In this comparative study, intelligibility (as measured by SWINT; SwedishIntelligibility Assessment) and self-rated communicative ability (as measuredby SOK; a self-report questionnaire concerning communication) were investigatedin 29 young adults with repaired cleft lip and palate (CLP) and in 50 age-matchedcontrols. The purpose of the study was to investigate if the outcome of these measuresdiffered between groups and/or with regard to sex, and also to identify possiblecorrelations between SOK and SWINT. Results show that young adults withrepaired CLP had a more positive attitude towards their communicative ability thancontrols, as did men with repaired CLP compared to male controls. Intelligibilitydid not differ between the two groups. A correlation between degree of intelligibilityand self-rated communicative ability was found in young adults with repairedCLP.

A high degree of urbanization with growing cities has raised a need of transforming closed landfill sites for giving them new uses. This study aims to investigate how old landfills can be re-used, what has lead to the new uses, and for what and whom the transformed site will be an asset. The method used is a case study of four different landfills in Stockholm county, Sweden. The case study is analyzed in the light of former studies regarding re-use of degraded urban areas, so called brownfields, and in particular studies and reports of landfill re-use. The result indicates that old landfill sites is identified as an area with possible values if transformed properly, in the case study area especially as green structure and recreation areas.

The need to attract and retain individuals who add value to the organization constitutes an increasing challenge facing human resource professionals. In this context it is essential to establish stronger links between the individuals and the organization they work for. The aim of this study is to explore and discuss the role of ethical core values such as trust, respect, fairness, and honesty as a critical antecedent to employee commitment. From the perspective of employees, a Comparative case study is conducted in two organizations with two different reasons to exist - a profit organization and a non-profit organization. The study concludes that organizations should have a high focus on people's core values when they recruit new employees as well as for educating and training their existing employees and managers.

The aim of this paper is to explain how the European Union?s common strategy for theCommon Foreign- and Security Policy (CFSP) will change with the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon. A Comparative case study and qualitative method is used. On the basis of Smith?s theory of institutionalization we will analyze two member states: France and Denmark.

The main purpose of this paper is to examine how the regulatory environment of ?equality plans" are implemented at the municipal level of decision making in the school environment - in terms of both local politicians, school structures and management by teachers.The paper will present how the implementation theory works in practice by examining two high schools in the Municipality of Norrkoping and see what differences exist in the implementation process of "equality plans" in schools with a variety of high and relatively low immigrant background among students.We will present how it seems from different perspectives. Are teachers today controlled by public professional ethics or personal reasons, where those street level bureaucrats mainly act on feeling depending on the case? And how might this affect the law? Do they in fact understand, or have the knowledge and the willingness to implement?In our study, we are using a Comparative case study method with an interview guide. A comparison between the two school´s equality plan have been analyzed where we have developed key differences and similarities that we recognized regarding the subject.The results of the study demonstrate that the context is very crucial to addressing these issues.

The aim of this study was to describe and understand parents? perspectives in aid assessment for children according to The Swedish Act (1993:387) concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments (Lag 1993:387 om stöd och service till vissa funktionshindrade, LSS). The study took place in the county of Kronoberg, Sweden, and was based on a total of nine qualitative interviews. Four interviews were made with parents? of children who has interventions according to LSS (1993:387) and five interviews were made with LSS case workers. In our study we saw that parents? perspectives often is the largest amount of information that case workers take into account when assessing aid and as a case worker you listen to the parents perspectives to capture the child?s and the family?s needs. It also came clear that the parents? perspective is not only about the child?s needs, but also includes the parent?s own needs and their family?s needs. The parents in the study felt that they made the decision about the choice of aid and considered themselves as the one who decides the family?s requirements. It turned out that treatment and understanding from the case workers was important for gaining access to the best help and making parents feel listened to. Parental responsibility was of great importance for the assessment, and it often led to disagreement between parents and case workers. During the study, we saw that power existed in the relationship between case workers and parents, but that it could be moved and changed during the time of aid assessment..

The purpose of this essay has been to answer the question of whether or not administrators of economic support perceive that their professional status is ranked lower than that of their coworkers in other fields of the social services. We set out to study whether or not their comparative status differed depending on their use of standardized assessment instruments and if their experience with regards to professional status differed depending on the size of the municipality they worked in. We also wanted to determine in what way (if any) the comparative status manifests itself and what factors influences it.We?ve utilized method triangulation in order to answer the questions posed in our purpose. The quantitative study was conducted using a questionnaire and the qualitative with three interviews.

The purpose of our study is to examine the case managers reasoning and descriptions of empowerment as a method in their social work from a comprehensively perspective including family members. To manage with this purpose we interviewed two case managers, two clients with mental disabilities and five family members. We have come to the conclusion that the case managers works more consist of advocacy than empowerment. Despite that we have found that the long term goal for the case mangers work is to give the clients tools for empowerment. Our results also show that the clients feel that they have gained and increased their ability to do things by themselves and to be a part of the community.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine how the Swedish policy of neutrality has changed between the years 1990-2008. The research method used for this essay has been Comparative case study, which strives to answer four research questions. Two of these questions are: Which specific occurrences have been fundamental in changing the Swedish policy of neutrality? How have the Swedish policy of neutrality and the policy of non-alignment changed between the years 1990-2008? The theoretical frame work of this study consists of Europeanization as a comprehensive theoretical perspective. In order to explain the Swedish act regarding the policy of neutrality, Logic of Consequences and Logic of appropriateness are used.

A great number of empirical researches show that hedging is associated with higher firm value, particularly hedging interest rate and exchange rate. However, there is no clear support for value-added risk management hypothesis in the case of producers of commodities. Moreover, according to Shrand and Unal (1997), there are two types of risks, core business risks (or core risk) and homogeneous risks (or non core risks), which are based on a firm's comparative advantages with respects to the source of risk. Firm can earn economic profits for bearing core risks in which it has a comparative information advantage. Firm earn a zero economic rents for bearing non-core risks, where it has no advantage information than its competitors.

Background: In recent research literature, some researchers mean that companies in fast changing markets have to act proactively while others find that companies have to adapt to conditions and to react. This makes it interesting to study how software companies act strategically and also to study to what extent a flexible organisation is required by companies who proact and by those who react. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is the study how different types of software companies act strategically and what this requires of the company in terms of flexibility. Delimitation: The study treats only Swedish software companies with more than ten employees. Proceed of the Study: Representatives from four case companies as well as a consultant have been interviewed.

This study examines how Qatar and Russia utilize football as an instrument of foreign-policy. While previous reasearch has primarily focused on mega-events, such as the Olympic games and the FIFA World Cup, this thesis expands the scope by analyzing how footbal functions as a strategic tool for nation branding in both countries. The study employs a comparative qualitative case study appraoch, based on Simon Anholt?s nation branding framework, modified to include four dimensions instead of six. The analysis demonstrates that both Qatar and Russia leverage football to advance their foreign policy objectives, but in markedly different ways.

Tyr ? A historical and comparative study of configurations and formations connected to the Old Norse god Tyr. Klas af Edholm This thesis has two aims. One is a discussion of the history of the study of Old Norse religion and related aspects, centered on how general tendencies within the area of research have affected the interpretations of the god *T?waz/Tyr.

The European Union provide 27 % of total volume raw milk produced in the world. This number is steadily decreasing due to that the world milk production increase is more rapid than EU production growth. The growing middle-class change the demand for food, a higher standard of living increase the demand of milk products as well as other various animal products. Since 1984 the EU milk quota has limited the supply from EU, but the quota will expire April 1st 2015. The European Milk Board expect that the removal of quotas will make the farm gate price decline.

This essay is a case study of how two non-profit organizations, in the same line of business work with external communication and new media such as Internet and social media (Facebook and Twitter).Both these organizations are located in different countries and the purpose of the case study is also to find out if the differences in their work methods in communication depend on organizational or cultural differences. The case study was conducted in the organizations Sverige Amerika Centret in Karlstad, Sweden and The Swedish Council of America in Minneapolis, US. A qualitative approach executed through interviews and a qualitative content analysis of the organizations annual report from 2010. The result of the interviews and the document content analysis shows that there are differences in the way these organizations handle their work with external communications and new media. One of the organizations uses new media more actively in their work with communication and through that channel creates a relationship with its external audiences. The theories that has been used for this case study is Organization communication, Intercultural communication, Public Relations and Organization culture. Keywords: external communication, new media, culture and employees..