The construction industry is one of the most important components in the economic development of a developing country, being a major contributor to the national economy of many such countries. This industry is largely responsible for the physical provision of housing and infrastructure and, as such, can be the backbone of prosperous economies, providing social development and employment. The construction industry in the developing economy of Yemen is plagued by difficult economic and technical problems, which permeate most aspects of the industry. In addition, construction procedures in Yemen consume excessive capital, time and resources that have a direct flow-on effect for the national economy and the nation's socio-economic development. Macroeconomic problems in unemployment, inflation and an inequitable balance-of-payments all add to the existing difficult economic situation in the construction industry. Further, the lack of appropriate infrastructure, weak and inefficient legal, administrative and financial institutions are also major contributors. The recent global shift to sustainable development also requires that the construction industry in Yemen initiate important strategic developmental policies in order to meet future demand for economical and sustainable development. This research uses a comprehensive literature review to design and conduct a survey into the existing local development barriers and then obtains a census of expert opinions using the Delphi methodology to rank a set of sustainable developmental policies and strategies. The research then establishes a comprehensive list of recommendations for achieving economicly sustainable industry. Proposed policies and strategies are formulated from various international studies, including Agenda 21 for Sustainable Development. The proposed policies and strategies are specifically chosen as they are considered to be compatible with the Yemen case and are also seen to more readily integratable with cultural aspects of Yemen, particularly in focusing on the hardships of its local needs and capabilities. The construction industry in the developing nation of Yemen appears aligned in many ways to the needs of other developing economies and, as such, it is expected that the findings of this research will be of great interest to professionals involved in the construction economies of other such developing nations.

Sustainability has become a popular term within the official and local government. The concept of sustainability is now as visible in the work of the municipalities as it is at a national level. However, the term sustainability lacks a viable definition in city planning. The ecological and the social dimensions of sustainability are clearly more visible in planning processes and in planning documents than economic sustainability. Research shows that the economic perspective in city planning often is neglected compared to the other dimensions of sustainability. Thus the importance of economic sustainability is diminished in planning processes and is often left to be used as a framework to the ecological and the social dimensions of sustainability. Given this problem, this study wishes to unfold if the municipality of Trollhättan, Sweden plans for a economic sustainable development. A qualitative case-study is used were data is generated by an interview in addition to several literature analysis. In the literature analysis code words were identified to help find the relevant data. The empirical data is then analyzed and the results of the study were that the municipality of Trollhättan plans for an economic sustainable development, however the term is rather inserted in other aspects of sustainable development than treated as a sole aspect. Understanding the usage of the implementation of the term economic sustainability in city planning can help further research of development and economically sustainable communities.

This paper investigates the primacy of foreign direct investment inflows in liberalizing China’s economy and whether the long-term gains from economic openness will justify its inefficient energy uses and growing regional income disparities. By examining the history of FDI inflows in China, it becomes evident that FDI inflows were an instrumental part in institutional and technological development in China. I extend the argument to take into account how these developed infrastructures react to China’s growing energy demand in light of a shrinking world supply. Lastly, I perform a meta-analysis on the Environmental Kuznets Curve theory and the Pollution Haven Hypothesis, to examine if there are negative environmental outcomes from FDI inflows. I find that the technological effect of FDI inflows tend to result in long-run improvements under most circumstances.

More than 50% of small businesses fail by the 5th year of operation because of lack of economic sustainability. Organizations without a chief financial officer (CFO) with financial expertise may have suboptimal fiscal performance. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine whether there was a relationship between CFO licensure status, CFO age, and firm earnings per share. A sample of 403 small businesses in the United States, taken from the Russell 2000 Index, was used in the study. The theoretical framework for the study was Penrose's resource-based view of the firm. CFO names and firm earnings per share were taken from the 2015 SEC 10-K filings. CPAverify was used to determine specific CFO licensure status. LexisNexis was used to identify CFO age. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationship between CFO licensure status, CFO age, and firm earnings per share. A multiple regression model with F(2, 400) = 3.69, p = .03, R2 = .018 demonstrated a relationship between CFO licensure status, CFO age, and firm earnings per share ratio. Having a CPA license F(1, 154) = 8.59, p = .01, R2 = .053 revealed a slightly better correlation between licensure status and firm earnings per share. CFO age F(1, 401) = 3.10, p = .08, R2 = .005 revealed no relationship to firm earnings per share. Small business leaders could use this study's findings as the basis for hiring CFOs with financial expertise. Doing so may help increase the firm's profitability and mitigate the risks of business failure. Positive social change may ensue provided small businesses use this study's findings to improve job retention and the economic viability of a community.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A survey to assess the sustainability and marketing opportunities for smallholder cattle production systems was conducted by consulting with a total of 95 smallholder cattle producers in Ncorha and Gxwalibomvu communities in the Eastern Cape Province (ECP) of South Africa. In addition, a total of 18 surrounding beef retailers, 5 abattoirs that supplied beef to these retailers and 155 beef consumers who bought beef from these retailers between February 2013 and February 2014 were also interviewed using pretested structured questionnaires. The surveys established the perception of beef traders and consumers on the development of a Natural beef (NB) brand and indicated the willingness of participants to support the development of a NB brand. The results indicated that a smallholder beef cattle production system was socially and environmentally conditionally sustainable but economically not sustainable. Overall, the system was conditionally sustainable. Cattle herd size was bigger in Ncorha than in Gxwalibomvu (13.7±1.9 vs. 11.3 ± 1.9 heads of cattle, respectively). Smallholder producers from both sites sold an average of two cattle per year. Young farmers (<40 years old), Christians and small households (<5 members) had a greater potential to sell cattle than adults (>40 years old), traditionalists and larger households (>5 members). Similarly, households with access to extension services, owners of smaller cattle herds (<10 cattle) and from a lower income bracket (<R3000) had a bigger potential to sell cattle. More than 70% of consumers were willing to buy a NB brand once it is available on the market but were not willing to pay a premium for the beef brand. Consumers’ willingness to buy and pay a premium for a NB product was influenced by gender, age, income source, with meat preference and meat consumption frequency playing the biggest role in decision making. On the other hand, retailers were not willing to participate in the development of a NB brand. Beef traders, however, suggested that communal feedlotting, group marketing and characterization of beef from cattle fed natural pasture-based diets to identify unique quality attributes of such beef, can potentially improve offtake and economic sustainability of smallholder cattle production systems. The study concluded that smallholder cattle production systems in the ECP is conditionally sustainable, and opportunities for the integration of smallholder cattle producers into the formal beef market value chain lies in the characterization of natural pasture-fed beef, feedlotting and group marketing. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:'n Opname om die volhoubaarheid en bemarkingsgeleenthede vir kleinboer vleisbeesproduksiestelsels te evalueer, is deur middel van konsultasie met 'n totaal van 95 kleinboere vee produsente in Ncorha en Gxwalibomvu gemeenskappe in die Oos-Kaap Provinsie van Suid-Afrika, uitgevoer. Daarbenewens is altesame 18 omliggende vleis kleinhandelaars, 5 abattoirs wat beesvleis verskaf aan hierdie kleinhandelaars en 155 beesvleis verbruikers wat vleis gekoop het van die kleinhandelaars tussen Februarie 2013 en Februarie 2014, met behulp van vooraf-getoetste gestruktureerde vraelyste ondervra. Die opnames het die mening van beesvleis handelaars en -verbruikers oor die ontwikkeling van 'n natuurlike weiding-geproduseerde beesvleis (NPB) handelsmerk ingewin en ook die bereidwilligheid van die deelnemers om die ontwikkeling van 'n NPB handelsmerk te ondersteun, aangedui. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat 'n kleinskaalse vleisbees produksiestelsel sosiaal en omgewingsvriendelik voorwaardelik volhoubaar is, maar nie ekonomies volhoubaar is nie. In geheel is hierdie tipe produksiestelsel as voorwaardelik volhoubaar beskou. Beestrop grootte was groter in die Ncorha as in die Gxwalibomvu gemeenskappe (13.7 ± 1.9 beeste vs. 11.3 ± 1.9 beeste, onderskeidelik). Kleinboer produsente van beide areas het 'n gemiddeld van twee beeste per jaar verkoop. Jong boere (<40 jaar oud), Christene en klein huishoudings (<5 lede) het 'n beter potensiaal gehad om beeste te verkoop as volwassenes (> 40 jaar oud), tradisionele boere en groter huishoudings (> 5 lede). Net so het huishoudings met toegang tot voorligtingsdienste, eienaars van klein troppe (<10 beeste) en boere wat aan die laer inkomstegroep behoort het (<R3000), ʼn groter potensiaal gehad om vee te verkoop. Meer as 70% van verbruikers was bereid om vir 'n NPB produk te betaal sodra dit beskikbaar is op die mark, maar was nie bereid om 'n premie vir die NPB handelsmerk te betaal nie. Verbruikers se bereidwilligheid om NPB produkte te koop en ʼn premie te betaal vir die handelsmerk was deels beïnvloed deur geslag, ouderdom, bron van inkomste en die meeste deur vleis voorkeur en frekwensie van vleis verbruik. Kleinhandelaars was nie bereid om deel te neem aan die ontwikkeling van ʼn NPB handelsmerk nie. Bees handelaars het egter voorgestel dat kommunale voerkrale, groepsbemarking en karakterisering van vleis van beeste gevoer op natuurlike weiding om die unieke kwaliteitseienskappe van die tipe vleis vas te stel, potensieel afsette en ekonomiese volhoubaarheid van kleinboere produksie beeste stelsels kan verbeter. Die studie het bevind dat kleinboer veeproduksiestelsels in die Oos-Kaap Provinsie voorwaardelik volhoubaar is en dat geleenthede vir die integrasie van kleinboer beesprodusente in die formele vleisbeesmark waardeketting in die karakterisering van beesvleis geproduseer op natuurlike weiding, voerkrale en groepsbemarking, vervat is.

Drawing on the “predator” model of ntrepreneurship put forward by Villette and Vuillermot in their 2009 book “From Predators to Icons,” this article argues that challenging economic times reveal that self-funded, collaborative information literacy models have in many cases unsustainably overstretched staff and budgets. In such circumstances, it is necessary for librarians to shift to an entrepreneurial approach that seeks profitable opportunities funded by parties other than the library in order to build capital for current and future instructional services. Following Villette and Vuillermot, the article seeks to refute a cultural myth that sees the entrepreneur as someone who is first and foremost a “do-gooder” or marketer of helpful products, and it also advocates that librarians adopt a view of the entrepreneur as one who preys on unexploited, lowcost/high-profit opportunities to leverage “other people’s money” to build capital for later innovation. The article considers the economics of information literacy and library instruction programs, provides historical context for what has come to be known as the “collaborative imperative,” points to the economic shortsightedness of many collaborative and “embedded librarian” partnerships, and details six examples from information literacy programs that model successful entrepreneurship of the sort argued for.

Sustainability is one of the key challenges facing society in the twenty-first century. The adoption of sustainable practices in the heritage sector resonates with its long-established objectives to conserve and enhance the historic environment, although its implementation can also present significant dilemmas for the commodification, integrity, authenticity, accessibility and viability of these resources, particularly where sites are tourist attractions. The aim of this thesis was to investigate progress in the adoption of sustainable practices in heritage properties and sites in Devon and Cornwall. The findings were based on the compilation of an inventory of selected heritage resources; an extensive questionnaire survey of managers of historic houses and castles, historic churches, and museums and archives (416 responses), which investigated the extent of, and opinions about, sustainable management approaches; and semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with eight heritage managers, which probed key issues in much greater depth. The results of the research demonstrated some similarities with the adoption of sustainable practices in other sectors, such as the practical issues associated with costs and lack of knowledge. There were also some heritage-specific issues, such as perceived conflicts with protection duties, the consequences of being largely dependent upon volunteer staffing, and the institutional role of larger parent organisations, which have been overlooked in previous research. Most significantly, the results indicated that very few heritage sites produced sufficient surpluses to facilitate investment in sustainable practices that might ultimately enhance their financial viability and fund enhanced conservation activities. Future strategies for the sector as whole must therefore not only deal with capacity-building, such as access to information and training on sector-specific sustainable management, but also address the institutional factors governing heritage in the UK, such as strategic leadership, the most effective models for governance and funding mechanisms for sustainability, and the creation of local and regional heritage networks.

People all over the world have always been sharing things and experiences but due to rapid technological development, new digital platforms emerged which led to a new way of sharing and the phenomenon sharing economy started to be a common concept. The purpose of this study is to explore how Turistrådet Västsveriges newly launched platform Meet the locals could contribute to increased social and economic sustainability. Using existing theories such as sense of place, types of tourists and the host-tourist relationship this was done through multiple interviews together with locals in the project Meet the locals - a platform where you are given opportunities to ‘explore the Swedish lifestyle from a local perspective’. The data collected from the interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis which aimed to find connections with the chosen themes based on the theories. These themes were; place attachment, the meeting between host and tourist and sustainability. The results in this study establish that sustainability is important for the locals interviewed. However, it is unclear how Meet the locals really are contributing to social and economic sustainability since sustainability is still a complex subject and the project itself is still growing.

Local public transport companies provide important mobility services to the general public. Although these services are usually subsidised, companies rely on revenues generated by ticket sales. Therefore, fare evasion (i.e., people using a transport service without paying for it) and ticket forgery (the production of an illegal ticket facsimile) have considerable influence on the companies' economic sustainability. As existing research regarding the economic perspective is limited, this paper presents a Delphi study that investigates the phenomena with a survey of experts in public transport companies and transport associations in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The findings of the survey provide insights into the overall perception and discuss relevant aspects of both fare evasion and ticket forgery, thereby not only highlighting practical implications, but also helping policy makers shape adequate policies for public transport in societies.

The concept sustainable development is defined as meeting the needs of the existing global population without compromising the opportunities for future generations to also meet their needs. Therefore, in order to work towards sustainable development, active sustainable choices need to be made in a company’s business activities. This thesis has a qualitative approach that aims to study five different Swedish textile companies and how they work towards sustainable development in their code of conduct for suppliers. Theories are collected from literature, articles and web sources, which include sustainable development, social, environmental and economic sustainability and codes of conduct. The main target is to identify different sustainable approaches towards sustainable development in the code of conduct for suppliers focusing on the social, environmental and economic sustainability. The empirical data is collected from five personal interviews with representatives in charge of sustainable activities from the selected companies. The result of the study confirms that all companies to different extents are working towards sustainable development in their code of conduct for suppliers. Sustainable approaches in these codes are agreements with suppliers including following the country’s laws and regulations of the suppliers. The companies also collaborate with third-party industrial research institutes to reduce water and chemical supply in the production. Moreover, the study shows that the concept sustainable development seems to be less embedded in the code of conduct for suppliers. Companies rather work with sustainable activities in forms of running projects and establishing agreements beyond having a code of conduct. / Program: Master programme in Applied Textile Management