The buying decision process describes how the consumer makes a purchase decision through a rational process (Markin, 1979) and an understanding for how consumers make a purchase decision can according to Sands et al. (2010) be obtained by increased knowledge for the information search process (the second part of the buying decision process) before a purchase. Today?s society offers great opportunity to obtain information (Rahim & Clemens, 2012; Bawden & Robinson, 2009) and by that there are in other words good opportunities for a rational acting by the consumers. However, there are factors working against that consumers act rationally and seek information prior to their purchases primarily in the form of the concept of information overload (Bawden & Robinson, 2009) which claims that consumers are limited in their information search because there is too much information but also other factors such as lack of time (Wood & Neal, 2009) and ability to find information (Slegers et al.

Sexually transmitted diseases among youths is a growing problem. Generally, the knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases is relatively good, however, the risktaking among youths is great. The schools education regarding sex is often insufficient. The foundation for avoiding STD is knowledge. However, knowledge does not solve the attitude problem regarding the use of condoms.

The purpose of this study was to highlight the type of actions that can facilitate people with Asperger syndrome to get and keep a job in the regular labour market. Four interviews were done with people who have been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome and who got a job in the regular labour market. The study shows that efforts from society and friends at work have played a role when they had got their jobs and when they managed to keep it. The study shows that these efforts have strengthened their self-image and confidence. The study also shows that adaptations in the work, the ability to control over social contacts and the importance of having a job may have contributed to the respondents stayed in the workplace.

In the previous curriculum for the preschool Lpfö 98, the educational responsibility was documented belonging to all the team members. On the 1st of July 2011 a new curriculum was introduced to the preschool, Lpfö 98/10, where it is documented that the educational responsibility now belongs to the preschool teachers. According to curriculum experts at the Swedish school board this educational responsibility is not new, just a clarification of the preschool teacher?s educational responsibility.This study is a qualitative study and the purpose was to interview the preschool teachers about their thoughts concerning their educational responsibility. The purpose was also to examine if their educational responsibility has affected their role in the team at the preschool and if they believe that this has any significance for their profession.My result of the study shows that the educational responsibility of the preschool teachers now has been clarified and that they should take a leading role in the team towards the goals that are set for the preschool.

Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka vad som skiljer i personlighet mellan studenter som vaccinerade sig mot svininfluensan och studenter som inte vaccinerade sig. Studien genomfördes genom en kvantitativ enkätundersökning på 194 studenter från ett universitet i Svealand. Deltagarna fick besvara psykometriska personlighetstester som mätte känslighet, ångest, depression, sympati och pålitlighet. Därefter utfördes statistiska test i SPSS för att i huvudsak beräkna medelvärdesskillnader.Resultaten visar att vaccinerade studenter är signifikant känsligare än ovaccinerade studenter. Vaccinerade studenter är också mer ångestfyllda men skillnaderna är inte signifikanta.

The largest project at the AICG lab at Linköping University, Cognitive models for virtual characters, focuses on creating an agent architecture for intelligent, virtual characters. The goal is to create an agent that acts naturally and gives a realistic user experience. The purpose of this thesis is to develop and implement an appropriate learning model that fits the existing agent architecture using an agile project methodology. The model developed can be seen as an online unsupervised reinforcement learning model that enhances experiences through reward. The model is based on Maes model where new effects are created depending on whether the agent is fulfilling its goals or not.The model we have developed is based on constant monitoring of the system.

Detta examensarbete som du håller i handen berör övergången från grundskolan till gymnasiet. Syftet med detta arbete är att se hur en grupp lärare och elever uppfattar betyget G. Jag har valt att använda mig av kvalitativ metod i detta arbete för att jag vill förstå hur människor kan uppfatta ett fenomen. Denna metod undersöker förståelse och livsvärden hos en grupp individer. Jag har genomfört en fokusgrupp med lärare från gymnasiet och fyra djupintervjuer med nyblivna gymnasieelever. I och med denna studie har jag kommit fram till att det är svårt för elever att få extra stöd. Det är inte självklart att de får det även om lagen säger att det är ett måste.

The outdoor environment is the first thing you notices when you come to a pre-school and it also plays an important part in the development of children, their play and meeting their large motor needs. It is important that the outdoor playground is stimulating and inviting.My goal is to examine if the outdoor environment plays any role in the development of children and their interest in nature. What kind of thoughts do teachers and parents have about outdoor play, and is there a developmental goal for the children as well as what role do the teachers play in reaching these goals. In my work I want to show how an outdoor environment should be formed to help educationally as well as be safe and not least of all fun to be in..

This essay deals with the complexity that I perceive in the collaboration processes between preschool and parents. In the essay I present my interpretation of two self-perceived situations where my experience has been that the cooperation has not worked satisfactorily for either part. As a basis for my conclusions I use different theories and studies within the domain. My own experiences - both from ten years of working in preschool as well as from an eight-year experience of being a parent also comes into use. The purpose of my essay is to investigate how different horizons of understanding can come into collision, and how limitations in our own understanding of the perspectives of others can complicate collaboration between educators and parents.In the first story I discuss a situation where, in my professional role, I go into a conflict with a parent about how we have chosen to implement some changes.

From a time where employees often remained at one company until retirement, globalization and changed employment patterns have created a more mobile labor market in the last years. In an effort to expand the connection between organization and employee a rising interest in corporate alumni networks has emerged. Previous research has shown that conditions for such networks are formed through employees social identification, perceived organizational support and organizational citizenship and can be shaped by company's HR practices.This paper aims to examine two case companies' perceived benefits through alumni relations as well as their HR prac-tices, in order to increase understanding surrounding the relationship between the two areas. Further the study intends to draw conclusions about the role of corporate alumni networks in the creation of the received benefits.The study indicates that HR practices, through the creation of an organizational citizenship behavior, can influence the conditions for beneficial alumni relations. Results show that some expected benefits of alumni relations can be re-ceived through strong citizenship.

AbstractTitle: PR and Politics- the role of the PR consults in Swedish politics (PR och Politik ?PR konsulternas roll i svensk politik)Number of pages: 34Author: Andia GhafouriTutor: Peder Hård af SegerstadCourse: Media and Communication Studies CPeriod: HT 2006University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science,Uppsala University.Purpose/Aim: To study the PR functions role in Swedish politics and what role it plays for the democracy.Material/Method: Interviews with PR peopleMain results: That the PR people have the right kind of network and the knowledge about how to influence political decisions and the public opinion. Their methods could be criticized from a democratic point of view since they are professionals and their ability to bring up issues in to the public agenda is stronger than ordinary peoples? ability, which could be discussed if it is fair in a democratic society, that people who get paid have more power to change than those who don?t.Keywords: Public Relations, Communication, Politics, Democracy, Information, Networks.

The purpose of this essay is to examine Swedish HR-managers who have either received, or been nominated for, the award ?HR-manager of the Year?. We investigate the managers? personalities, how they think about their own role and HR?s function in the organization, all in an environment that can be characterized by some skepticism towards HR. We find the HR-managers to be ?winners?; strong individuals that are confident, communicative, and driven.

I föreliggande studie har det undersökts vad som påverkat linjechefer att fullfölja sina förändrade arbetsförhållanden. Förändringarna är ett resultat efter att en större omorganisation har genomförts, en så kallad Human Resource Transformation. Studien baserades på Icek Ajzens Theory of planned behavior, vars utgångspunkt är individens intention att utföra ett tänkt beteende. Det antogs, utifrån Ajzen (1991), att de tre faktorerna, attityd, subjektiv norm och upplevd beteendekontroll var av betydelse för intentionen. Sammanlagt svarade 42 linjechefer från Skatteverket på en enkät om attityder, subjektiva normer och upplevd beteendekontroll gentemot de nya arbetsuppgifterna.

Companies show interest in agile methods, but this can be challenging since these methods to a certain degree stand against traditional project methods. If the use of agile methods increase it is of importance to clarify what mechanisms that are significant to a successful result. The aim of this study is to clarify the role of the scrum master regarding conflict management in agile groups. The goal of the study is to better prepare the ScrumMaster to be ready to help the group in a conflict situation. In this examination a qualitative method has been used where five scrum masters, active in agile projects, have been interviewed about their role in conflict management.

During recent years the professional role of librarians has changed considerably. Development in the areas of information technology and the Internet has had a strong impact on libraries. Today?s visitors are in greater need of librarian support for information seeking and other services. This has led to a shift towards the development of a more complex pedagogical role for librarians.