The forecast ability of four well-known exchange rate models for theSwedish krona is tested in this thesis. The models that are tested arethe purchase power parity, the real interest differential model, thesticky-price model and a productivity model. In addition to thebenchmark, the random walk, they are also compared to each other.They are all tested on three different horizons one quarter, two quartersand four quarters. The mean squared forecast error criteria and thedirection of change criteria are used for evaluation of the forecastability. Only in a couple of cases are the forecast ability of thetheoretical based models significant better than the random walk..

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is considered a specific and a sensitive biomarker of cardiac disease, and due to a high inter-species sequence homology; human cTnI assays can often be used in veterinary medicine. The main aim of this study was to perform an initial evaluation of a human cTnI test, the Meritas Troponin I test, for measurement of equine plasma cTnI, in order to investigate whether the test could be a possible subject for a more comprehensive validation. The hypothesis was that the test could measure equine cTnI, as there is a good homology between equine cTnI and human cTnI. The evaluation included a dilution parallelism, an intra-assay precision study and measurement of plasma cTnI healthy horses. In the dilution parallelism and the intra-assay precision study, equine plasma with previously established high cTnI concentration, according to another cTnI assay, was used. In addition, cTnI concentration was measured in plasma, collected from 19 horses, without signs of disease at physical and ECG examinations. The obtained curve in the dilution parallelism was linear, indicating that the Meritas Troponin I test can be used to measure different concentrations of equine cTnI in plasma.

This literature review summarizes available data on infection with the parasitic roundworm, Ascaridia galli, as a cause of disease in poultry, including the consequences of a conversion to alternative production systems. Ascaridia galli has a direct life cycle with resistant eggs that survive and are easily spread in the environment, especially in systems with bedding materials where the faecal contact is high. The infection is usually subclinical but depending on the infection dose, the symptoms range from weight loss and diarrhea to mortality. Factors such as the feed composition and genetic variation among different hybrids clearly affect the establishment rate of the infection. Ascaridia galli will probably become an increasing problem, with a shift from the traditional battery cages to alternative systems where the risk of re-infection is high.

This thesis discusses the 2007 elections in Kenya, and its aftermath. The aim is to examine whether or not ethnicity played a major role in the outbreak of violence that followed the referendum. As well as different theories and discussions on ethnicity, I will also try to explain the course of events by using theories of increased civil violence during a democratic transition, and the fact that weak political institutions can cause violence. My conclusion is that ethnicity has played a part in the violence, but is too simple to blame the events following the election on just that. A number of different factors all contributed to the outbreak, but all to a different extent.

Requirements engineering is a widespread topic in the research field of informatics. However, there is little research regarding lack of requirements documentation and how it is perceived. The same applies for how requirements engineering in retrospect can be implemented. This is a debated issue on blogs and forums but it has not been reflected in the research area.Therefore, this study concerns research questions regarding how the developers, testers and requirements analyst experience the lack of requirements documentation and how requirements engineering in retrospect can be implemented.To answer these questions, data collection has been conducted through qualitative interviews with individuals affected by this problem in their everyday work.This study has provided an explanation of how the problem is perceived and what the consequences are, both direct and indirect. The impacts are divided into three categories and are presented as, emotional consequences, system implications and consequences regarding re source consumption.

As the contemporary discourse surrounding urbanism is almost exclusively focusing on aspects of density and traditional urban qualities, it entrenches notions of what constitutes a proper city and countryside. But beyond this urban-rural dichotomy is another highly contemporary landscape. A territory usually mentioned as sprawl, peri-urban, wasteland, edge city, etc. Although its existence is due to mobilization, telecommunications, globalization and other phenomena of modern life, it is a landscape without an own name or place in public awareness.This thesis provides a case study of how to map and intervene in such a landscape, specifically along the border between Malmö and Burlöv municipalities in southern Sweden. Its structure is composed of a sequence of three parts:1 Spatial Conditions:Divided up in the sections Network, Fringe and Void.

In organizations today Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming a common means to try to gain legitimacy and credibility for their business. A successful CSR strategy has the potential to generate positive outcomes for a company and reaching out to stakeholders about the corporation?s contribution in the field is an important part of the work. In this study I examine how the employees at Max Hamburgare receive the corporation?s efforts within sustainability, how it is perceived and what this means to the employees.

Requirements engineering is a widespread topic in the research field of informatics. However, there is little research regarding lack of requirements documentation and how it is perceived. The same applies for how requirements engineering in retrospect can be implemented. This is a debated issue on blogs and forums but it has not been reflected in the research area.Therefore, this study concerns research questions regarding how the developers, testers and requirements analyst experience the lack of requirements documentation and how requirements engineering in retrospect can be implemented.To answer these questions, data collection has been conducted through qualitative interviews with individuals affected by this problem in their everyday work.This study has provided an explanation of how the problem is perceived and what the consequences are, both direct and indirect. The impacts are divided into three categories and are presented as, emotional consequences, system implications and consequences regarding re source consumption.

Mergers and acquisitions are common phenomenon in today´s society in order to increase shareholder value. Two years ago a fusion of Sweden´s two largest companies in the industry of real estate took place and even though three out of four mergers and acquisitions financially fail this certain case turned out highly successful. The aim of this thesis is to examine how the organizational structure and the management control have been designed and characterized the organizational performance and furthermore what are the success factors of the integration. By studying an acquisition and its potential effects on organizational structure and management control parallel to a model that describes the best practice guidelines for managers to successfully deliver value from their acquisitions, it can be shown that an acquisition has direct effects both on the acquirer and the acquired company and thus the new organizational structure. The main results, thus, is that through active leadership, increased specialization, and more decentralized and thus efficient management control a new organization has emerged consisting of the best features of two separate worlds..

C-uppsats som avhandlar de centrala begreppen i Guidelines for Operational Planning(GOP) (Centre of Gravity, Decisive Points, Direct and Indirect Approach, Culmination,Manoeuvre, Temp, Operational pause och Lines of operation) granskat i ett historisktperspektiv.Uppsatsen försöker verifiera hypotesen att Guidelines for operational planning (GOP)centrala begrepp fungerar och är applicerbara på alla operationer. Ett belägg för detta är attman kan identifiera begreppen i en historisk operation.Tyska väpnade styrkor från Wehrmacht, Kriegsmarine och Luftwaffe genomförde ett anfallöver havet och i luften mot Norge den 9 april 1940. Operationen var av tyskarna döpt tilloperation Weserübung-nord och var mycket vågad. I uppsatsen kommer denna operation attvara det historiska perspektivet.

The purpose of this essay is to analyze and understand how people in different ways can take on the role as carriers of brands and understand what part they play in today?s society. Brands are everywhere today and the competitions are becoming harder and harder for the customers? attention and consumption, which is why I am curious of how an individual in a company?s frontline or a celebrity can help the success of a brand. The essay is based on a qualitative method where six interviews have been performed.

Degeneration of trademarks - a legal construction or a marketing problem? This paper discusses the issue of degeneration of trademarks. The study has its starting point in the conflict that may arise between the principles of marketing and the legislation concerning IP rights and market law. In this study several verdicts are studied in which degeneration has been addressed. Analyzing these rulings as well as the current legislation in the light of marketing theory, a conflict between marketing and legislation can be noted.

This literature review summarizes available data on infection with the parasitic roundworm, Ascaridia galli, as a cause of disease in poultry, including the consequences of a conversion to alternative production systems. Ascaridia galli has a direct life cycle with resistant eggs that survive and are easily spread in the environment, especially in systems with bedding materials where the faecal contact is high. The infection is usually subclinical but depending on the infection dose, the symptoms range from weight loss and diarrhea to mortality. Factors such as the feed composition and genetic variation among different hybrids clearly affect the establishment rate of the infection. Ascaridia galli will probably become an increasing problem, with a shift from the traditional battery cages to alternative systems where the risk of re-infection is high.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a root crop that plays an important role in many households in Africa. It is sometimes called ?Africa´s food insurance?. The advantages with the crop are that cassava is drought-resistant and it can grow in a semi-dry land. It is a perennial crop and does not require much labor.

This paper investigates the relationship between the two modernist writers Katherine Mansfield and Virginia Woolf. The two authors had a frail and complicated friendship that influenced their fiction and fictional characters more than the general public knows. My paper investigates how Woolf can have found her fictional story ideas direct from their friendship. With a comparative theory I?m finding and giving examples of how their friendship is reflected in their fictional stories, and I?m backing up my examples with citations from their own diaries, letters and notebooks.