The coffee trade in Chiapas, Mexico is a unique approach of sustainable development and economic integration, demonstrating that local social movements can change behaviors in international trade regimes. The Zapatista community of Chiapas, Mexico, has an impact on the global trade system, where resultant changes begin at the local level. In the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, factors contributing to the Zapatista rebellion have led actors within civil society to form new socio-political organizations capable of changing participation, norms, and economic outcomes during the post-rebellion period (1994 - present). This study explores the dilemmas facing the autonomy of actors in broadening and deepening their roles in the fair trade movement. It argues that innovative practices of fair trade coffee production, originating at the local level in Chiapas from Zapatista reform measures, has a transformative effect on international trade regimes. The Zapatista social movement has aided Mayans and other groups in establishing new linkages where the impacts of fair trade are experienced beyond the local level. Social movement theorists provide an analytical framework necessary to examine these dynamic linkages between civil society, the state, and international trade regimes. However, contemporary Latin American social movement theorists do not seem to have adequately transcended the dualism between civil society and the state. The importance of this study is that it illuminates how, although the state remains the principle actor, these linkages formed by fair trade have important repercussions for the autonomy of indigenous groups in pursuing independent economic relations. Findings illustrate that fair trade is a viable means to socially re-embed international trade relations, attributing new rules, norms, and procedures to trade regimes. Reorganization in the face of state oppression has enabled a shift from anti-globalization tendencies toward an alternative form of economic integration which has become widely legitimized through a three-way dynamic between civil society, the state, and the international community.

On utilise une méthode de représentation de l'information basée sur la logique des prédicats du premier ordre pour enrichir la représentation sémantique des données qui peuvent être stockées dans un ensemble de bases de données reparties. On définit ensuite une méthode originale d'évaluation de questions sur des données distribuées basée sur une décomposition dynamique des opérations. On propose enfin une nouvelle approche pour le contrôle des contraintes sémantiques dans une base de données. Elle est basée sur la notion de prototypes logiques d'objets formant un échantillon de la base de données.

L'investissement socialement responsable (ISR) gagne de l'importance avec la montée en puissance du développement durable et les crises financières qui ont remis en cause les comportements dominants dans la finance. La thèse s'intéresse aux épargnants particuliers et aux investisseurs institutionnels de long terme. Pour les premiers, la recherche porte sur le marché des fonds ISR qui leur sont proposés, et propose un cadre pour comprendre son inefficacité et les moyens d'y remédier. Sont analysés les facteurs de la complexité du marché, le rôle des labels dans l'amélioration de son efficacité, et les critères qu'ils doivent remplir pour y parvenir. Une grille généralisable à tout marché incluant des caractéristiques environnementales ou sociales est proposée. La thèse observe ensuite les interactions entre plusieurs initiatives de labellisation présentes sur un même marché. Sur la base de leurs objectifs stratégiques de maximisation du profit ou du bien-être social, des scénarios d'interaction sont proposés et permettent de mieux comprendre les évolutions de marchés comme le commerce équitable ou l'agriculture biologique. Cette grille de lecture est appliquée à l'ISR afin de décoder les interactions entre labels et proposer des évolutions possibles. Enfin, la thèse s'intéresse aux liens entre long terme et ISR et à la position des investisseurs se réclamant de long terme sur les enjeux ISR. Une enquête menée auprès des membres du Club des Investisseurs de Long Terme permet de voir qu'au-delà des positions collectives affichées par le Club, une harmonisation des perceptions et des pratiques reste nécessaire parmi ses membres afin de mieux peser sur les débats en cours.

Le contrat de performance énergétiques est une forme contractuelle de services énergétiques dans laquelle les prestataires de services prennent en charge le financement de projets d'amélioration des installations en se rémunérant grâce à la valeur des économies d'énergie générées. Le recours à ce type de contrat, réputé particulièrement efficace, est mis en avant dans les textes communautaires et dans le cadre des politiques publiques nationales en faveur de la maîtrise de la demande en énergie. A ce titre, les contrats de performances énergétiques sont appelés à faire partie intégrante des dispositifs existants en faveur de l'amélioration de l'efficacité énergétique, en particulier dans le cadre des systèmes de certificats d'économie d'énergie, et des outils de la commande publique pour l'amélioration du patrimoine de l'Etat et des collectivités territoriales. Leur mise en œuvre est cependant conditionnée à la mise au point de protocoles adaptés pour l'évaluation des performances énergétiques des installations, notamment lorsque celles-ci dépendent de nombreux paramètres, comme dans le cas des installations de production d'eau glacée. Après avoir mis en évidence l'efficacité énergétique portée par les contrats de performance, cette thèse analyse les obstacles techniques à la mise en œuvre de ces contrats sur les installations de production d'eau glacée. Dans un second temps, un protocole adapté à l'évaluation d'améliorations typiques de ces installations est proposé en couplant des outils de modélisation et des procédures de mesure légères sur site. Enfin, des propositions d'aménagement de ce protocole sont formulées dans le but de permettre l'intégration des améliorations typiques des installations de production d'eau glacée dans le cadre des dispositifs de certificats d'économies d'énergie, qui semblent ne pouvoir prendre en considération que des actions élémentaires facilement reproductibles.

<p>Sammanfattning</p><p>Miljökraven på varor och tjänster har idag slagit igenom på allvar, vilket har påverkat handeln på många sätt. Det har lett till att krav på märkning och information om varorna och tjänsterna har ökat och standarder, ledningssystem och kontrollsystem har fått större betydelse Det var ur detta som certifieringen uppstod.</p><p>I vår studie ville vi därför undersöka om certifiering är det rätta verktyget för att företag ska bidra till en hållbar utveckling eller om certifiering kan anses som en nödvändighet för att överleva på marknaden. Detta innebar att ett antal företag kontaktades som ansågs som lyckade företag vad gällde hållbar utveckling.</p><p>Cheferna på dessa företag intervjuades personligen eller via mail. Vid sammanställningen av svaren inspirerades vi av en metod som heter Grundad teori. Denna metod innebär att nyckelmeningar plockas ut ur intervjumaterialet som sedan kategoriseras i huvudkategorier, underkategorier och subkategorier. Det vi noterade vid sammanställningen var att certifiering är ett helt centralt tema för företagen när hållbarhetsfrågor diskuteras. Från dessa huvudkategorier utformades sedan påståenden som knöts till befintlig teori.</p><p>De indikationer vi kunde se var att företagen har en vilja att värna om miljön men den största anledningen till certifieringen var främst kravet från kunderna. De anser inte att de skulle ha överlevt på marknaden om inte en certifiering gjorts. Det blir som ”Katten på råttan, råttan på repet”. Logiskt sett borde det också innebära att företagets marknadsvärde ökat jämfört med om certifiering inte gjorts.</p><p>Trots kravet från kunder och leverantörer på att företagen ska certifiera sig är kunderna inte beredda att betala för certifieringen. Certifieringen blir därför en självklarhet som företagen inte kan ta betalt för, i slutändan är det ändå priset som styr. Certifiering blir därmed mera ett konkurrensmedel än att företagen vill värna om miljön. Dock tror vi att miljön kommer att få en allt större roll i framtiden när företagen väljer att certifiera sig.</p> / <p>Summary</p><p>Today the environmental goods and services are in demand. This affects trade and the way to do business. The demands of environmentally branded products have therefore increased. The standards, line systems and control systems have been taken a significant position. At this point the certification has been created.</p><p>In our study we wanted to investigate if certification is the right tool to use for a company to promote sustainability or if certification is necessary for a company to survive on the market. This led us to contact a number of successful companies in sustainability.</p><p>We interviewed the managers of the companies or sent questions via mail. We have been inspired of a methodology called Grounded Theory. This methodology focuses on significant meanings found in the empirical material. The key meanings will then be categorized in main categories, under categories and sub categories. We found that “certification” was the main category in the companies when sustainability was discussed. After that we created statements to existing theory.</p><p>Companies in the study have a will to protect the environment but the major reason to certify was because of customer demands. Some claimed that the companies wouldn’t be able to survive on the market if certification wasn’t done. In a sense the situation resembles “the cat on the rat, the rat on the rope”. This indicates that company’s market value increases when they certify their businesses.</p><p>Despite the demands of certification from customers and suppliers, companies are not willing to pay for the certification. The certification will therefore be the main issue and the company will not be compensated for it. Therefore the certification will be more like a tool of competition than an environmental protection for the company. Yet, we believe that the environmental will play a greater part in the future when the companies choose to certify themselves.</p>

There is no common understanding on what constitutes good sick-listing, a frequent and problematic task for many physicians, especially general practitioners (GPs) and orthopaedic surgeons. Aiming to achieve a deeper understanding of sick-listing practices, 19 GPs (I, III) and 18 orthopaedic surgeons (II) in four counties were interviewed, and data analysed qualitatively for views on good sickness certification and barriers to desired practice. Data from a survey of all 7665 physicians in two counties on emotionally straining problems in sickness certification (IV) was analysed quantitatively. Some GPs exposed narrow views of sick-listing, where their responsibility was limited to issuing a certificate, while GPs with the most inclusive view had a perspective of the patient’s total life-situation and aimed to help patients shoulder their own responsibility (I). The orthopaedic surgeons´ perceptions of good sick-listing were mainly related to their views on their role in the health-care system. Some perceived their responsibility as confined to the orthopaedic clinic only, while others had the ultimate goal of helping the patient to become well functioning in life with regained work capacity – by means of surgery and proper management of sick-listing (II). Difficulty handling conflicting opinions was a barrier to good sickness certification for GPs (III), and problematic for about 50% of all physicians and about 80% of GPs (IV). Orthopaedic surgeons’ handling of such situations varied from being directed by the patient, via compromising, to being directed by professional judgement (II). Other barriers included poor stakeholder collaboration (III). GPs with a workplace-policy on sickness certification reported fewer conflicts and less worry of getting reported to the disciplinary board in relation to sick-listing (IV). Understanding physicians’ underlying views on and barriers to practicing “good sick-listing” can inform efforts to change physician practice. Communications skills training in handling sick-listing situations with conflicting opinions is recommended.

Sammanfattning Miljökraven på varor och tjänster har idag slagit igenom på allvar, vilket har påverkat handeln på många sätt. Det har lett till att krav på märkning och information om varorna och tjänsterna har ökat och standarder, ledningssystem och kontrollsystem har fått större betydelse Det var ur detta som certifieringen uppstod. I vår studie ville vi därför undersöka om certifiering är det rätta verktyget för att företag ska bidra till en hållbar utveckling eller om certifiering kan anses som en nödvändighet för att överleva på marknaden. Detta innebar att ett antal företag kontaktades som ansågs som lyckade företag vad gällde hållbar utveckling. Cheferna på dessa företag intervjuades personligen eller via mail. Vid sammanställningen av svaren inspirerades vi av en metod som heter Grundad teori. Denna metod innebär att nyckelmeningar plockas ut ur intervjumaterialet som sedan kategoriseras i huvudkategorier, underkategorier och subkategorier. Det vi noterade vid sammanställningen var att certifiering är ett helt centralt tema för företagen när hållbarhetsfrågor diskuteras. Från dessa huvudkategorier utformades sedan påståenden som knöts till befintlig teori. De indikationer vi kunde se var att företagen har en vilja att värna om miljön men den största anledningen till certifieringen var främst kravet från kunderna. De anser inte att de skulle ha överlevt på marknaden om inte en certifiering gjorts. Det blir som ”Katten på råttan, råttan på repet”. Logiskt sett borde det också innebära att företagets marknadsvärde ökat jämfört med om certifiering inte gjorts. Trots kravet från kunder och leverantörer på att företagen ska certifiera sig är kunderna inte beredda att betala för certifieringen. Certifieringen blir därför en självklarhet som företagen inte kan ta betalt för, i slutändan är det ändå priset som styr. Certifiering blir därmed mera ett konkurrensmedel än att företagen vill värna om miljön. Dock tror vi att miljön kommer att få en allt större roll i framtiden när företagen väljer att certifiera sig. / Summary Today the environmental goods and services are in demand. This affects trade and the way to do business. The demands of environmentally branded products have therefore increased. The standards, line systems and control systems have been taken a significant position. At this point the certification has been created. In our study we wanted to investigate if certification is the right tool to use for a company to promote sustainability or if certification is necessary for a company to survive on the market. This led us to contact a number of successful companies in sustainability. We interviewed the managers of the companies or sent questions via mail. We have been inspired of a methodology called Grounded Theory. This methodology focuses on significant meanings found in the empirical material. The key meanings will then be categorized in main categories, under categories and sub categories. We found that “certification” was the main category in the companies when sustainability was discussed. After that we created statements to existing theory. Companies in the study have a will to protect the environment but the major reason to certify was because of customer demands. Some claimed that the companies wouldn’t be able to survive on the market if certification wasn’t done. In a sense the situation resembles “the cat on the rat, the rat on the rope”. This indicates that company’s market value increases when they certify their businesses. Despite the demands of certification from customers and suppliers, companies are not willing to pay for the certification. The certification will therefore be the main issue and the company will not be compensated for it. Therefore the certification will be more like a tool of competition than an environmental protection for the company. Yet, we believe that the environmental will play a greater part in the future when the companies choose to certify themselves.

Forest Stewardship council (FSC) is a good example of a civil regulated environmental labelling-initiative. It is also an arena for different organisations interesting in sustainable forestry to work and handle forestry issues. FSC has allowed many private initiatives to move ahead of poor national and international environmental legislation. Instead they have turned towards the market with consumer pressure and in co-operation with companies. The sustainable forestry initiative has become a part of organisations’ ‘Environmental Responsibility’ which is a part of their ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ (CSR) work. The aim of my thesis is to describe the phenomenon of FSC, both practically and theoretically, from a stakeholder approach. I have picked out two companies which are heavily involved in the FSC practice, IKEA and Sveaskog. The two companies are important players in shaping and developing FSC. The different practices are handled as two separate case-studies. A third case-study explores FSC both on national and international basis. The following research question will be answered: From a stakeholder view, how does FSC works in practice? To describe these three forestry practices is a contribution in itself. I will also use an analysing tool inspired by stakeholder theory to make the studies’ stakeholder partnerships as clear as possible. With the knowledge exposed in answering the first question I will further ask: Can stakeholder partnerships in a civil regulated environmental practice, create sustainability? Kemp’s (2005) five dimensions for sustainability improve the understanding. Every dimension will be followed by an interpretation from my forestry practice in the previous chapter. Both IKEA and Sveaskog drives an ambitious work to create sustainable business, which will be analysed through an ethical-, social-, nature-philosophic-, economic- and legal perspective of the sustainability concept. The thesis is analysed by an explorative methodological approach with qualitative data, since it best can encapsulate the essence of the complexity which constitutes the answers to the research questions. Each case study will be described in separate texts which make up multiple realities mentally constructed by ourselves. The analysis shows, both for Sveaskog and IKEA, that stakeholder partnerships generate a number of things. The partnerships generate constructive interaction where new and experienced ideas are born; obligations, processes and responsibilities for their stakeholder engagement; and environmental and social benefits in terms of FSC and other civil regulations and what environmental and social benefits the work leads to. But my description and analysis of the practice and the stakeholder analysis do not answer the general question of the thesis: Can stakeholder partnerships create sustainability? When going through the critical voices from the five dimensions of sustainability, the task of creating sustainability seems to be impossible. I have confronted the five dimensions with environmental and social responsibility practice in Sveaskog and IKEA, and found substantial efforts in each and every dimension of sustainability. This practical work seems hopeful, whether there is sustainability or not, a serious ambition and extensive goals sometimes makes a difference.

Der folgende Beitrag beschreibt die Situation der Fremdsprachenausbildung und -zertifizierung an den Instituts Universitaires de Technologie (IUT) in Frankreich. Die auf die Berufswirklichkeit ausgerichteten Ausbildungsziele und Kursinhalte unterscheiden sich von der externen Prüfung zur Zertifizierung. Die Prüfungsaufgaben einer Zertifizierungs-organisation für das Englische konzentrieren sich auf rezeptive Kenntnisse und Fertigkeiten, bieten aber den in den Fremdsprachenkursen ausgebildeten produktiven Fertigkeiten wenig Raum. Deshalb wird den IUT empfohlen, ein eigenes Zertifikat für die Sprachausbildung einzuführen, ein CLIUT (Certificat en langues pour les IUT). Das Zertifikat soll eine Fremdsprachenkompetenz bescheinigen, die auf die berufliche Verwendung der Fremdsprache ausgerichtet ist. Es wird jedoch vom Arbeitsmarkt nur dann anerkannt, wenn es mit einem transparenten Qualitätssicherungssystem verbunden wird und wenn es gelingt, die Niveaustufen nachprüfbar am Europäischen Referenzrahmen für Sprachen auszurichten. / La contribution ci-dessous essaie d’expliciter quelques pistes de réflexion présentées lors de la conférence plénière sur les certifications en langue du 34e congrès de l’APLIUT à Strasbourg. Il s’agira donc de s’attarder sur les considérations du Conseil d’administration de l’APLIUT (CA d’APLIUT : 2007). La 1ère partie présentera de manière succincte des exemples de mise en situation professionnelle des étudiants dans les cours de langues étrangères en IUT. L’application de cette méthode demande de développer des compétences plus complexes que celles développées dans un cours se limitant à des sujets du vécu quotidien. Il conviendra ensuite de se demander dans quelle mesure les effets souhaités de cette approche font l’objet des épreuves de certification recommandées par les Programmes Pédagogiques Nationaux (PPN) des DUT. En raison de l’incohérence entre les cours et les épreuves de certification, la question de la certification a l’air d’être sans issue. Du fait qu’à ce jour la recherche d’une certification validant l’enseignement dans les IUT n’a toujours pas abouti au résultat escompté, il faudrait peut-être envisager de créer une attestation propre destinée aux IUT. L’atteinte de cet objectif passe par l’aboutissement d’importants travaux préliminaires et également par la valorisation d’une certification grâce à un système d’assurance qualité, voir la 3e partie.

In contrast to the diversity of students, the implementation of federal policies has created a push for standardization in pedagogy and curriculum that serve culturally and linguistically diverse students. Effects include narrowing of curriculum and pedagogy, proliferation of prescriptive literacy programs, increased high-stakes testing, and negative effects on teachers’ identity, autonomy, and desire to teach. Simultaneously, teaching prospective teachers how to construct culturally relevant curriculum and pedagogy is emphasized as a vital part of teacher preparation. However, research shows that even when teachers leave programs with preparation for culturally relevant teaching, initial jobs and local contexts shape and constrain teachers’ ideologies, agency, goals, and practice connected to teaching diverse students. In response to research, this study was designed to investigate how novice Teach For America teachers with an espoused culturally relevant pedagogy ideology implement a scripted literacy program in urban classrooms. A multiple case study design guided data collection and analysis. Data collection included interviews, observations, observation debriefs, visual representations, documents, and teaching artifacts. The data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach and Grounded Theory techniques. These teachers were constrained and influenced by several institutional and contextual factors, yet were able to negotiate their educational beliefs with the requirements of their mandated scripted literacy program to enact tenets of culturally relevant teaching. The findings suggest teacher preparation programs need to have a conceptual framework embedded in coursework and field experiences that empowers beginning teachers to negotiate the sociopolitical constraints of their school context to meet the needs of students.