This study analyzed the perceptions of 13 school staff and their experiences with the implementation of GEAR UP TN. The primary purpose of this study was to examine how program activities and services are being sustained after funding for GEAR UP TN ceased. Qualitative methodology guided this study. This approach allowed for the perspectives and lived experiences of the school staff to be voiced and heard. Data collected included their stories based on semistructured interviews and observations. Findings are presented in 4 themes that pertain directly to the research questions regarding key elements that contributed to program continuation, procedures that initiated program continuation, organizations in a collaborative that were sustained after funding, and program services not continued. In this specific case there continues to be school district support, community support, parental support, and a level of financial and technical support from other funding sources. Recommendations based on the results of the study are (1) implement college visits, ACT workshops, dual enrollment classes, and parent FAFSA workshops to create a college going culture; (2) gain support from the school board, parents, and the community; (3) maintain sufficient financial and human resources for precollege access programs and services; and (4) build partnerships with local colleges and universities.

The world’s linear economic system, operating under the make-use-dispose philosophy, creates heavy environmental issues such as resource depletion and exuberant waste creation. One industry that is strongly affiliated with these issues is the construction industry. Responsible for around 25% of global waste creation, the industry is in need of changing and circular initiatives such as waste-to-resource ones offer pathways to such a change towards sustainability. For the materialization of these initiatives, inter-organizational collaboration is an effective tool that needs to be strengthened within the industry. It has shown its ability to create sustainable business models that are more aligned with the principles of the circular economy, yet, further research into collaborative value creation is needed.   Therefore, this thesis investigates the processes of value creation in inter-organizational collaboration as well as how the value created can help facilitate waste-to-resource initiatives within the construction industry. A theoretical framework based on the Stakeholder Value Creation model and Collaborative Value Creation framework is being used to analyze empirical material stemming from semi-structured expert interviews with representatives of the construction industry. Based on the findings, the framework is adjusted by including additional value creating collaborative processes and enabling forces for the creation of waste-to-resource initiatives. Ultimately, this thesis lays out the processes creating value in inter-organizational collaboration within the construction industry as well as the waste-to-resource initiative enablers stemming from the different types of collaborative value. This is contributing to the theoretical knowledge of collaboration and value creation as well as allowing for practical application.

The transformation of cities into smart cities is a common occurrence today, and one of the reasons is urbanization. Technology contributes to the ability to deal with new problems that arise. The number of IoT platforms has increased due to their flexibility and value addition regarding interoperability, processing of IoT data, and analysis capability. An IoT platform's capabilities are desirable, not least to municipalities today. Through IoT devices, such as sensors, the municipality can increase their awareness of the city’s surroundings and stay up to date through better insight into trends or new challenges. However, IoT is in its infancy compared to other markets, and there is a limited understanding of the IoT subject in municipal contexts. These aspects contribute to difficulties when municipalities take on trends for smart city initiatives. There is still a lack of design and development guidelines regarding ICT solutions to enable the development of a holistic smart city. The few current smart city deployments also make it challenging to validate which technology should be adopted to achieve the vision for the smart city. Therefore, the study investigates how a central IoT platform might benefit municipal departments in urban development projects. The case study conducted within the City of Stockholm generated ten benefits that might occur if the central IoT platform were available within the municipal departments' urban development projects. The benefits were divided into three themes: ·         Information and data management ·         Reasons to use IoT data ·         Interoperability between the central IoT platform and systems

No / The social housing sector has yet to realise the potential of high data quality. While other businesses, mainly in the private sector, reap the benefits of data quality, the social housing sector seems paralysed, as it is still struggling with recent government regulations and steep revenue reduction. This paper offers a succinct review of relevant literature on data quality and how it relates to social housing. The Housing and Development Board in Singapore offers a great example on how to integrate data quality initiatives in the social housing sector. Taking this example, the research presented in this paper is extrapolating cross-disciplinarily recommendations on how to implement data quality initiatives in social housing providers in the UK.

Seeds are essential elements within agricultural production and food systems. However, seed systems face multiple issues, including processes of commercialisation, privatisation, and crop diversity loss, that require reconsidering current approaches to seeds and varieties. Seed initiatives hold a potential to contribute to alternative and desirable seed system configurations and outcomes. In this thesis, I analyse how existing seed initiatives increase their impact, drawing on the typology of amplification processes by Lam et al. (2020). Furthermore, due to the long-term occurrence of variety losses and the complexity of the processes involved, this thesis uses system dynamics concepts and diagramming tools to map the use of local varieties from the initiatives’ perceptions. Thereby, I attempt to operationalise amplification, depict local variety use, and combine the two approaches within the context of seed initiatives. I employ a case-study approach in Italy and conducted semi-structured interviews with members of six seed initiatives. Concrete actions for almost all the frameworks’ processes were found. Building stability, influencing values and mindsets, and strategically impacting higher institutional levels emerged as suitable ways to amplify and might indicate that initiatives prepare and potentially navigate change. Enhancing the initiatives’ impact range and speed benefitted from more nuance due to diverging notions on these processes. A qualitative systems diagram with social and ecological components maps causal structures that influence the use of local varieties, showing a potential for desirable dynamics. By indicating how amplifying actions relate to the system structure, I illustrate how the seed initiatives are influencing multiple system parts. Thus, the system maps revealed perceived system structure, which by itself might run the risk of portraying path dependency, while amplification relates to agency on how initiatives might influence the system.

This study aims to provide insights into the interplay between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores and financial outcomes by investigating whether it leads to enhanced financial performance and firm value, partly during the economic crisis constituted by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and COVID-19 pandemic. The study uses the theoretical frameworks stakeholder theory, resource-based view (RBV) theory, as well as customer and investor preference theory as an explanatory model for the results conducted by the panel data regression on a dataset of 248 companies derived from the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 index from 2006 to 2023. The study found that ESG performance significantly enhances both return on capital employed (ROCE) and Tobin's Q. A one-unit increase in ESG score leads to a 0.59860 percentage increase in ROCE and a 0.5329 percentage increase in Tobin's Q. It can be established that larger companies exhibit lower financial performance and market valuations, while companies in the lowest ESG score quartile benefit more from ESG improvements. The impact of ESG scores on firm value is more pronounced during the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. The empirical findings from this study provide robust evidence supporting the theoretical framework and the growing body of literature suggesting a positive relationship between ESG performance and corporate financial outcomes. The findings offer valuable insights for business leaders, policymakers, and investors on the strategic importance of sustainability initiatives in today's complex business environment.

Purpose – As sustainability gains prominence and digitalization advances, new ways of conducting business have emerged. Embracing sustainability initiatives has become imperative for manufacturing firms seeking to enhance growth and maintain global competitiveness. Digital technologies, particularly in the development process, have demonstrated significant potential in this regard. Yet, their novelty leaves firms uncertain about their optimal utilization in supporting the transition towards a more sustainable manufacturing industry. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore the usage of digital technologies in the development process of manufacturing firms from a sustainability perspective. Method – This study employs qualitative research with an exploratory multiple case study approach. It clarifies manufacturing firm's viewpoint on digital technologies for sustainability, conducting 13 interviews from 12 distinct firms (10 within discrete manufacturing and two in the process industry), all analyzed via a thematic analysis. Findings – The analysis resulted in an overview of manufacturing firms' perception of sustainable development and digital technologies as well as five main dilemmas that manufacturing firms encounter in this regard, whereas three of them had a specific emphasis on digital technologies within the development process. These three dilemmas then formed the foundation of a framework that shows an agile process for manufacturing firms to consider when adopting digital technologies. Theoretical and managerial contributions – This study contributes to the sustainable manufacturing and development process literature from a holistic perspective, with an emphasis on digital technologies. Furthermore, it provides a managerial framework for manufacturing firms that aim to advance their utilization of digital technologies for sustainability while emphasizing crucial considerations.  Limitations and future research – This study has focused on how digital technologies can be utilized within manufacturing firms' development process for increasing sustainability. Future research advocates for a broader representation, especially from the process industry, and further exploration how particular digital technologies can assist manufacturing firms in specific stages of their development process. Keywords: Manufacturing industry, Sustainability initiatives, Digital technologies, Development process / Syfte - I och med att hållbarhet blir allt viktigare och digitaliseringen utvecklas har nya sätt att bedriva företagsverksamhet vuxit fram. Att omfamna hållbarhetsinitiativ har blivit en nödvändighet för tillverkande företag som vill öka sin tillväxt och upprätthålla sin globala konkurrenskraft. Digitala verktyg, i synnerhet i utvecklingsprocessen, har visat sig ha stor potential i detta avseende. Däremot, anses användningen av digitala verktyg vara något relativt nytt och således är företag osäkra på hur de kan nyttjas optimalt för att stödja övergången till en mer hållbar tillverkningsindustri. Syftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka användningen av digitala verktyg i tillverkande företags utvecklingsprocess ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. Metod - I denna studie tillämpas kvalitativ forskning med en explorativ flerfallsstudie av företag inom tillverkningsindustrin. Studien klargör tillverkande företags syn på digitala verktyg för hållbarhet genom att genomföra 13 intervjuer med 12 olika företag (10 inom diskret tillverkning och två inom processindustrin), som alla analyserades via en tematisk analys.   Resultat - Analysen resulterade i en översikt över tillverkande företags uppfattning om hållbar utveckling och digitala verktyg samt fem huvudsakliga dilemman som tillverkande företag stöter på i detta avseende, varav tre av dem hade en särskild betoning på digitala verktyg inom utvecklingsprocessen. Dessa tre dilemman utgjorde sedan grunden för ett ramverk som visar en agil process som tillverkande företag kan använda sig av om de vill införa digitala verktyg.  Teoretisk och praktiskt bidrag - Denna studie bidrar till litteraturen om hållbara tillverknings- och utvecklingsprocesser utifrån ett helhetsperspektiv, med betoning på digitala verktyg. Dessutom bidrar den med ett ramverk för tillverkande företag som vill utveckla sin användning av digitala verktyg för hållbarhet samtidigt som den betonar viktiga beaktanden.   Begränsningar och framtida forskning - Denna studie har fokuserat på hur digitala verktyg kan användas hos tillverkande företag i deras utvecklingsprocess för att öka bidraget till hållbarhet. Framtida forskning uppmuntras att ha en bredare representation, särskilt från processindustrin, och titta på hur specifika digitala verktyg kan assistera tillverkande företag i specifika stadier av deras utvecklingsprocess.  Nyckelord: Tillverkningsindustri, Hållbarhetsinitiativ, Digitala vekrtyg, Utvecklingsprocess

yes / This study focuses on a widely promoted belief that community-driven and community-based interventions for development are not only cost-effective, but also just and democratic. In particular, this study examines community-based initiatives with regard to HIV/AIDS in one Tanzanian roadside town. The interventions I discuss suggest that increased community participation does not automatically lead to more equitable access to services, to the empowerment of the poor, or even to the planned service delivery at all. Dependence on local volunteers with multiple motives and interests can hamper the relationship between provider and beneficiary. A concern for minimal state involvement and maximum decentralisation can easily lead to institutional abandonment, and trust in an undefined `community¿ can prevent rather than encourage coordination at community-level. As I discuss below, such factors can result not only in a service not being delivered, but can also readily lead to increased local conflict over scarce resources, increasing unfulfilled expectations, affirmation of inequalities, and government neglect. In the absence of a strong institutional framework such as the state, community structures and social relationships ¿ unquantifiable and often particular to specific locations ¿ seem central to the functioning of community-based development interventions, including those of AIDS related prevention and care. / DfID

Yes / Social, institutional and business interest in Sustainability has increasingly grow in the last decades. New regulations, technological progress, social awareness related to environmental impact of the industrial activities and irregular working conditions, are some of the key elements affecting the way organisations plan and measure their corporate, business unit, and operational strategies. Sustainability strategies can play a key role in driving innovation through learning, motivation, attraction and retention of skilful employees. The aim of this paper is to analyse the interrelations between the deployment of effective sustainability strategies, employee motivation and the financial perspective of business performance. The analysis applies a Systems Thinking approach through the development of a series of Causal Loop Diagrams to identify key factors and the nature of their interrelationships. The analysis also considers the Ability, Motivation and Opportunity (AMO) framework to explain the complexity of employee behaviour, motivation and impact on strategic performance. This research confirmed that a supportive relation can be established between the implementation of effective sustainability strategies, represented by Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Human Resources (HR) initiatives, and the financial performance of a business organisations. The study focused on publications related to private business organisations in the UK and USA, which encourages future broad studies. This research provides relevant insights to understand better the complexity of the relationships between sustainability strategies, employee motivation and business performance.

Yes / Due to rapid agricultural industrialization, increased global food demand, and, increasing concerns related to food quality and safety, the concepts of sustainability and supply chain transparency are becoming critically important to the agriculture and agri-food sector. The new focus on sustainability performance objectives emphasizes the effective utilization and consumption of natural resources to balance ecological, economic and societal aspects of agri-food businesses. The management of sustainability adds a new demand on business managers who often have small profits and receive stringent requirements from large powerful customers and retailers. In this paper, we recognize and analyze the key enablers in implementing sustainable initiatives for Agri-Food Supply Chains (A-FSCs). Ten important sustainability driven enablers were considered from a rigorous literature review and phase of expert consultation. The identified enablers were then analyzed using a combined Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) - fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) based framework. The ISM approach enabled an appreciation of the contextual relationships among the enablers and to classify the enablers based on their driving and dependence potential. The fuzzy DEMATEL technique supported the determination of the influential and influenced enablers and also to categorize them into cause and effect groups. An empirical case study, drawn from a vegetable and fruit retail supply chain in India, is used to focus and test the applicability of the proposed research framework. The paper facilitates professional management practice and researchers to uncover and explore the enablers for the real execution of sustainability oriented initiatives in the agri-food business sector.