Using coffee as the example, the five certifications; Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, UTZ Certified, EU certification for organic farming and KRAV are explored. A consumer perception survey and a comparative analysis of the certifications true achievements are compared in order to establish how well consumer perceptions reflect certification demands. Rainforest Alliance and UTZ Certified largely upholds existing conditions. Fair Trade, KRAV and the EU certification in different ways aims to improve them. KRAV is the most well-known certification, followed by Fair Trade. 85% of the respondents associate KRAV with organic production and 80% of the respondents recognising the Fair Trade logotype associate it with taking strong social responsibility. Overall, the results from the consumer survey conform relatively well to the actual standards of the certifications. However some results suggest that Rainforest Alliance holds a higher degree of appreciation than it actually deserves. In a broader perspective this can be associated to the phenomena of Greenwashing; corporative attempts to make a product or service seem more environmentally beneficent than it actually is. This is something that should be taken seriously since it does not contribute to a sustainable development, it might fuel the hollowing out of certificatory initiatives and further complicate for those consumers aiming to shop responsibly. / Med kaffe som exempel utreds de fem certifieringarna; Rainforest Alliance, Rättvisemärkt, UTZ Certified EU:s certifiering för ekologisk produktion och KRAV. Genom en konsumentuppfattningsstudie och en granskning av certifieringarnas faktiska åstadkommanden jämförs sedan resultaten med syfte att fastställa hur väl konsumenters uppfattning speglar certifieringarnas krav. Rainforest Alliance och UTZ Certified söker till största del upprätthålla nuvarande situation. Rättvisemärkt, EU:s certifiering samt KRAV söker på olika sätt förbättra den. KRAV är den mest välkända certifieringen följt av Rättvisemärkt. 85 procent respondenterna förknippar KRAV med ekologisk produktion och 80 procent av dem som känner igen Rättvisemärkts logotyp förknippar certifieringen med starkt socialt ansvarstagande. På det hela taget är resultaten från konsumentuppfattningsstudien relativt väl överensstämmande med certifieringarnas faktiska åstadkommanden. Dock tyder vissa resultat på att uppfattningen av Rainforest Alliance är mer positiv än vad certifieringen förtjänar. I ett större perspektiv kan detta kopplas till fenomenet Greenwashing; företags försök att få sina produkter eller tjänster att framstå som mer miljövänliga än vad som egentligen är fallet. Det är någonting som bör tas på allvar då det motverkar en hållbar utveckling, riskerar att urholka andra, mer långtgående certifieringsinitiativ och ytterligare försvåra för de konsumenter som försöker handla med omsorg för människor och miljö.

Les référentiels de “ management environnemental ”, le Règlement Européen Éco-audit et la norme ISO 14001, connaissent aujourd'hui une large diffusion auprès des entreprises. La thèse montre que cette diffusion constitue une étape significative de la rationalisation de la gestion de l'environnement dans l'industrie. Certes, ce phénomène hérite de la très large diffusion des normes d'assurance de la qualité. En effet, les référentiels de management environnemental transposent à l'environnement les principes de ces dernières. Aussi, la mise en oeuvre de ces référentiels s'appuie-t-elle sur les compétences acquises par les organisations industrielles en matière de gestion de la qualité : formalisation des activités, instrumentation de gestion, gestion transversale. Cependant, cette “ extension ” du champ d'application de l'assurance qualité prend un sens particulier au regard de l'évolution actuelle des enjeux environnementaux. En effet, les référentiels de management environnemental participent à l'émergence d'une régulation négociée de l'environnement. Une plus grande compétence de l'industriel, l'engagement dans une dynamique d'innovation et d'amélioration permanente et l'investissement dans une instrumentation de gestion lui permettent d'être acteur de cette régulation négociée.

This study sought to examine the outcome of teacher education candidates’ performance on a state content exam. Seventeen participants from the class of 2012 were identified for the study of which 12 participants fully participated in the study. This study utilized data collected from the participants through the Teacher Quality Enhancement Subcontract Grant Summer/Fall/Spring 2011-2012 Workshop Series held at the private HBCU. The research design used a QUAN- QUAL-QUAN to triangulate the data through three methods of data collection: GACE early childhood education (ECE) data, GACE ECE survey questionnaire and class of 2012 member interviews. The first QUAN correlations were run on the 17 participants. The survey instrument (qualitative and descriptive statistical constructs) was completed by 12 participants. The last QUAN correlations were run on the 12 participants who completed the survey instrument. Correlation analysis was used to determine if a significant relationship existed between the independent variables (Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), American College Testing (ACT), high school grade point average (HSGPA), grade point average prior to preservice teaching (GPAPST), cumulative grade point average (CGPA), number of failed attempts test # 001, number of failed attempts test # 002) and dependent variables (GACE ECE test # 001 pass or fail, GACE ECE test # 002 pass or fail, exam first time pass or fail). Descriptive statistical analyses were extrapolated from the selected Likert scaled items collected from the survey instrument to test selected research questions. The findings from the survey items related to program quality for the participants’ mean was 3.05 (n =12) on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. The findings from the survey items related to motivation for the participants’ mean was 4.35 (n=12) on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. A limitation was the total participants that were available for the case study of majors for the degree in the class of 2012 (n = 17). Correlation analyses revealed a statistically significant relationship between first time pass or fail and number of failed attempts on #001; first time pass or fail and number of failed attempts on #002; test failures after first attempt on test #001 and SAT; test failures after first attempt on test #002 and SAT; program quality and GPAPST; first time pass or fail rate and perception of program quality. Recommendations for future studies include a concentrated study from public and private HBCUs and or minority serving institutions with teacher preparation programs enrolling more than 30 candidates of color in their graduating classes.

No description available.

Questa tesi empirica si concentra sul ruolo svolto dal food marketing (sezione uno) e dal destination branding (sezione due) nel promuovere lo sviluppo di una regione . La tesi è strutturata come raccolta di 4 articoli. La prima sezione si basa su due ricerche empiriche inerenti il caso della Fontina, un tipico formaggio italiano. L'obiettivo è capire che tipo di valore può essere generato collegando un alimento tipico alla regione di origine / produttore / certificazione. L'analisi approfondisce e supporta studi precedenti sull’ importanza della certificazione DOP e contribuisce individuando un legame tra le preferenze dei consumatori per i prodotti DOP e le differenze territoriali. La seconda sezione si concentra sul tema della collaborazione nelle destinazioni turistiche, approfondendo il ruolo della fiducia nel rapporto tra benefici (economici e relazionali) realizzabili attraverso service bundling e l'orientamento degli albergatori al networking. Sono stati intervistati 164 albergatori valdostani. I risultati evidenziano che la fiducia media il rapporto tra benefici relazionali e orientamento al networking. Un ulteriore risultato interessante è l'effetto mediazione svolto dell’ innovatività degli albergatori nel rapporto tra benefici economici e orientamento al networking. Lo studio fornisce una segmentazione del settore dell'ospitalità in base all'orientamento al networking degli operatori. / This empirical thesis focuses on the role played by typical food marketing (section one) and destination branding (section two) in enhancing the development of a region. The thesis is structured as the collection of 4 papers. The first section is based on two empirical surveys on the case of Fontina, a typical Italian cheese. The aim is to understand which kind of value can be generated by linking a typical food to the region of origin/ producer/ certification. The analysis supports and builds on previous studies on the importance of PDO certification. Importantly, it contributes by eliciting consumers’ preferences for PDO according to territorial differences. The second section focuses on the topic of collaboration in tourism destinations. This research investigates the role of trust in the relationship between benefits (economic and relational) achievable through service bundling and hoteliers’ orientation to networking. 164 hoteliers located in Aosta Valley region in Italy were interviewed. Outcomes highlight that trust mediates the relationship between relational benefits and networking orientation. Another interesting result is the mediation effect of hoteliers’ innovativeness on the relationship between economic benefits and networking orientation. The study provides a segmentation of the hospitality industry according to operators’ networking orientation.

The North American forest industry has long been an important part of North America’s economy. The industry has traditionally been the only industrial demand on timberland creating a long established balance between the supply (timberland) and the demand (manufacturing). Recently the forest industry has been troubled due to the collapse of the solid wood products largest market, housing, and a global recession. These troubled times have lead many operation in the industry to curtail operations. Since the industry curtailed, high oil prices and increasing environmental concern have advocated the investment in renewable energy sources. As a renewable energy source, biomass holds great potential for satisfying a portion of our continental energy demands. This increased demand for timberland products could be very profitable to the timberland owners but also holds many concerns to the extent of additional supply that can be harvested from our timberlands. Further complicating the balance of supply and demand are the large global and domestic effects that are reducing the total amount of timberland and increasing the demand for the remaining timberlands. The supply and demand changes have the potential to make the forest industry evermore important part of the North American economy but care must be taken to not over extend our resources.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe išanalizuota į veiklos audito specialistų veiklą nukreipta kompetencija, jos turinys ir pripažinimas Europos AAI, įvertintas Europos AAI atstovų požiūris į veiklos audito specialistų sertifikavimo galimybę. Pirmoje darbo dalyje atskleista veiklos audito samprata, vieta ir reikšmė audito sistemoje, Europos AAI veiklos audito raida bei esminiai veiklos audito bruožai. Antroje dalyje atskleista veiklos audito specialistų samprata, kompetencija ir strateginiai individo kompetencijos tobulinimo būdai. Trečioje dalyje nustatomi į veiklos audito specialistus nukreiptos kompetencijos elementai: asmeninės savybės, žinios ir įgūdžiai, išsilavinimas, darbo patirtis, audito patirtis, auditorių mokymai. Ketvirtoje dalyje įvertinami į veiklos audito specialistų veiklą nukreipti kompetencijos elementai bei palyginamas šių kompetencijos elementų pripažinimas Europos AAI, nustatomi Europos AAI atstovų požiūriai į veiklos audito specialistų sertifikavimo galimybę. / The goal of master’s thesis is to analyse performance audit specialists competence, its content which is pointed to their activity, appreciation by Europe’s SAI and evaluate Europe’s SAI representatives attitude towards the possibility to certificate the performance audit specialists. In the first part of master’s thesis performance audit conception, its place and significance in the audit system, Europe’s SAI evolution of performance audit and fundamental performance audit features are revealed. In the second part of master’s thesis author unclosed the conception of performance audit specialists, competence and strategic individual competence development methods. In the third part of master’s thesis it is determined the performance audit specialists competence elements of content: personal features, knowledge, skills, background, work experience, audit work experience, auditor’s education. In the fourth part of master’s thesis the author evaluated performance audit specialists elements of competence and compared appreciation of these competence elements by different Europe’s SAI, defined Europe’s SAI attitudes towards the possibility to certificate performance audit specialists.

This thesis investigates challenges to promoting socially just, locally focused agriculture faced by the organic certification program that now regulates organic farming in British Columbia. This inquiry into how organic certification works is conducted as an institutional ethnography. Institutional ethnography is the methodological foundation of Dorothy Smith’s feminist sociology for people. For the institutional ethnographer, ordinary daily activity is the site for investigation of social organization. Small scale organic farmers who are committed to sustainable, socially and ecologically just agriculture offer a critical standpoint from which to explicate extra-local text mediated ruling relations. This inquiry draws on data from open-ended interviews with farmers and an independent organic certification inspector. From these accounts I begin to address how it is that BC’s organic farming certification program actually enters into and reconstitutes the everyday work of farmers and inspectors. From my findings I argue that corporate interests and a focus on global free trade in organic produce and products increasingly guide the institutional structure of organic certification programs. This in turn moves organic farming out of local, farmer control.

Die Lebensmittelsicherheit hat in der türkischen Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft in den letzten Jahren erheblich an Bedeutung gewonnen. Dies ist vor allem der Tatsache geschuldet, nach dem die Türkei im Jahr 2005 als Beitrittskandidat der Europäischen Union (EU) akkreditiert wurde, denn die EU ist mit Abstand der wichtigste Handelspartner der Türkei für Agrarprodukte. Die Türkei hat im Jahre 2012 einen Handelsüberschuss im Agrarsektor von 3,6 Mrd. allein Euro mit den EU-27 Ländern erwirtschaftet (Eurostat, 2013). Das Dissertationsprojekt befasst sich im Rahmen einer empirischen Untersuchung mit den Zertifizierungssystemen im türkischen Agribusiness und es wurde insbesondere untersucht, welche Einflussgrößen auf die Zertifizierungsentscheidungen in der türkischen Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft existieren. Dazu wurden anhand einer Online-Befragung Daten von weiterverarbeitenden Betrieben gesammelt und für weite Teile der Türkei systematisiert. Überdies wurden sieben persönliche Interviews in ebensolchen Unternehmen durchgeführt sowie Experten aus dem türkischen Ministerium für Landwirtschaft sowie dem EU-Ministerium zum Thema Zertifizierungssysteme befragt. Da die Türkei Nettoexporteur von Agrarprodukten ist, wird dieser eine entschiedene Einfluss auf die künftige internationale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit ihrer Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft allgemeinen zugerechnet.

The NYC Teaching Fellows (NYCTF) program, as the nation’s largest alternative certification program, aims to provide high-needs NYC public schools with highly qualified teachers in such hard-to-staff areas as math, science, and special education. Reports of NYCTF teacher retention are mixed; The New Teacher Project (TNTP) claims high retention rates, but other research indicates that fellow recruits have lower retention rates than other teachers in similar NYC schools – only Teach for America (TFA) exhibits higher attrition (Boyd et al., 2006). After scrutinizing these contrary claims, this paper examines the retention of a recent cohort of approximately 300 Mathematics Teaching Fellows (MTFs) in the NYCTF program, examining MTF’s early attrition, movements from school to school in the NYC system, and professional plans for the future. We also include findings on teacher induction, school leadership, and school context that affect MTF retention.