During the last 20 years, the Swedish health care system has faced major changes. One of them is the increasing pressure to generate economic profit due to private businesses entering the market. Health care units are forced to make some structural changes in order to become effective and efficient. As a result merger and acquisitions has become a part of the health care sector, and seems to be an increasing phenomenon. Mergers and acquisitions have mainly been studied in the industry.

The market for management consulting services is changing with an increased level of competition and more specialized service providers. At the same time there is a high level of companies that fail in their efforts to establish themselves on the market. This thesis sets out to give the reader an increased understanding of the complex characteristics of the market for these services, focusing more specifically on which factors that have an effect on the strategy development for companies within the industry. The thesis is also aimed at providing the reader with a deeper understanding of how developing consulting companies can tackle the specific challenges facing them. In order to meet the purpose of the thesis, we have applied relevant theories to a generic strategy model in order to develop a model that is applicable for the management consulting industry.

Background: The reasons why this study is conducted is because of the latest recession in the global economy. The current recession has made a lot of companies more aware of its cost, and in order to fit the new harsher economic climate the companies has to be more cost efficient. In order to do so many companies choose to reduce their amount of employees. When this happens in a recession, most of the layoffs are an effect of reactive causes, such as lower incoming orders, and fewer customers. This leads to a problem for the companies that don?t know how these kinds of layoffs will affect the value of the company?s stock.

The aim of this paper is to analyze aid, grouped into sectors, and its effect on growth in developing countries, to find out which type of aid has had the most positive effect on growth. We compiled a regression analysis based on panel data over 81 developing countries from 1975-1999. In our first regression we considered and group countries by institutional quality, in the other we considered and group countries after regional differences. As a measure on institutional quality we used the KKZ-index. The principal aim of this paper was to find out what kind of aid is the most efficient in its influence on growth in LDC?s.

Title: Competition for small audit firms ? a qualitative study on possible competitive strategies and how the upcoming changes will influence competition on the audit market    Subject: Auditing Tutor: Margareta Paulsson  Authors: Per Dahlström and Martin Holmberg Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop an understanding how smaller auditing firms use competitive strategies and why. The result aims to work as a support for owners and leaders of audit firms as they make decisions of how to compete in the future. We would also like to explore how smaller audit firms view the change of the mandatory audit, that is, our intentions are also to examine how they think the consequences on the market will be and their view on its affect on the competition of the market.    Methodology: Our methodological approach was characterized by a hermeneutic approach in order to explain and understand why the smaller audit firms do what they do. Our approach is a combination of inductive and deductive as it allows us to develop an understanding of the subject, then gather our empirical data and from that draw valid conclusions.

In this thesis, the Swedish venture capital market and its profitability is analyzed. Venture capital is defined as capital that is invested in the early stages of a company's life cycle, in the two investment stages seed/start-up and expansion.A common view is that the profitability of Swedish venture capital has not been, is not and will probably not become high either. With this in mind, we try to answer to the following questions in this thesis:? What has the profitability of Swedish venture capital actually been historically?? Which reasons could be found in order to explain the historical returns for Swedish venture capital, and which factors has been identified in international comparative studies between venture capital markets?In order to answer these questions, data showing historical returns for the Swedish, European and American venture capital market has been gathered, an extensive literature study has been performed, and three interviews with participants from the Swedish venture capital market has been conducted.We conclude that the historical returns of Swedish venture capital is in line with the general view that they have been low. We also see a trend where Swedish venture capital funds that are not specialized in one investment stage generate lower returns than more specialized funds.

Vårt syfte med uppsatsen var att ta reda på om KASAM-begreppet, trots att det har några år på nacken, fortfarande ses som betydelsefullt. Vi utgick från personalens perspektiv gällande KASAM's betydelse för barn 0-12 år, placerade på institution eller med någon form av insats från öppenvården. Genom kvalitativa intervjuer tog vi del av personalens erfarenheter av KASAM's betydelse för barnen, hur de arbetar och om de metoder de använder sig av , ger möjlighet att skapa en känsla av sammanhang för barnen. Vid tolkningen av vårt intervjumaterial utgick vi från tre teman baserade på våra frågeställningar. Det som framkom av materialet var att KASAM har stor betydelse för barnens välbefinnande.

Handling materials and packaging, which is the focus of this study, requires efficient logistics, both internally and between companies. To achieve an efficient material flow, good information systems, whose role is to collect, store, process and distribute information, are required. The assumption that packagings are handled in an efficient manner is currently not a matter of course, when many companies do not prioritize the internal management of the package.The purpose of this report was to investigate how medium-sized businesses working with distribution and handling of spare parts packaging can improve their internal management of packaging. In order to answer the purpose, we have used an abductive process and a qualitative data collection. The study had Logistic Center Ljungby (LCL) at Electrolux Laundry Systems (ELS) as a case company and two other respondents, Nibe in Markaryd and Enertech in Ljungby.

Aim: The analysis model was introduced after several audit-scandals in order to enhance the confidence in the auditors? independence. Our purpose with this essay is to find out if the auditors experience that the stakeholders? confidence in their review of the financial information has increased as a result of the analysis model. We also strive to describe the function of the analysis model in order to give the reader a deeper understanding in this subject.Method: The scientific approch we have used in this essay is a qualitative survey method, in order to find out the auditors opinion and attitude regarding the analysis model and whether the stakeholders? confidence in the financial information has increased as a result of its introduction.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is a correlation between attitude andbuying decisions of consumers regarding certified coffee. The study will examine whether marketsurveys measuring consumer?s attitudes, is a good method for predicting a purchasing decisionsregarding certified coffee.Method: To study consumer attitudes towards certified coffee, we have implemented a web-basedsurvey at Facebook. A total of 108 responses were recorded. To complement the Facebook study wehave conducted three surveys on persons who are customers at ICA.

Title: The mortgage limitation and its impact on the mortgage marketLevel: Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business AdministrationAuthor: Mattias Arnkvist and Magnus Vitasp PerssonSupervisor: Lars SteinerDate: 2011 ? MayAim: We have conducted this report to find out what effect the mortgage limitation has had on the mortgage market since its introduction in autumn 2010. The mortgage limitation has both before and after the introduction been a topic of discussion as it affects many and above all makes it diffucult for certain customer groups.Method: This report was written by a qualitative method. The report uses qualitative and quantitative data. The quantitative data we have in the report are printed literature in books, articles and journals as well as data taken from Internet.

sustainable development by reducing the energy use by EU:s directive of energy efficiency and the UN Convention. The second purpose is to present the technical solutions regarding ventilation and heating system that is being used in passive houses. This was done using 8 passive houses, 4 germany and 4 swedish passive houses. Even the international and Swedish system requirements for passive houses have been addressed in this project. The goal was also to explain how and why the mechanical system in passive houses has developed to the technology used today.

ABSTRACTTitle:Level:Author:Supervisor:Date:Aim:Method:Accepted price ? An Analysis of Cooperation in the Real Estate Markets and its Pricing.Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business AdministrationMadeleine Gustafsson and Sofie BillstamJonas Kågström2012 - MayThe aim with this final assignment is to investigate if the introduction and the cooperation of accepted price was necessary to generate a more stable real estate market with marketable listing prices in Stockholm. The introduction of accepted price led to a cooperation with some of the most important real estate firms in Stockholm. This cooperation was opposed by a number of companies on the real estate market. This fact inspired to examine similarities and differences of being and not being part of the cooperation and thereafter comment on the outcome.

Abstract One of the essential conditions of the co-operating within the EU is that homogeneous conditions of competition prevail within the entire common market. The competition policy in the EU should guarantee that the competition is not distorted in a way that would prevent or create difficulties for the free mobility of goods and services between the member countries. The policy of competition should also guarantee that no new protectionistic obstacles will be formed, regardless of if it is being done by actions taken by member countries or as a result of actions taken by companies in order to set limits to the competition. Companies putting to an abuse their dominant position on the common market, or on a substantial part of it, is irreconcilable with the idea of the common market in case it could interfere with the trading between member countries, and is thus prohibited. The purpose of this dissertation is to describe the collective dominance from the view of the commission's interpretation of the practice of article 82 in the EG - treaty.

Since the middle of the 1980´s the Swedish bank market has experienced a change concerning structure and pressure of competition. Before the year 1985, the market was characterized as a market with few operators but have changed to a market with many operators and seen as one of the most intense in Europe where the four major banks; Nordea, Handelsbanken, SEB and Föreningssparbanken together have a strong position. Their market share has recently decreased, mostly for the benefit of foreign banks and niche banks. The Swedish market has experienced difficulties in generating profits which mostly depends on new establishments that have increased the pressure on competition, a low growth as well as weakened customer relations. The development has resulted in a growing importance of market segmentation, mainly by the fact that costumers have become more disloyal as a result of the increased competition.Students are a market segment of interest for the financial market, mainly because of the expectations of their positive financial situation in the future.