Background: Ever since the Brundtland Commission stressed that Social Sustainability (SS) issues are often ignored, there has been mounting research on social sustainability (Boström, Vifell, Klintman, Soneryd, Hallström & Thedvall, 2015). Companies are now addressing sustainability concerns more broadly because of the increasing demand and pressure from society demanding they deal with the negative social impacts associated with their products and activities. This study is delimited to SMEs. While individual SMEs are naturally smaller and have less impact on sustainability than larger businesses, their involvement is important in achieving national SS targets (Weingaertner & Moberg, 2011). Sustainability is often regarded as the privilege of large corporations since they have sufficient funds to improve their carbon footprint (Rodgers, 2010). The activities of SMEs are not well understood and documented, including their entrepreneurial start-ups within communities, of which some are entirely based on sustainable principles (Rodgers, 2010). Given that SMEs play an important role towards sustainable development, understanding the underlying mechanisms of why SMEs are committed to SS within communities is an important research topic. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how SMEs facilitate the ability of communities to develop socially sustainable practices that not only satisfy the requirements of current members but also support the ability of future generations to maintain sustainable communities. Method: Due to the limited literature in social sustainability in the context of SMEs embedded in diverse communities, this thesis employs an exploratory research design together with qualitative and abductive approaches. Qualitative content analysis is used in coding and analysing the empirical findings, and the abductive approach is used in developing an extended framework of social sustainability. Conclusion: The aim of this study was to gain insight into the initiatives implemented by SMEs towards socially sustainable communities and the obstacles they face. Through qualitative research in different sectors of the economy (agriculture, construction, service, retail, manufacturing) and different countries, an empirical understanding of how SMEs engage in social sustainability initiatives was derived. The empirical findings resulted in the extension of a social sustainability framework proposed by Eizenberg and Jabareen (2017). In the extended framework, community social capital was added as the fifth concept of SS and its main components include human capital, social capital, social cohesion, social inclusion, natural capital and philanthropic capital. The variety of sectors and countries enabled us to take into account contextual differences and develop an international view of social sustainability concepts relevant for communities. / Bakgrund: Ända sedan Brundtland kommissionen betonade att SS-frågor ofta ignorerades, har det förekommit forskning om social hållbarhet (Boström, Vifell, Klintman, Soneryd, Hallström & Thedvall, 2015). Företagen är nu pressade att ta itu med sociala hållbarhetsfrågor och denna studie fokuserar på små och medelstora företag. Medan enskilda små och medelstora företag är naturligt mindre och har mindre inverkan på hållbarhetsarbetet än de större företagen, är deras engagemang viktigt för att uppnå nationella SS mål (Weingaertner & Moberg, 2011). Hållbarhet betraktas ofta som ett privilegium för stora företag eftersom de har tillräckliga medel för att förbättra sitt koldioxidavtryck (Rodgers, 2010). De små och medelstora företagens verksamhet är inte väl förstådd och dokumenterad, inklusive företagsetableringar inom samhällen, av vilka vissa är helt baserade på hållbara principer (Rodgers, 2010). Med tanke på att små och medelstora företag spelar en viktig roll för en hållbar utveckling är det viktigt att förstå de bakomliggande mekanismerna bakom varför små och medelstora företag är engagerade i SS inom samhällen. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur små och medelstora företag kan främja en samhällelig förmåga att utveckla socialt hållbara metoder som inte bara tillfredsställer de nuvarande medlemmarnas behov utan också stöder framtida generationers förmåga att bibehålla en hållbar samhällen. Metod: På grund av den begränsade litteraturen om social hållbarhet inom ramen för små och medelstora företag i samhället, använder denna avhandling en explorativ forsknings design tillsammans med kvalitativa och abduktiva metoder. Den kvalitativa innehållsanalysen används vid kodning och analys av empiriska fynd, och den abduktiva metoden används för att utveckla en utvidgad ram för social hållbarhet inom samhällen. Slutsats: Syftet med denna studie var att få insikt i de initiativ som små och medelstora företag genomför för socialt hållbara samhällen och de hinder de står inför. Genom kvalitativ forskning inom olika sektorer av ekonomin (jordbruk, byggande, service, detaljhandel, tillverkning) och olika länder, har en empirisk förståelse för hur små och medelstora företag engagerar sig i sociala hållbarhets initiativ härletts. De empiriska rönen resulterade i en utvidgning av en social hållbarhetsram som föreslogs av Eizenberg och Jabareen (2017). I den utvidgade ramen infördes samhälleligt kapital som det femte konceptet för SS och dess huvudkomponenter är humankapital, socialt kapital, social sammanhållning, social integration, naturkapital och filantropiska kapital. Mångfalden av sektorer och länder gjorde det möjligt för oss att ta hänsyn till kontextuella skillnader och utveckla en internationell syn på sociala hållbarhets begrepp som är relevanta för samhällen.

Background: India has the highest number of undernourished children worldwide. Understanding trends, predictors, and consequences of child undernutrition is important to inform strategy for addressing this public health crisis. Methods: We used data from four National Family Health Surveys (1992-93, 1998-99, 2005-6, 2015-16 NFHS) to examine trends of undernutrition before and after the 2005 implementation of the National Rural Health Mission, India’s flagship public health initiative (Aim 1). We used the 2016 NFHS to build a predictive model that identifies infants at-risk for child undernutrition (Aim 2). Lastly, we used data from the 2005 and 2012 India Human Development Surveys to investigate the consequences of early childhood undernutrition (Aim 3). Results: NRHM was more effective at addressing acute than chronic undernutrition but its prioritization on high focus states resulted in an increase of acute undernutrition among children living in normal focus states. We demonstrate that it is feasible to predict 5-year risk of child undernutrition at the time of birth. Child undernutrition is associated with adverse physical and cognitive outcomes during pre-adolescent years, with female undernourished children experiencing the worst outcomes. Higher female education in the household helps overcome gender and nutrition-based disadvantage among Indian children. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to reduce nutrition-related disparities among Indian children. Short-term strategy could include a predictive model that can be used to more effectively provide resources and intervention to the most disadvantaged population. Long term strategy should focus on elevating women’s status through improved female education in India.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:48:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMestradoDanielaCastro.pdf: 387748 bytes, checksum: d8231d38cc3e94a5b322e37515d2bb44 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-06-01 / This purpose of this research is to study the importance of national integration of the social data information systems as an essential instrument for public policy planning with a view to Brazil s social and economic development and to the country s social goals. The lack of an integrated system corroborates the level of improvisation of the Brazilian public administration and shows how fragile the State is in preparing and implementing policies to foster social and economic development. Social policies are not based on a diagnosis of their quality, nor are there indicators to monitor the implementation and results of such policies. Moreover, public authorities do not consider time limits or goals for the social area. That is why this study supports the need to establish social goals, rather than fiscal goals only, to which the executive authorities will be committed so as to include social development as a target to be reached through public policy planning. Having such approach in mind, in this study we conducted an analysis of the concept of social-economic development, public policy planning and information, considering also the use of national social goals, utilizing, as an example, the UN Millenium Development Goals, in addition to examining the current responsibilities of the local governments and discussing the importance of federal coordination in attaining country-wide goals. This study resulted in a draft proposal for the national integration of the social data information systems, including certain technical and legal aspects involving the implementation thereof and a ratification of the importance of such integration in order to reach the country s social goals / Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar a importância da integração nacional dos sistemas de informação social como instrumento essencial ao planejamento das políticas públicas para o desenvolvimento socioeconômico e para o alcance de metas sociais nacionais. A falta de um sistema integrado evidencia o grau de improvisação da administração pública no Brasil e mostra a precariedade do Estado na elaboração e na implementação de políticas em prol do desenvolvimento socioeconômico. As políticas sociais não partem de um diagnóstico de qualidade, como tampouco há indicadores suficientes que monitorem sua implantação e seus resultados. Ademais, os governantes não têm em vista metas nem prazos na área social. Por isso, o presente estudo sustenta a necessidade de adoção de metas sociais, e não somente fiscais, que comprometam os governantes e que direcionem o planejamento público rumo ao desenvolvimento social. Para realizar esta abordagem, o trabalho analisou o conceito de desenvolvimento socioeconômico, de planejamento público e de informação, passando pela adoção de metas sociais nacionais, utilizando como exemplo os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento do Milênio das Nações Unidas, além de ter examinado as atuais atribuições municipais e trazer à discussão a importância da coordenação federal para o alcance de metas nacionais. O final do trabalho consiste no esboço de uma proposta de integração nacional dos sistemas de informação social, considerando alguns aspectos técnicos e jurídicos para sua implementação e reafirmando a importância dessa integração para o alcance de metas sociais nacionais

O desenvolvimento municipal sustentável é um fenômeno complexo. Para que seja possível entender tal fenômeno, é necessário levar em consideração como se comportam as diversas variáveis de dimensões distintas e a interação de uma grande quantidade de atores envolvidos em um processo dinâmico, transformando constantemente o sistema social de uma determinada região. Esta dissertação tem em sua essência, ser um trabalho que está de acordo com o novo paradigma da ciência, descartando explicações simples e prontas sobre o desenvolvimento. Busca agregar toda a complexidade, instabilidade e intersubjetividade que o assunto compreende. Assim, o principal objetivo deste trabalho é desenvolver e diagnosticar o sistema de administração das prefeituras municipais para o desenvolvimento sustentável, tendo como base os objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável (ODS), utilizando como métodos o Viable System Model (VSM) em prefeituras municipais e a criação de Indicador Sistêmico-Cibernético de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ISCDS) por meio da análise fatorial (AF) para os municípios do estado de São Paulo. Os objetivos específicos também são desenvolvidos de maneira a contribuir ao objetivo principal. Dentre eles estão: diferenciar os diversos conceitos de desenvolvimento, identificar e delimitar o sistema onde acontece o desenvolvimento local, verificar como os ODS podem ser uma forma de promover o desenvolvimento sistêmico, identificar as principais variáveis secundárias que podem compor o desenvolvimento local e que estejam ligadas a cada um dos objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável da ONU, desenvolver um indicador capaz de medir o desenvolvimento sistêmico utilizando os ODS e, por fim, identificar as diferenças entre os municípios do estado de São Paulo criando agrupamentos de municípios semelhantes. Para tanto, este é um trabalho sistêmico tanto em sua filosofia quanto estrutura, adotando métodos e técnicas tanto quantitativas como qualitativas para se chegar aos resultados das perguntas de pesquisa. Para que fosse possível obter conhecimento suficiente acerca dos temas tratados e propor uma base metodológica sólida de modo a mostrar os resultados esperados, optou-se por realizar um amplo referencial teórico, envolvendo três itens: desenvolvimento, abordagens sistêmico-cibernéticas e objetivos de desenvolvimento sustentável. Os resultados mostraram que é possível aplicar o VSM no sistema administrativo das prefeituras municipais, sendo uma poderosa ferramenta para administrar o a prefeitura de maneira eficiente e também útil para identificar diversas falhas sistêmicas, conforme são expostas nas considerações finais deste trabalho. Por meio da análise fatorial, tendo como base os ODS, foi possível desenvolver um modelo para se medir o desenvolvimento sustentável sistêmico municipal: o ISCDS para os 645 municípios do estado de São Paulo. A partir da obtenção do ISCDS, foram encontrados sete clusters com características diferentes, indicando a necessidade de tratativas administrativas diferentes que visem o desenvolvimento sustentável para cada agrupamento encontrado. / Sustainable municipal development is a complex phenomenon. To understand this phenomenon, it is necessary to take into account not only the way of huge number variables of different dimensions behave, but also how the large number of actors are involved in a dynamic process, constantly transforming the social system of a given region. This dissertation has in its essence, to be a work that is in accordance with the new paradigm of science, discarding simple and ready explanations about development. It seeks to add all the complexity, instability and intersubjectivity that the subject comprehends. Thus, the main objective of this work is to develop and diagnose the municipal town hall administration system for the sustainable development, based on the sustainable development goals (SDG). The methods used are the Viable System Model (VSM) for the municipal town hall management, and the factor analysis to model the Systemic-Cybernetic Indicator of Sustainable Development (SCISD) for the municipalities of the state of São Paulo. Specific objectives are also developed in order to contribute to the main objective. These include: a) to differentiate the various development concepts, b) to identify the system where local development takes place, b) to check how the SDGs can promote systemic development, c) to identify the main variables that could be used to measure sustainable development, and which of them are connected to each of the UN\'s SDGs and, finally, d) to identify the differences between the municipalities of the state of São Paulo, creating clusters of similar municipalities according to the SCISD developed. To do so, this is a systemic work both in its philosophy and structure. It was adopted methods and techniques both quantitative and qualitative to explore to the results of the research questions. In order to obtain sufficient knowledge about the topics addressed and to propose a solid methodological basis to show the expected results, it was decided to make a broad theoretical reference, involving three items: development, systems thinking and cybernetics approaches and sustainable development goals. The results showed that it is possible to apply the VSM in the administrative system of the city halls, being a powerful tool not only to manage the city in an efficient way, but also useful to identify several systemic failures, as they are exposed in the final considerations of this work. Through the factorial analysis, based on the SDGs, it was also possible to develop a model to measure the level of municipal sustainable development: the SCISD for the 645 municipalities of the state of São Paulo. Also, from the SCISD, seven clusters with different characteristics were found, indicating the need for different administrative approaches according to the different at sustainable development characteristics found in each cluster.

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the understanding of human rights in Agenda 2030 and the role of companies by adopting a human rights-based approach to sustainable development. It applies a qualitative idea analysis of the primarily material where central concepts are operationalized by constructing a model of analysis based on dimensions. The dimensions of human rights as moral, politics and law, derives from previous research by the ethical theorist Elena Namli. A potential fourth dimension, the economic dimension of human rights, is further developed, applying research of the economists Dan Seymour and Jonathan Pincus. Furthermore, this research considers what Agenda 2030 indicates in terms of human rights obligations for companies and the impacts the perceived role of companies may have for human rights. Therefore, the theoretical framework is complemented by research of the political theorist Thomas Pogge's, and international lawyer Andrew Clapham’s ideas of human rights obligations for companies. The results show that Agenda 2030 encourages a multi-stakeholder approach and addresses companies as partners in order to achieve a sustainable development based on human rights. This can be regarded as an opportunity to enhance the respect, protection and fulfillment of human rights, inviting more actors to contribute in a complementary way to states. At the same time challenges remains in creating policies, accountability and monitoring mechanisms towards companies bothin terms of human rights and companies’ performance on the SDGs. Until there is more legal clarity, the moral question of what is good and fair business practice becomes central.

The thesis deals with the Goal 8 of the Millennium Development Goals called "Develop a global partnership for development" and monitor its fulfilment in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. The emphasis is laid on three important areas included in the Goal 8 and these are official development assistance, access of developing countries on markets of developed countries and external debt burden of developing states. The aim of the thesis is to capture present development in these areas by selected official indicators, which were set by United Nations, compare their current development with the initial year 1990 and on the basis of available data from past three years assess probable future progress in the mentioned areas. Final part of the thesis includes case study of selected Sub-Saharan countries, Ghana and Lesotho.

No description available.

No description available.

Univ., Diss. u.d.T.: Harttgen, Kenneth: Four essays on the empirical analysis of determinants, distribution and dynamics of poverty--Göttingen, 2007. / Parallelt.: Four essays on the empirical analysis of determinants, distribution and dynamics of poverty.

Univ., Jur. u. Wiwi Fak., Diss--Halle, 2007.