The importance of sustainable development within the construction industry and its environmental and social impacts as well as economic significance has become more apparent over recent years. A key factor perceived as contributing to an organization’s business success is the integration of environmental, social, and economic issues into decision-making processes. The pressure from stakeholders regarding their expectations on sustainability has risen, and the importance of understanding the stakeholders’ opinions and perspectives in a construction project while simultaneously maintaining sustainable project management increases. The aim of this thesis is to analyze how stakeholder sustainability expectations can be promoted and achieved during a construction project life cycle and related building process stages by supporting the project manager using a specifically designed visual tool. This will be investigated by answering three research questions proposed in the Introduction chapter (page 5). The visual tool is created with the focus on defining and establishing sustainability parameters based on stakeholder expectations. The tool should be applicable to a broad variety of construction projects with different focus on stakeholder expectations. Furthermore, a theoretical framework has been developed as part of the analysis based on existing theories; the Business Model Canvas (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010), Global Performance Framework (International Civil Aviation Organization, 2009) and Stakeholder Theory. The proposed framework and its visual tool component are a means to support a project manager with stakeholder communication, collaboration and informed decision-making. The visual tool is adapted to include a common language and structure to enhance the communication and collaboration amongst key stakeholders and support a project manager with ensuring that the construction project is focused on achieving sustainability results expected by the stakeholders. / Betydelsen av hållbar utveckling inom byggbranschen och dess miljö- och sociala påverkan samt den ekonomiska betydelsen har blivit tydligare de senaste åren. En nyckelfaktor som uppfattas som bidragande till en organisations finansiella framgångar är integreringen av miljömässiga, sociala och ekonomiska frågor i beslutfattningsprocessen. Trycket från intressenter gällande deras förväntningar på hållbarhet har ökat, och betydelsen av att uppfatta intressenternas åsikter och perspektiv inom ett byggnadsprojekt – och samtidigt upprätthålla hållbar projektledning – har ökat. Syftet med denna studie är att analysera hur intressenters hållbarhets förväntningar kan främjas och uppnås under ett byggnadsprojekts livscykel och relaterat till byggnadsprocess steg genom att stödja projektledaren med användning av ett specifikt designat visuellt verktyg. Detta kommer att undersökas genom att svara på tre forskningsfrågor föreslagna i introduktionskapitlet (sida 5). Det visuella verktyget är skapat med fokuset på att definiera och etablera hållbarhets parametrar baserat på intressenters förväntningar. Verktyget ska kunna tillämpas på en mängd olika byggnadsprojekt med olika fokus på intressenters förväntningar. Ett teoretiskt ramverk har utvecklats som del av analysen baserat på redan existerande teorier; Business Model Canvas (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010), Global Performance Framework (International Civil Aviation Organization, 2009) och Intressentmodellen. Det föreslagna ramverket och dess visuella verktyg som utgör en av dess komponenter, är ett sätt att stödja en projektledare med intressentkommunikation, samverkan och informerat beslutsfattande. Det visuella verktyget har anpassats till att inkludera ett gemensamt språk och struktur för att förbättra kommunikation och samarbetet bland nyckelintressenter och stödja en projektledare med att säkerställa att ett byggprojekt har som fokus att uppnå förväntade hållbarhetsresultat.

This dissertation includes three essays about nonprofit organizations. The first essay investigates how the availability of financial and intellectual capital in the macro-environment influences the formation of nonprofit organizations. The analysis is an extension of Weisbrod's (1975) Heterogeneity Hypothesis and Ben-Ner and van Hoomissen's (1991) "social cohesion" principle. Findings indicate financial capital and intellectual capital are important to the formation of nonprofits, but the strength and direction of their influence varies by industry. The second essay applies Stakeholder Theory to predict the influence of board members, donors, and beneficiaries on nonprofits' performance. The study incorporates 134 charities from six different industries over a five year period and finds nonprofit performance is driven by the interests of the most salient stakeholders. Furthermore, the analysis indicates nonprofit stakeholders have the ability to control the behaviors of managers; behaviors which are not necessarily aligned with mission statements. No evidence, however, suggests salient stakeholders with shared interests collaborate for mutual benefit. Stakeholder Theory is also used in the third essay to predict the moderating role stakeholders fulfill in the relationship between environmental uncertainty and nonprofits' strategic decisions. The study incorporates the same database as the second essay and discovers the influence of environmental uncertainty on nonprofits' strategic decision depends on the ability of salient stakeholders to diversify their interests. The identified effect encourages Stakeholder Theory applications adopt a dual-perspective approach to the concept of salience; such applications need to account for the salience of the stakeholder to the organization and the salience of the organization to the stakeholder. / Business Administration/Strategic Management

Increasing demands for accountability in educational programming have resulted in more frequent calls for program evaluation activity in educational organizations. Many organizations include conducting program evaluations as part of the job responsibilities of program staff. Cooperative Extension is a national system offering non-formal educational programs through land grant universities. Many Extension services require non-formal educational program evaluations be conducted by its locally-based educators. Research on evaluation practice has focused primarily on the evaluation efforts of professional, external evaluators. The evaluation work of program staff that have many responsibilities including program evaluation has received little attention. This study examined how non-formal educators in Cooperative Extension use the results of their program evaluation efforts and what factors influence that use. A conceptual framework adapted from the evaluation use literature guides the examination of how evaluation characteristics, organizational characteristics and stakeholder involvement influence four types of evaluation use; instrumental use, conceptual use, persuasive use and process use. Factor analysis indicates ten types of evaluation use practiced by non-formal educators. Of the variables examined, stakeholder involvement is most influential followed by evaluation characteristics and organizational characteristics. The research implications from the study include empirical confirmation of the framework developed by previous researchers as well as the need for further exploration of potentially influencing factors. Practical implications include delineating accountability and program improvement tasks within Extension in order to improve the results of both. There is some evidence that evaluation capacity building efforts may be increasing instrumental use by educators evaluating their own programs. Non-formal educational organizations are encouraged to involve stakeholders in all levels of evaluation work as one means to increase use of evaluation findings. / Ph. D.

As the scale and scope of infrastructure projects have increased, so too has the array of stakeholders either involved or impacted. Such projects often take years to come together and evolve with time through the actions of project sponsors and the engagement of various stakeholders. Stakeholders through engagement and input can help legitimize and improve large-scale project initiatives. Stakeholders can also marshal opposition that can delay or block these projects. Consequently, the significance of stakeholder involvement is critical in megaprojects. Governments have increasingly utilized public-private partnerships (PPPs) for megaproject delivery. This method introduces characteristics that distinguish PPP megaprojects from others such as: private control, profiteering, foreign profits, and long-term concessions. This study investigates whether differences exist between PPP and non-PPP megaprojects with respect to stakeholder involvement strategies and stakeholder issues raised in such projects. This research employed a longitudinal multiple case study approach that examined four tolled fixed crossing megaprojects; two of them were delivered as PPPs and two were delivered as design-build (i.e. non-PPP). The approach followed the design of prior studies in this area by De Schepper, Dooms, and Haezendonck (2014) and Winn (2001). Pre and post milestone event analysis captured trends and shifts in involvement strategies and stakeholder issues. Subsequently, stakeholder issue tables (organized by issue themes) and stakeholder mechanism tables (organized by mechanism type and information flow) were utilized for across case synthesis and comparison to identify similarities and differences. Analysis of stakeholder involvements across cases showed that NEPA establishes a baseline for involvement, but its requirements are not sufficient for megaprojects; a more comprehensive strategy is necessary. Further, although participatory involvements may be beneficial particularly in complex settings, these mechanisms must be carefully managed in terms of process and criteria for evaluating stakeholder input. Additionally, when private partners/contractors are involved in megaprojects, they become part of the project team and support a coordinated involvement approach. Examination of stakeholder issues indicated that issues that are common to non-PPP and PPP projects are more prevalent than PPP specific issues. In particular, issues related to tolling are dominant; moreover, toll affordability is extremely sensitive, and its severity is predictable based on affected area demographics and past toll escalation practices. The study provided insights about how megaprojects are shaped through actions of project sponsors as well as impacted and interested stakeholders. It also demonstrated how these projects become artifacts of aspiration for politically powerful figures. Lastly, it identified the main stakeholder issues and suggested a set of guidelines to assist future practitioners in developing better stakeholder involvement strategies, which should both enhance and legitimize megaprojects. / Ph. D.

Framing analyses have been among the most popular areas of research for scholars in political communication. Similarly, minimum wage legislation has been a popular topic for researchers in labor economics. However, few studies have used framing analysis to investigate the issue of minimum wage. This exploratory quantitative content analysis coded 45 variables in 236 lengthy press documents spanning 84 years of Democratic presidential administrations. More specifically, this study explored presence of generic frames, stakeholders, and ideological identities employed by Democratic presidential administrations since 1933. Results found that Democratic presidential administrations have been generally consistent in framing minimum wage policy. However, ideological discrepancies in Democratic presidents' actual framing practice were detected: a deepening pro-fairness attitude in specific frames and a growing pro-business empathy in stakeholder presence. The study concluded that framing minimum wage policy has become increasingly expressive: partisan identities transcend ideological positions. Democratic administrations generally maintain a single approach when highlighting minimum wage increase and endorse the Fair Labor Standards Act, albeit using different and even conflicting framing practices over time. To sustain the findings, this study suggests an equivalent study on Republican presidential administrations and their framing of minimum wage policy. / Master of Arts / Framing analyses have been among the most popular areas of research for scholars in political communication. Similarly, minimum wage legislation has been a popular topic for researchers in labor economics. However, few studies have used framing analysis to investigate the issue of minimum wage. This exploratory quantitative content analysis coded 45 variables in 236 lengthy press documents spanning 84 years of Democratic presidential administrations. More specifically, this study explored presence of generic frames, stakeholders, and ideological identities employed by Democratic presidential administrations since 1933. Results found that Democratic presidential administrations have been generally consistent in framing minimum wage policy. However, ideological discrepancies in Democratic presidents’ actual framing practice were detected: a deepening pro-fairness attitude in specific frames and a growing pro-business empathy in stakeholder presence. The study concluded that framing minimum wage policy has become increasingly expressive: partisan identities transcend ideological positions. Democratic administrations generally maintain a single approach when highlighting minimum wage increase and endorse the Fair Labor Standards Act, albeit using different and even conflicting framing practices over time. To sustain the findings, this study suggests an equivalent study on Republican presidential administrations and their framing of minimum wage policy

A First Year Writing program is an academic unit that manages the curriculum, budget, teaching faculty, and other aspects of writing classes for first year students as part of a university's general education curriculum. Throughout their daily tasks, the directors of these programs must work with the requirements of their institution, must build relationships with their administrators and campus stakeholders, and must work within the mission and values of their institution. However, as higher education becomes increasingly corporatized, these institutional constraints are sometimes at odds with the research, best practices, and theories of language and learning that these program administrators know and use. In this dissertation, I explore the way these differences in institutional situation and research-based practice affect the writing program. After outlining the way these inputs interact within the writing program and create a condition of tension, I locate the specific strategies of Requesting, Enriching, Learning, Showcasing, Collaborating, and Aligning as value-based forms of action that program administrators take to navigate this tension in positive ways / Ph. D.

The effects of an Extended School Year Program on student achievement, attendance, and stakeholder satisfaction were examined at one middle school in the Henrico County Public School Division. Several populations were used for this study: participating students, teachers, and parents. Data on English-social studies, math, and science were collected using pretests and posttests. Attendance was taken daily and maintained for participating students. Student and parent satisfaction data were collected using satisfaction surveys. Focus group interviews were conducted to collect teacher satisfaction data. The difference between pretest and posttest scores was used to measure achievement in English-social studies, math, and science. The Average Daily Attendance (ADA) during the Extended School Year Program was compared to the ADA of the school and the division during the previous year. Each student and parent survey response was averaged and reported. Teacher focus group responses were assigned domains and placed into categories and themes. Findings Achievement gains were reported in all subject areas. Attendance results indicated that when compared to the school and the division during the previous year, the Average Daily Attendance (ADA) during the Extended School Year Program was lower. Students were most satisfied with their teachers. Parents were most satisfied with the program being offered at no charge, and the transportation provided. Teachers were most satisfied with the daily schedule. / Ed. D.

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Yes / Despite the growing research on the influence of stakeholder integration on organizational outcomes, our understanding of the specific firm-level conditions that may mediate the relationship between stakeholder integration and financial performance is lacking. Using primary data gathered from 233 small and medium-sized enterprises in Ghana, we found empirical support for our contention that the link between stakeholder integration and financial performance is mediated by a firm’s environmental sustainability orientation. In addition, our study demonstrated that competitive intensity moderates the indirect relationship between stakeholder integration and financial performance in such a way that the indirect effect through environmental sustainability orientation is stronger for higher levels of industry competition. We discuss theoretical and managerial implications of these findings.

Yes / In spite of growing research on the influence of external stakeholders on firm outcomes, there is a paucity of research on how they influence innovation in emerging economies. In addition, the specific environmental factors that may influence the effect of stakeholder integration (SI) on firm innovation is less understood. Using data collected from 248 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana, this paper develops and tests a model that examines the relationship between SI and firm-level product innovativeness. The findings from the study indicate SI positively relates to product innovativeness. Moreover, under conditions of higher competitor pressure and greater customer expectations, the effect of SI on product innovativeness is amplified. Contributions for theory and practice are discussed.