Background: The global capital markets have enlarged investment opportunities and thus also the sources of funds for companies which increasingly face global markets for their services and products. Huge capital movements show that investors are constantly searching ways to minimise risk and maximise returns. In the light of the substantial growth of assets in institutional funds, an important question for international finance is the degree to which institutional investors have diversified their portfolios internationally. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the international diversification of portfolio investments of institutional investors in Japan, the US and the UK and deepen into international diversification in portfolios of Japanese institutional investors. Demarcations: Institutional investors can use their power directly in companies or indirectly through capital markets.

The work covered in this report includes a literature study of the diesel dual fuel technology(hereinafter referred to as DDF). The literature study covers earlier work that has been doneregarding the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel in a DDF system. Moreover a onecylinder research diesel engine was fitted with a CNG fuel system for experimental testing. Theinstallation of the engine and the test cell is described. Results from the tests are presentedcovering emissions, heat release and pressure traces from the DDF-concept.During the literature study it was found that most research was related to heavy duty dieselengines.

Background:The value a consumer connect with a certain brand and its design differ from person to person. This value ought to be investigated. Why does people buy expensive things when there are cheaper alternatives? Is it brand equity and/or the perception of a brand?s value that make a difference? People strive to show themselves and to perform through products, which makes it interesting to see to the perceived value of design.Tweens is a group of consumers that are easily influenced to consume products by their surrounding. To choose clothes, shoes and other products after what your surrounding?s demand, is a way of adapting yourself to society.

Globally, coastal ecosystems like mangrove forests, sea grass meadows and salt marshes are well known for their ability to capture and store atmospheric carbon effectively. In Sweden, there is still limited knowledge about local coastal ecosystems with similar functions, with alder swamp forests being an interesting example. Therefore, this study aimed to increase knowledge of the factors that can contribute to the potential carbon sequestering ability of alder swamps. Vegetation data and sediment samples were collected from a total of 37 sampling plots across four alder swamps in Bohusl?n on the Swedish west coast.

Theability to beat the market is one of the most discussed topics in finance. Thereare very few investors that manage to accomplish this over longer periods oftime. Most of the financial research claims that this is impossible unless theinvestor increase the risk in the portfolio. However numerous of researchershave shown that it exist anomalies on the stock market which either indicatesthat the Capital Asset Pricing Modell (CAPM) or Fama and French three-factormodel fails to explain stock returns or that the market is not fully efficient.One investor that has claimed that the stock market is not fully efficient andthat it is possible to generate abnormal return is Benjamin Graham. Graham isone of the legends on Wall Street and he has shown that by using few variablesbased on public information, one can manage to beat the market over longer timeperiods.There arejust a few studies that have tested Graham?s criteria?s, however all of themindicates that they work but that the standard deviation might be higher forthe portfolios.

Title: The qualified audit report ? a study of Board of Director, Private Corporation and auditor?s impact.                      Seminar date: 31th of May, 2011Authors: Annika Jonasson & Emma SwanbergSupervisor: Andreas Jansson                Education: the Business Administration and Economics Programme      Course: Thesis, the Business, Administration and Economics Programme, 30 creditsKeywords: Qualified audit report, accounting, audit, auditor, board of directors private corporation, stakeholderBackground: It is important for the company's stakeholders to receive information what affects qualified audit report. The information is also important for the company?s management or owner in order to prevent qualified audit report. Board of directors (the ability to control the owners or management and provide critical resources), the management or owners (incentives to manipulate the annual report) and auditors (the ability to discover and report false financial statements) may have an impact why Swedish private corporations receiving qualified audit reports.  Purpose: The overall purpose is to examine why Swedish Private Corporation receives qualified audit reports.Methodology: In order to fulfill the purpose of our thesis a deductive approach is used.

This thesis analyses the prerequisites, profitability and competitiveness of eucalyptus plantation on the Iberian Peninsula and in Brazil. The thesis has a macro perspective and analyses a typical hectare of eucalyptus in each studied region. A survey methodology was used as a strategy to cover a broad perspective using expert respondents. The regions studied on the Iberian Peninsula were the ones found suitable for eucalyptus plantations from an economic point of view. The studied regions were Huelva in the South West of Spain, Galicia in the North West of Spain and Portugal.

Bakgrund och problem: I takt med de utvecklade ekonomiernas framskridande och enalltmer långtgående automatisering har mycket av ekonomins fokus flyttats från de renodladetillverkningsindustrierna till service- och tjänstenäringarna, i vilka det intellektuella kapitaletofta är en viktig hörnsten. Med denna förändring har kritiska röster höjts angående attteorierna kring strategiformulering och strategiuppföljning inte täcker in de villkor somkunskapsintensiva företag arbetar under.Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att utreda hur svenska arkitektbyråers strategier återspeglardet i branschen stora beroendet av intellektuellt kapital samt att undersöka hur byråernaarbetar med ekonomistyrningsmässig strategiuppföljning. Studien syftar även till att klarläggahuruvida, och i sådana fall på vilket sätt, denna ekonomistyrningsmässiga uppföljning skullekunna utvecklas.Metod: En deskriptiv forskningsansats har använts för att tillgodose studiens forskningssyfte.Resultatet understöds av kvalitativ data av såväl primär som sekundär karaktär. Primärdatanhar i första hand inhämtats genom intervjuer med företrädare för svenska arkitektbyråermedan sekundärdatan till stor del härstammar från forskningsartiklar.Teori: Det teoretiska avsnittet grundar sig på teorier rörande strategiformulering, intellektuelltkapital, kunskapsspridning samt prestationsmått som ekonomistyrningsverktyg.Resultat: De undersökta arkitektbyråerna har inga genomarbetade strategidokument ellertydligt formulerade strategier. Istället arbetar de utifrån olika kärnvärden.

Strömstad is a small city located on the Swedish west coast. Urbanization and development is acurrent issue for the municipally, as for many other in the current situation. The municipal housingcompany Strömstadsbyggen is one of the parties involved in the extensive development that mustbe implemented to meet the changes and developments which the issue holds.One area that is of interest in the discussion is Rådhusberget - this due to the existing infrastructureand unique qualities that the area holds. In order to achieve the best solutions possible for the area,Strömstadsbyggen wishes to listen to what the existing tenants at Rådhusberget thinks and feelsregarding the area and its future potential.This thesis has therefore been carried out in collaboration with Strömstadsbyggen and has beenaimed at identifying the current tenants' thoughts and opinions in the existing area of developmentand infill potential. The aim of this work was also to investigate how the tenants value their homeand local environment in its current state, and what their wishes are for the possible futuredevelopment of Rådhusberget.To achieve analyzable results concerning how the tenants perceive these aspects, an extensivesurvey have been carried out which were sent out to all tenants in the area.

The Swedish population has the world?s largest percentage of shareholders either by direct or indirect owning. Due to the increasing interest of equity capital markets, private as well as institutional investors rely on forecasts from financial analysts. The reason for this is due to the lack of expertise among investors in this area. Due to the fact that analysts influence the Swedish stock market immensely, it?s of great interest to explore whether an analyst can be seen as a rational participant.

Intentionen med uppsatsen har varit att ta reda på vad det är som gör att personer väljer ett visst bilmärke och varför. Ut från detta resonemang har vi tagit reda på hur den svenska bilmarknaden ser ut och vilka konkurrensstrategier det finns. Därefter har en svensk biltillverkare undersökts: Volvo Personvagnar AB. Detta för att ta reda på vilka värdeskapande faktorer de använder sig av för att kunden ska välja just dem bland alla konkurrenter.Syftet har varit att belysa Volvo Personvagnars värdeskapande faktorer och ta reda på om dessa faktorer uppfattas av kunderna på det sätt Volvo Personvagnar önskar. Undersökningen har skett genom intervjuer med Volvoanställda och återförsäljare samt en enkätundersökning med kunder.

In Sweden has the temporary agency work industry settled in an explosive way since the deregulation of the unemployment agency monopole in 1993. The demand of civil right for the employer that is rented out confronts the entire labour law regulation with new challenges.The purpose with this paper is an investigation of the principle of equal treatment in The Swedish temporary agency work act and also to create a deeper understanding of the effects of labour and employment relationship. An investigation of relevant collective agreements will be done to highlight the difficulties the principal of equal treatment is exposed to. Further on is there a will to gain understanding for the wage concept and what possible can be included in the wage concept in relation to the principal of equal treatment in The temporary agency work directive. By using the dogmatic method, an approach to descriptive identifying relevant sources of law and clarify the legal situation in the area.In the conclusions it will be determined that the principle of equal treatment in The Swedish temporary agency work act have different effects depending on if the temporary agency or if the client corporation is tied to an collective agreement alternative if a collective agreement is completely missing.

Bakgrund: Tidigare studier har identifierat flera riskfaktorer, såsom kost, fysisk aktivitet och BMI, gällande kolorektal cancer. Att analysera kost utifrån kostmönster istället för enskilda livsmedel har visat sig vara effektivt för att undersöka risker för kolorektal cancer. Datamaterial samlades in med hjälp av en fall-kontroll studie med 257 fall och 805 kontroller.Syfte: Identifiera faktorer som ger en höjd eller sänkt risk för kolorektal cancer utifrån områdena kost, fysisk aktivitet och BMI.Metod: Faktoranalys användes för att upptäcka kostmönster. Logistisk regression användes för att skatta oddskvoter och 95 % konfidensintervall.Resultat: Tio stycken kostmönster erhölls från faktoranalysen. Kostmönstren ?Läsk, juice och mjölkprodukter? (OR=1,288; ORQ4=2,159), ?Te, men inte kaffe?(OR=1,228; ORQ3=1,891; ORQ4=1,668) och ?Fågel, rött kött och fisk?( ORQ4=1,724) gav alla en ökad risk.

Background: It is today common for companies to provide some sort of incentive for CEO's and senior management positions to motivate, retain and benefit employees within a company. This is in order to drive the goals of the CEO and management in the direction that is desired by the owner. Currently, the Swedish centre-right government has forbidden the use of such variable pay within state-owned companies. There are two different attitudes to variable pay, one that is in favour and one that rejects it. However most people agree on the fact that a well-functioning incentive scheme can be of great strategic importance for a company.Approach: has variable pay to CEO's had any effect on the company's profitability.Aim: the aim of the study is to compare companies who use variable pay to CEO's with companies that do not in relation to their profitability in terms of profit margins, yearly performance, returns on total capital and returns on equity.Method: the study uses a quantitative approach.

Teknikutvecklingen har möjliggjort stor spridning av budskap och med kommunikation över Internet skapas nya möjligheter för interaktion mellan företag och konsumenter. Framväxten av smartphones har också gjort att många idag alltid har tillgång till både kamera,internetuppkoppling och bildskärm. Detta är också de förutsättningar som gjort Instagram till ett av de största och snabbast växande sociala medierna. På Instagram kan företag dela bilder med innehåll som de vill förknippas med och dra nytta av den virala spridning som kan uppstå.Möjligheten till spridning kan även utgöra en risk då företagen är rädda för negativ publicitet.Denna uppsats har därför som huvudsyfte att undersöka vad företag har att tillföra i värde respektive riskerar i sitt varumärkesbyggande genom att vara aktiva på Instagram.Teoribildningen som används för att analysera och utvärdera varumärkens närvaro på Instagram är kopplade till Brand Equity, Word-of-mouth, Integrerad och Viral marknadsföring. Metoden som använts i studien är en innehållsanalys av det material som publiceras på Instagram av både företag och privata användare.