Numerous attempts have been undertaken to deliver a common understanding of the concept of sustainability. Most of these attempts however, have remained contested and ineffective. Weak conceptualisation has also affected the process of operationalisation of sustainability. This thesis addresses the above issues by firstly, interpreting sustainability and its underlying principles from a perspective that draws together social, economic, environmental, cultural, and institutional conditions and cross-linkages. Secondly, and more importantly, the research focuses on ‘how’ to operationalise sustainability across different regions. In doing so, the research acknowledges the significance of planning pathways in the process of achieving sustainability. The research has been conducted using two case studies that critically examine the effectiveness of contemporary sustainability planning processes in Kerala (India) and Sweden. A total of 42 in-depth interviews, three focus group discussions and several participant observations have contributed to primary data collection for the two case studies. The research has developed a set of ‘substantive’ and ‘process’ criteria based on which planning efficacy in Kerala and Sweden has been evaluated. By focusing on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ rather than the ‘what’ aspects of the sustainability problematique, the research findings contribute new knowledge that reduces the chasm between theory and practice with regard to operationalising holistic sustainability. The research also demonstrates that despite significant differences between social, economic and environmental settings, planning for sustainability in both Kerala and Sweden largely exhibits similar behavioural patterns. For instance, both regions suggest the importance of public participation and community engagement in achieving sustainability while planning process in both cases suffer from lack of integration between different components, issues and discourses and weak mechanisms of plan evaluation and feedback generation. The research thus argues that the division of the world into the developing South and the developed North does not affect the process of operationalising sustainability in any significant way. Finally, the thesis highlights implications of sustainability planning on policymaking and identifies priorities for governance that better reflect the complexity underlying sustainability operationalisation. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1342316 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, 2008

The social dimension of sustainability has been underdefined and under researched when compared to the fields of economic and environmental sustainability. The paper explores the difficulty in understating the concept of social sustainability and the difficulty in operationalising the concept, items discussed in interviews. Through a qualitative content analysis, the paper highlights how the concept of social sustainability is positioned within the sustainability discourse and in a conflictual relationship with the economic and environmental sustainability. The concept of social sustainability is explored in the understanding of both a traditional and a new set of values, the latter being a weak instrument in operationalising compared to the former. The role of governance in navigating the interpretation of social sustainability is explored, with particular focus on policies as the result of decision-making process in governance. Partnerships structures are emphasised as an answer to incorporating social sustainability components of equity, empowerment, representation, and inclusion in policymaking. Urban regeneration is explored as an opportunity to change at local level, and EU policies are presented to highlight the discourse of urban regeneration to be more inclusive of social sustainability themes. Lastly, the case study of Leipzig East suggests the local authorities’ means to create a more socially sustainable governance structure during urban regeneration programmes. The case study shows strong local leadership and attention to power sharing during partnership schemes which involve public, private, and civic actors alike. The paper shows how Leipzig’s partnerships for urban regeneration fostered the creation of a more inclusive, democratic environment for both governance and residents alike.

This study investigated the role of two cardinal external control agencies, the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) and the Inspectorate of Government (IG) in the enhancement of accountability in Uganda’s local government (LG). In Uganda, local governments’ accountability failures are relentlessly blamed on the weak internal systems of control, despite the existence of external controls. This study departs from the premise that, the institutional predicaments of LGs do not only represent poor internal systems, but also signify deficits in the external control mechanisms. The evaluation of external control agencies was based on four main fronts: their institutional capacity to enhance accountability; how they have promoted the operationalisation of legislation and regulatory framework pertaining to accountability; how they have enhanced LG systems and processes towards accountability; and, how far they have helped to strengthen the potential of civil society in fostering accountability in LGs. A largely qualitative research approach was employed, but with some elements quantitative data. Interviews, documents review and direct observation were used as instruments of data collection. The study established that the IG and the OAG exhibit mixed fortunes of institutional capacity, punctuated by financial and human resources limitations; deficiencies in the enabling legislation; and poor support from various stakeholders. The study revealed a stupendous effort by the IG and the OAG in operationalising legislation, but they perform dismally in enhancing local government systems and processes; and in strengthening civil society capacity towards accountability. There is lack of a harmonised policy and coordinated mechanisms to support supervision, mentoring and inspection of LGs by the external control framework. The thesis argues that, reforming local government requires changes in the approach of individual and organisational culture. The mere crackdown and reprimands meted out on those that abuse public trust do not necessarily improve accountability. Thus, commitment should be put on identifying the organisational-structural deficiencies and possible system reforms, rather than mere inspections and monitoring exercises that encourage mediocrity. Hence, those who inspect, audit and review local governments should be able to recognise the inherent system challenges, but also appreciate the constraints under which the public servants operate, or where they have little or no control. In the end, improved performance and accountability depend on the extent to which people appreciate them as legitimate goals, both within the administration and within the external control agency system. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA) / unrestricted

This paper seeks to tackle the current confusion about the constituent dimensions of IT Governance (ITG) and inconsistent operationalisation approaches inhibiting advances in research and organisational ITG practice. Through a structured literature review of ranked high-quality publications augmented by a meta-case study with five underlying projects, we find nine distinct dimensions of ITG. The input-oriented dimensions Compliance Management, IT Investment Management and ITG Improvement have received little attention in earlier conceptualisations, while the more output-oriented dimensions Business/IT Alignment and Business Value Delivery have featured more often in related studies. Scope and application of ITG may depend on the organisational context and the intentional use, such as regulatory or strategic. Depending on the context, more research seems to be warranted to develop context-dependent measurement constructs of ITG that can be compared over studies. (author's abstract)