This paper thoroughly investigates needs and requirements for overhead distribution feeder inspection and develops models to investigate possible relations between short term inspections remarks and outages. The study was conducted in collaboration with Fortum Distribution AB that supplied extensive information about their overhead power feeders concerning both inspection and power outages. The investigated models where lognormal linear model, Poisson generalized linear model and negative binomial generalized linear model. All models were implemented utilizing offset terms to compensate for differences in feeder length and amount of overhead versus underground feeders. The Poisson generalized linear model was rejected at an early stage due to overdispersion and neither of the remaining models fit the data perfectly.

The idea of this thesis emerged from our common interest to explore the life cycle of Swedish tourist destinations. This study has historical features since we tried to identify crucial historical and current push and pull factors, which influenced destinations upturns and downturns. In order to achieve our primary goal and identify those factors, we made two case studies. We chose Åre and Mölle as our cases and these two areas will represent Swedish destinations, and their life cycles, as a whole. The destinations? developing processes and their nowadays profile are not the same as for two hundred years ago which was a reason and motivation that made us start exploring this specific subject.

Existing studies concerning private labels are unclear as to whether private label manufacturers carry out product development themselves. Furthermore, there is a lack of studies comparing product development processes in private label companies and national brand manufacturers. This study highlights a set of critical product development factors and assesses their prevalence in four different companies in the Swedish retail business. The study is based on a number of qualitative interviews with key personnel responsible for various table fats. Findings indicate two levels of involvement in the product development process on the private label side.

Introduction: 1 November 2010  came the amendment about the audit requirement into force. The amendment concerned only micro-enterprises. The most common form offinancing for micro-enterprises are bank loans, therefore the banks play a major role in the business and wellness of micro-enterprises.Purpose: Purpose of this paper is to examine if the credit assessment has been affected by the removal of the audit requirement for micro-enterprises.Method: This study will be conducted by a qualitative study in the form of interviews. Five interviews were conducted, with four respondents from the large banks and    one respondent from Almi Företagspartner.Conclusion: All respondents agreed that the audit is seen as a mark of quality, some lenders will continue to request it from the micro-enterprise while other lenders look at other factors such as ownership, relationship or business concept..

Background: Research results show that the potential of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has increased. That means there is a growing pressure on Swedish companies to act with responsibility: general public has a positive attitude towards companies that communicate their CSR. Advertising agencies have been criticized by their way to manage the question of social responsibility. One of the characteristics of an advertising agency is their anonymity; even though their products are extremely visible, it is rarely clear who gave rise to an advertising production. If this is put in relation to CSR in general, we find ourselves in a contradictory situation when CSR in many cases is about exposure of the responsible corporation.

African swine fever, ASF, was first described 1921, in Kenya. The virus has thereafter spread through many African countries as well as in Europe, Asia, South- and Central America. The virus is spread via three different cycles, of which one is sylvatic and includes warthogs and soft ticks. The other two are between domestic pigs and the one most common one is caused by humans, who not always realize the seriousness of precautions. The infection manifests as hemorrhagic fever, but can also be more or less unnoticed. The aim of this study was to use molecular tools to detect and partly genetically characterize ASFV both in soft ticks and in serum from domestic pigs in Uganda. Comparing viruses detected in ticks with those detected in domestic pigs I also wanted to investigate possible links between the sylvatic and domestic cycle.

This project is focusing on a future park that will surround Hyllie water tower in the outskirts of Malmö. The water tower will be located in the central part of the new building area Hyllievång. The park will function as a town park with a special focus on water. The water council of the municipality, Va-verket, has for the last 7 years built up and been in charge for a pedagogical programme in the water tower, were schoolchildren come to learn about the cycle of water and how we use water in our daily life. In the park they want to build a new part that gives experience of water, as a compliment to the information in the tower. What will that park look like, and what shall it be constructed of? How do you bring water to the surface in a park? How can landscape architecture work to enhance the presence of water and make people more interested in water issues? In the search to find the answers to all my questions I have meet with people, read books and visited different places.

Branscherna mobila företagstjänster och webbteknik har svårt att utnyttja det kundupplevda värdet i sin marknadsföring, då de tillhandahåller produkter som befinner sig i gränslandet mellan varor och tjänster. I dagsläget finns det inga marknadsföringsteorier som behandlar dessa produkter. Syftet med detta kandidatarbete är att föreslå en modell för marknadsföring av produkter i gränslandet mellan varor och tjänster. Modellen kommer att fokusera kring kundupplevt värde. Empiriinsamlingen har skett genom kvalitativa intervjuer. Vi har valt kvalitativa intervjuer för att få fram ett resultat som är användbart vid analys och vidare för att kunna dra relevanta slutsatser.

In todays sociaty the use of information systems is wide spread and many corporations and buisnesses both in large and small spread make use of more advanced and sopisticated systems. Larger corporations have their own IT sections that maintain and updates their systems on a daily basis. They have the money and resources for it by how do the small businesses coop with it. How satisfied are the small businesses that are maybe runing on systems that might not be supplying the needs that the business is in need of. In this paper we investigate this question in the form of a questionnaire.

AbstractThis master thesis is a hermeneutic inspired case study of how the value base regarding the environmental and social responsibility in the Swedish coffee company Löfbergs Lila AB is affecting the company's business. A thesis inspired by hermeneutics means that it is based on two ideas, the one of interaction between entirety and partitions and the one of interpretation (Alvesson & Sköldberg 1994). This cause that the emphasis is on how the reality is interpreted and that it never can be seen as completely objective.The case study was conducted during the spring semester of 2010 at Karlstad's University and consists of both empirical and theoretical material collected during this time. The empirical material in this thesis includes, among other things, interviews with four representatives of Löfbergs Lila AB, written material from the company regarding its work related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), some information about the coffee industry as a whole and different certifications for "ethical? coffee that exists on the Swedish market.The basic idea with CSR as a business strategy is that it can be financially beneficial for companies to take a social and environmental responsibility outside of the company (Vogel 2005).

The inequality and separation of sexes seen in organizations may lead to inefficient use of human resources. Therefor, a more equal organization could lead to higher productivity and efficiency. Inequality within organizations is a problem also for the society as a whole since who is chosen for a position is not depended upon merits, leading to inefficiency. To not reflect upon traditional division of labor and decision-making could also lead to an undemocratic and unjust society. The aim of this thesis is to explore women and men?s engagement a family business in an agricultural setting. Gender theorists argue that gender arises from the social situation in society.

If Swedish companies are to compete with companies in low-cost countries they have to achieve a more efficient production. The purpose of Total Productivity Maintenance (TPM) is to increase the company's profitability by increasing the productivity. TPM is a method that involves all employees and aims to prevent failures in order to increase the availability of existing equipment.The aim of this paper is to evaluate the implementation process of TPM and give recommendations for the further implementation process. The conclusion and the analysis are based on a case study done at a production department at ABB Cewe-Controls facilities in Nyköping. The case study consists mainly of qualitative data from participation observations, surveys and interviews.Commitment of the management is a key factor in the implementation process of TPM.

The aim of this Master's thesis is to understand public library users' perceptions of librarians' attitudes to users and professional knowledge. The purpose was also to investigate the relative importance to the user of pleasant or a knowledgeable librarian. As a theoretical framework we use theory from business economy where the experience of the user is in focus. Answers were sought to the following questions: How do users perceive librarians attitudes to users? How do users perceive librarians professional knowledge? How do users want to be treated by public librarians? What kind of knowledge should public librarians have, according to users? We interviewed twelve students in university education that are users of public libraries.

Tendensen att försöka hitta de affärsmässiga argumenten (business case) för CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility eller företagens sociala ansvarstagande) började framträda på 1990-talet. Vetenskapsmännen insåg då att en enda forskningsdisciplin inte kan förklara hur företagens arbetssätt med CSR-frågor kan förbättra deras ?bottom line? och således bidra till en hållbar utveckling av samhället. Både teoretiker och praktiker har vänt sin uppmärksamhet mot framgångsrika företag (bästa praxis).  I korthet innebär ett business case inom CSR ett besvarande av frågan ?Vilka fördelar har företagen och samhället av CSR??.

Executive SummaryThis final thesis has examined the effects of an increased centralization and better coord­in­ation of the distribution logistics at ABB in Västerås. The company is today strongly decent­ralized and there is a minimum of collaboration between the 20 business units. This is why the questions were raised; how could the business units coordinate outbound logistic activities and what effects would that provide. The obj­ect­ive of this final thesis is to provide basic data for a future decision-making which desc­r­ibe these effects.The report has mapped out the factors that are important to ABB in an evaluation of their logistic activities and how the outbound logistics work today. The four factors are cost efficiency, delivery service, environmental impact and logistics capability.