Although youth tourism is an increasingly relevant subject little research have been done regarding the segment’s own perception of their impacts. A consumer perspective was assumed to examine in what ways youth tourism impact places. This study adopts a deductive approach reviewing existing literature regarding youth tourism, impact and place. A case study concerning how youth travellers perceive and evaluate their own impacts was conducted using mixed-methods. Data sources include a survey and in-depth interviews concerning sociocultural, economic, and environmental items. The study concludes that what impacts youth tourism has on places are subject to the place’s current state and ability to host youth travellers. The number of youth travellers and their behaviour determines the local and global sociocultural, economic and environmental impacts that youth tourism has on places. This paper is considered a pre-study that contributes to the development of theory regarding youth tourism.

Abstract: Given the global sustainability challenge; effective organizational Social Responsibility (SR) guidelines must set best-practices that acknowledge environmental constraints and strive for a sustainable society. SR has historically underrepresented environmental issues and needs to shift from a reactive focus on societal stakeholder demands, to a proactive whole-systems planning framework. There is a risk that unless SR guidelines consider both social and environmental issues together, they may generate negative outcomes to organizational viability. This research finds key Sustainable Development concepts that should be integrated within SR guidelines and uncovers an overall goal of SR as assisting organizations in moving towards a sustainable society. A Sustainable Society is defined in the research according to a set of scientific principles, based on environmental constraints and fundamental social needs. This clear goal enables the organization to ‘backcast’ from this success point in order to take effective strategic steps. The authors recommend the incorporation of critical concepts from Strategic Sustainable Development, a proven organizational sustainability planning framework, into SR guidelines to increase their effectiveness in strategic SR decision-making. The ISO 26000 SR Guideline is used as a case study.

This dissertation comprised of three essays provides justification for the need to pursue research on multinationality and performance with a more fine-grained approach. Essay one is a conceptual response to an article written by Jean-Francois Hennart in 2011 which questions the need and approach toward future research in this domain. I argue that internalization theory does not render multinationality and performance research meaningless and identify key areas where methodological enhancements can be made to strengthen our research findings with regard to Hennart’s call for more content validity. Essay two responds to the need for more-fine grained research on the consequences of multinationality by introducing non-traditional measures of performance such as social and environmental performance and adopting a more theoretically relevant construct of regionalization to capture international diversification levels of the firm. Using data from the world’s largest 600 firms (based on sales) derived from Bloomberg and the Directory of Corporate Affiliates; I employ general estimating equation analysis to account for the auto-correlated nature of the panel data alongside multivariate regression techniques. Results indicate that regionalization has a positive relationship with economic performance while it has a negative relationship with environmental and social performance outcomes, often referred to as the “Triple Bottom-Line” performance. Essay three builds upon the work in the previous essays by linking the aforementioned performance variables and sample to corporate reputation which has been shown to be a beneficial strategic asset. Using Structural Equation Modeling I explore economic, environmental and social signals as mediators on relationship between regionalization and firm reputation. Results indicate that these variables partially mediate a positive relationship between regionalization and firm reputation. While regionalization positively affects the reputation building signal of economic performance, it aids in reputation building by reducing environmental and social disclosure effects which interestingly impact reputation negatively. In conclusion, the dissertation submits opportunities for future research and contributes to research by demonstrating that regionalization affects performance, but the effect varies in accordance with the performance criterion and context. In some cases, regional diversification may produce competing or conflicting outcomes among the potential strategic objectives of the firm.

The balanced scorecard (BSC) is an accepted methodology for putting strategy into action. The BSC provides a comprehensive performance measurement for an organization with respect to both financial and non-financial perspectives, including the triple bottom line of planet, people, and profit. Through various implementations to companies, organizations, and sectors, balanced scorecards have been used widely both for strategic purposes, as well as for more tactical focus for auditing current performance. BSC implementation is particularly adequate when integrated with the operational processes of the organization. The integration between the strategic plan and the financial and operational plans proceed via the business process model that covers the operational processes associated with the objectives of the organization in the strategy map. In this way, BSC is a tool for real-time monitoring of performance as well as providing the crucial linkage to the organization’s strategy that enables the proper implementation of the organization’s strategy. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been widely applied for measuring the efficiency of a specific decision-making unit (DMU) against a projected point on an efficiency frontier. DEA is therefore particularly suitable for measuring the organizational efficiency based on the BSC indicators, which are defined as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). In the commercial fisheries sector, sustainable strategy of fisheries organizations can be gained by running the current operations more effectively, and by integrating processes enabling adaptation to change. The efficiency frontier of the DEA model can be used to calculate the efficiency of fisheries operations. The proposed research is undertaken as part of the Canadian Fisheries Research Network (CFRN) to investigate the application of BSC and DEA for defining commercial fisheries performance evaluation variables with respect to the objectives of environmental sustainability, economic viability, and social and cultural stability in compliance with, and in the absence of, performance monitoring alleged in the Fisheries and Oceans, Canada Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMP). The combination of BSC-DEA methodologies is developed in this research as a required performance monitoring system suitable for IFMPs for analyzing the relative efficiency of commercial fisheries case studies across Canada towards incorporating best sustainable practices in the industry.

Background: Cross-sector social partnership (CSSP) is a joint effort that utilizes resources from different sectors to solve social issues, such as poverty, pandemics and environmental degradation. According to the United Nations, the environmental tipping point of global warming is soon reached, and to avoid this irreversible situation, the collaboration between state and non-state actors is a requirement. With extended resources gained from different sectors, the outcome of the CSSP is greater than if the actors were handling issues by themselves. Problem: There is a growing trend of CSSPs that strive to mitigate climate change, and the Climate Council of Jönköping is a practical example of this phenomenon. Multinational corporations (MNCs) have a large environmental impact and therefore they have a special responsibility to contribute to communities’ efforts to tackle climate change. Furthermore, within CSSP literature, additional research of corporations’ roles in CSSPs has been suggested. Purpose: Considering the increased focus on partnership practices, along with research gaps and complex CSSP elements, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate how MNCs contribute to the CSSP, the Climate Council of Jönköping. Method: Descriptive research was used to describe how MNCs contribute to a CSSP. With an abductive approach, deeper knowledge about the Climate Council of Jönköping as a phenomenon was gained. Empirical data was collected through a qualitative study, consisting of observational research and in-depth interviews, which was analyzed by making use of template analysis. The MNCs of the Climate Council of Jönköping are Castellum, GARO, Husqvarna Group, IKEA, and Skanska. Conclusion: The major conclusion of this study is that the MNCs perceive that their task within the Climate Council of Jönköping is to be a role model and to exchange ideas and knowledge regarding sustainability with other actors. Within CSSP literature, trust among actors, clearly-defined roles, and bridging each other’s weaknesses, are central concepts. The findings about the MNCs deviate from this, as all these factors are not identified. This suggests that the Climate Council of Jönköping and the MNCs do not contribute to public value and mitigating climate change as much as they possibly could.

The Tropics continue to provide the most biologically diverse and carbon rich forest in the world, but they are being lost at alarming rates. To meet the global climate change targets and the UN sustainable development goals, financing is urgently needed to speed up and increase tropical forest restoration. The aim of this thesis is to show that sustainable timber and non-timber forest products offer are a viable vehicle for investment in tropical forest restoration and to identify the needed incentives and tools to enable sustainable investment.   There is a lack of research on the integration between business model design and sustainability generally and an absence of business models for tropical forest restoration. Very little research if any, has been undertaken to link the two and evaluate the feasibility of applying business models on tropical forest restoration, especially with regard to its potential as an interesting investment option. This thesis gives a background about tropical forest restorations, sustainable investment, presents three tropical reforestation projects and a conceptual framework. The conceptual framework will be used to evaluate the potential for business model application to finance restoration and enable sustainable investments.   Using a business model for tropical forest restoration projects, which in most cases are not defined as businesses, is an innovative approach and an agent of needed radical change. A business model is a crucial strategic management tool to enable success of tropical forest restorations. The core logic of the business model can offer equitable customer value and the fulfillment of new types of needs. Merging economic development and forest restoration is a powerful tool for innovation. The critical variables for financing are management, monitoring, operational efficiency, political incentives and regulations, stakeholder involvement, community benefits, transparency and information communication technology.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2016-06-21T15:07:12Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Mauricio Gayubas.pdf: 4547233 bytes, checksum: 9a10b3048bfb27a539b8a17481b2b509 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-21T15:07:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mauricio Gayubas.pdf: 4547233 bytes, checksum: 9a10b3048bfb27a539b8a17481b2b509 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-04 / Remanufacturing auto parts is an important activity from the point of view of the triple bottom line (economic, social and environmental) because its components can be reuse and not only has to be sending to be recycled. This case study sought to identify the members of the distribution channel (remanufacturer, distributor and fleet owners) how they influence the willingness to pay in a B2B relation. In addition, regarding all members influences the other members of this distribution channel in making production, distribution and application decisions of alternators and starter motors remanufactured applied in urban and intercity buses. Studyinglocal governmental regulations in Brazil, it was not identified obligation regarding producers to collect alternators and starter motors at the end of their life cycle. This situation would help the manufacturer to develop a more efficient reverse logistics strategy, with higher product volume of remanufactured production and increased activity in volume within the factory and thus invest the market in a vision at the triple bottom line point of view, as well as a better vision of the product by environmentally sustainable point. The remanufacturer produce their products identifying this activity as a business opportunity in the same way that the product is distributed wholesale with the same vision for the distributor and applied in bus fleets as a more expensive product that the reconditioned or repaired in maintenance shops. However, this price is offseted by the benefit cost of quality of the remanufactured products. Despite efforts by the trade associations and remanufacturers, albeit timidly, the information from the point of view that remanufacturing is an environmentally and socially sustainable activity. Customers in the B2B relationship does not identify the remanufacturing activity in this way, leaving an opportunity for the remanufacturer to manifest and develop information tools for green marketing information regarding the pillars of sustainability, bringing the remanufacturer a competitive advantage in environmental awareness among the members of the distribution channel, as well as greater awareness in society. It is an opportunity to promote environmentally sustainable pillar vision for the fleet owners and society as a curriculum in the development of environmental awareness for future generations. / A remanufatura de autopeças é uma atividade importante do ponto de vista das dimensões da sustentabilidade (econômico, social e ambiental) por reutilizar os componentes de um produto com defeito e não somente enviar esse mesmo produto para reciclagem, assim, este estudo de caso buscou identificar nos membros do canal de distribuição (fabricante remanufaturador, distribuidor de autopeças e frotista) a relação B2B que um membro influencia o outro membro desse canal de distribuição na tomada de decisão de produção, distribuição e aplicação dos alternadores e motores de partida veiculares remanufaturados aplicados em ônibus urbanos e rodoviários. Mesmo com as diretrizes mundiais e as leis locais, no Brasil não foi identificada a obrigatoriedade do recolhimento dos alternadores e motores de partida no final do ciclo de vida, o que contribuiria para o fabricante poder desenvolver uma estratégia de logística reversa mais eficiente, com maiores volumes de produtos e maior atividade em volumes dentro da fábrica e assim, investir perante o mercado uma visão do produto pelo ponto de vista ambientalmente sustentável. O fabricante remanufatura os seus produtos identificando essa atividade como uma oportunidade de negócio, da mesma forma que o produto é distribuído no atacado com essa mesma visão pelo distribuidor e aplicado nas frotas de ônibus como um produto mais caro que o recondicionado ou consertado nas oficinas de manutenção dentro das suas próprias garagens. Porém, esse preço é compensado pelo custo benefício da qualidade em que é produzido. Mesmo com esforços por parte das entidades de classe e dos fabricantes, para informar do ponto de vista de que a remanufatura é uma atividade ambientalmente e socialmente sustentáveis, os clientes dessa relação B2B não identificam a atividade de remanufatura dessa maneira, deixando uma excelente oportunidade para o fabricante se manifestar e desenvolver ferramentas de divulgação pelo marketing verde sobre a informação das dimensões da sustentabilidade, trazendo para o remanufaturador uma vantagem competitiva sobre a consciência ambiental junto aos membros da cadeia de distribuição, como também maior conscientização junto à sociedade. É a oportunidade de fomentar a visão da dimensão ambientalmente sustentável para os frotistas e para a sociedade como currículo no desenvolvimento da conscientização ambiental.

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Tourism is something that today is very common for most parts of the world. Tourism effects is a phenomenon that focuses on the effects of tourism which can affect destinations and residents in different ways. The most common are social, cultural, environmental and economic impacts. The purpose of this bachelor thesis has been to explore if there are any tourism effects and if so, what are they and in what ways can they affect a small rural area as a destination and the effect on the residents. For this purpose we have used an area called Glasriket in Sweden as an example. This study has used both qualitative and quantitative data with a deductive approach. After conducting our research, we then composed a questionnaire. The questionnaire was shared on our personal Facebook pages and also sent out through email to businesses, organizations and municipalities in Glasriket. In total, the empirical data was collected from 74 respondents. The results of the study showed that tourism is often perceived as positive. The positive effects of tourism outweigh the negative. It is clear that tourism has impacts on destinations in rural areas and not only on major cities or coastal areas. One conclusion is that yes, there are effects caused by tourism in Glasriket. There are several environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts in this area. It can also be concluded that tourism affects people and destinations in different ways and the ways the effects are perceived by residents might vary depending on factors such as cultural background, economic status and personal opinions.

The Kaplan and Norton’s (1992) Balanced Scorecard model was designed for Western countries that operate within a capitalist system. African countries differ from Western developed countries in respect of aspects such as their infrastructure, markets and customers, sources of capital, government interventions, literacy levels, and socio-cultural frameworks. Thus, the original Balanced Scorecard model cannot be reconciled fully with an African environment that is more humanist, community-based and socialist in nature. Hence, the study set out to establish whether or not a different understanding or new perspectives on the Balanced Scorecard model were needed and could be conceptualised and developed specifically for organisations in Africa. A structured questionnaire was used for the primary data collection. Exploratory factor analysis and correlation analysis, using SPSS Version 16.0, were employed to identify the four significantly intercorrelated perspectives of the African Balanced Scorecard model which is proposed in this study: (1) the relationships and culture perspective, which looks at an organisation’s continued stakeholder dialogue and relationships; (2) the stakeholder perspective, which looks at the recognition of contributions by individual stakeholders; (3) the value creation perspective, which considers maximum economy, efficiency and effectiveness when creating organisational wealth, and (4) the corporate conscience (resource allocation) perspective, which looks at the equitable allocation of organisational wealth to all stakeholders, especially those that are usually disregarded, such as local communities and the natural environment. The results of the study will facilitate the review and design of better corporate planning and performance measurement systems, the review and design of government and industrial policies and regulations, management consultancies, and will promote and facilitate change in accounting and auditing principles and practices. The study is subject to some limitations, particularly a lack of larger geographic coverage (as only Southern Africa was covered), the limited availability of information from some participants, and the need for further validation of the cause-and-effect relationships between the four perspectives of the proposed African Balanced Scorecard model. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Financial Management / unrestricted