The impetus for this study came from my own history of being a single mother while completing my undergraduate degree and the struggles that entailed. The research uncovers both the barriers and facilitators experienced by single mothers in undergraduate programs in a Canadian context and utilizes a framework of access and equity in education. The co-participants belonged to diverse social and political identities in terms of age, race and ethnicity, sexuality, (dis)ability, and countries of birth. All the women attended universities in Southern Ontario. Twenty-five women agreed to be interviewed in either a group or individual interview. Co-participants were encouraged to contribute to the design and analysis of the study wherever possible. Previous research based in the United States conceptualized single mother students as social assistance recipients and explored their difficulties within this context. This study suggests using a wider lens to include other experiences identified by co-participants and the literature review. The study locates barriers both within the university as well as in the larger society such as interpersonal violence, stress, financial insecurity, racism and other forms of discrimination. However, it also identifies supports and strengths single mothers encountered such as family, friends, children as motivation, professors, on-campus supports, and critical pedagogy, all of which were largely missing from previous research. Many women challenged the often pathologizing dominant discourse and instead described single motherhood as empowering, independent, and liberating as compared to being a part of a traditional nuclear family. Co-participants also identified feeling isolated, discussions around which engendered a social group outside of the research project. By creating awareness of the needs of diverse single mother students, this project aims to disrupt the still-prevalent notion of the “traditional student” and accompanying policies and practices in institutions of education and the wider community. While much has been documented in Canada about the need for access, equity, and inclusive schooling, single mothers in particular have not been a main focus and included among other intersections of identity. The findings from this study address this gap and contribute to the literature.

Collaboration between international NGOs (INGOs) and governmental organizations (GOs) have contributed significantly to the goals of poverty alleviation and agricultural development in developing countries. Much of the literatures on NGO-GO partnerships have explored theoretically or empirically what motivate and hinder cross-sector collaboration. But not many have studied cross-sector collaboration from both analytical and descriptive perspectives. This study filled in this gap by drawing from previous studies a conceptual framework through which contexts, incentives, and barriers that influence INGO-GO partnerships were described and explained. The researcher adopted a qualitative case-study method with emergent design. Personal interviews were conducted with 20 key informants, including eight Vietnamese staff from one INGO and 12 government officials from six GOs who partnered with the INGO. All participating organizations were institutions serving agricultural and rural development in the south of Vietnam. The data were collected in 2010 and analyzed using the software package ATLAS.ti. The results showed four categories that interact to form a framework of a dynamic continuum of partnership development. The four categories included conditioning factors, incentives, barriers, and feedback loop. The categories held the following themes: 1) socio-political contexts and organizational natures for conditioning factors, 2) shared missions, resource mobilization, capacity building, and networking for incentives, 3) ideological conflicts, structural constraints, and operational hurdles for barriers, and 4) reflections and recommendations for feedback loop. The study contributed a theoretical- and empirical-based perspective on INGO-GO partnerships in post-reform countries. It provided a framework that comprehensively describes and explains partnership dynamics. The study also shared knowledge of the intricacies of INGO-GO partnerships in rural Vietnam. For institutions serving agricultural and rural development, the study could assist in strategic management to minimize constraints and maximize opportunities in collaborative environments.

Evidence suggests that employment for women can reduce poverty and inequality resulting in improved living standards. The garment industry is an important source of income for Indian women. This thesis tested the effects of garment work as an income source on women’s health-care utilization practices and decision-making in comparison to both agricultural labourers and general women in India. Cross-sectional data collected from India’s National Family Health Survey-3 were used to generate descriptive statistics. Statistical modeling was used to test the effect of garment work on a) barriers to health care services and b) decision-making abilities of Indian women. Results suggest garment workers are younger, more educated, urban, and wealthier, make more cash earnings, and have more access and control over their own money as compared to agricultural labourers. Results indicate female garment workers report facing fewer barriers to accessing health care services. As well, access to cash earnings increases their decision-making abilities.

This investigation, comprising two studies, examined the number of barriers to physical activity (Study 1) and barrier strength (Study 2) reported by middle-aged and older adults using a social ecological framework (McLeroy et al., 1988). Researchers were interested in assessing age group (45-54; 55-64; 65-74 yrs) by physical activity group (active, less active) effects for barrier responses using analyses of variance. In Study 1, 180 participants completed a physical activity level survey (Godin & Shephard, 1985) and answered open-ended questions about barriers. Results indicated that 45-54 yr-olds reported more barriers overall, and more intrapersonal barriers than older groups. Less active 45-54 yr-olds reported more organizational-interpersonal barriers than the other groups. Descriptive analyses of coded themes demonstrated that common intrapersonal barrier sub-themes cited by younger adults related to family commitments, while sub-themes reported by middle-aged and older adults related to having a health problem or an injury. In the organizational-interpersonal category, the most common barrier sub-theme related to the workplace. In Study 2, 116 participants completed a survey assessing weekly physical activity and barrier strength for items pertaining to ecological categories and barrier sub-factors. Results showed that less active adults reported each of intrapersonal, interpersonal, and physical environment barriers more strongly than active adults, irrespective of age; the intrapersonal category was relatively the most constraining for our participants. In terms of barrier sub-factors, results showed that significantly higher barrier strength scores are most often associated with physical activity level (i.e., less active), and only occasionally associated with age group. The overall investigation can provide valuable information for improving physical activity interventions for middle-aged and older adults.

A majority of the world’s population can be classified as Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP), which means that they earn less than USD 3,000 per year. In addition, it is estimated that 12 % of the worlds BoP population live in Africa. Due to the vast economic growth in Africa - which will boost the African consumers income level -we have decided to write a dissertation that regards the African BoP consumers.The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate iffive BoP market barriers exist in the African countries Tanzania and Kenya. In order to answer the research question, we conducted interviews with two different companies established in the Tanzanian respectively Kenyan BoP market. It was possible to answer the research question through the primary data collected during these interviews.Our main findings from the empirical analysis indicated that four out of five market barriers in the Tanzanian and Kenyan BoP markets are accepted, and that both of the companies had to adapt to the different barriers. In addition, Company A and Company B also find solutions to these accepted market barriers in their respective BoP markets.This dissertation will be of value since Africa’s economy is steadily growing, which will attract more companies in the near future. Furthermore, research in how toovercome market barriers in order to establish successful business in low-income markets will also be valuable.

Title: Barriers to the implementation of E-learning system with focus on organizational culture Introduction: Nowadays, Information Technology has become a necessity for businesses not only to gain competitive advantage but also to survive. Strategic use of new educational technologies can enhance learning and teaching process. In order to stay viable in this intense competitive environment, providers of education and trainings have developed efficient and effective learning environment, called E-learning. However with the success there also exist barriers containing the cultural aspects of the organizations throughout the implementation process.   Purpose: The purpose of this research is to describe and analyze critical factors which may affect the implementation of E-learning system with a special focus on organizational culture.   Research Question: What are the critical barriers of implementing E-learning system and what is the role of organizational culture in successful implementation of E-learning system? Research design:  This research is based on a qualitative approach and based on secondary data collection method. The required literature has been obtained by searching Mälardalen University’s library. Furthermore, authors have used online library (ebrary) as well as other libraries’ databases such as Elin, Emerald, Eric and EBSCO. Reference books from university library were also used in the course of the research. The data has been extracted from articles which are title base keywords search criteria were used for searching articles. Our research is exploratory and based on the Interactive model which consists of three activities which are data reduction, data display, and conclusion. Research analysis emphasizes more on comparing various authors’ view to analyze and describe the critical barriers and role of organizational culture to successfully employ E-learning system in organizations.  Target audience: This research provides a general guidance to the readers and organizations interested in E-learning initiative and for those who have already implemented E-learning.  Conclusion: This research elicited and examined a number of various points of views about the barriers of implementing E-learning system in organizations. Within organization, bridging education is challenging if the organizational culture is unwilling to accept an E-learning initiative. Finally it was suggested that by behavioral change and by motivating the employees can new vitality and momentum can be brought for implementation success. Organization should underpin their implementation strategy of E-learning system proactively to reap the maximum benefits.

Electricity accounts for much of the primary energy used in China, and more thanthree-quarter of the total electricity is generated by coal combustion. Coal burningcombined with flue gas cleaning system generates large quantity of coal combustionproducts (CCPs), which has caused significant environmental and economic burden tothe economy, ecology and society. Of great importance are thus different applicationswhich contribute to the increased use of CCPs. This thesis looks at an overview ofCCPs production and utilization all around the world and investigates current CCPsapplications as well as potential technically sound and economically justifiedtechnologies. Results of this thesis show that CCPs utilization rate in differentcountries varies widely from 13% to 97%. Worldwide, a significant proportion ofCCPs from the main producers, e.g. China, the United States and India, is still beingdisposed off, resulting in a low-level of overall utilization of these products. It isevident that the amount of CCPs produced substantially exceeds consumptionsbecause of various existing obstacles and limitations. In order to formulate effectiveapproaches, identifying challenges to increased use of CCPs is of great weight. The aimof this thesis is to analyze current and potential utilizations of CCPs and morespecifically address factors that inhibit or promote the use of CCPs from coal-firedpower plants in China. Savings of natural resources, energy, emissions of pollutants, GHG emissions anduseful land were found as the major incentives for CCPs utilization. In China, a ban ofsolid clay bricks was also found to be a very powerful measure to stimulate thedevelopment of other by-product based wall materials while saving useful land andprotecting the environment. However, this strong support from the government hasnot been fully implemented, which seriously hampered CCPs uses. Results presentedin this thesis also show that high transportation cost of low unit-value CCPs,competition from available natural materials and spatial variation in supply-demandposes three of the most important barriers to the increased use of CCPs in China.Industrial organizations with assistances from the government have shown to be offundamental importance for formulating approaches to take in overcoming thebarriers. This thesis emphasized that transforming laboratory- and pilot-scale technologies intocommercial productivity is of the highest priority for increased use of CCPs. Aconceptual model of CCPs Eco-Industry Park (EIP) as a potential effective solutionwas proposed. Mutual economic and environmental benefits can be achieved throughthe collaboration between different industries in the CCPs EIP. And other feasiblerecommendations of initiatives from both the government and industries were alsodiscussed.

The purpose of this paper is to present the barriers to energy-efficient investments (EEIs) and give reasons to their existence in the marketplace. Furthermore, this paper sets out to investigate what barriers to energy-efficient investments are present for Pilkington Floatglas AB, a firm operating in the glassmaking industry in Halmstad, Sweden. Findings suggest that five barriers act as hinders to energy-efficient investments for Pilkington, where the two most influential barriers are technological uncertainty and economic uncertainty.

The judicious use of energy by industries is a key lever for ensuring a sustainable industrial development. The cost effective application of energy management and energy efficiency measures offers industries with an effective means of gaining both economic and social dividend, also reducing the negative environmental effects of energy use. Unfortunately, industries in developing countries are lagging behind in the adoption of energy efficiency and management measures; as such missing the benefits of implementation. This study is aims at enhance the knowledge of industrial energy efficiency and management strategies in Ghana, by investigating the present level of energy (and efficiency) management practices in Ghana largest industrial park (i.e. Tema industrial area). The study also incorporates the investigation of also investigation of barriers to and driving forces for the implementation of energy efficiency measure; to shed light on the rationale for both the adoption and non-adoption of cost effective industrial energy efficient technologies in Ghana. This study was carried out using a semi-structure interview due to the explorative nature of the study. The interviews were conducted in sessions, in the first session respondents were asked describe the energy management strategies in used in the respective companies. In the second session, respondents were asked to fill a structured questionnaire covering the various aspects of the study. The results reveal that energy is poorly managed in the industrial area and there is an energy efficiency gap resulting from the low implementation energy efficiency measures. In addition the reveals that the important barriers impeding the implementation of cost effective energy efficiency technologies or measures in the surveyed firms principally stems from rational behavior economic barriers, which are deeply linked to the lack of government frameworks for industrial energy efficiency. The study also finds that economic gains related to ‘cost reductions resulting from lowered energy use’ and ‘threats of rising energy prices’ are the most important drivers for implementing energy efficiency measures or technologies.

A large number of organizations that offer products today are experiencing returns; whether it is the return of a book from an online book store, the return of a television to the electronic retailer or a garment to a fashion retailer. How organizations handle product returns (reverse logistics) differs and also how much focuses each organization places on it, be-cause after all; it is extremely difficult to actually make revenue on reverse logistics. Why spend time and money on it? This study focuses on comparing an electronic and a fashion organization, how they both are conducting reverse logistics in regards to e-commerce. This is of interest to examine and add to the literature based on research focusing on a comparison between two organizations of a different nature in terms of their reverse logistics. Furthermore, it was of interest to study how each organization operates internally. For example, what are the barriers and drivers of reverse logistics, do they work proactively or reactively and what is the focus in regards to recycling of products? A case study research strategy was applied with an inductive approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with each organization where qualitative data was gathered. Secondary data was collected from literature sources such as academic journals and books. Data was analysed in order to structure the large amount of data to be able to compare the two organizations and draw conclusions. From analysing the data it is concluded that both the electronic and the fashion retailer are experiencing a great amount of returns, which generally follows the sales trend. Furthermore, the two organizations are similar in several aspects regarding reverse logistics although they are selling different products. One of the main drivers for both organizations in regards to reverse logistics is satisfying their customers. Finally, one of the main barriers for each organization was the costs that play a major role in reverse logistics. Overall, the study shows that it greatly depends on the nature of the products how reverse logistics processes are handled in the organization.