The thesis main objective is to establish the determinants for granting executive stock options and to examine their impact on performance for firms listed on OMXS30. The analysis is based on accounting data gathered from annual reports and Thomson Datastream. The empirical results display that firms grant stock options to mitigate the principal-agent problem. Furthermore, risk proves to be positively significant with executive stock options, implying that either executives increase the level of risk after being granted stock options or influence the decision of the remuneration towards stock options when the firm increase the level of risk, in purpose to boost the expected value of their options. No relation between executive stock options and firm performance could be established..

The purpose of this essay is to display the double moral that is prevailing in France concerning human rights. Immigrants and ethnic minorities are suffering from discrimination as well as racism. By looking at legislation in France concerning FGM/C and its difficulties it becomes clear that there is a correlation between the legislation and African women's situation in general. These women are denied their basic rights and are excluded from society. They are rendered invisible and vulnerable.

About 10 % of the adult women population in Sweden are treated annually for urinary tract infections. The increasing bacterial resistance towards antibiotics is classified by WHO (World Health Organization) and ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) as one of the greatest treats for human health in a global perspective. To find alternatives scientists are studying the possibility to use probiotics to reduce the frequency of recurring urinary tract infections. This literature study examines five randomized double blinded placebo controlled studies where different strains of Lactobacillus have been used as a prophylactic to women suffering from recurrent urinary tract infections and bacterial vaginosis. Overall the studies do not display enough promising results to recommend the use of probiotics as a prophylax or cure..

The business cycle of the wood flooring branch is currently high however that situation may not be sustainable. In a possible future weaker business climate, the importance of marketing becomes accentuated for firms that aim to maintain their sales levels. We can see trends that competition among the Swedish and foreign manufactures is already stepping up. The intent of this study is to establish marketing guidelines for floor- and molding manufacturers, so they can establish a clearer brand image in DIY retail outlets. By comparing the approach of sports- and DIY stores to brand and product placement, this study aims to bring new knowledge to the DIY branch for improved consumer and product handling.

Health and convenience trends dominate the food industry and retailing business of today. The health consciousness is spreading while appealing product attributes concerning taste and packaging also are increasingly important. At the same time, the competition is growing fierce in the Swedish market with hard discount formats and niche concepts who also are trying to provide the market with perishables. Therefore, the pressure to lower prices is increasing making economies of scale and rationalization progressively more important. In 2004, ICA launched private label meat packaged in a modified atmosphere. Consequently, many stores went from in-store cutting-up and packaging to selling centrally packaged and distributed meat. ICA is now developing a concept with fresh fish in modified atmosphere packages and needs to increase the knowledge about the market and the consumer.

There is a tough competition in food-stores these days. Storeowners have been forced to try something new to attract customers. One way to accomplish that is to add private labels to the assortment. There are several benefits with these labels; its higher margins for this type of brand and the brand can also strengthen the stores image in the customers mind. When private labels first entered the market, the customer had a relatively low attitude towards the brands.

Developing good reading skills is crucial for all pupils in school, and the reading bookis a tool for achieving that. Pupils are entitled to good reading instruction, regardless ofwhich reading level they are at, and regardless of the level of the reader they have beengiven. The aim of the study is to examine a particular teaching material and describe thedifferences that exist between a simpler and a more difficult variant of the same reader.The study is a textual analysis focused on the two readers for grade 2 from the materialDiamantjakten (The Diamond Hunt). The study shows that the two books display greatdifferences. Reading the simpler book involves a smaller amount of text, fewerdescriptive expressions, and a smaller number of words, but it does make demands onthe reader?s ability to read between the lines.

The purpose of this study is to examine how participants perceive virtual agents shown on a computer display. In particular, it is explored to what extent participants transfer gender and attraction stereotypes that are commonly applied in the physical world to virtual agents. Previous related studies have often explored only text or voice interfaces, without any visually appearing agents, and here indeed found evidence for a transfer of gender stereotypes. Our hypothesis was that the addition of a visual agent interface would reinforce this effect. The results support our hypothesis that participants transfer human gender and attraction stereotypes onto virtual agents, as well as that these processes are affected by the visual representations of the agents..

The following thesis will examine how a smaller library manages the prioritization of media between Swedish and 'minority language'. We are also interested in the challenges and problems that can occur in such work, as well as how the librarians think about their role in the integration process. We have studied this through several qualitative interviews with librarians as well as earlier related research. The results show that librarians display a high propensity of appreciation related to working with minority languages and consider this an important aspect of their profession ? they fully ingratiate and accept the importance of helping the immigrant population in learning Swedish.

This thesis explores how verbal and nonverbal signs communicate attitudes and the rhetorical functions of such attitudinal signs. Attitudes are regarded as rationalized evaluations of attitudinal objects, and through their manifestation in signs an attitudinal gestalt is communicated. This gestalt is regarded as the audiences perception of the rhetors attitude. It is shown that the attitudinal signs function as ethical, logical and pathetic proofs and that they can create identification between the audience and the rhetor. The signs can have effects on the audiences perception of the attitudinal objects, their perception of the rhetor and influence the social dynamic of the discourse.

This report is a bachelor thesis presented at the department of Computer Science andEngineering at Chalmers University of Technology. The aim for the project is to find a simplemethod to measure and display physical quantities in a three dimensional room.The report describes a method to construct a system for measuring differentphysical quantities via sensors. The system must be built in a modular and expandable way tobe adaptable to different tasks.The system explained in the report consists of two parts;A physical scanner with moveable probes for carrying sensors and a microcontroller forcontrolling the probes and communicating with the next part.An application written in Java for storing the measured values and presenting them in a lucidperspective.It is possible to construct the scanner with different designs and circuitry, with multiplexers andflip-flops, to ensure that an unspecified number of probes can be added to the system and thatthey can be operated simultaneously.The Java application is written in a modular way, using a design pattern that separates eachindividual part of the application. It contains exceptions and interfaces that ensure a safe andexpandable application..

The interest in building low energy houses has increased along with the rising engagement inthe climate questions. With the advancing energy prices it is highly suitably for those whobuild and administer their buildings in long-term to build energy-saving houses. 40 % ofSweden?s total energy consumption constitutes of the energy in residences, therefore it iscrucial to take advantage of all the free energy as we possibly can. With crucial questions likequality of living and profit low energy building is a subject that concerns us all.Three proposals for apartment blocks are presented in this work on a real estate in Stockholm.Each proposal is developed through unique processes of design with the purpose to displaypossibilities to deal with the energy requirements of today and tomorrow through energybased architecture.The first proposal is an apartment block based on a traditional design process, the demands ofthe property owner and it?s affected by opinions from architects.

This report is a bachelor thesis presented at the department of Computer Science andEngineering at Chalmers University of Technology. The aim for the project is to find a simplemethod to measure and display physical quantities in a three dimensional room.The report describes a method to construct a system for measuring differentphysical quantities via sensors. The system must be built in a modular and expandable way tobe adaptable to different tasks.The system explained in the report consists of two parts;A physical scanner with moveable probes for carrying sensors and a microcontroller forcontrolling the probes and communicating with the next part.An application written in Java for storing the measured values and presenting them in a lucidperspective.It is possible to construct the scanner with different designs and circuitry, with multiplexers andflip-flops, to ensure that an unspecified number of probes can be added to the system and thatthey can be operated simultaneously.The Java application is written in a modular way, using a design pattern that separates eachindividual part of the application. It contains exceptions and interfaces that ensure a safe andexpandable application..

Syftet med utvärderingen var att ta reda på vad besökarna tyckte om tidningshallen på Umeå stadsbibliotek. Besökarna fick i en enkät svara på frågor om belysning, ljudnivå, möbler och utbud. De fick även svara på om de använde datorerna i tidningshallen och vilka dagstidningar de läst.Resultatet visar att besökarna överlag är nöjda med tidningshallen. Mest nöjda är de med belysningen och utbudet av tidningar och minst nöjda med ljudnivån. Vid undersökningstillfället pågick byggnadsarbete på andra sidan gatan vilket i hög grad påverkade ljudnivån.

This thesis describes how large Swedish companies finance their debt and identifies some factors that affect their decisions. The study is based on 10 well-known companies of which 9 are listed on Nasdaq OMX Nordic. The results show that the companies display several similarities concerning their debt structure and the factors which their choices are based upon. All companies in this study primarily use corporate bonds for their long-term borrowing, commercial papers for the short-term borrowing, and bank-facilities as back-up. There is a tendency that smaller companies in larger extent use bank-loans for long-term borrowing due to larger emissions costs when using market financing.