Some theorist, like George Ritzer and Max Weber, claim that everything has its optimal process and that all companies therefore will strive towards standardization. Researchers like Paco Underhill and Pine & Gilmore on the other hand, claim that an increasingly global competition forces businesses to focus more on consumer demands, experiences and differentiation. This thesis challenges these statements with empirical data by looking at shopping malls and their strategies as well as consumer preferences. It arrives at the conclusion that output is primarily driven by customer demand, and that consumers value a certain part of predictability..

The purpose of this study is to investigate and increase the understanding of how the two commercial companies IKEA and SAS and the two aid organizations/nonprofit organizations UNICEF and Save the Children use perceptions of Christmas to produce messages in their Christmas advertising/commercial film. The study also discusses if there may be communicative and pictorial similarities and differences in how these brands constructs messages in commercials, and why it may be that the brands choose to use these messages in commercials based on the recipient possible interpretations. The theories used in this study are promotional culture, framing theory, preferred meaning, semiotics (denotation and connotation), myth and rhetoric (ethos, pathos and logos). The method used to answer the purpose and issues are the qualitative method that uses the theories semiotic and rhetoric to analyze the material. The study's results derived from the qualitative content analyzes of the material (the brands IKEA, SAS, UNICEF and Save the Children Christmas advertising films) show that IKEA message might want to show that they want to help the customer and that they pay attention to the customer needs.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate which the main determinants of capital structure in Swedish listed firms are and to identify which incentives lies behind managers choice of capital structure determinants. Further, the study investigates whether the Post Keynesian theory and theories which incorporate behavioral aspects can be used to explain the capital structure decisions or if the traditional Neoclassical theory give an better explanation. We have used a qualitative method to analyze the determinants of capital structure and the managers incentives behind capital structure decision. We conducted a survey which was sent to 83 Chief Financial Managers and financial executives in Swedish firms listed on Mid Cap or Large Cap. The questionnaire was on-line which enabled for the respondents to quickly and convenient respond.

The usage possibilities of mobile platforms and smart phones are increasing rapidly as they provide support for better processors, sensors and communications capabilities. This has for many companies resulted in an increased interest to explore the possibilities of mobile platforms and how they can be integrated in various business areas. As the usage of mobile platforms in industrial applications is a new area, it is difficult for companies to estimate their potential, and what contributions the different platforms can give.This master thesis investigates the possibilities and limitations for the consultant firm Combitech when integrating mobile platforms and handheld devices in industrial applications. This is accomplished through a comparison between the platforms and by considering the possible areas of use for the mobile platforms based on experiences from companies and research in the area.For a company with the intent to deliver services that use mobile platforms, it is important to be able to combine expertise and resources to effectively attract customers. The mobile platforms will, if applied right, give great possibilities in industrial applications as a cost-effective alternative for both hardware and software solutions for businesses, which provides an opportunity to sell services to both established and new clients.

The usage possibilities of mobile platforms and smart phones are increasing rapidly as they provide support for better processors, sensors and communications capabilities. This has for many companies resulted in an increased interest to explore the possibilities of mobile platforms and how they can be integrated in various business areas. As the usage of mobile platforms in industrial applications is a new area, it is difficult for companies to estimate their potential, and what contributions the different platforms can give.This master thesis investigates the possibilities and limitations for the consultant firm Combitech when integrating mobile platforms and handheld devices in industrial applications. This is accomplished through a comparison between the platforms and by considering the possible areas of use for the mobile platforms based on experiences from companies and research in the area.For a company with the intent to deliver services that use mobile platforms, it is important to be able to combine expertise and resources to effectively attract customers. The mobile platforms will, if applied right, give great possibilities in industrial applications as a cost-effective alternative for both hardware and software solutions for businesses, which provides an opportunity to sell services to both established and new clients.

Companies in the apparel industry are becoming increasingly responsible with regards to the social and environmental issues related to textile production. Despite these tendencies, there are great insecurities surrounding the concept of CSR and the effects on consumers of CSR communication. There is currently no model for breaking the concept of CSR down into smaller elements, specific for the apparel industry. In the first part of this thesis, we create such a model, applicable in a consumer communication context. In the second part, we investigate the effects on consumer attitudes and intentions of communicating the different elements of CSR presented in the model.

The purpose of this thesis is to study and determine how working in cross functional teams can generate value in an effort to facilitate innovation. An inductive scientific perspective is chosen as the research approach. A single case is investigated with the theoretical framework based on Resource Based View, Intellectual Capital, Innovation theory and theories concerning Cross Functional Teams. The empirical material has been collected through primary data; surveys, interviews and secondary data; literature, websites and further complementary data. The practice of using Cross Functional Teams will enhance organizational learning, knowledge transfer, increase communication and innovation, which in turn will increase the speed and performance of the new product development process.

AbstractTitle: External communication and brand strategies in Swedish municipalities? Author: Philip Hagne & Einar Svensson? Tutor: Jessica Gustafsson? Purpose: The aim of this thesis was to study and obtain greater understanding on how Swedish municipalities use external communication and branding strategies to gain and attract more residents. The key questions to be answered in this thesis were: What does the external communication look like in the selected municipalities? Are the selected municipalities trying to establish their own brand? What does the work on creating the brand look like??Method/Material: This thesis is based on material collected trough interviews with people working with external communication in eleven swedish municipalities. The selected municipalities where divided into two groups based on their negative or positive population growth between 2005 and 2012.

The aim of this thesis is to examine how personnel working with asylum cases at the Swedish Migration Board handle their role as administrators of asylum. For the study 7 asylum administrators were interviewed and the analysis was made with influence from the method critical discourse analysis. To understand the themes in the analysis I have used Michael Lipskys theory about street-level bureaucrats. Main results from the analysis of the interviews were that the street-level bureaucrats had certain strategies for managing the difficult aspects of the job. The interviews also showed that the participating informants had difficulties with different identity positions..

Consumption of meat and poultry has increased during the last ten years while the production in Sweden has decreased. Cheap imports are competing with Swedish products and consumers, restaurant and retail let the price decided what to purchase. Swedish food producers can become better at communicating the added values that meat and poultry produced in Sweden has. Social media gives companies a possible tool for communication in order to communicate and create a relationship with consumers. The rise of social media does not only affect consumer decisions making, but also corporate communication. The objective of this project is to investigate how social media can connect the farmer to the consumer.

Companies around the globe all have one thing in common; they are surrounded by individuals or groups of individuals that can influence the company in one way or another. These individuals and groups of individuals are called stakeholders. This study in concerned with the importance of a company?s awereness of and relationship with which stakeholders surround them. The fact that more companies show awareness of responsible conduct, in particular of the environment and social aspects of management may be a way to build a strong corporate image.

Since 1987 until November 2010, the entrepreneurs who choose to conduct its? company in the Swedish corporate form aktiebolag had no opportunity to evade or deselect the mandatory audit. The only choice that really was there to make was to which audit firm they would turn to and the Swedish auditor?s position was rather unchallenged. Today the circumstances are different and the small businesses have been given a chance to take charge of their own situation now being able to remove the auditor.

In this thesis we propose a conceptual plan for thedevelopment of an Agroforestry Training Centre (ATC)in Musoma, Tanzania. The aim is to make a proposalto support peasant education in agroforestry. How canan ATC in Musoma be developed into a stimulatingand educational park suitable for teaching agroforestrymethods to peasant farmers and other potential users?To answer that a field study was conducted to investigatehow our client Vi Agroforestry Programme (Vi) and thetarget groups of the client can benefit from the site.The thesis begins with a short explanation of thecontext, in which the ATC plays a part followed by amethodology chapter. Next are three chapters presentedwhich introduce the reader to the research conductedbefore starting the proposal, these include: results ofliterature studies, study of precedents, and results of fieldstudy.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine and analyze the characteristics of the management control system private equity firms use to manage their portfolio companies. The thesis takes a share holder value perspective, and it is assumed that the goal of the management control system is to increase the shareholder value in the portfolio company. In a qualitative study two private equity firms and two portfolio companies, one for each private equity firm, were studied in detail. In total, nine in debt interviews were completed. The results from this study suggest that the characteristics of the control system are dependent on the surrounding context; the focus on shareholder value and the specific characteristics of the private equity industry shape the characteristics of the management control system.

The prevailing urban migration is a worldwide process. This results in growing cities and a diminishing proportion of people living in the countryside. As the urbanization continues a large amount of the world?s population is expected to live in urban settlements of informal character by 2050. Green Belt has for many years been used to control urban growth and to secure the sustention of larger green areas around towns and cities.