In a time where many Asian metropolises experience an expansive development new urbanconditions are created and the already existing disappears or being replaced. Asian cities develop ata pace that is unprecedented in our history and which, through a western perspective can seemharsh. By focusing on an urban complex in Chengdu, capital of the southwestern province ofSichuan China, the study asks; is it possible to see this rapid urbanization from another perspective?The study examines the local and global dimensions of Raffels City, and how concepts such asnostalgia and authenticity, related to the city, can be understood in an urbanization that is so markedby massive demolitions. The study shows that these concepts can be expressed in several ways, andthat an awareness of them does not necessarily control the view of the city..

The differences between the sexes when it comes to land and property ownership are enormous. This paper deals with issues concerning women's land and property rights. The aim of the study is to investigate what general factors are effecting women's access to and control of land. In addition, this paper aims to explore the effects of liberal formalism in relation to gender equality and the distribution of land. Formalism and formalization of women's land rights alone won't lead to equality in land distribution or women's emancipation.

The intention of this thesis in political science is to understand how the European Union fights and prevents discrimination against the Roma minorities in Sweden and Romania, and how the implementation works in reality. The study consists of defining what it means to be objectively discriminated, what ethnicity really means and how the implementation process consist of a comparison and statement has been made by the national governments and comparing how two socioeconomically different member states handle EU directives and implement them in Sweden and Romania. The main findings of this study was that EU policies lack the capital and explicitness that is needed for great results to be accomplished and that the governments in both countries have different issues with implementing the protection of the human rights and Roma culture, and that EU needs to be more practical and develop in a faster pace. .

This thesis deals with two types of agrarian remains in relation to settlement remains; clearance cairns, low stone walls and house terraces in the area of Northeastern Uppland and the area north of Lake Mälaren, during the middle Iron Age. The aim whit this thesis is trying to get a better understanding of the relation between agrarian and settlement remains in Uppland. Three places have been chosen where these three elements are present and they are interpreted through Richard Whites concept of middle ground but also Landesque capital. The three elements have shown to be expressed in different ways in all three sites. It is possible to see two areas with different traditions, but also to see two areas that closely interact with each other, this opens up for a new discussion around agrarian remains in both areas.

This thesis investigates the effect of profit growth and profitability on market capitalization amongst Nordic companies during the turbulent period 1997-2005. Our results suggest that profitability have a significant impact on market capitalization for six of the nine years studied, whereas profit growth does not seem to affect market capitalization. Consequently, our results imply that the effect of other factors on share price performance may be greater than previously suggested. These findings are only partly in line with theories on corporate valuation which suggest that market capitalizations are to a great extent driven by both profit growth and capital returns, regardless of whether the stock market is particularly unstable..

Business development is to bring forth the entirecompany and through effective, market renewalprocesses to create sustainable profitability.1 This mightbe difficult, especially for smaller companies who lackthe experience and also tools to make correct forecast.2The purpose of my thesis is to investigate andexplain how a small business can remain flexible andcreate products in new markets by making the brandappealing and credible.In my thesis I have investigated how a company canextract benefit from its brand and identify the benefitswhich are the most unattended in a new market. Bydoing so, the company can systematically developconcepts for new business opportunities. I hopethat my thesis may provide tools and ease businessdevelopment process for smaller businesses.The purpous of my thesis I have studied theories ofbusiness development, brand and brand extension. Inthese theories I have used existing methods and I havecreated my own methods of business development.Through this thesis I have worked with AvelutionAB (a small that produce products for recoveryand comfort). I tested the theory and methods withAvelution which has resulted in a business developmentstrategy as well as two concepts that show howAvelution in the future might develop its business basedon the benefits Avelution and its products create..

The most dominating type of company in Sweden is the small-sized business and it usually lacks its own marketing department. The purpose of this paper was to analyze several small Swedish businesses which are specialized in different sectors of the Mechanic/Technology industry but they are similar in terms of having niched products and they are leading companies in the world. The objective was to do research about how small businesses work with marketing despite its lack of resources and capital.This survey has shown that customer contacts, customer relationships and especially for those investigated companies, it was very important to focus on globalization and product development in order to build a Point of Difference..

The world is getting smaller. Global markets, political processes and communication technology bring people together. Even though many of these processes are dynamic and constructive, they have also resulted in a need for better and more effective ways of international conflict resolution. This thesis investigates central issues connected to the concept of humanitarian interventions in relation to current and future legislation of the European Union. The overall question is whether the rapid globalization process has resulted in a change of international law towards more liberal view where authorization of the security council is not always needed? And, if there has actually been such a liberalization, how does that affect the legal possibilities for the European Union to carry out armed operations without the consent of the global community?The conclusion of the thesis is that international law has been modified mainly in two aspects: First, the concept of sovereignty is no longer seen merely as a right of the nation, but also as a responsibility.

This study examines the effects of credit risk and information disclosure in the new bank regulating system Basel II on bank and bank customer. The effects are then discussed in a perspective of the economic man and information asymmetric theories. Furthermore is the Basel II effects on the capital adequacy of Andelsbanken för Åland examined.The approach of the study is qualitative and several interviews with individuals on different levels of the examined bank, Andelsbanken för Åland, have been carried out during the collecting of empirical facts about the effects of the regulating change from the Basel I system to Basel II.The research findings are as follows:Andelsbanken för Åland have increased its capital adequacy ratio from 12,7 percent to 14,4 percent, mostly due to lower risk weights on housing mortgages compared to Basel I. Andelsbanken för Åland have started to use a completely new credit risk and customer assessment system which classifies every customer and gives them a credit rating. The system cause a much heavier information gathering of the customers profile as well as a much better assessment of risk than the previous system, which the bank finds positive.

In this degree project I write about how the farmers who grows carrots in Sweden get influenced by different rules, investments and demands. The Swedish agriculture are heading towards a harder time, and then you have to find new things to do. Now its hardly no profit to grow grain so you have find other crops. This paper is not a comparison between the contract cultivation to Findus and the cultivation where the farmer maked his products by a own company on the farm. If you have a small processing company on the farm, you have to increase the standard with different certificate. The farmer binds a lot of capital in machines, both field and in the process.

In the 10th of April 2010 the Polish Presidential plane crashed outside of Smolensk in today?s Russia. 88 passengers and 6 crewmen died a tragic death, among them the President of the Republic of Poland, Lech Kaczy?ski. A national week of sorrow was proclaimed and citizens all over Poland went out on streets and markets to honor the newly deceased President.

`When one does not have what one wants, one must want what one has´: `I have had, you see, to resort more and more to very small, almost invisible pleasures, little extras....You´ve no idea how great one becomes with these little details, it´s incredible how one grows. ´ The aim of this master thesis is to find words and expressions that can accompany city phenomenas as well as the people wandering through the space which is defiened as city. Through this tentative search a new term was found namely Urban Settler Marks. This term started a journey and an attempt to theoretisize why people have a need for various spaces to put their Urban Settlers Marks onto. My focus was drawn to electrical boxes in the urban environment because of their ambigious nature.

The aim of this study is two folded. We wish to investigate if there is a value premium from hedging jet fuel exposure for American and European airlines. We also seek to answer if airlines can affect their probability to default by using Risk Management. During the period 2003 ? 2006 there existed a value premium for airlines that hedged their expected future consumption of jet fuel.

The food industry is an important part of the Swedish economy, It is the fourth largest industry in Sweden in terms of number of employees and production value. Due to the increasing globalization, the Swedish food industry faces new conditions and challenges. Through the Swedish membership in the European Union in 1995 a whole new era of competition began for the Swedish agriculture and food industry. Markets that previously were closed now opened. In retrospect, it should be noted that the Swedish food industry managed well.

The main subject with this master thesis is to take a closer look at university libraries specially Gothenburg University Librarys operation of marketing the librarys user contact, how it receives various users demands and carry out the interactive and strategic marketing. Marketing is planning, structuring, implementation, analysis and controls of carefully formulated programs, designed to bring voluntary interactions and relations with the target markets, for the purpose of achieving organisational and user satisfaction objectives. The structure of this thesis covers three main parts. Part I reflects the researchers approach to the subject. Marketing researchers such as Grönroos, Kotler, Bryson, De Sáez and Gummesson among others are presented.