The main intention with this thesis is to investigate the relationship between dividends and investments. We hypothesize that firms may be forced to cut back on investments if dividends are not curtailed in times of poor annual earnings. According to contemporary theories, we argue that firms may be reluctant to cut back on dividends even when annual earnings decline and the level of investments will consequently be determined by the financial mobility of companies. The survey is carried out by means of a quantitative analysis, which includes all firms quoted on the exchange of Stockholm from 1980 through 2000. On the contrary of previous research, we conclude that even firms with high dividends can be forced to curtail investments if payouts to shareholders are maintained or increased when companies are faced with a decline in annual earnings..

This paper investigates the presentation of Islam in textbooks used in the study of religion in high schools. The papers focus on two main questions concerning the ways in which Islam is presented in the analysed textbooks, and how the new curriculum has influenced the portrayal of Islam in the materials. Here, the paper utilizes a method of critical discourse analysis with Faircloughs three-dimensional analysis. The paper then concludes that the presentation of Islam is negative in nature, with the content and view of Islam having been simplified and stereotyped. Often the textbooks studied frame Islam as being an aggressive and oppressive religion, especially in matters con-cerning women.

Climate change has become an increasingly topical subject. Recently debate on how our food affects the environment has flared. It has been shown that how the food we eat is grown and transported could be one the bigger contributors to the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The aim of this study is to see how consumer?s choices of vegetables affect release of carbon dioxide. The results show that emissions of carbon dioxide can be lowered by consuming vegetables that have been grown on open land. Vegetables that have to be grown in heated greenhouses in Sweden should perhaps be exchanged for such that have been grown in unheated greenhouses in southern Europe, even though the transport distance is significant. .

Transcending sound design is possible. There are unseen possibilities and a great potential for improvement and development in sound and music design ? but there is a great difficulty penetrating the obstacles that lies in the way for such development to take place and to exist. The difficulties in being negotiable and productive lies more within the limits of the audience it has to gain, than in itself. It is as though music and sound design has to evolve very slowly, in an almost evolutionary style; one step at a time, to be accepted.

This thesis examines Swedish filmmakers' modes of work and production within the Swedish film landscape. An introductory historical overview treats the Swedish regionalization since the mid 1990's. Political and economical aspects of producing films in various regions serve as a background for understanding the new generation of decentralised Swedish filmmaking, and the use of sound and music in contemporary film. The analysis consists of empirical studies; interviews with directors and producers, working with music for film and TV. Although the filmmaking perspective is in focus, composers and film scholars are heard as well.

This thesis has enlightened how consumer behavior is when buying clothes via the Internet and the problems and difficulties that could face the companies. This study was conducted through interviews with people that have bought clothes through the Internet, traditional catalogues and real stores. The conclusions showed that the Internet is as suitable as traditional catalogues for buying clothes. Another dimension were put to the aspect of availability to a virtual mall in the design of the catalogues. Finally, it is in the best of the e-business companies interest to study how e-catalogues should be structured and designed for the consumers..

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to illustrate Serbia?s democratic development on the basis of consolidate democratic perspective. Linz & Stepan´s five arenas (political, civil, economic, legal and bureaucratic) are required for the possibility to become a consolidate democracy. In order to fulfil the aim, I have chosen to focus on the political and civil arenas that are most central in the study of consolidate democracy.The purpose of this study is to process how far Serbia has come towards a consolidate democracy and which obstacles still remain in the transition.The questions in this study are:? What problems has Serbia faced since the democratic transition in the beginning of 1990?? What possibilities are there for Serbia to consolidate the democracy, with focus on the two key arenas of consolidation?By applying the theoretical framework to the data, I have been able to present answers and build up an analysis.

There are several energy systems in the Swedish society and to ensure the comfort and health of the citizens it is of importance that the different energy systems are functioning properly. District heating is one of these energy systems and many household depend only on district heating to warm up their homes. District heating is dependent on several processes where every step needs to function in order to deliver the produced heat to the end consumer. Previous studies have investigated the distribution of district heating and how to make customers choose district heating as their heating method. The supply of fuel to the district heating plant has not been studied as much, even though it is an important part of the whole system. This thesis is a part of the project NORD-STAR (Nordic Strategic Adaption Research), which has focused on climate adaption in the Nordic countries.

This essay is about possible causes to the female dominance in public libraries. We have focusedon the 20th century in Sweden and the development of public libraries during this time. Forthis purpose we have done a survey of three different cities, Uppsala, Jönköping and Skara,during three different years, 1938, 1958 and 1978. We have studied salaries, gender and titlesfor the employed at the head library in each city and then made comparisons between them.In conjunction, we have also studied how women were looked upon by the rest of society,regarding their education and work opportunities.To achieve a comprehension of the society's view of women we have, in the essay, put threedifferent theories of the so called "female nature" in center. The genderization in the labourmarket has also been set to discussion.A comparison between librarians, teachers at different levels, and postoffice employees, hasalso been made regarding their salaries during the years (1938, 1958 and 1978)..

Denna uppsats behandlar bostadspolitiken, och dess påverkan på integrationen. Stockholm genomgick stora förändringar när miljonprogrammet genomfördes på 1970-talet. Idag ser man tendenser i Helsingborg att man är på väg att göra samma misstag än en gång. H+ projektet i Helsingborg har som vision att motverka den starka segregation som existerar i Helsingborg idag. Denna uppsats ska försöka att bevisa att resultatet av denna utbyggnad kommer att leda till det motsatta vilket är en ökad segregation i en redan så segregerad stad..

When we define something as real it will also have real consequences. Media society is developing rapidly; the media?s more central role in our society means that their interpretations and portrayals of the world will have a greater impact on how we look at ourselves and our society.When Swedish Princess Estelle was born in February 2012 she was the first Swedish heir to be been born in what is known as ?the computer age?. This paper aims to examine the reporting of the birth of Princess Estelle and how it was conducted by Swedish news sites, from an ideological perspective. The study is based on qualitative method with ideational analysis and Norman Fairclough?s critical discourse analysis.In conclusion, the news sites portray a positive image of Princess Estelle?s birth and the Swedish monarchy and strengthen the status of the Crown Princess family.

With this thesis I have sought to do a critical review on how Islam is perceived and articulated by secondary school students in a school in a larger Swedish city. The aim is to analyse how some secondary students in Sweden talk about Islam, as a religion and as a school subject. To achieve this aim, seven focus group interviews with 36 students aged 15-16 have been conducted. These focus groups have discussed the general picture of Islam depicted by the society, media and through the school. But also how, and in what way that depiction has influenced their personal view of Islam.

 This paper is about the conflict between the Middle East and the Western world after the Danish newspapers? cartoon publications of the prophet Muhammed in October 2005. The conflict resulted in massive reactions in the Middle East and the Danish-Swedish dairy company Arla Foods, was boycotted during six months in 2006. The aim of this study is to describe how the biggest Swedish daily newspaper,Dagens Nyheter and three Saudiarabic newspapers Al-Hayat, Al-Watan and Shark Al-Awsat described "the Other" during the crisis in the year of 2006. Another aim is to describe how Arla Foods managed the consumer boycott.

Before 1944 homosexuality was an act of crime and you could be sentenced to prison for up to 2 years. This law only included men, women where not thought having homosexual activities. Although homosexuality was not a criminal act after 1944 it was still on the list over Swedish diseases, a list maid by the Swedish board of social affairs.The years between 1978 and 1984 a study of the homosexual life in society was maid. The most important thing that this study showed was that homosexuality means that you love someone of your own sex, and that you aren?t different from the rest of the society, except that you choose to love someone of the same sex.The work for equality between these two groups started after 1979 when the Swedish board of social affairs took homosexuality of their list over Swedish diseases.

This thesis uses statistical methods to investigate if political appointees working for the Swedish government are good representatives for the members of the ruling party. This is a relevant question since the number of political appointees and the political fields in which they are employed have increased. Some say that this is a sign of presidentialism, which in this context means that the prime minister and his cabinet are becoming more independent from parliament and supporting party. The research is done by comparing the political appointees with an select elite of party members regards to socioeconomic background, which interest that are promoted in society and ideology. The consequences of differences on these characteristics between political appointees and the party elite could be that some interest in society are wrongly overrepresented while others are wrongly underrepresented by the unelected political appointees.