Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sustainable mission'

<p>This thesis presents a tentative definition of the concept of sustainopreneurship - in the most simplified form described as entrepreneurship and innovation for sustainability - “Business with a Cause”. The concept takes its departure from generic entrepreneurship theory development, its extensions and further contextualization into the domains of sustainability, primarily through recent research. A literature review provides core references related to the conceptualization of sustainability entrepreneurship. A claim is made that there is a need for further conceptual development, especially viewed in contrast to the empirical material and experience, when digesting the literature that deals with concepts preceding sustainopreneurship. These concepts are eco-preneurship and social entrepreneurship, as well as current descriptions of sustainability entrepreneurship, including some sources where the word sustainopreneurship in itself is introduced for the first time. The methodological approach used when conducting the literature review is an analytical stance. Additional analysis, integrating and extending the reviewed sources, leads us to a performative definition of sustainopreneurship. This tentative definition is presented as an imagined prospective wordbook entry in a “future history” format. One of the key distinctions in between entrepreneurship in general and sustainopreneurship, is that sustainopreneurship is mission- and cause oriented - business activity is used as a means to solve sustainability-related problems. In short, to turn business activity from being a part of the problem to be a part of the solution.</p><p>This world of ideas is set in contrast to the practical enaction of On a Mission Sweden – Inc. Ass, and the seven brands developed from this business platform – Club PuLS™, DJ Anders, SEEDS Sustainability Investment Fund, SEEDS Magazine, Ignition®, SLICE Services and Publishing™ and S*E*N*S*A. Three of these only reached conceptual stage for future potential launch. Four got established, and of these; one idle, two spun off in their own ventures, and one intended to spin off during 2007. Entrepreneurship as a concept to describe the nature of these ventures was experienced as insufficient, until 2003, when the concept of “sustainopreneurship” was found by serendipity. The conceptual dissatisfaction with “entrepreneurship-as-usual”, together with finding this new concept, made me instantly embrace this concept in the moment when stumbled upon. Another major driver for this work is a strong aspiration to take the abstract, general words and statements from world summits and conferences to the practical, hands on, down to earth, grass-root, local level with real world interaction to make possibilities of the problems related to the sustainability agenda. The ventures created from a time span of over seven years, forms a vast, deep, dense, intense and extremely rich “gross” empirical base from where the study collects its selective “net” material relevant for this study. The methodological approach to make sense and use of these serial and parallel self-initiated and self-experienced venturing processes is enactive research. The enactive research provides an opportunity to test the suggested formulation of sustainopreneurship – from the abstract idea to the concrete interaction. A special form of ethnography is used named self-ethnography. The ventures who have proven to perpetually evolve, develop and sustain are focused; On a Mission Sweden – Inc. Ass. and Ignition®. These ventures have provided the most significant change in both idea development, practice, and effect - both regards my inner world of insight breakthroughs and personal development, and the findings on a more abstract, conceptual, theoretical level. In order to highlight the three key dimensions of the concept, some key courses of events have been selected where they are considered to hold illustrative power: Firstly, the central events before the formalized venturing. Secondly, the milestones singled out during the venturing. Thirdly, some post-venture reflections around the process as such. The ethnographic style of the tales of the field is predominantly realist, with some degree impressionist.</p><p>The final chapter summarizes and presents an intermediary conclusion whether the concept has met the test and also discusses the meaning of the exercise as a whole. My own function is examined and evaluated briefly. The promise of the conceptual introduction is contrasted towards the approaches-as-usual regards the sustainability agenda that introduced the thesis, and some key points are delivered. Venturing in the name of sustainability allows agents to “act outside the box” related to the institutional framework that governs the structures that is set to solve the problems today, equipped with an upgraded mindset, operating with an agility made possible by the flexibility offered by creative business organizing. The quest to make (business) opportunities from the agenda set by sustainability, and organizing upon them in itself creates a sustaining meaning internally within the team to be able to ride through the storms – the same force traditionally driving NGO’s “not-for profit”, now coupled with a good business sense operating “for-profit”, with profit as a means, not as an end in itself - in a new in-between-land named “for prosperity”. When properly understood from knowledge increasing among other stakeholders than the sustainopreneurial teams and their closest supporters and early adopters, the welcoming of sustainopreneurial ventures are destined to increase. Proliferation and diffusion of sustainopreneurship in idea, applied interaction and reflective practice beyond this point can turn sustainability to be the main driver for business activity, internalizing the external sustainability demands as the primary purpose of the business creation and idea, forming its strategic intent, and integrated in its “organizational DNA”. Sustainopreneurship holds the power to give even more leverage to forces emerging from the business world that contributes to sustainability. Throughout the process, a question has been emerging to serve as a new opening for further interaction, where the claim is that sustainopreneurship delivers a good part of the answer;</p><p>How can we innovate and interact in order to reach a critical mass of people and energies to create a sustainable world?</p>

Microfinance offers one way to combat poverty by providing access to credit and financial services to low-income borrowers. We argue that the interconnectedness of the socioeconomic and ecological system as well as the reliance on ecosystem services make it important to provide microcredit from a full sustainability perspective. We used the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, a scientific based systematic and strategic approach, to create a principle-based model of a microfinance institution operating in a socioeconomic and ecologically sustainable manner. This model was then compared with the circumstances in which these institutions currently operate. We then explored how taking a full sustainability perspective could meet current challenges and maximise opportunities. After a prioritisation process, we made recommendations on how these organisations could strategically move towards sustainability.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Informal settlements in South Africa are home to a large proportion of the country’s population and many of these people live in atrocious conditions which infringe on their basic human rights. It is imperative that the problems synonymous with informal settlements be addressed. Kayamandi is situated on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, a town with abundant financial and human capital and resources. In relation to other informal settlements throughout South Africa, Kayamandi is relatively small. Thus, the progression towards sustainability and development would be deemed to be an easier prospect here than in many other urban areas in South Africa. Evidently, this has not been the case. This thesis identifies the shortcomings in the way that various proponents of development, such as the private and public sectors as well as non-profit organisations, approach development and sustainability in Kayamandi. The research was conducted through an extensive literature review, case study analysis and qualitative research methods. The aim was to: Identify what the main social, environmental and economic issues are in Kayamandi; To analyse policy, plans and programs and to assess whether these have been practically achieved in relation to the stipulated objectives, and; To assess some of the sustainable development initiatives and programs that have been implemented in Kayamandi with the aim of identifying why sustainable development has as yet not been achieved. An extensive literature review sheds light on the nature of poverty and informal settlements, while explaining concepts surrounding sustainable development, good governance and how sustainability as a paradigm holds the key to addressing issues synonymous with informal settlements. It also focuses on how sustainable development can unlock the potential of deprived and informal communities. Subsequent chapters give insight on what is prescribed in national policy, plans and programs; what the current situation in Kayamandi is with regards to environmental and socioeconomic issues, as well service delivery, housing and infrastructure delivery; and how the proponents of development have approached development in Kayamandi. From the research conducted it was found that: There is a lack of good governance; Policy implementation is poor; Developmental initiatives tend to be linear and reactive; There is a lack of innovation; There is poor communication between stakeholder and developmental proponents, which is further exacerbated by tedious bureaucratic procedures, and; There is no clear and comprehensive sustainability framework or plan in place. However, the research indicates that this can be resolved via several mechanisms and through the implementation of several strategies: By building and developing public and community leadership as well as recognising the importance of knowledge in fostering sustainable development; Improving communication and developing appropriate communication networks and feedback loops between stakeholders and proponents of development; Implementing unbiased, proactive and innovative initiatives which address the triple bottom line of sustainability and; By making use of suitable assessments and indicators alongside an appropriate, inclusive and holistic sustainability plan or framework.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Informele nedersettings in Suid-Afrika is die tuiste van 'n groot deel van die land se bevolking en ‘n groot hoveelheid van die mense woon in haglike omstandighede wat inbreek maak op hul basiese menseregte. Die toenemende probleme wat gepaard gaan met informele nedersettings moet aangespreek word. Kayamandi is geleë op die buitewyke van Stellenbosch, 'n dorp met 'n oorvloed van finansiële en menslike kapitaal. Kayamandi, in vergelyking met ander informele nedersettings in Suid-Afrika, is relatief klein. Dus, sou die vordering na volhoubaarheid en ontwikkeling makliker bereikbaar weesgeag word as in ander stedelike gebiede in Suid-Afrika. Klaarblyklik Duidelik is dit egter nie die geval nie. Hierdie proefskrif identifiseer die tekortkominge in hoe die verskillende voorstanders van ontwikkeling, soos die private en openbare sektore tesame met nie-winsgewende organisasies, ontwikkeling en volhoubaarheid in Kayamandi nader. Die navorsing is gehartig deur middel van 'n uitgebreide literatuuroorsig, gevallestudie-analise en kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes. Die doel was om: Te identifiseer wat die belangrikste sosiale, omgewings en ekonomiese kwessies in Kayamandi is; Beleide, planne en programme krities te ontleed in verhouding tot die vasgestelde doelwitte en of hulle in werklikeid bereik was, en; Om deur kritiese beoordeling van die volhoubare ontwikkelings inisiatiewe en programme wat in Kayamandi geïmplementeer is, vas te stel waarom volhoubare ontwikkeling as sulks nog nie bereik is nie. 'n Uitgebreide literatuuroorsig werp lig op die aard van armoede en informele nedersettings, en brei uit oor begrippe rondom volhoubare ontwikkeling, goeie regering en hoe volhoubaarheid as 'n paradigma die sleutel hou tot die aanspreek van kwessies wat sinoniem is met informele nedersettings en hoe dit potensieël opgelos kan word. Daaropvolgende hoofstukke gee insig oor wat in nasionale beleid, planne en programme voorgeskryf word; Wat die huidige situasie in Kayamandi is met betrekking tot die omgewing en die sosioekonomiese kwessies soos goeie dienslewering, behuising en die toestand van infrastruktuur versakaffing, en; Hoe die voorstanders van ontwikkeling tot dusver ontwikkeling genader het in Kayamandi. Daar is gevind dat: Daar 'n gebrek is aan goeie bestuur; Implementering van beleid is swak; Ontwikkelingsinisiatiewe is geneig om lineêr en reaktief te wees; Daar 'n gebrek is aan innovering; Daar swak kommunikasie is tussen belanghebbendes en ontwikkelings voorstanders, wat verder vererger word deur langduige burokratiese prosedures, en; Daar is geen duidelike volhoubaarheids-raamwerk of plan nie. Maar die navorsing dui ook daarop dat die kwessies opgelos kan word deur 'n aantal meganismes, asook die implementering van verskeie strategieë: Deur die opbou en ontwikkeling van openbare en gemeenskapsleiers sowel as die erkenning van die belangrikheid van kennis in die bevordering van volhoubare ontwikkeling; Die verbetering van kommunikasie en die ontwikkeling van toepaslike kommunikasie-netwerke en terugvoerlusse tussen belanghebbendes en voorstanders van ontwikkeling; Implementering van onbevooroordeelde, pro-aktiewe en innoverende inisiatiewe wat die driedubbele lyn van volhoubaarheid aanspreek, en; Deur gebruik te maak van geskikte evaluering en aanwysers saam met 'n gepaste, inklusiewe en holistiese volhoubaarheid plan of raamwerk.

Yes<br>A global response to Covid‐19 pandemic has triggered issues related to stress and social restrictions; thus, mental health is seen as a particular area of concern for social well‐being for both policymakers and corporate regulators/companies. Given that mental health intersects with most, if not all, of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), this research brought to light issues surrounding employment of people with mental disabilities (PWMDs) and the financial merits of employing them. An online survey was administered to PWMDs to elicit what possible flexible opportunities could enable them to gain or stay at work. Interviews were also conducted with human resource managers and financial managers. Our results show that there are currently no flexible working opportunities available for PWMDs, which could enable them work effectively to improve both self and general economic growth.

Aux problèmes de réformes curriculaires qui concernent tous les pays du monde, s'ajoutent des problèmes spéciaux dans les pays du tiers monde dont le Liban : Absence de démarches indépendantes de réformes curriculaires, faiblesse dans les recherches didactiques, problèmes économiques, politiques et sociétaux qui peuvent conduire à mettre de côté le souci pédagogique dans ces pays. Au Liban, des réformes curriculaires ont été proclamées, sans qu'aucune évaluation du curriculum ancien n'ait été, à la limite, effectuée et sans recherches approfondies, pour préparer la nouvelle réforme. Il s'agit, dans cette recherche, de comprendre, à travers l'étude de cas de l'enseignement de la photosynthèse, les missions éducatives de l'enseignement scientifique dans la filière générale et dans la filière technique agricole, au Liban. A partir des analyses du curriculum prescrit et produit, et sur la base d'entretiens conduits auprès des responsables des deux filières, enseignement général et enseignement technique agricole, il s'agit d'identifier la compatibilité entre les deux filières aux niveaux des finalités et des objectifs déclarés. Ceci devrait tirer au clair, les relations entre filières. Une enquête par questionnaire, réalisée auprès d'enseignants permettra de diagnostiquer la mise en œuvre de l'enseignement de la photosynthèse. Quelques éléments didactiques, pouvant aider à l'élaboration des curricula en termes de compétences, de pratiques sociales de références et d'évaluation, sont avancés, afin d'ouvrir des perspectives et dans le but d'améliorer l'enseignement scientifique en l'orientant vers le développement durable.

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was established by Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol to promote sustainable development in developing countries and, at the same time, assist developed countries to achieve their emission reduction commitments in a cost-effective way. The CDM appears to have been successful in its delivering its cost-effective objective but it is debatable if it has been as successful in promoting sustainable development in developing countries. Previous research studies have shown that overall, the CDM is not contributing a great deal to sustainable development. This is because, inter alia, there is no system in place for the effective implementation and supervision of the CDM’s sustainable development objective, either at the international or national levels. Proposed CDM projects are required to fulfil validation and registration (V & R) requirements as a prerequisite for their registration as CDM projects. The effective fulfilment, implementation and supervision of these should, presumably, contribute to the achievement of the CDM’s sustainable development objective in CDM host countries. This is because some of these requirements, such as stakeholder participation and environmental impact assessment are generally regarded in international law as key tools for promoting sustainable development. The overall aim of this thesis is to consider the broad question of why the CDM is failing to achieve its sustainable development objective. To answer this question, this thesis focuses specifically on the fulfilment, implementation, and supervision of the V & R requirements for CDM projects, and their role in helping the CDM achieve this objective. None of the previous research studies examined the suitability of the V & R requirements and the fulfilment, implementation and supervision of the V & R requirements, to address the broad question of why the CDM is failing to achieve its sustainable development objective. Therefore, this thesis seeks to fill this gap by answering two main questions: to what extent are the V & R requirements suitable for promoting sustainable development?; how are the V & R requirements for CDM projects fulfilled, supervised and implemented in practice, and has the practical application of the V & R requirements helped or hindered the promotion of sustainable development? To answer these two main questions, the thesis undertakes an assessment of the V & R requirements for CDM projects in order to determine if the requirements are well-suited to promote sustainable development in the CDM. To answer the second part of the main question, the research assesses selected registered and rejected projects. The projects were assessed in order to come to a conclusion on whether the V & R requirements for CDM projects are being fulfilled by project participants, and implemented and supervised by the CDM institutional bodies in a manner that can contribute to the sustainable development objective of the CDM. The findings from the research show that the V & R requirements for CDM projects, as they are currently framed in the rules governing the CDM, are not suitable to promote sustainable development in CDM host countries and do not assist the CDM achieve its sustainable development objective. The research also shows that the V & R requirements are not being effectively fulfilled, implemented and supervised in a way that enhances the ability of the CDM to meet its sustainable development objective. This thesis concluded that this is as a direct result of the lack of minimum standards and guidelines for the fulfilment of the requirements, which also impacts on the way in which the requirements can be implemented and supervised by the CDM’s institutional bodies. Therefore, this thesis argues that effective fulfilment, implementation and supervision of the V & R requirements will contribute to sustainable development in CDM host countries. However, in order to achieve this, minimum standards and guidelines are required to guide the effective fulfilment, implementation and supervision of the V & R requirements.

Since the time of colonialism the Colombian territory has experienced many problems, which brought a lot of instability in society throughout its history. Colombia has been bleeding all these years, but especially in the time known as “The Violence”. With the creation of the Guerrilla group FARC, of Paramilitary organisations, and Drug Cartels, the problems were intensified. Different attempts to find a solution have unfortunately failed, as is shown over a period of history. This paper argues that to deal with such conflicts there is need for an alternative concept for building sustainable peace. The model of John Paul Lederach, “Professor of International Peacebuilding at the University of Notre Dame“, is described as a possible solution that goes beyond what has been achieved by the peace efforts of President Andrés Pastrana. The Churches, both Catholic and Evangelical, have a role to play in building peace as part of a Transformational Mission effort.<br>Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology<br>M.Th. (Missiology)

Anglican dioceses established by The Church Mission Society and other Western founded Christian denominations in East Africa were envisaged to grow and become self-governing, self-propagating and self-supporting. The first two goals(to be self governing and self-propagating) have more or less been achieved. The third goal (the pursuit of self-support) is at a critical stage, especially considering that resources, in terms of funding and personnel, are in decline. This research sought to document the factors that contribute to, or hinder, the role that lay people (business people in particular) can play in sustaining the ministry and mission of Anglican dioceses. The research methods chosen for data collection consisted of interactive fieldwork. In this, formal and informal interviews were conducted. The interviewees were selected mainly from Anglican dioceses, with their input being corroborated by Methodists, Evangelical Lutheran and Presbyterian Church leaders from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Interviews were conducted, first, with church leaders who were in office at the time when John Gatu declared a moratorium on Western missionaries in 1974. Next came interviews with leaders of the 1990s and 2000s. For each leader, a corroborative project was documented. A limited quantitative questionnaire was administered for triangulation purposes.The data were analysed to identify the themes and patterns that emerged. This phase was followed by an extensive literature review. The research methodology utilised the Praxis Cycle, developed by Cochrane, De Gruchy and Peterson (1990) in their book, In Word and Deed,which has its roots in the “see, judge, act” method of the Belgian Cardinal, Joseph Cardijn,founder of the Young Christian Workers movement. The analysis allowed me to examine the interplay between business and mission, using the seven-point Praxis Cycle, modified by JNJ Kritzinger (2008:771) to assess the spirituality of BAM and its contribution to Christian mission. Other movements of the Praxis Cycle are practical projects, theological reflection, contextual analysis, ecclesial analysis, agency and reflexivity. The literature review was analysed in terms of four primary dimensions: Business as Business (profit maximisation), Mission as Business(profit from philanthropy),Mission as Mission(philanthropy from profits), and Business as Mission (profit for the common good). The fourth dimension was explored as an overarching vision for churches seeking to grow towards financial sustainability. Also considered was how such sustainability could be implemented in the East African context.<br>Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology<br>D. Th. (Missiology)

碩士<br>中原大學<br>企業管理研究所<br>105<br>Social enterprise of Taiwan has, in recent years, become the development trend of start-up, while the development with social enterprise of Taiwan has, after statistics, mostly rooted within agricultural domain as its main-stream. And the diversification off agricultural domain has rendered the mission push of agricultural social enterprises to confront lot more complicated yet widespread dilemma of social needs, making itself in challenge of the objective to achieve sustainable development. Thus, this study would, how to carry out breakthrough within dilemma, work to analyze and investigate: 1. innovation and design of business model with agricultural social enterprise; 2. how would innovation and design of business model have impacted the mission push of agricultural social enterprise; 3. how innovation and design of business model have impacted the sustainable development of agricultural social enterprise. This study has made use of in-depth interview and literature analysis, in combination of six respective factors as value proposition, business strategy, resource deployment, value network, revenue mechanism, and sustainable ability, to carry out three case studies on Rejoice Community, "I love Milk (Milk House)," and Mountain Lodge, and conduct investigation. Besides, it would, based on the categorized attributes of the case study according to the three different development models of agricultural social enterprise -- such as provision of agricultural service, platform of integrated sales, and experience of agricultural culture, to perform analysis of study results. For agricultural social enterprise to build up more effective business model, it would take mission as its core for push, which is a both difficult and complicated task. Besides, the power is most feeble if it is conducted through individual, and it must engross team-work cooperation before impact can be exerted. Besides, agricultural social enterprise can, aside from acting as a work platform, even be the cradle of incubation, and it further requires aspects as life, ritual, culture, and education, and other professional knowledge to perform resources integration in order to create sustainable development. The operation of agricultural social enterprise is considered as dynamic development, which will vary in according to changes of time, event, and human factors; it is why subsequent researchers can continue to follow and track down the scenarios of operation developments with regard to the three case studies done in this research.

Extreme poverty is the most devastating problem facing the human race, because it condemns nearly half of the world‘s population to hunger, disease and oppression-often with little or no hope for the future. The human beings made in the image of God are tragically prevented from realizing their God given potentials because of poverty. The reality of poverty can be overwhelming, but we must understand that this age old adversary can be defeated. According to the famous maxim ―If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man how to fish, he will eat for a lifetime‖. Therefore, the best way to fight poverty is to empower the people to shape their own future-to treat the causes of poverty and not just the symptoms (Stearns: 2010, 300) Key<br>Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology<br>D. Th. (Missiology)

Summary in German and English<br>Zusammenfassung Im schleichenden Rückgang gemeindlichen Lebens wird eine anhaltende Inkulturationskrise sichtbar. Der gegenwärtigen Kirche in ihrer milieuverengenden Präsenz gelingt es nicht, in die vielfältigen sozialen Räume der Bundesrepublik vorzudringen. Die vorliegende Arbeit ist ein Diskussionsbeitrag zur gemeinsamen Suche nach einer zukünftigen Sozialgestalt der Kirche in unserer postmodernen Umgebung. Ausgehend von der zentralen Bedeutung des Gottesdienstes als Mitte der Gemeinde, wird zunächst dargelegt, dass eine zukünftige Kirchenentwicklung nur vom Gottesdienst her geschehen kann. Dies gilt vornehmlich dann, wenn er als Aufbau von Gemeinde der Brüder und Schwestern positioniert wird und nicht als Programmm oder Veranstaltung. Der seit Anfang der 1990iger Jahre wahrnehmbare Zweitgottesdienstboom könnte ein missionarisch- strategischer Ansatzpunkt sein, um die soziologisch ausdifferenzierte Bevölkerung zu erreichen. Plurale Gottesdienstkonzepte als Gemeindepflanzungsansätze werden zu Drehund Angelpunkten einer zukünftigen, notwendigerweise multioptionalen, kulturrelevanten Sozialgestalt von Kirche. In einer Kirche mit vielfältigen Gottesdienstkonzepten wird auch die Frage nach der christlichen Einheit neu gestellt und als plurale Ausdrucksform diskutiert. Summary English The gradual deterioration of congregational life is unveiling an ongoing inculturation crisis. With its milieu constricting presence, the church is currently not able to enter into the multifaceted social environments in Germany. This paper represents a contribution to the discussion concerning our joint search of the church's future social form in our post-modern society. Departing from the major significance of the church service as the centre of the congregation, it is argued that future development of the church can only take place from within the church service. This is especially true if it is intended as congregational development by the brothers and sisters, and not as programme or event. The boom of second church services we have been observing since the beginning of the 1990s could become a missionary-strategic starting point in order to reach a sociologically diversified population. Plural church service concepts as a basic approach to church planting become the linchpin of a future, necessarily multioptional and culturally relevant social form of church. In a church with manifold church service concepts, the question of Christian unity is being asked anew and discussed as a plural form of expression.<br>Christian Spirituality Church History and Missiology<br>M. Th. (Missiology)

ABSTRACT IMPLEMENTING A GENERALLY ACCESSIBLE AND SUSTAINABLE TRAINING MODEL AMONG INDIGENOUS PASTORS IN MEXICO’S OAXACA STATE Anthony Lynn Steele, D.Miss. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016 Chair: Dr. M. David Sills Oaxaca is perhaps the most diverse state in the nation of Mexico in terms of ethnicity with 16 ethnolinguistic groups and 173 distinct dialects of indigenous languages. The terrain of Oaxaca is rugged and makes travel a challenge in many parts of the state. Oaxaca has communities that are within sight of one another yet are hours of driving time between. These factors and others make it a difficult task for missionaries to provide training for pastors and leaders in remote communities. This dissertation seeks to explore manners to provide theological training to these leaders in the face of such challenges. Through a survey of the history of Oaxaca, methods of pastor training, both theoretical and those that have been attempted in the state, this research seeks to evaluate the approaches to training that fit within the context of Oaxaca and make recommendations for missionary practices in the region going forward. Chapter 1 introduces the context of Oaxaca state and the aims of the research project. The challenges of doing pastor training and making disciples in this region of the world are presented. Steele spells out the methodology of the research and his plan for evaluating the results. Chapter 2 discusses the history of Mexico in general and Oaxaca in particular. Through a survey of history from the times of pre-conquest Mexico to present-day developments among evangelicals in Mexico, this history provides a background for the challenges and needs for pastor training in Oaxaca. Chapter 3 provides a discussion of the relationship between pastor training and discipleship from a biblical and practical standpoint. The goals of pastor training and their relationship to the biblical models of making disciples are surveyed and evaluated. Chapter 4 presents the results of a recent training project in which a survey of the New Testament was taught. Using an instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of the course, results of the training are evaluated. The chapter also presents the results of a number of interviews with missionaries in Oaxaca who currently do pastor training in the region. Chapter 5 provides a summary of the findings. It also presents conclusions and recommendations for those doing pastor training in Oaxaca.

Companies are increasingly pressed to consider sustainability aspects when making decisions during product development. However, the methodological support for doing so is immature. The immaturity is particularly pronounced regarding the social dimension (or pillar) of sustainability and regarding strategic sustainability considerations. The overall aim of this thesis was to explore how the social dimension of sustainability and a strategic sustainability perspective could be better included in methodological support for product development. This was pursued in two ways.   Firstly, a two-staged review of the literature was conducted. Stage one focused on summarizing the state of the art of integration of social sustainability aspects in product development and stage two focused on critically analyzing and evaluating these efforts. The Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development was used to guide the analysis of the current integration efforts and the evaluation of their potential for supporting sustainable product development and strategic sustainable development in general. Secondly, a recently published principled definition of social sustainability was used to enhance two approaches for including sustainability considerations in product development. One of these approaches is focused on decision-making support at concept selection, based on assessment and comparison of sustainability implications of the considered product concepts. The other approach is focused on developing sustainability criteria and a related sustainability compliance index in support of concept development.   In the literature review, social life cycle assessment methods (Social LCA) were found to represent a large part of the current efforts, and several challenges with those methods were identified. From a decision support perspective, they were found to have weaknesses regarding applicability and robustness: results from the assessment, usually performed by scientists to evaluate a scientific question, may be too complex to interpret from a business standpoint; the impact perspective may be too narrow, missing important aspects of social sustainability; and generally they lack a strategic perspective. The use of a strategic sustainable development perspective in the approaches prototyped in this thesis is a way of tackling these challenges. The use of backcasting from visions framed by sustainability principles can: help organize and make sense of the general field of sustainability, highlighting where overlaps between objectives exist; provide the long term perspective needed for sustainability; allow for product developers to gain awareness of potential impacts of a product’s life cycle phases within existing knowledge, time and resource constraints; help build a roadmap in order to reduce a product’s contribution to unsustainability (including social unsustainability).   Future research will focus on further testing and development of the suggested approaches and specifically on further development of tactical design guidelines that provide support for the fulfilment of long-term sustainability criteria and clarify the connection between decisions taken during product development and a product’s sustainability profile.

On a global scale, the complex interrelationships between cultural identity and heritage have for long been a topic of interest to many urban scholars. Tracing back ‘the modern concept of heritage’, which certainly emerged from a European context, one could track the expansion of its notions within an over three-century time span. There has been more recently a growing trend toward alternative perceptions of cultural heritage with a fresh interest in the nonmaterial aspects of the matter. Such shift in the general view started to partly turn the focus away from the material past, and with that triggered off some debates around what matters more. This is while, very often, newer definitions of heritage are either undertheorized or less dived into by academics and largely neglected by practitioners. That is partly why heritage studies have newly found itself at a turning point where many critical arguments thus arisen. This research, therefore, touches upon the challenges that reconceptualization of cultural heritage entails in terms of urban management. On the theoretical level, inspired by the concept of intangible cultural heritage, this research works on ‘meanings’ of urban heritage while looking into historical neighborhoods of the case of Tehran. By exploring the relationships between people and place, the research offers a deeper insight on some of the overlooked qualities that actually make up the character or essence of those urban areas. They could be best described as qualities with some sort of nonmaterial nature or nontangible connotation, no matter whether they stem from tangible things or intangible things. The primary aim is to build up to a more flexible and less predetermined view on what should and what should not be considered as worthwhile when it comes to heritages of urban areas for their people and communities. On the empirical level, in reference to the typically differing motives for heritage conservation and urban development, this research brings attention to the major changes which resulted from intervention practices in the case of Tehran’s historical center. While observing Iran’s contemporary political economy, the research argues why and how dynamics of city planning in Tehran rather knowingly overlooked historical neighborhoods until very recently, if not still. So, the idea is to, from one angle, find out the mindset behind some of the actual practices carried out by relevant administration and operation agencies which have been planned and designed by professionals; and, from the other angle, indicate why the locals’ viewpoints on the places they hold dear or even not are increasingly part of urban heritage studies. In addition to on field empirical study and desk research on secondary data resources, this research makes use of semi structured interviews conducted with a number of experts and national/local authorities involved in Iran/Tehran’s heritage management as well as informal conversations with individuals and groups of ordinary people.

German text<br>Vor dem Hintergrund gegenwärtiger Reformprozesse, sowohl in der Evangelischen Landeskirche Württembergs, als auch in der Evangelischen Kirche Deutschlands, reflektiert und kommentiert die vorliegende Arbeit das Reformbemühen der letzten Jahre und stellt es in den Kontext empirischer Forschung. So versucht die Studie explorativ pragmatisch Zugangswege zu den bisher nicht erreichten Menschen zu eruieren, die bei der Entwicklung einer zukünftigen Sozialgestalt von Kirche mitbedacht werden könnten. Mittels eines mehrstufigen Zufallsauswahlverfahrens wurden die Befragungspersonen ermittelt und 628 standardisierte Interviews durchgeführt. Dabei stehen zunächst die religiösen Einstellungen zur christlich-abendländischen Kultur- und Werteorientierung, zur kirchlichen Arbeit als solche und zum christlichen Glauben im Forschungsinteresse, dann die Erfahrungen mit Gottesdienst, Kirche und Leben, Erwartungen, Bedürfnisse und Interessenlagen und schließlich der Stellenwert von Gebet und Bibel als Bausteine christlich-spiritueller Lebenspraxis. Ausgehend vom Gottesdienst, als Zentralort gemeindlichen Lebens, will die Forschung die Chancen gottesdienstkultureller Ausdifferenzierung ergründen und nimmt unter anderem alternative Gottesdienstformen in den Blick. Ehrenamtlicher Mitarbeit in der Kirche, gemeindlicher Kleingruppenarbeit und religiöse Erwachsenenbildungsangebote sind von potenzieller Bedeutung und wollen ebenso als Zugangswege kirchlicher Zukunftsentwicklung bedacht sein, wie der Stellenwert gemeindlicher Seelsorge- und Lebensberatung in Umbruchsituationen, oder die Einrichtung einer landeskirchlichen Gemeindegründungsbewegung in bisher unerreichten soziokulturellen Umgebungen. Die vielfältigen Erkenntnisse und potenziellen Möglichkeiten zukünftiger Kirche sind nicht zu trennen von einer missionstheologischen und ekklesiologischen Positionierung, die in der Herausbildung von kulturrelevanter, multioptionaler Gemeinde, als Gemeinschaft von Brüdern und Schwestern, das Zentralgeschehen nachhaltiger Gemeinde- und Kirchenentwicklung erkennt. Damit ist die Studie als Diskussionsbeitrag in den Entscheidungsprozessen aktueller Reformdebatte platziert.<br>Against the background of current reform processes in the Evangelische Landeskirche von Würrtemberg (protestant national church of Baden-Württemberg as) well as the Evangelische Kirche von Deutschland (protestant national church of Germany), this paper reflects and comments on the reformation efforts of the past years and places them into the context of empirical research. The aim of this survey is to investigate in an explorative manner various forms of pragmatic access to people hitherto unreached, who could be factored into the church's future social form. The participants were selected using a multilevel random selection process and 628 standardised interviews were subsequently carried out. To begin with, this research focuses on the interviewee's religious stance on christian-occidental culture and values,on the work of the church in general and on christian faith, then on their personal experience with services, church and life, their expectations, needs and interests, and lastly the significance of prayer and the bible as integral parts of a spiritual Christian life. Based on the service as the centre of a congregation's community life, this survey wants to fathom the chances of service differentiation and takes a look at alternative forms of service among other things. Volunteer work in the church, work in small groups as well as religious education programmes for adults are of potential importance and need to be taken into consideration as possible access paths to the future development of the church as well as the value of pastoral care and life coaching in situations of radical change or the start-up of a national movement to establish new congregations in hitherto unreached sociocultural environments. The manifold findings and potential possibilities of our church in the future cannot be separated from our position with regard to missiology and ecclesiology, which identifies the central development of congregation and church as the formation of culturally relevant, multioptional congregations, as the community of brothers and sisters. This survey thus contributes to the current discussion of reform and the associated decision-making process.<br>Christian Spirituality, Church History & Missiology<br>D. Th. (Missiology)

Inter-ethnic and intra-ethnic violent conflict created a divide in Cyprus (1950-1974) that still exists to this day. This study explores specifically an effect of violent conflict – Missing Persons – and the ‘process of exhumations,’ which is defined as; the recovery of Missing Persons, identification, and reunification of the Missing with loved ones as a key component of peacebuilding via inter-ethnic reconciliation and restorative justice. This process is important for peacebuilding because it empowers individuals, communities, and nation-states to satisfy basic human psycho-social needs in order to deal with the trauma of past violence, to recognize loss, and to seek closure of uncertainty to prevent the transgenerational transmission of trauma and escalation of violence between and within ethnic societies. By interviewing eight experts on the Cypriot conflict about what the ‘process of exhumations’ does in Cyprus, revealed the challenges and successes that may arise during and after the process for sustainable peace.<br>February 2016