Millions of workers worldwide still earn less than a living wage (LW), while many corporate promises to close this gap remain empty. Impact investors emerge as potential agents of change, but often lack enforceable influence.

Once the capital has been disbursed, however, companies can rationally delay wage increases due to information asymmetry. Dialogue alone rarely changes this balance, leaving investors with good intentions but limited power.

The thesis analyses European impact investors in a lower-middle-income country. Based on 13 semi-structured interviews, document research and a game-theoretical principal-agent model, it follows the negotiations from the negotiation to implementation. Three engagement channels – informal dialogue, contractual mechanisms and coalitions – are identified and ranked based on perceived legitimacy, power and urgency. Two tested instruments change the incentives: (1) impact-linked loans that reduce interest rates once LW benchmarks are met, and (2) strict compliance clauses that consider non-payment a breach of contract.

When either financial instrument is integrated, adopting a living wage becomes the company's dominant strategy. The effectiveness of this approach depends on three key conditions: first, a transparent LW benchmark must be agreed upon before signing; second, wage increases should be phased in through time-bound milestones to ease cash flow pressure; and third, engagement must follow a legitimacy-power-urgency sequence—beginning with evidence-based conviction, reinforced by enforceable conditions, and concluded with a clear deadline.

By combining qualitative insights with formal modelling, the study shows how social objectives can be embedded in the financial architecture. It distils a three-step checklist – align definitions, price incentives, enforce milestones – for practitioners, and illustrates how policy instruments such as EU due diligence rules can normalise LW disclosure.

In this thesis, Cross-Border Collaboration (CBC) is the central topic. It was defined as the collaboration between international branches of the same company. The main question of this thesis is: What are the different perspectives on CBC and on how CBC effectively can be implemented and increased within an organization? The research focused on how such collaborations between different teams or divisions can be set up more frequently by identifying and addressing the barriers that are currently experienced. This was examined through a case study in company X. company X is a company that is located in various Northwest European countries and is finding a way to engage in Cross-Border (CB) collaborations more often. In the literature review, it became clear that a lot is written about collaborations between different companies and within teams or departments of the same company. What was missing in the literature is a comprehensive description of how to establish collaborations between international branches of the same company. There is a lack of literature on how these collaborations can be done more frequently within a company not yet focused on CBC and especially with a decentralized character. To fill this gap in the literature, a case study within company X has been conducted...

The capacity map of NetbeheerNL highlights widespread grid congestion in the Netherlands, with nearly all regions lacking available electricity transport capacity for new connections. This imbalance between supply and demand prevents companies—and soon households in Gelderland—from accessing the grid. At the same time, the energy transition is shifting the system from a centralized model to a hybrid one, incorporating decentralized technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and battery storage. This shift increases the need for space and places greater demands on the energy infrastructure. These developments underscore the need to integrate energy and spatial planning. However, the two domains currently operate independently. Energy infrastructure is typically installed after spatial developments, often resulting in delays due to unavailable grid capacity. The integration is further complicated by a fragmented stakeholder landscape with diverse interests, distributed responsibilities, and communication barriers. Improving collaboration is essential for effective integration. This research explores stakeholder perspectives on how to better align energy and spatial planning in the province of Gelderland. The central research question is: What are the perspectives on how to improve the integration of spatial planning and energy in Gelderland, the Netherlands? To define these perspectives, Q-methodology was used, in combination with literature review, desk research, and interviews. 

The first perspective (“Directive Design”) advocates for a proactive, top-down governance approach in which higher governmental bodies. It emphasizes the importance of governance process and structure, and transparency in sharing information. The second perspective (“Relational Pragmatism”) underscores the importance of informal collaboration between key actors—such as grid operators and spatial planners—in achieving effective integration. In addition, a balance between short-term and long-term goals is essential. The third perspective (“Adaptive Alignment”) advocates for a long-term, goal-oriented approach with a focus on stakeholder involvement—such as relevant stakeholders related to the specific issue. Effective communication, understanding, and trust is essential. In this perspective, the province and the grid operator are considered more influential. 

The results of the research also determined some areas for further research. These recommendations consider expanding the scope of the research, analyzing a more in-depth cross-sector analysis including the interdependencies, and focusing more in-depth on what energy integrated into spatial planning may look like. Beyond the defined perspectives, the research confirms that the integration of energy in spatial planning is not solely a technical or procedural challenge, but a political issue, making the integration largely dictated by political considerations. Therefore, further research regarding political decision-making in energy and spatial planning would be interesting. Furthermore, further research may be interesting to determine the roles of key stakeholders without formal authorities, such as grid operators and RES regions, in a political issue. Finally, further research is interesting regarding the influence of professional background on the view of stakeholders. 

Ensuring accessibility to large-scale housing sites in the Netherlands is crucial due to the housing crisis, limited space and financial constraints. Poor transport- and spatial planning decisions can lead to congestion and restricted access, issues often overlooked in fragmented policy-making. To address this, policy integration is needed. However, integration between transport and spatial planning remains unimplemented, creating a gap. In a qualitative way, this research tried to answer the question: How can the relationship between transport planning and spatial planning in the Netherlands be strengthened?. Here, a new policy integration concept of manageability is found alongside the concepts of coordination, coherence, and cooperation found in literature. Regional decision-makers should prioritize coherence and manageability at the start of decision-making processes, with coordination and cooperation as foundational elements. Recommendations include exploring policy integration in related domains in the Netherlands, exploring specific policy integration concepts, or dual relationships within the four established policy integration models of this research.

In line with the 2015 Paris Agreement, the Netherlands aims for a fully sustainable heat supply by 2050. As of 2019, natural gas met 85% of the nation's heat demand, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable, region-specific heating technologies. In Fryslân, a water-rich Dutch province, Aquathermal Energy (AE) could meet 60% of the heat demand. Therefore, governments in the region seek to establish Aquathermal District Heating Networks (ADHNs) through a collaborative project group. This study develops a decision-making framework to assist policymakers in creating region-specific governance arrangements for ADHNs in Fryslân, ensuring their effective and timely implementation. The research adopts an exploratory approach, utilizing a theoretical framework and qualitative methods, including semi-structured expert interviews, thematic analysis, and an interactive validation workshop.

The resulting framework comprises three steps: defining system changes, balancing implications, and exploring design directions. Policymakers are advised to deliberate on core objectives and subsequent resource commitments. Further, they are guided to weigh governance implications, addressing key considerations such as the trade-off between bottom-up and standardized approaches, timing risks, and the suitability of different governance instruments. Lastly, the framework suggests phased governance arrangements and the development of supra-municipal governance structures as potential directions for further design efforts.

This research offers a significant theoretical contribution by integrating governance frameworks, providing a versatile tool for governance analysis applicable to various regions and energy infrastructures. Additionally, by highlighting the complexities of regional governance in the energy transition, the study emphasizes the necessity for clear, region-specific governance structures and stakeholder integration. Future research should focus on designing concrete governance arrangements, conducting comparative case studies, exploring multi-level governance perspectives, and refining the integrated theoretical framework’s application.

The Mekong Delta in Vietnam, one of the world’s most fertile and ecologically rich deltas, faces environmental challenges that threaten its biodiversity and local communities. Historically, the delta’s extensive mangrove forests provided natural coastal protection, but in recent decades, agricultural expansion, aquaculture, and infrastructure developments have degraded these ecosystems.
This research focuses on Bac Liêu, a region acutely affected by these changes. With diminishing mangrove buffers, local vulnerabilities to environmental hazards have increased, putting pressure on sea defenses. In response, the Dutch government and Vietnamese partners have introduced the “Mekong Living Lab,” an initiative for in-field research that promotes mangrove restoration and sustainable coastal management.
Conducted by TU Delft students, this study contributes to the Living Lab’s goals by exploring the causes of mangrove decline in Bac Liêu. Combining interviews with local residents and field data on coastal profiles, this multidisciplinary approach seeks to safeguard the ecological and economic future of the Mekong Delta.
The study suggests an integrated approach within the Living Lab framework, emphasizing research, showcasing, and education to bridge hydraulic, ecological, and socio-economic perspectives. Priority recommendations include continuous cross-sectional measurements, sediment retention analysis, stakeholder engagement strategies, and further interdisciplinary studies on mangrove viability. These initiatives aim to align technical insights with stakeholder needs, advancing observation-driven solutions for Bac Liêu’s mangrove ecosystems.

Transdisciplinary (TD) research plays a crucial role in addressing the complex challenges of climate adaptation. Despite popularisation of TD research, ambiguity remains in the specific implementation of this approach. As more projects aim to adopt TD approaches, more clarity is needed to structure the organisation and implementation of TD projects. This study aims to provide insight from practice on how challenges and successes can be addressed in TD projects. Through an in-depth investigation of three TD projects, this research explores the key components of TD projects, identifies main challenges and successes, and elicits stakeholders' suggested improvements. The study consists of a comprehensive analysis of literature, expert interviews, interview data, and focus group discussions. A theoretical framework is developed to define TD concepts and relationships, addressing the issue of diffuse definitions. The research highlights the importance of shared understanding among stakeholders, particularly in addressing cultural challenges and achieving inclusiveness. Stakeholders' differing perspectives on successes and challenges are observed, leading to the identification of common themes across projects. The results underscore the significance of existing relationships and collaboration in TD projects, contributing to successful outcomes. However, certain challenges, such as inflexible institutional regulations, are also shared across cases. The analysis highlights the need for more explicit reflection on successes and structured approaches for envisioning improvements. The study also reveals a divide between participants based on their backgrounds, suggesting the importance of promoting knowledge integration among diverse stakeholders. Overall, this study contributes to the advancement of TD research in climate adaptation, empowering stakeholders to navigate complex challenges and foster sustainable solutions.

This thesis researches how actors of government, industry and academia in an international context should collaborate in order to successfully carry out knowledge/technology transfer. The case study is about Dutch-Moroccan international Triple Helix collaboration in horticulture.

This research lays forward a framework where supplier segmentation, supplier collaboration models, and supplier development strategies are integrated, specifically for remanufacturing. As remanufacturing is gaining popularity this pioneering research may serve as a first step towards more research for
companies that are willing to drive remanufacturing across the whole supply chain. This research compares two proven supplier segmentation methods and links it with supplier new collaboration and existing supplier development strategies. As a result of this study, an integrated framework is proposed. For future research, the framework can be applied to other cases or the framework could be extended.

Over the years, the horticultural industry has seen growing awareness and implementation of more recent and modern technology and practices to achieve better results and increase efficiency, especially in farming. For developing countries like Nigeria, the horticultural sector needs to act quickly to meet growing food demands and overcome the many limitations in the industry. This is because there is a high failure rate due to different climatic and farming conditions when implemented directly in Nigeria with no altercations. To overcome this, co-creation has been proposed as a solution whereby the local farmers are given the opportunity to come up with and realize working solutions befitting their environment. This research thesis aims to explore the realistic applicability of factors that affect horticultural technology co-creation with local farmers in southwest Nigeria. An in-depth literature review to identify relevant and applicable frameworks on co-creation is carried out....

Impact investors can play a major role in fighting inequalities regarding gender and increasing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) for women. This is important as societies that value women and men as equal are safer, healthier and have better economic prosperity. Nonetheless, impact investors face many challenges to be effective and research into the topic is still lacking. To assess how impact
investors can be effective in increasing EDI, this thesis will perform a case study in the form of a system analysis of which the subject will be the Aqaba-Amman Water Desalination and Conveyance Project (AAWDCP).
This methodology in combination with in-depth interviews led to the identification of a preferred policy for this particular project.
Additionally, the findings led to more general recommendations for impact investors: if they want to enhance EDI in their projects, they must consistently work with local organizations and put the needs of the impacted community ahead of their own KPIs. Furthermore, in order to be able to achieve increased EDI in the projects they finance, impact investors must first increase EDI within their own investment teams.