By using univariate analysis, tobit and logit regressions, this thesis investigates determinants of asset writedowns. After controlling for variables indicating reductions in asset values, the results show that changes in senior management are significant in explaining the writedown decision and magnitude, which is in line with previous research. The explanatory power of changes in senior management has not increased with the transition to IFRS in 2005. No evidence is found supporting the hypothesis that the explanatory power of management incentives is higher for more discretionary types of asset writedowns..

The management of assets in organisations today can be a challenging task and optimising their usage is critical to ensure maximum profit. For rental businesses offering tangible products efficient management of movable assets are an essential part of the business strategy. The main purpose of this study is to investigate how Asset management and asset information management can be carried out in rental businesses and in what ways information technology can support it. By doing a literature review combined with a case study where three rental businesses and their use of information technology were examined we could identify several important aspects regarding asset information management. The results we have found is that rental businesses with a high degree of digitization in existing asset information management systems are able to rationalize existing work processes, which in some ways changes the roles of employees.

Asset management in insurance companies differs from conventional Asset management to the extent that respect has to be taken to both assets and the commitments the insurance company has towards its customers. A model that has proven to fit well regarding the matching of assets and liabilities is the Asset Liability Management Model (ALM model). In addition to the matching in the balance sheet, the ALM model can be used in a company's work with strategic portfolio allocation by applying it as a basis for analyzing investment strategies with expected risk and return. From this, the ALM model also becomes relevant for calculating key figures according to the legal framework Solvens II which includes laws and regulations regarding the demands on economical strength (solvens) of insurance companies.Hence, the goal of this masters thesis has been to, on behalf of Bliwa Livförsäkring, create an ALM model to support the Asset management department of Bliwa in their work with defining a credible way of analyzing the future risk and return of Bliwa's asset portfolio and insurance undertakings.The ALM model generally consist of four submodels, the scenario model, the liability model, the asset model and the company model, where the scenario model often is named as the core of the ALM model. The course of action has been to develop these submodels individually, with focus on the scenario model.

I syfte att bättre möta de verksamheter som bedrivs på gården Skärholmen 1:18 i Bohuslän har jag ritat ett förslag till en flexibel byggnad som i sitt utförande uteslutande använder sig av de materiella resurser som redan finns på platsen..

In the light of the criticism from the Swedish Consumers? Association towards the actions of modern fund managers on the Swedish Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) market, discussions of change has increased. The reasons underlying a change and communication process are scarcely focused on. Thus, grounded on theories in the fields of Critical Management Studies (CSR), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), change and communication, this study analyses how a change of implementing revised SRI communication is carried out at Handelsbanken Asset management, existing motives for the change in communication, and how key actors can affect the process. A participant observation and in-depth interviews were carried out enfolding a discussion that contributed with a critical analysis and discussion, concluding external motives to be dominant and that key actors of the change process are influential to a various extent.

Title:Changes in the auditing work of Asset management companies.Advisor:Bengt BengtssonExaminer:Stig SörlingAuthors: Mattias Skog & Andrea CyganikPurpose:The purpose is to examine how the work of auditing Asset management companies has changed since the crisis 2008.Methodology:The study is based on an adductive approach using a quantitative method.Theoretical framework:The theoretical framework includes previous studies and literature concerning the auditing business, the financial crisis, principal agent theory and stewardship theory.Empirical findings:The empirical material is based on answers from 22 auditors in 6 different auditing firms, and it was conducted by sending them a survey.Conclusion:The study showed that the major changes were changes in laws and regulations controlling the auditing business. New guidelines and laws were set to try and improve the quality of the auditing business while trying to restore stained reputation. New regulations were also set to increase the control the government have of inspecting the business through finansinspektionen..

The valuation of an asset is one of the most important thing with accounting, though one of the most difficult thing as well. However, in deciding useful service life for an intangible asset and property, plant and equipment, there are quite a margin for the companies, which creates a difference between companies and industries. When computing the value of the inventories there are a few possibilities available for the companies, which also can generate differencesbetween companies and industries. Although these differences can occur, there might be some similarities in the companies? estimates.

The valuation of an asset is one of the most important thing with accounting, though one of the most difficult thing as well. However, in deciding useful service life for an intangible asset and property, plant and equipment, there are quite a margin for the companies, which creates a difference between companies and industries. When computing the value of the inventories there are a few possibilities available for the companies, which also can generate differencesbetween companies and industries. Although these differences can occur, there might be some similarities in the companies? estimates.

I ett samhälle där upphovsrätten och immaterialrätten blir allt mer uppmärksammad är det viktigt för företag att vara medvetna om sitt innehav av licenser för mjukvaror. I detta arbete kommer företags medvetenhet om deras licenshanteringssituation att undersökas. I den här rapporten kommer problemställningen att undersökas med hjälp av intervjuer med företag. Dessa intervjuer kommer att ske via telefon och per e-post. Ett liknande arbete har tidigare inte gjorts och därför känns det relevant samt intressant att göra denna undersökning.Arbetet resulterade i intervjusvar från 11 företag.

Background: The international accounting standard regarding goodwill gives opportunities to several accounting procedure choices, as goodwill is a complex, intangible asset. The valuation of goodwill affects equity/asset ratio and income statement, which gives that the stakeholders? impression of the group?s financial statement is affected by the valuation of this asset. It has been pointed out that difficult economic times bring impairment loss to the fore. During financial crisis, equity/asset ratio may be significant as the economy of the groups is expected to be strained.Purpose: The purpose of this essay is to explain the appearance of the possible relationship between a group?s impairment loss for goodwill and their equity/asset ratio, during financial straits.

The purpose of this essay is to evaluate stock index bonds return to risk ratio in order to investigate to which degree an investor in a stock index bond take part of the underlying index return and what the investor must pay for the security of not losing his funds. In order to carry out this evaluation an average return per year and the Sharpe ratio will be calculated and a mean- standard deviation analysis will be made. All investigated stock index bonds are based on a Swedish underlying asset.The results show that the stock index bonds haven?t generated a higher risk adjusted return than its underlying asset. The stock index bonds took part of 57 % of the underlying assets return, and the loss of 10 percentage points per year for the stock index bonds compared to its underlying asset can be seen as the cost for the guarantee a stock index bond gives..

I denna studie har vi haft som avsikt att jämföra två modeller som förklarar avkastningen på aktiemarknaden. Modellerna är Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) och Fama-French trefaktormodell(FF3). Undersökningen har gjorts på Nasdaq OMX Nordic Stockholm över perioden 2002 till 2012. Vi har valt att göra denna undersökning för att se huruvida FF3 med två extra faktorer kan förklara avkastningen på aktiemarknaden bättre än CAPM. Sex portföljer konstruerades och vi har visat att FF3 statistiskt signifikant förklarar mer än CAPM för fem av sex portföljer.

The aim of this thesis is to examine what factors that influences the management control in a family business operating in a sector in which they are under-represented. We have therefore conducted a case study of a family business in the finance sector, E. Öhman J: or Fondkommission AB (Öhman). The first conclusion is that the management control in Öhman is influenced by the environment and the increasing size of the company. We have found, however, that it is to an even larger extent affected by the fact that it is a family business even though the company is operating in a sector in which family businesses are not the norm.

Bakgrund: 1 januari 2013 kommer Direktivet (2009/138/EG) för Solvens II att implementeras. Detta kommer ske samtidigt inom Europeiska Unionen (EU) och kommer leda till en harmonisering av försäkringslagstiftning i medlemsstaterna. Tidigare svensk lagstiftning, Försäkringsrörelselagen (2010:2043), kommer med andra ord att anpassas till det nya regelverket. Regeländring kan komma att påverka svenska försäkringsbolags bedrivna kapitalförvaltning.Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka om svenska försäkringsbolag utifrån rådande lagstiftning kan bedriva en, enligt finansiell teori, rationell kapitalförvaltning och om möjligheten till att bedriva en rationell kapitalförvaltning kommer att förändras i och med implementeringen av Solvens II.Genomförande: En genomgång av dagens regelverk, Försäkringsrörelselagen, samt Direktivet (2009/138/EG) för Solvens II kommer att presenteras. Utöver detta har fem stycken intervjuer med svenska försäkringsbolag genomförts.Slutsats: Dagens lagstiftning ger inte möjligheter till att bedriva en rationell kapitalförvaltning fullt ut.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to in a comparative and causal way explore whether there is a relationship between risk and return and also how it is perceived on the Nordic financial markets.Theory: The theoretical frame of reference applied in the thesis is considered relevant inthe perspective of the study?s purpose and research questions. We have among other theories used The Capital Asset Pricing Model, The Efficient Market Hypothesis and various Behavioural finance theories.Method: The study has its starting point in a quantitative approach with a quantitative data analysis supported by secondary data extracted from Thomson Reuters.Empirics: The empirics contains regression analyses made from calculated secondary data of 240 randomly chosen companies from Nasdaq OMX Stockholm, NasdaqOMX Copenhagen, Nasdaq OMX Helsinki and Oslo Bors.Conclusion: The study conclusions show that there are both a negative and positive relationship between volatility and actual return on the investigated markets. Considering this prior statement we can conclude that the Capital Asset Pricing Model can?t correctly describe the actual relationship between the parameters investigated on the current sample.