoming more popular and are receiving more scholarly attention. However, the question still remains as to whether the main reasons behind cooperation are related to strategy: does interaction and communication in EV mirror a more ideal- or strategic approach? As EV programmes (EVPs) bring together actors with different world-views and perspectives, much can be learned from studying their interaction. The present study examined the nature of communication in EV and whether this communication reflects a strategic (based on self-interest) or ideal (corresponding to Habermas’s ideal speech situation and stakeholder dialogue) approach. In addition, the study looked at factors that, according to participants, facilitate improved communication and understanding in EV. The findings indicate that communication in EVPs largely reflected the strategic approach. However, the ideal approach is still apparent in some situations and can successfully be used given the right conditions--for example, in situations of long-term collaboration with increased experience when participants invest time, resources and motivation in building relationships. Time and honesty was also important factors. However, a range of barriers made collaboration more difficult. Pursuit of strategic short-term solutions and shortage of resources and time may hinder important dialogue and understanding.

Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN), a collaborative initiative in Multnomah County, Oregon, combines the increasingly popular community school model with an innovative organizational structure to further two key goals: sustainability as an initiative and furthering racial equity. This thesis situates SUN within the context of American public education reform and existing literature on the positive outcomes, organizational structures, and leadership components of community schools. Building on past reviews of SUN and its outcomes, I use results from qualitative interviews with key stakeholders to provide insight into how its organizational structure contributes to the goals of sustainability and racial equity. I discuss the current state of SUN, future directions, and the relevancy of findings to other community schools initiatives and more generally, public education reform efforts.

Submitted by Mirtha Oquendo (mio2101@gmail.com) on 2012-08-14T18:22:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MirthaOquendoDissertation.pdf: 1360694 bytes, checksum: 72bc8866bc1105aaeddaf1380dab58c2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by ÁUREA CORRÊA DA FONSECA CORRÊA DA FONSECA (aurea.fonseca@fgv.br) on 2012-08-23T12:44:56Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MirthaOquendoDissertation.pdf: 1360694 bytes, checksum: 72bc8866bc1105aaeddaf1380dab58c2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marcia Bacha (marcia.bacha@fgv.br) on 2012-08-23T18:49:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MirthaOquendoDissertation.pdf: 1360694 bytes, checksum: 72bc8866bc1105aaeddaf1380dab58c2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-08-23T18:51:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MirthaOquendoDissertation.pdf: 1360694 bytes, checksum: 72bc8866bc1105aaeddaf1380dab58c2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-06 / This study seeks to evaluate how enterorganizational and interpersonal trust affects the degree of State interference in the operations of public-nonprofit partnerships (PNPs). We conducted a qualitative case study in two Brazilian PNPs, Projeto Guri and Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, through documental analysis and semi-structured interviews. Content analysis of the data yielded a trust framework that begins to explain how a variety of factors, including the protective qualities of the management contract and the strength of the board, moderate the relationship between interpersonal and interorganizational trust in PNPs. The study reveals that unlike Zaheer et al (1998), interpersonal trust had a unique and prominent effect on State interference and types of collaboration in PNPs. Parting from the suggestions by previous authors to contextualize PNP literature findings, the framework takes into account the highly personalistic qualities of Brazilian culture as well as historical and institutional context while highlighting the crucial role of interpersonal trust in Brazilian PNPs. / Este estudo busca avaliar como a confiança interpessoal e a confiança interorganizacional afeta o grau de interferência estatal na operação das parcerias estabelecidas entre o Estado com o terceiro setor. Conduzimos um estudo de caso qualitativo em duas organizações sociais brasileiras (OS), Projeto Guri e Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo, por meio de análise de documentos e entrevistas. A análise dos dados coletados gerou um modelo que explica como uma série de fatores, incluindo as qualidades do contrato de gestão e o poder dos conselhos das organizações sociais, moderam a relação entre confiança interpessoal e interorganizacional nas parcerias. O estudo revela que ao contrário de Zaheer et al (1998), a confiança interpessoal influenciou expressivamente o nível de interferência do Estado e o padrão de colaboração observado nas parcerias do Estado com o terceiro setor. Outros autores sugerem que as teorias sobre parcerias com o terceiro setor sejam contextualizadas. Desta forma, o modelo considera o contexto histórico e institucional do Brasil. Além disso enfatiza a importância do personalismo na cultura brasileira ao mesmo tempo em que destaca a proeminência da confiança interpessoal.

Sustainable urbanization is crucial for the Agenda 2030. The purpose of this study is to provide insights into how organizational structures of public institutions can be optimized for sustainable urban development.  This study utilizes an explorative research design. A cross-case analysis had been chosen to investigate cross-sector collaboration for environmentally sustainable urban development by studying two areas in Malmö: Västra Hamnen and Sege Park. Cross-sector Collaboration and Community Governance theories are selected as a foundation of the study. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews with municipality representatives, residents, representatives of the third organizations, and external experts in sustainable urban development. Thematic coding was used to identify patterns in the interviews, and was followed by the empirical analysis.  The present study uncovered key findings related to public governance, sustainability evaluation, cross-sector collaboration and communication in complex sustainable development projects. The findings indicate that balancing stakeholder interests with project’s requirements and embodying the responsibilities of each actor in formal agreements followed by interim follow-ups are vital for successful cross-sector collaboration in sustainable development. Another finding suggests that sustainability should be a central element in a municipality's strategy, as politics and power dynamics play a significant role. In the studied cases the use of climate-friendly materials in construction fell short due to industry lobbying and the lack of national regulations. Finally, the research reveals contradictions between environmental and economic sustainability, as well as environmental and social sustainability. These contradictions, though, are arguably solvable with proper project management and cross-sector communication. Overall, there is room for improvement in recognizing the need for socially just and inclusive development that prioritizes the desires and well-being of the people. These findings shed light on the complex nature of sustainable urban development and emphasize the importance of aligning diverse interests to achieve long-term environmental and social goals.