ABSTRACT SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT IN CITY-REGIONS: THE CASE OF IZMIR CITY REGION Nal, Seda M.S., Department of City and Regional Planning, Regional Planning Supervisor : Assist. Prof. Dr. Ela Babalik Sutcliffe July 2008, 385 pages While the vast literature on sustainable transport emphasizes certain urban development patterns as those that should be encouraged in urban planning, it is a fact that there is an increasing tendency in many urban areas in the world towards becoming a city-region. However, whether these city-region development patterns can help attain a more sustainable urban growth and transport system is a relatively less studied area in the field of sustainable transport. In general terms, the study aims to bring together these two important fields of research in the planning literature: sustainable transport and city-regions, with a view to analyze whether they can co-exist, whether their policies comply with, and complement each other, eventually whether it is possible to attain transport sustainability in city-regions. Regarding this aim, three aspects are identified as &amp / #8216 / threats&amp / #8217 / for the attainment of sustainable transport and land-use development in city-regions: 1.Increase in need to travel and car dependency due to increase in interactions and longer distances in city-regions, 2. Economic objectives for city-regions conflicting with objectives of sustainable transport, and 3. Difficulty in ensuring policy coordination for an integrated approach to sustainability due to fragmentation of governments. Two most effective ways of achieving sustainable transport, land-use planning policies and policies for improving public transport and non-motorized transport, are chosen as the main policy approaches to be analyzed. Through the analysis of planning experience in a selected case study area, the Izmir City Region, the study intends to find out whether these issues are real threats for attaining sustainable transport in city regions and whether they can be overcome.

Abstract The thesis aims to investigate the role of sustainability strategy in digital business in Bangladeshi and Pakistani SMEs. To attain our research goal, we made conceptual and theoretical framework, conducted telephonic interviews from digitized e-commerce SMEs working in Bangladesh and Pakistan service sector. Purpose: The purpose of the report is to explore the critical factors when implementing an integration of sustainability strategy in digital business. While doing this as well as dig deeper into a theory, we made analysis through our conceptual building and interviews. Methods: In this paper, a qualitative research method has been applied to demonstrate the experiences and activities of the SMEs as they come across, involve and survive by circumstances. A strong perception of phenomena was founded under this research. Before conducting telephone interviews, pilot tests had been taken to understand the significance and depth of the questions. Results: Based on the interviews it can be concluded that most of the respondents are considering sustainability strategy as competitive advantages and they are willing to utilize human, natural and financial resources in their digital business for maximizing benefit. Most of the respondents are using digital tools at their companies and concerning sustainability strategies to survive in the competing markets, but still the businesses who are working through sustainability strategy in their digital business is not adequate. Sustainability strategies are considered as core values of SMEs while doing digital business. Practical Implication: The findings ensure sustainability strategies are becoming core value in emerging markets like the mature markets. The findings conceptualized by the authors can be developed in future for the future studies in other emerging countries besides Bangladesh and Pakistan. As the results show that sustainability strategy in digital business can bring maximum benefit for the SMEs, the new entrepreneurs might be attracted towards implementing the sustainability strategy in their business.

Bygg- och fastighetsbranschen är en bidragande faktor till de hållbarhetsrelaterade utmaningarna i samhället, och som har en vilja att ta en mer central roll i arbetet för hållbar utveckling. Tidigare forskning visar på en positiv korrelation mellan hållbarhetsrelaterade aktiviteter och utfallet på företagets lönsamhet. Det saknas dock studier om hur olika nivåer av lönsamhet påverkar utfallet på företagets strategier och policyer för hållbarhet. I denna studie undersöks därför hur företags arbete med strategier och policy för hållbarhet påverkas inom bygg- och fastighetsbranschen till följd av olika nivåer av lönsamhet. En jämförande fallstudie har därför genomförts, där årsredovisningar har granskats och intervjuer har genomförts. Studiens utfall visar att företag med låg lönsamhet saknar ett strukturerat arbete med både strategier och policyer för hållbarhet, medan företag med hög lönsamhet visar på tydlighet i strategi och policy där tidigare forskning är en stor del av dess utformning. Företag med medelnivå av lönsamhet är i en lärande fas, och dess styrdokument för hållbarhet påverkas därtill av andra faktorer än lönsamhet. / The construction and real estate industry is a contributing factor to the sustainability-related challenges in society, and they have a desire to take a more central role in the effort for sustainable development. Previous research shows a positive correlation between sustainability-related activities and the outcome of the company's profitability. However, there is a lack of studies on how different levels of profitability affect the outcome of the company's strategies and policies for sustainability. This study therefore examines how companies' work with strategies and policies for sustainability are affected in the construction and real estate industry as a result of different levels of profitability. A comparative case study has therefore been carried out, where annual reports have been examined and interviews have been carried out. The results of the study show that companies with low profitability lack a structured work with both strategies and policies for sustainability, while companies with high profitability show clarity in strategy and policy where previous research is a large part of its design. Companies with an average level of profitability are in a learning phase, and their governing documents for sustainability are also affected by factors other than profitability.

Abstract: The goal of this thesis is to contribute to the overall progress of society towards sustainability by supporting the engagement of employees of multinational organizations. By first identifying unique aspects of sustainability that are important for engagement and aspects of national culture that affect receptivity to sustainability messages, the authors were able to make informed selections of success factors contributing to intercultural sustainability engagement. Within these categories, specific strategies and actions leading to successful engagement were identified, based on interviews and survey results from experienced sustainability practitioners and intercultural management experts, as well as an extensive literature review. The further selection and refinement of these led to the development of a capacity building tool to help sustainability practitioners address cultural differences when working to engage employees of multinational organizations in sustainability. / <p>mariszhuona@gmail.com, nstinnette1@yahoo.com, rajaie_sh@yahoo.com</p>