This cumulative dissertation covers four papers on the management and governance of family firms. The first paper provides a systematic review of the literature on family-related determinants of the board of directors’ tasks, composition and processes in family firms. The review clusters and synthesizes the literature into six major determinants, details the methods used, and provides recommendations for future research in the field. The second paper develops a contingency approach to board task needs of family firms. The paper identifies five contingency factors and demonstrates how board task needs typically evolve over the ownership stages of family businesses. The third paper constitutes a qualitative empirical study on the role of board control in controlling owner family businesses. Based on a multiple case study approach, the study shows that controlling owners frequently use board control as a self-governing mechanism to mitigate self-control problems. Additionally, the study provides insights on favorable board processes and board composition in the controlling owner setting. Overall, the dissertation underlines the importance of factoring in the influence of family firm heterogeneity on the board of directors. The fourth paper concludes the dissertation with a teaching case study on a small family firm that is exposed to the threat of a disruptive innovation in its industry.:1 Introduction 1.1 Research Objective 1.2 Summary of the Research Papers 1.3 References 2 Determinants of Boards in Family Firms: A Systematic Literature Review 2.1 Abstract 2.2 Introduction 2.3 Boards of Directors in Family Firms 2.4 Research Method 2.5 Findings on Family-Related Determinants 2.6 Synthesis of Results 2.7 Future Research 2.8 Conclusion 2.9 Appendix 2.10 References 3 The Board of Directors in Family Firms: One Size Fits Forever? 3.1 Abstract 3.2 Introduction 3.3 Board Tasks in Family Firms 3.4 Development of a Conceptual Model 3.5 Limitations of the Model 3.6 Conclusion 3.7 References 4 Self-Control Through Board Control: Formalized Governance in Controlling Owner Family Businesses 4.1 Abstract 4.2 Introduction 4.3 Theoretical Foundations 4.4 Research Method 4.5 Findings 4.6 Discussion 4.7 Conclusion 4.8 References 5 Teaching Case Study ATB: Digital Disruption in the Manufacturing Industry 5.1 Abstract 5.2 Case Manuscript 5.3 Teaching Note 5.4 References 6 Conclusion 6.1 Contribution of the Dissertation 6.2 Limitations and Avenues for Future Research 6.3 References

Diese Dissertation untersucht die Auswirkungen der Vertreibung auf die Geschlechterrollen und -beziehungen bei syrischen Flüchtlingsfamilien im Libanon und in Deutschland. Sie basiert auf einer achtzehnmonatigen ethnografischen Feldforschung, die zwischen 2017 und 2019 durchgeführt wurde. Die wichtigsten Fragestellungen, die diese Studie geleitet haben, sind wie folgt: Welche Art von Geschlechterrollen- und Beziehungstransformationen erleben syrische Familien im Libanon und in Deutschland? Wie verhandeln syrische Männer und Frauen Beziehungen in der Vertreibung neu? Können unterschiedliche Fluchtsituationen ähnliche Erfahrungen erzeugen? Es wird die These aufgestellt, dass syrische Familien aufgrund der besonderen rechtlichen und bürokratischen Bedingungen im Libanon und in Deutschland eine langwierig-vorübergehende Vertreibung erleben. Dieser Bereich wird als Liminalität konzipiert, einen nichtstrukturellen Kontext, der alternative Dimensionen der „Agency“ ermöglicht. Für jede Fallstudie werden vier Typologien von Transformationen in Geschlechterrollen und -beziehungen bestimmt und anschließend analysiert, wie syrische Männer und Frauen diese neu verhandelt haben. Abschließend werden beide Situationen des Flüchtlingsdaseins verglichen und vorgeschlagen, dass drei Dimensionen der Agency in diesem Schwellenbereich aufgedeckt werden können - eine iterative Dimension, in der die Agency in Richtung Vergangenheit positioniert ist; eine projektive Dimension, die die Agency auf die Zukunft ausrichtet und eine praktische Bewertungsdimension, in der situative Urteile unter konkreten Umständen in einen Kontext gesetzt werden. Diese Dissertation liefert drei Beiträge: Auf theoretischer Ebene verwendete sie die Agency als Linse zur Analyse der Geschlechterverhältnisse bei Zwangsmigration; auf methodischer Ebene verwendet sie eine relationale Perspektive, um verflochtene Beziehungszusammenstellungen zu untersuchen, und auf empirischer Ebene werden zwei Vertreibungssituationen vergleichend analysiert. / This thesis investigates the impact of displacement on gender roles and relationships among Syrian refugee families in Lebanon and Germany. It is based on eighteen months of ethnographic fieldwork carried out between 2017 and 2019. The main research questions that have guided this study are: What kind of gender role and relationship transformations do Syrian families experience in Lebanon and Germany? How do Syrian men and women renegotiate relationships in displacement? Can different displacement situations generate similar experiences? I argue that due to the specific legal and bureaucratic conditions put in place by Lebanon and Germany, Syrian families experienced a protracted-temporary displacement. I conceptualize this space as liminality, a non-structural context that allows for alternative dimensions of agency to take place. For each case study, I identify four typologies of transformations in gender roles and relationships and I analyze how Syrian men and women renegotiated them. Finally, I compare the two refugeehood situations and I suggest that three dimensions of agency can be uncovered in this liminal space – an iterative dimension, where agency is positioned towards the past; a projective dimension, which orientates agency towards the future; and a practical evaluative dimension, in which situational judgments are contextualized within concrete circumstances. This thesis offers three main contributions: a theoretical one, by using agency as a lens to analyze gender relations in forced migration; a methodological one, with its relational perspective that explores interconnected sets of relationships; and an empirical one, based on the comparison of two displacement situations.

Bakgrund: Samhällets medvetenhet om klimathot har ökat det senaste decenniet, vilket medfört att fler företag både vill och måste redogöra för sitt ansvar, i och med nya lagkrav och direktiv om hållbarhetsrapporten. Hållbarhetsredovisningen kan ses som ett internt verktyg som hjälper företag att samla in, analysera och kommunicera hållbarhetsinformation. Tidigare forskning saknas om den komplexitet som kan uppstå inom organisationer vid upprättandet av hållbarhetsredovisningen, där strukturer och människor har en inverkan. Syfte och frågeställning: Uppsatsen syftar till att utforska och öka förståelsen för vilken betydelse strukturer och människor har för redovisningens kvalitet och omfattning. Studiens frågeställning är: Utifrån ett internt perspektiv, på vilket sätt har strukturer och människor en inverkan på hållbarhetsredovisningens innehåll? Metod: Studien utgår från en kvalitativ metod som inkluderar semistrukturerade intervjuer med sju personer från sju olika företag. Intervjuerna kompletteras med dokumentstudier genom att granska varje deltagande företags hållbarhetsredovisning. Resultat: Studiens resultat visar att regler har en inverkan på hållbarhetsredovisningen genom att de skapar struktur och tydliggör vad som måste rapporteras, hur informationen ska presenternas och vilka standarder som måste följas. Rutiner säkerställer att företag samlar in, bearbetar och rapporterar sitt hållbarhetsarbete på ett konsekvent och tillförlitligt sätt. Vidare spelar resurser en viktig roll eftersom företag måste ha tillgång till tillräckliga resurser både i form av tid, finansiella medel och personal för att kunna rapportera om sina hållbarhetsprestationer. I studien framkommer även att människor har en inverkan på hållbarhetsredovisningens innehåll genom sina handlingar, beteende och engagemang, likaså hjälper tidsaspekter företag att beskriva och mäta hur de har presterat över tid. Slutsats: Studien visar att tydliga regler, rutiner och tillräckliga resurser hjälper företag att upprätta en hållbarhetsredovisning av god kvalitet och omfattning. Människors handlingar, driv och tidsaspekter visar sig vara avgörande för hur hållbarhetsredovisningen utformas. / Background: Society's awareness of climate threats has increased in the last decade, which means that more companies both want and have to report on their responsibilities, partly due to new legal requirements and directives on the sustainability report. The sustainability report can be seen as an internal tool that helps companies collect, analyze and communicate sustainability information. Previous research is lacking on the complexity that can arise within organizations when preparing the sustainability report, where structures and people have an impact. Purpose and question: The purpose of this study is to explore and increase understanding of the importance of structures and people for the quality and extent of the accounting. The study's question is: From an internal perspective, in what way do structures and people have an impact on the content of the sustainability report? Method: The study is based on a qualitative method that includes semi-structured interviews with seven people from seven different companies. The interviews are supplemented with document studies by reviewing each participating company's sustainability report. Results: The study's results show that rules have an impact on sustainability reporting by creating structure and clarifying what must be reported, how the information must be presented and which standards must be followed. Routines ensure that companies collect, process and report their sustainability work in a consistent and reliable way. Furthermore, resources play an important role because companies must have access to sufficient resources both in the form of time, financial means and personnel to be able to report on their sustainability presentations. The study also shows that people have an impact on the content of the sustainability report, partly through their actions, behaviour and commitment, time aspects also help companies to describe and measure how they have performed over time. Conclusion: The study shows that clear rules, routines and sufficient resources help companies to create a sustainability report of good quality and extent. People's actions, commitment and time aspects prove to be decisive for how the sustainability report is designed.

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Lärares villkor att ingå i skolutvecklingsprojekt är starkt kopplat till samhälls- och policyförändringar på makro- meso- och mikronivå. På mikronivå har ämneslärare i en särskild undervisningsgrupp ingått i ett forskningsutvecklingsarbete inom Språkutvecklande digitaliseringsarbete då det finns ett utvecklingsbehov inom dessa områden. I utbildningssammanhang och då det talas om lärares handlingskraft och attityder talas det om "agency" och kopplas till självförtroende, motivation, vilja, målmedvetenhet och kreativitet. Syftet med studien var att undersöka vad som är utmärkande för lärares erfarenheter samt vilka villkor och möjligheter ämneslärare i årskurs 6-9 upplever med att ingå i ett forskningsutvecklingsarbete på vetenskaplig grund. Studien genomfördes på fyra ämneslärare med avsikten att utifrån ett socialkonstruktivistisk förhållningssätt analysera vilka nyvunna insikter framträder i de sociala samspelen i foksugruppen. Analysen skedde via tematisk analys utifrån den induktiva metoden. Det som framträdde i analysen var teman kopplade till olika framträdande koder. Några nyckelfaktorer visade sig vara de pedagogiska samtalen, att växa tillsammans i en grupp, förmågan att kunna se det positiva och kontiniuitetens betydelse. Vidare ansågs det mer relevant att ingå i ett forksningsutvecklingsarbete skapat utifrån ett  "down-top" perspektiv. Motståndet bland informanterna visade sig vara kopplat till plötsliga förändringar som bestäms utifrån ett "top-down" perspektiv – där förutsägbarhet och tydlighet visades vara betydelsefullt för elever som ingår i en särskild undervisningsgrupp. Sammantaget visade studien att ingå i ett forskningsutvecklingsarbete med fokus på ett sociokulturellt perspektiv och heterarkier främjar kollegialt lärande som engagerar ämneslärare och bidrar till proffesionsutveckling både på individ och organisationsnivå. / Teachers' conditions to be included in school development projects are strongly linked to societal and policy changes at the macro, meso and micro level. On a micro level, subject teachers in a special teaching group have been involved in research development work within Language Development digitization work as there is a development need in these areas. In the context of education and when talking about teachers' power of action and attitudes, they talk about "agency" and it is linked to selfconfidence, motivation, will, determination and creativity. The purpose of the study was to investigate what is distinctive about subject teachers' experiences and what conditions and opportunities subject teachers in grades 6-9 experience with participating in research development work on a scientific basis. The study was carried out through a focus group of four subject teachers with the intention of analyzing, based on a social constructivist approach, which newly gained insights emerge in the social interactions in the focus group. The analysis took place via thematic analysis based on the inductive method. What emerged in the analysis were themes linked to various salient codes. Some key factors were shown to be the educational conversations, growing together in a group, the ability to see the positive and the importance of continuity. Furthermore, it was considered more relevant to be included in a project created from a "down-top" perspective. The resistance among the informants turned out to be linked to sudden changes that are determined from a "topdown" perspective - where predictability and clarity were shown to be significant for students who are part of a special teaching group. Overall, the study showed that being part of a school development project with a focus on a socio-cultural perspective as well as from heterarchies promotes collegial learning that engages subject teachers and contributes to professional development both at individual group and organizational level

Titel: Vad påverkar revisorns bedömningar av särskilt betydelsefulla områden i praktiken? En kvantitativ studie om revisionsstandarden ISA 701   Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi    Författare: Mathilda Ericsson och Ida Ljungdahl   Handledare: Mattias Hamberg   Datum: 2024 – maj   Syfte: Utifrån ISA 701 är syftet med denna studie att undersöka hur företagsspecifika faktorer påverkar antalet särskilt betydelsefulla områden rapporterade av revisorn i revisionsberättelsen.   Metod: Med en deduktiv ansats och kvantitativ forskningsmetod har studiens hypoteser prövats genom en korrelationsmatris samt multivariata regressionsmodeller. Totalt har 2 091 observationer från svenska börsbolags årsredovisningar mellan åren 2016 och 2022 analyserats.   Resultat och slutsats: I studien finns stöd för signifikanta samband mellan antalet särskilt betydelsefulla områden och samtliga företagsspecifika faktorer som testats. Resultatet indikerar därmed att företagens agentproblem och komplexitet i viss mån styr revisorns bedömningar.    Examensarbetets bidrag: Studiens resultat tillför nya insikter kring revisorers bedömningar av särskilt betydelsefulla områden. Det kan vara relevant för standardiseringsorgan inom revision, upprättare och användare av redovisningsrapporter, samt för praktiserande revisorer.   Förslag till framtida forskning: Framtida forskning kan inkludera andra företagsspecifika faktorer och undersöka om det ger liknande resultat. Förslagsvis kan fokus ligga på relationen mellan revisor och klient. Slutligen föreslås att undersöka ISA 701 med en kvalitativ metod.    Nyckelord: ISA 701; Utvidgad revisionsberättelse; Särskilt betydelsefulla områden; Agentteori; Agentproblem / Title: What influences the auditor's assessments of Key Audit Matters in practice? A quantitative study on the auditing standard ISA 701   Level: Student thesis, final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration   Author: Mathilda Ericsson and Ida Ljungdahl   Supervisor: Mattias Hamberg   Date: 2024 – May   Aim: Based on ISA 701, the purpose of this study is to examine how company-specific factors influence the number of Key Audit Matters reported by the auditor in the auditor’s report.   Method: With a deductive approach and quantitative research method, the study's hypotheses have been tested using a correlation matrix and multivariate regression analysis. In total, 2 091 observations from Swedish listed companies' annual reports (2016-2022) were analyzed.   Results and conclusions: In the study, there is support for significant relationships between the number of Key Audit Matters and all company-specific factors tested. It indicates that the companies' agency problems and complexity govern the auditor's assessments to some extent.    Contribution of the thesis: The results provide new insights into auditors' assessments of Key Audit Matters. This information may be relevant to standard-setting bodies in auditing, preparers and users of accounting reports, and to practicing auditors.   Suggestions for future research: Future research could include other company-specific factors. One suggestion is to focus specifically on the relationship between auditor and client. Additionally, it is proposed to examine ISA 701 using a qualitative method.   Key words: ISA 701; Extended auditor’s report; Key Audit Matters; Agency theory; Agency problem

[ES] Proptech es un término que en los últimos años está siendo muy utilizado en el sector inmobiliario, propiciando la atención de académicos y profesionales sobre su significado, su uso y el impacto final que puede tener en una industria caracterizada por ser conservadora y poco innovadora. La aparición de nuevas empresas tecnológicas denominadas proptech, con posibilidad de escalar el mercado y minimizar procesos y costes está agitando la industria inmobiliaria de la intermediación. Esta evolución pone en cuestión el futuro del/la agente inmobiliario/a motivando un proceso de desintermediación, así como la permanencia del modelo de agencias tradicionales tal y como se conoce hoy en día. La presente Tesis Doctoral se centra en la intermediación de compraventa de vivienda en España, con el objetivo de conocer las nuevas agencias online que operan en el mercado, determinar sus características y compararlas con el modelo tradicional. Para ello se plantea una metodología mixta. Por un lado, se han realizado entrevistas semiestructuradas a CEOs y profesionales con alta responsabilidad en empresas proptech de intermediación. Por otro, se ha distribuido una encuesta online a personas que han participado en un proceso de compraventa de vivienda para valorar las principales características de cada modelo de intermediación inmobiliaria. Se han obtenido 412 respuestas que se han analizado a través del programa IBM SPSS Statistics 26. Los resultados revelan que, si en un principio se partía de dos modelos de negocio, el online y el tradicional, aparece un tercero, el híbrido, que combina parte de la tecnología proptech con características propias de la agencia tradicional. La investigación demuestra que este proceso no se realiza siempre de forma evolutiva desde lo tradicional a lo híbrido, como sucede en la mayoría de los sectores en proceso de digitalización. Por el contrario, se realiza a la inversa, desde las empresas con un alto nivel de digitalización se produce un proceso de reintermediación hasta el modelo híbrido. Esto es consecuencia del tipo de bien que se intercambia y de las necesidades de los consumidores durante el proceso de compraventa. Estos valoran el espacio físico de la oficina donde son atendidos, y principalmente el contacto humano que proporciona el agente inmobiliario. La sociedad está en un proceso de cambio profundo y sólo las agencias, tradicionales o proptech, que comprendan y se adapten a los nuevos tiempos podrán posicionarse satisfactoriamente respecto a sus competidores. / [CA] Proptech és un terme que en els últims anys està sent molt utilitzat en el sector immobiliari, propiciant l'atenció d'acadèmics i professionals sobre el seu significat, el seu ús i l'impacte final que pot tindre en una indústria caracteritzada per ser conservadora i poc innovadora. L'aparició de noves empreses tecnològiques denominades proptech, amb possibilitat d'escalar el mercat i minimitzar processos i costos està agitant la indústria immobiliària de la intermediació. Aquesta evolució posa en qüestió el futur de l'agent immobiliari/a motivant un procés de desintermediació, així com la permanència del model d'agències tradicionals tal com es coneix hui en dia. La present Tesi Doctoral se centra en la intermediació de compravenda d'habitatge a Espanya, amb l'objectiu de conéixer les noves agències en línia que operen en el mercat, determinar les seues característiques i comparar amb el model tradicional. Per a això es planteja una metodologia mixta. D'una banda s'han realitzat entrevistes semiestructurades a CEOs i persones amb alta responsabilitat en empreses proptech d'intermediació. Per una altra banda, s'ha distribuït una enquesta en línia a persones que han participat en un procés de compravenda d'habitatge per a valorar les principals característiques de cada model d'intermediació immobiliària. S'han obtingut 412 respostes que s'han analitzat a través del programa IBM SPSS Statistics 26. Els resultats revelen que, si en un principi es partia de dos models de negoci, el model en línia i el tradicional, apareix un tercer que seria l'híbrid, que combina part de la tecnologia proptech amb característiques pròpies de l'agència tradicional. La investigació demostra que aquest procés no es realitza sempre de manera evolutiva des del tradicional a l'híbrid com succeeix en la majoria dels sectors en procés de digitalització. Per contra, es realitza al revés, des de les empreses amb un alt nivell de digitalització es produeix un procés de retorn a la intermediació fins al model híbrid. Això és conseqüència del tipus de be que s'intercanvia i de les necessitats dels consumidors durant el procés de compravenda. Aquests valoren l'espai físic de l'oficina on són atesos, i principalment el contacte humà que proporciona l'agent immobiliari. La societat està en un procés de canvi profund i només les agències, tradicionals o proptech, que comprenguen i s'adapten als nous temps podran posicionar-se satisfactòriament respecte als seus competidors. / [EN] The term proptech has been widely used in the real estate sector in recent years, drawing academics and professionals' attention to its meaning, its use and the ultimate impact it can have on an industry known for being conservative and lacking in innovation. The emergence of new high-tech companies called proptech, with the potential to scale the market and minimise processes and costs, is revoluzionizing the real estate brokerage industry. This evolution challenges the role of the real estate agent in the future, leading to a disintermediation process, as well as the continuation of the traditional agency model as it is known today. This doctoral thesis focuses on housing brokerage in Spain. Its aim is to find out about the new online agencies operating in the housing market, determining their characteristics and comparing them with the traditional model. A mixed methodology is suggested for this purpose. On the one hand, semi-structured interviews were conducted with CEOs and professionals with high responsibility in proptech brokerage firms. On the other hand, an online survey was distributed to people who have been involved in a home buying and selling process, in order to assess the main characteristics of each real estate brokerage model. A total of 412 responses were obtained and analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. The results show that, whereas there were initially two business models, online and traditional, there is now a third one, the hybrid, which combines part of the proptech technology with the characteristics of the traditional agency. The research shows that this process does not always evolve from traditional to hybrid, as it happens in most sectors undergoing digitisation. On the contrary, it is the other way around, from highly digitalised companies there is a process of re-intermediation to the hybrid model. This is a result of the type of good being exchanged and consumers' needs during the buying and selling process. They value the physical space of the office where they are assisted and, most importantly, the human contact provided by the real estate agent. Society is undergoing a process of deep change and only those agencies, whether traditional or proptech, that understand and adapt to the new times will be able to successfully position themselves in relation to their competitors. / Asensio Soto, JC. (2023). Proptech: la digitalización de la intermediación inmobiliaria en España. Estudio comparativo entre el modelo online y el tradicional [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/193071

Master of Arts / Department of Communications Studies / Timothy Steffensmeier / Due to a rising interest for degrees in higher education, more students with disabilities have enrolled in the university system. Still, accessibility issues on campuses suggest institutions are not meeting the needs of students in the classroom or through curricula. This study examines current academic adjustments and the lived experiences of students with disabilities in order to understand the ableist Othering phenomenon in higher education. Qualitative research methods have been commonly used to investigate the “disabled voice”; however, triangulation of such methodologies has been criticized for reinforcing Otherness. This study used a phenomenological design implementing rhetorical agency for disabled students to answer open-ended questions in semi-structured interviews about their lived experiences. Consequently, such interviews created a platform for social change. The author also reflects on his own lived experiences as a deaf student in higher education. Findings include major themes such as a percolation of institutional hegemony, a re-appropriation of stigma through “voice,” and a call for inclusive strategies. Results indicate disabled students experience discrimination likely due to organizational tension in their university institution. Further, this study elaborates on proposed policy changes to college classrooms on large university campuses. Contributions of this study lie in implications for the future of qualitative inquiry, including how current research practices could undergo methodological reinvention to examine the ableist Othering phenomenon.

The overall purpose of this research was to develop an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State. The aim was to integrate current legislation and policy into this inter-agency reporting protocol to create standardised reporting procedures to ensure effective access to and response from the child protection system for the child in need of care and protection. The thesis comprises six sections: SECTION A: This section comprises the problem statement, the research purpose statement and objectives, the central theoretical statement, the approach to the research, the research methodology, as well as the limitations and restrictions of the research. Furthermore, key words are defined and an explanation of the research report is provided. The problem statement shows that problems have been experienced for quite some time regarding the way reports are being handled within the child protection system. The result is that children in need of care and protection do not have effective access to the child protection system and they don’t get effective response when their cases are reported. Although the rights, interests and wants of the child in need of care and protection are addressed in existing legislation and policy, there is still a problem with the implementation and enforcement of said legislation and policy. SECTION B: This section comprises four consecutive articles: Article 1: Legislation and policy for reporting within the child protection system of South Africa In this article, Phase 1 (problem analysis and project planning) of the intervention model was used. An analysis was made of the existing legislation and policy regulations currently in use in South Africa during reporting at the child protection system. This was done by means of literature analysis. Article 2: Agents, cases, persons and response during reporting at the child protection system In this article, Phase 2 (information gathering) of the intervention model was used. An analysis was made of the stipulations of current legislation and policy in South Africa regarding agents, cases, persons and response that should be kept in mind when developing an interagency reporting protocol for the child protection system. It was done by means of literature analysis. Article 3: Reporting procedures and protocols from abroad applicable to an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system In this article, Phase 2 (information gathering) of the intervention model was used. The contents of foreign reporting procedures and protocols were analised in an effort to determine what contribution such procedures and protocols can make to the development of an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system. It was done by means of literature analysis. Article 4: An inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State In this article, Phases 3 (design), 5 (evaluation and advanced development) and 6 (dissemination) of the intervention model were used. The researcher used the information that came to the fore during the literature analysis in Phases 1 and 2 of the intervention model, to design an inter-agency reporting protocol and flow charts for the child protection system in the Free State. The suitability of this protocol was tested by means of semi-structured interviews with the agents responsible for handling reports within the child protection system. The qualitative data obtained from this was used for the further development of an inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State. SECTION C: This section comprises a summary of the collective findings and conclusions that came to the fore during the research, whereafter recommendations were being made. SECTION D: This section comprises the various appendices used during the research. SECTION E: This section comprises a complete list of references. SECTION F: This section comprises the final inter-agency reporting protocol for the child protection system in the Free State. / PhD (Social Work), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Published Article / In this article we use the concepts identity, agency and social justice education as a lens to explore the role of life history research in the study of the interconnection between emerging teacher identities, critical agency and social justice education. By exploring the life history of a white woman pre-service teacher, this study foregrounds the use of life history research to help teacher educators to understand the contexts through which student teachers' identities are constructed, and how these identities feed into agency and a stance to bring about social change.