This research aims to explore the links between cross-sector collaboration, a holistic multi-stakeholder approach, and Sustainable Development, and identify whether such a holistic approach can lead to better collaboration processes, and ultimately results. Specifically, it focuses on sustainability in relation to food, through the lense of a qualitative case-study on the city of Malmö, which aims to identify and implement a more sustainable food system through the development of a Food Partnership where diverse stakeholders from across society are invited to actively engage in the process on a relatively equal basis. The study explores these theoretical concepts through the research question: How can a cross-sector collaboration with a holistic multi-stakeholder approach be developed and sustained in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals?The research uncovers the key factors which should be considered in order to form a holistic and long-term partnership, and based on these factors, an analytical framework is developed and used to assess the empirical findings and develop recommendations for the Malmö Food Partnership.This thesis provides a theoretical contribution by bridging the research gap between the concepts of cross-sector collaboration, a holistic multi-stakeholder approach and Sustainable Development. Furthermore, it also provides a practical contribution with its analytical framework model, which can be adapted to future partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals in urban settings.

The rise of global challenges, such as climate change, is pushing global governance to evolve. In result thereof, the traditionally state-centric diplomatic sphere is experiencing an increasing number of non-state actors entering the arena. Geoffrey Wiseman (1999) describes this phenomenon as the shift from traditionally bilateral and multilateral diplomacy to polylateral diplomacy. This study looks at how non-state actors can be fitted in frontline diplomacy in relation to sustainable development. By means of a qualitative, inductive case study of the Dutch embassy in the Philippines, it looks at how state actors perceive this non-state actor inclusion by means of data triangulation: a document analysis, semi-structured interviews and participant-observation. In particular, it zooms in on a specific example of multi-stakeholder partnership, which Sustainable Development Goals 17.16 and 17.17 hail as a tool for sustainability: the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan. Through the theoretical lenses of collaborative governance and the function-sensitive approach, this thesis concludes that the functions non-state actors can fulfil in the diplomatic activities of global governance vary depending on the three contingencies of time, trust and interdependence.

The transport sector is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. A current solution to this problem is the introduction of electric vehicles into our transport fleets. However, this solution comes with its challenges; for instance, the environmental impact of batteries once they reach their end-of-life. The circular economy is an approach to manage ecological electromobility issues while providing economic and societal wellbeing. A starting point for the implementation of a circular economy can be found in the implementation of circular business models. Because the circular economy requires its actors to think in systems, the collaboration between multiple stakeholders is essential. However, most circular business model frameworks are focusing on the focal firm, which is not sufficient to encourage cross-collaboration between organizations. Therefore, this study outlines the development of a new framework that focuses on a multi-stakeholder perspective. I propose the “framework for multi-stakeholder circular business model innovation” to explore win-win-win scenarios for the management of 2LB. I conducted a study in collaboration with Svealandstrafiken, Mälarenergi and Västerås Stad. The organizations were involved in data collection via a series of interviews and the validation of the framework through a workshop. The proposed framework consists of a process of four phases subdivided into eight steps that meant to address key challenges organizations are facing to achieve circularity. Within these four phases, the framework encourages discussions on shared values and visions between all stakeholders at an early stage. As a consequence, better collaborations and relationships are formed, which positively benefits the development of circular business models.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This thesis combines human and machine intelligence for consensus decision-making, and it contains four interrelated research areas. Before presenting the four research areas, this thesis presents a literature review on decision-making using two criteria: trust and risk. The analysis involves studying the individual and the multi-stakeholder decision-making. Also, it explores the relationship between trust and risk to provide insight on how to apply them when making any decision. This thesis presents a grouping procedure of the existing trust-based multi-stakeholder decision-making schemes by considering the group decision-making process and models. In the first research area, this thesis presents the foundation of building multi-stakeholder consensus decision-making (MSCDM). This thesis describes trust-based multi-stakeholder decision-making for water allocation to help the participants select a solution that comes from the best model. Several criteria are involved when deciding on a solution such as trust, damage, and benefit. This thesis considers Jain's fairness index as an indicator of reaching balance or equality for the stakeholder's needs. The preferred scenario is when having a high trust, low damages and high benefits. The worst scenario involves having low trust, high damage, and low benefit. The model is dynamic by adapting to the changes over time. The decision to select is the solution that is fair for almost everyone. In the second research area, this thesis presents a MSCDM, which is a generic framework that coordinates the decision-making rounds among stakeholders based on their influence toward each other, as represented by the trust relationship among them. This thesis describes the MSCDM framework that helps to find a decision the stakeholders can agree upon. Reaching a consensus decision might require several rounds where stakeholders negotiate by rating each other. This thesis presents the results of implementing MSCDM and evaluates the effect of trust on the consensus achievement and the reduction in the number of rounds needed to reach the final decision. This thesis presents Rating Convergence in the implemented MSCDM framework, and such convergence is a result of changes in the stakeholders' rating behavior in each round. This thesis evaluates the effect of trust on the rating changes by measuring the distance of the choices made by the stakeholders. Trust is useful in decreasing the distances. In the third research area, this thesis presents Rating Convergence in the implemented MSCDM framework, and such convergence is a result of changes in stakeholders' rating behavior in each round. This thesis evaluates the effect of trust on the rating changes by measuring the perturbation in the rating matrix. Trust is useful in increasing the rating matrix perturbation. Such perturbation helps to decrease the number of rounds. Therefore, trust helps to increase the speed of agreeing upon the same decision through the influence. In the fourth research area, this thesis presents Rating Aggregation operators in the implemented MSCDM framework. This thesis addresses the need for aggregating the stakeholders' ratings while they negotiate on the round of decisions to compute the consensus achievement. This thesis presents four aggregation operators: weighted sum (WS), weighted product (WP), weighted product similarity measure (WPSM), and weighted exponent similarity measure (WESM). This thesis studies the performance of those aggregation operators in terms of consensus achievement and the number of rounds needed. The consensus threshold controls the performance of these operators. The contribution of this thesis lays the foundation for developing a framework for MSCDM that facilitates reaching the consensus decision by accounting for the stakeholders' influences toward one another. Trust represents the influence.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・論文博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 乙第12964号 / 論地環博第12号 / 新制||地環||29(附属図書館) / 32363 / (主査)教授 ショウ ラジブ, 教授 岡﨑 健二, 准教授 西前 出 / 学位規則第4条第2項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM

No description available.

This thesis examines the collaborative development of corporate responsibility (CR) standards from the perspective of organisational learning theory. The author proposes that standards development projects can be understood as Network Learning episodes where learning is reflected in changes in structures, interpretations and practices accompanied by learning processes. Network Learning alone is seen as insufficient to reflect the diverse contributions and outcomes in the special case of CR standards. Concepts from multi-stakeholder learning like the role of dissensus in learning and the empowerment of weaker stakeholders are therefore used to create a synthesis of the two theories in a single conceptual framework. This framework is then tested against a pilot case and three case studies of corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards including the development of the new ISO international standard on social responsibility (SR). The data validates and extended this framework to yield a Multi-Stakeholder Network Learning theory capable of describing the how participants and non-participant stakeholders learn in this context. New concepts are generated from the data, like dislocated learning, which demonstrate how participants in the process and those they represent can experience quite different learning outcomes. Stakeholders whose learning is aligned with the learning of their participant representatives truly have a stake in these influential standards. However, where representatives fail to learn from those represented, the latter¿s stake is diminished. By shedding light on the mechanisms of effective collaborative learning this work contributes to learning theory, the practice of standardization and the normative stakeholder empowerment agenda. / British Standards Institution

Internet is recognised as an alternative media tool that has the potential to stimulate civic cultures, mobilize and sustain civil society networks. It is also perceived as an important tool for social change that offers a powerful communication platform for different social groups to advance their views and ideology online in a significantly less controlled way than it is done through traditional media. In the end of 2010, the release of U.S. secret diplomatic on the Internet by the non-profit organisation WikiLeaks got an instant global outreach through the Internet and primarily, through the Wikileaks website – www.wikileaks.org. The immediate reaction to this resulted in governmental pressure on global providers of Internet services to stop servicing the website, thus preventing the global public from accessing the materials. The project studies the discussion that has arisen in the context of these actions and examines the communication tactics used by civil society and governmental actors in this discussion in order to advance an ideology of the right to communicate, and civil society participation in forming and safeguarding Internet principles. The project looks deeper at ideological, participatory, and developmental issues brought up in the discussion around the restriction of access to the main Wikileaks website, and how do they relate to eventual processes of social change. The study is based on Fairclough's framework on critical discourse analysis, and is grounded in the theoretical framework of participation, discourse and ideology. The main conclusion of the study is that the discussion around the Wikileaks CableGate case has clearly articulated the necessity of common Internet principles and democratic framework built in an inclusive and participatory manner through the active involvement of civil society actors in order to preserve the core values and enabling potential of Internet as media, and that an effective model for this is the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance.

Global ecosystem degradation challenging ecological and social thresholds demands urgent responses that address systemically the complex interrelationships between humans and nature. To improve the adaptive capacity of the social systems and strengthen its resilience to respond to external challenges affecting landscapes, multi-stakeholder approaches for landscape restoration involving diverse actors expressing different perspectives are important. While historically absent groups are recognised as the actors that, when meaningfully engaged, achieve transformational change, the literature is unclear on how this is achieved.This research aims to better understand the particular elements that enhance and limit the ability to establish a diverse range of participants within multi-stakeholder processes for landscape restoration. Using semi-structured interviews with practitioners with relevant experience in engaging historically absent groups, we found that including diversity is an iterative process of forming a microcosm as a complex, adaptive system representing the wider landscape through building on synergies and filling the gaps. A wide range of specific strategies exist to address concrete and structural obstacles hindering participation. Moreover, the specific role of the facilitator, their intangible skills that allow them to be capable of self- awareness, deep reflection and listening, are a key leverage point to navigate the complexity around many systemic obstacles preventing actors on the edge of systems from participating.

O sistema de certificação florestal FSC, cujo objetivo institucional é reduzir os impactos negativos da exploração predatória de florestas, é um mecanismo criado e governado por atores da sociedade civil. Sem dispor de poder governamental para regulamentar a forma de atuação do setor privado, o FSC define regras socioambientais de produção que são seguidas por milhares de empresas em centenas de países, representando cerca de 20% das áreas florestais produtivas. Atualmente o FSC reúne entre seus afiliados as principais organizações ambientalistas, movimentos sociais e empresas florestais do mundo. Estudar os mecanismos internos de funcionamento do FSC, utilizados para manter o apoio desta densa rede de organizações, cada qual com seus interesses específicos e muitas vezes antagônicos, de modo que consiga ser, ao mesmo tempo, uma oportunidade de ganhos para empresas privadas e uma estratégia de redução de impactos socioambientais para organizações ambientais e sociais, é o objetivo central desta dissertação de mestrado. Para isso foi analisado o desenho institucional do FSC e os mecanismos utilizados no processo de tomada de decisões, por meio de um estudo das últimas duas Assembléias Gerais do FSC (2005 e 2008), instância máxima de decisão do sistema. Este estudo foi realizado a partir de análises dos resultados das decisões tomadas nestas ocasiões, e de interpretações factuais do processo de negociação que existe entre os diferentes setores envolvidos. Estas assembléias constituem reais arenas de negociação entre os diversos atores interessados no setor florestal, sejam empresas privadas, organizações ambientalistas ou movimentos sociais, ambos com poder igualitário de voto em todas as decisões que definem o funcionamento do sistema. As análises realizadas nesta dissertação demonstraram que este desenho institucional de tomada de decisões é fundamental para a legitimação do sistema, e é em grande parte responsável por manter o apoio dos diversos setores. Ao compartilharem as decisões, prevalece um ambiente de confiança e cooperação entre os atores, que resulta em uma percepção de co-responsabilidade sobre a configuração do sistema. Esta situação não apresenta nenhum sinal de estabilidade, pelo contrário, é através das freqüentes contestações por parte dos atores que a legitimidade do sistema se reafirma periodicamente nos resultados obtidos nas Assembléias Gerais. Os resultados desta dissertação contribuem para o entendimento dos novos mecanismos de governança, onde a sociedade civil passa a ter um papel fundamental no enfrentamento dos grandes desafios globais. / The FSC forest certification system, which institutional goal is to reduce the negative impacts of predatory use of forests, is a mechanism created and managed by civil society actors. Without the governmental power to regulate the behavior of the private sector, the FSC has defined social and environmental standards that are followed by thousands of companies in hundreds of countries, representing around 20% of the world productive forest area. Currently FSC has the support of the major environmentalist organizations, social movements and private companies in the world. The central objective of this dissertation is to study the internal FSC mechanisms, applied to maintain the support of this dense network of organizations, each of those with its specific and most of the time opposed interests, able to be, at the same time, an opportunity of benefits for private companies, and a strategy to reduce the social and environmental impacts of harvesting activities for the civil society organizations. In order to achieve this, the FSC institutional design and decision making process were assessed, through an analysis of two FSC General Assemblies (2005 and 2008). The study has evaluated the results of the decisions that were taken by the FSC members in these two occasions, and the negotiation processes between the different stakeholders that were in place for the approval of such decisions. The FSC General Assembly configures a real negotiation arena, where private companies, environmentalists and social organizations have equal voting power in all decisions that affect the functioning of the system. The analyses demonstrates that the institutional design that defines the decision making process in FSC is crucial for the legitimacy of the system, and is in great part responsible to maintain the support of such diverse stakeholders group. Once the decisions are taken collectively, there´s a prevailing environment of trust and cooperation among stakeholders, resulting in a perception of co-responsibility over the general configuration of the system. This is far away from a stable situation, but rather it´s due to the frequent conflicts among stakeholders that the system´s legitimacy is periodically reaffirmed in the FSC General Assemblies. The result of this dissertation is a contribution for the general understanding of the new governance mechanisms, where civil society plays a fundamental role in addressing the major global challenges.