scholarly journals Sustainability and Stakeholder Awareness: A Case Study of a Scottish University

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4186
Author(s):  
Abdulhakeem Raji ◽  
Abeer Hassan

This paper adopted a case study approach to investigate the sustainability practices of a Scottish university in order to understand if sustainability forms part of its central policy agenda. As such, the paper focuses on the levels of awareness and disclosure of their sustainable practices, measuring the impacts and effectiveness of those initiatives. This paper introduces signaling theory to explore the idea that appropriate communication via integrated thinking can close the gap between the organization and its stakeholders. We believe that the provision of this relevant information will lead to better communication between the organization and its stakeholders, supporting a signaling theory interpretation. Therefore, we are suggesting that integrated thinking is an internal process that organizations can follow to increase the level of disclosure as a communication tool with stakeholders. From the literature reviewed, four themes were identified (definition of university sustainability, sustainability awareness, disclosure framework within universities, and level of accountability). The research adopted a pragmatic view and conducted individual interviews with participants belonging to three stakeholder groups (members of the university’s senior management, the governing council, and the student union executive). Although this study focused on just one Scottish university, it should still provide some insight for the better understanding of the underpinning issues surrounding the sustainability accountability practices of Scottish universities in general. The research findings indicated that the university prioritized only two sustainability dimensions—economic and environmental—and that the university still perceived sustainability as a voluntary exercise. Additionally, it is evident that the university had no framework in place for measuring its sustainability delivery—and therefore had no established medium of communicating these activities to its stakeholders. Moreover, research findings showed that the social and educational context of sustainability was lacking at the university. The university has done little or nothing to educate its stakeholders on sustainability.

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-312
Author(s):  
Michal Zemla

Purpose – Destination branding is one of the most popular topics among tourism destinations researchers and practitioners however recent research revealed that it doesn’t have a clear concept. The purpose of presented paper is to enhance the destination branding theory by introducing some new elements taken from other popular concepts used in destination management into destination branding theory. The concept of destination brand licensing was undertaken as a response to several critical arguments raised against the existing idea of destination branding. However the concept is not completed and practical examples presented so far need scientific background to prepare some guidelines on successful procedure for implementing destination brand licensing. The aim of the paper is pointing out some crucial elements which are conditions for effective implementing of destination brand licensing. Design – Five main areas were discussed, namely: the proper definition of the product, the brand name, the nature of cooperation and network, financial stability and the scope and the nature of promotional actions. The structure of the paper follows this division. After introduction and presentation of destination branding and destination brand licensing concepts further chapter are devoted the five presented problem areas. At the end, there is a chapter in which effectiveness of destination brand licensing procedure is discussed. Approach and methodology – The paper is theoretical with limited use of case study approach. Within the frame of those five areas several dilemmas and potential problems were presented on the basis of several practical implementation examples of destination brand licensing ideas from different European countries. Research findings and originality – Apart from the five problem areas, three overall effectiveness indicators were proposed. These are: increased volume of tourism movement, improvement in destination image and enhancement of local stakeholders for better cooperation. However both, problem areas and indicators should be perceived as initial proposal and further discussion is expected.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8574
Author(s):  
Rebecca Weicht ◽  
Svanborg R. Jónsdóttir

Entrepreneurial education offers valuable opportunities for teachers to foster and enhance creativity and action competence, which are also important for sustainability education. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is a leader in the development of entrepreneurial education in teacher education both in Wales and internationally. The objective of this article is to shed light on how an entrepreneurial education approach can help foster social change. The aim of this study is to learn from teacher educators at UWTSD about how they support creativity, innovation, and an enterprising mindset in their learners. A case study approach is applied. By analysing documentary evidence such as module and assignment handbooks, we explore how teacher educators at UWTSD deliver entrepreneurial education for social change. Our findings indicate that UWTSD’s development of entrepreneurial education in teacher training has enabled constructive learning, cultivating creativity and action competence. We provide examples that display how the intentions of the Curriculum for Wales and entrepreneurial education approaches of the UWTSD emerge in practice. These examples show outcomes of the entrepreneurial projects that evince the enactment of social change. The findings also show that the educational policy of Wales supports entrepreneurial education throughout all levels of the educational system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
Ana Jurić ◽  
Aleksandra Zupanc ◽  
Tjaša Štrukelj

AbstractThe central aim of the article is company governance, i.e., researching governance of a company that does not want to be only financially successful but also direct its governance toward socially responsible governance. The article begins with the definition of “theoretical backgrounds,” in which social responsibility in regard to company governance improvement in quality is explained. The article then focuses on the measurement of the quality of company governance; in the research, the selected tool chosen to evaluate the governance of the chosen company regarding social responsibility, i.e., SEECGAN index, is used. Further, the case study of a Slovenian public limited liability company is used. One of the important research findings is the recognition that the addressed part of the SEECGAN index needs to be innovated and further developed. Additional questions for the completion of the index used presents the added value of the article. This article has two limitations: 1) it focuses only on the tool chosen to evaluate the governance of the chosen company regarding social responsibility; 2) the case study is based on publicly accessible data.


Phronimon ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 44-58
Author(s):  
Johannes H Prinsloo

Socrates pronounced that “An unexamined life is not worth living” and maintained the belief that the purpose of human life was personal and spiritual growth. This article explores, against this background, the motives and experiences of 12 student volunteers who assisted with the assessment of sentenced offenders in custodial settings in South Africa, as part of the “third mission” of the Department of Criminology and Security Science at the University of South Africa (Unisa). A case study approach was followed to explore the underlying social context and thereby gain an understanding of the students’ experience in terms of their exposure to the correctional milieu. The article relates the student volunteers’ experiences regarding their expectations and motives at the outset, their personal experiences and the benefits that involvement in this project holds for them.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Aldi Jakaria ◽  
Ade Andri Hendriadi ◽  
Nina Sulistiyowati

Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang does not yet have a system and criteria for assessing the performance of non-P3K employees. Currently the staffing office at the University of Singaperbangsa Karawang does not yet have a way to determine how an employee is entitled to a Performance Allowance. Based on these facts, a website-based employee performance allowance information system will be created with a case study of the staff of the singaperbangsa karawang university. The system to be built includes the definition of criteria, data processing to become the best employee recommendation / promotion and determination of Employee Performance Allowances. The methodology used is software engineering and uses the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) method with the waterfall model because it is in accordance with the research that will be carried out with a relatively short stage of system usage. The calculation process is done by using the method of fuzzy multiple attribute decision making with weighted product because this method determines the weight value for each attribute, then proceed with a ranking process that will select the best alternative from a number of alternatives. The system created can provide information about the amount of employee performance benefits and recommendations for promotion for employees. After evaluating the user, this system gets a response that is easy to understand and easy to understand on each menu on the system. Looking at the benefits of this system is useful when it will provide performance allowances to employees and at the time will determine the employees who are reconditioned for promotions. The design of employee recommendation decision support systems using fuzzy multiple attribute decision making is done by completing the weighted product to produce alternatives after verification with the existing data getting 60% accuracy.


Author(s):  
Melissa L. Johnson ◽  
Laura Pasquini ◽  
Michelle R. Rodems

This case study, an honors first year seminar from the University of Florida, USA, demonstrates the benefits and challenges of these developments in education. The case expands the definition of formal, informal, and online learning communities in the context of a first year seminar.


Author(s):  
Wayne Pease ◽  
Lauretta Wright ◽  
Malcolm Cooper

In regional Australia there is a growing interest and investment in community capacity building and this is beginning to be formalised in a desire to integrate information communications technology opportunities with other forms of community development. This paper explores the opportunity for greater social integration based on the formation of community-based information communication technology (ICT) driven organizations, using a case study approach.  It is suggested that whether disseminating information, collaborating with other communities, assisting the development of new industries, or simply by sharing the lessons learned along the way, community-based IT can assist and support a community’s economic and social development.  Further, the paper supports the view that, where understanding and developing new forms of information technology through community informatics is accepted as an integral part of such development, communities will not just ‘improve the old’ but will more radically restructure themselves towards a knowledge-based future. The case study that underpins these observations is that of the development of Bay Connect, a community-based Internet development and training project, begun in Hervey Bay with Networking the Nation support, and which is now expanding into the adjacent Maryborough and surrounding Shires. It is also supported by the University of Southern Queensland’s Wide Bay and has an emergent role in supporting new and existing IT businesses, Bay Connect and the Hervey Bay City Council, in the creation and nurturing of an IT skills base within the region.


2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Yusuf Arayici ◽  
Zafer Ozturk

Regeneration is deemed as the enabler for societies and nations to transform them from industrial age to knowledge. In this regard, knowledge intensive regeneration is one of the latest models, called as New Century Cities (NCC) to make progress and ultimately achieve the transformation towards knowledge societies, which have the features and characteristics of sustainable communities. However, meeting the key features or characteristics of sustainable communities can be challenging due to its complex and interrelated features such as socio-economic requirement, environmental and physical requirements, which are all correlated to each other. This paper aims to discuss the knowledge intensive regeneration model in relation to the sustainable communities in order to highlight the level of match and conformance between them in order to justify the suitability of knowledge intensive regeneration for the sustainable communities' vision. Research methodology adopted in the paper is the case study approach, which is the Mediacity project, and used literature review, observation and interviews for data collection, while concept mapping was utilised for data analysis. Research findings reflect that the level of conformance is relatively high, social aspects is still weakly addressed in comparison to other dimensions. Therefore, paper proposes the stronger attention and strategic planning at the visioning and masterplanning stages of such projects in order to address this most challenging dimension of regeneration projects.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Kamimura-Jimenez ◽  
John Gonzalez

This study explored the career outcomes for Latinx doctoral students and the contextual factors of their educational experience influencing these outcomes. A case-study approach is taken to examine the cases of doctoral students at the University of Michigan. These students were tracked each year, for 10 years post-graduation. Furthermore, an analysis of programmatic efforts to develop doctoral students and prepare them for the marketplace is also described as institutional structures that support career success.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 452-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Susan Hayles

Purpose This paper aims to explore the outputs of an internship programme, one of a number of campus-based sustainability activities that have been introduced at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, to encourage student-led campus-based greening initiatives. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was undertaken, allowing the researcher to investigate the programme in its real-life context. The researcher used multiple sources of evidence to gain as holistic a picture as possible. Findings Interns report positive changes in their behaviours towards sustainability, s well as encouraging feedback on their experiential learning, the development of their soft skills and the creation of new knowledge. Moreover, students communicated perceived benefits for their future careers. The reported outcomes reflect mutually beneficial relationships for student and institution, for example, raising the profile of campus greening activities and supporting the University’s aim to embed sustainability throughout its campus, community and culture. Research limitations/implications The researcher recognises the limitations of the research, in particular, the small sample size, which has resulted primarily in qualitative results being presented. Practical implications Feedback from previous interns will be used to shape future internships. In particular, Institute of Sustainable Practice, Innovation and Resource Effectiveness (INSPIRE) will look for opportunities to work more closely with University operations, departments, faculties and alongside University staff, both academic and support staff. Social implications Following student feedback, INSPIRE will give students opportunities for wider involvement, including an opportunity to propose their own projects to shape future internships that meet the needs of student body on campus. Originality/value Despite being one case study from one institution, the research highlights the value of such programmes for other institutions.


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