Performance appraisals- a study of the performance appraisals significance as a tool for development in the public sector.Anders Larsson and Åsalill OlssonPerformance appraisals have been given a central role in leading businesses in the public sector and are seen as a tool to create development opportunities and achieve better results. This has resulted that performance appraisal in many organizations takes up capacity and time. This was the starting point of our interest to study whether the time spent on performance appraisals effectively pays for itself in the organization, in other words whether the effects expected actually are achieved. The paper examines first line managers` views on staff appraisal purposes and effects of a function within the Landstinget. The survey design, methodology and transaction are of qualitative and quantitative method with three different sources: literature review of previous research, interviews with first line managers in Landstinget Västmanland and the results from an employee satisfaction survey conducted on behalf of Landstinget Västmanland.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether abnormal stock returns could be identified as a result of a layoff announcement during weak economy.Method: An event study methodology.Theory: Efficient market hypothesis, signal theory.Empirical results: Quantitative data from observations of stock prices in thirty two companies listed on the Nasdaq OMX Stockholm, in the period 2008 -2012.Conclusion: The results indicate that the market reaction was negative because there were negative abnormal returns on the Stockholm Stock Exchange during the period 2008-2012 in connection with the layoff announcements. The market reaction was milder when staff reductions were carried out as a result of a restructuring and stronger when staff reductions were carried out as part of a cost reduction program.The layoff announcements elicited different market reactions depending on the company's industry affiliation. The most negative reaction was in the Healthcare industry. Negative abnormal returns were lower in industries Industrials, Consumer Services and Consumer Goods. There were no abnormal returns for shares of companies in the industry Financials.

The matter of CSR and sustainable products has gained an increased amount of interest in recent years as "green products" are becoming a trend with more "eco"-alternatives in the assortment of many retailers. However, among the increasing number of socially oriented customers, it seems that although they claim an increased demand for these kind of products, its easier to "talk the talk" that to actually "walk the walk". This is due to a discrepancy between attitude and behavior, called the attitude-behavior gap. The purpose of this paper is to examine how to overcome this gap by using three different studies to get a nuanced and reality-based view of the problem. The focus within these different studies is on the potential effects inside the store and how information provided has an effect on perceived credibility and purchase intention.

The purpose of this study was to determine if and how the city district of Södra Innerstaden in Malmö, by using the Skärholms model, demand their client to reciprocate. The first problem set was to see how the demand was shown in the social service act from year 1998. From there the motives behind the introduction of the Skärholms model in city district of Södra Innerstaden were researched and also if there were a demand on reciprocity in city district of Södra Innerstaden public administration. The study was conducted in an exploratory way. The method used was to describe the idea behind Skärholms model after examining documents from the public administration.

Competition in the market of interior design during the last several years has drastically increased. The consumers of today are very conscious about what the market can offer and therefore they have high demands on the products. It is not only the function of the product that matters but also the design that makes a difference. Companies are becoming more aware of this and as a result they have to find a way to set themselves apart in order to attract customers. This realization has led designers and economists to cooperate in a different way than before.

The aim of this MA thesis is to examine how users regard and receive the services offered by a specific public library. We also examine what the conception of service means to the users and how they perceive this service being offered by the library. We look upon if and to what extent the service conception depends on contact with the library staff. The methods used are qualitative interviews and analyses of documents directing the library activities. The public library we have examined in this respect is the public library of Västerås.

Abstract Background: Families with sick children are expressing the needs of accommodation near the hospital, in order to be close to their children and be together as a family.Aim: To investigate how parents experienced the hospitality and the environment at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) in Uppsala and how they feel their children have experienced the stay.Method: Descriptive qualitative interview study. Five parents who lived with their family at RMH between 2013- 2014 have been interviewed with a semi-structured approach. A qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach according to Graneheim and Lundman (2003) was conducted on a manifest level.Results: RMH made the families? situation easier. RMH met their needs of a homelike environment where they could be themselves; be together and maintain everyday routines.

IT has become more evident in most organisations and has grown to be a part of the infrastructure rather than a tool for competitiveness. Therefore focus should now lie on how IT is adjusted to the business rather than on the usage of IT. To make the best use of IT in the business the CIO needs to start think more business-oriented instead of as before, technology-oriented. To develop the IT-department in that direction the IT-staff need to start cooperate with the business and gain knowledge about stakeholders, markets and the way of working for other staff members in the business.With this as a basis, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate attitudes regarding cooperation between the IT-department and the business and if there is any difference if the CIO has business related background or not.To fulfil the purpose a quantitative investigation with the help of surveys was conducted. The sample consisted of 18 companies with 100-200 employees in the area of Jönköping.

The dialysis ward at Karolinska University Hospital is a highly pressurized work environment filled with critical treatment situations where patient?s lives can be constantly in danger. Staff have to deal with a myriad of alarms and error codes in response to their patients varying ailments. The workforce at the dialysis ward lack controlled environment training, sufficient to address all of the potential treatment scenarios, with no risk of jeopardizing the patient?s condition.The purpose of this essay is to design and test the efficacy of using an IT based device for dialysis education at Karolinska University Hospital.The main topics this essay intends to address are:? Identification of user scenarios and training fields.? Prioritization of key training areas.? Utilization of IT in effective staff training.? Design of a conceptual prototype.The process focuses on the user and their needs.

This thesis aims to explore the use of costumed interpreters at museums. Firstly the thesis examines how extensivethe use of historical costumes is in Sweden, along with some international comparisons. Later on the differentways that the clothes are used is examined, and the costume as a resource for learning is discussed. In the lastpart of the thesis the ?function? of the costume is examined.

Today most people are in agreement that the media industry is in crisis. Many newsrooms cut down on staff. At the same time the PR industry is growing. We wanted to research if this could affect the unbiased and independent news in our news media today. Today's newsrooms receive a lot of press releases every day.

The purpose of this master?s thesis is to investigate how librarians approach to the multicultural collection development and which methods they use in providing library materials in minority languages. The questions to be answered are: which methods the libraries use when purchasing library materials in minority languages, how the respondents experience that the minority user groups needs are met in the library and how the multicultural competence of the staff is used in the libraries. For this purpose the qualitative interviews with 6 librarians in Gothenburg are conducted, mainly from the libraries in the immigrant-dense parts of the city, while the study being concentrated on 6 language groups of library users. The study?s theoretical framework is based on theories of multiculturalism, culture, identity and bilingualism.

This is a Minor Field Study (MFS) which is a scholarship financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The study was held in 2007 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and is based upon retrospective qualitative interviews with five Bachelor nurses who experienced the disaster work during the earthquake 27th of May, 2006. The aim of the study is to explore the experiences, feelings and thoughts of Bachelor nurses who were involved in this natural disaster. The interview, transcription and analyse work were made one year after the earthquake were a qualitative content analysis method was used. Two group interviews were held at the University of Gadjah Mada.

This masters thesis aims at a discussion about whether the public library will be an educating and cultivating society institution in the future. The method used is a combination of interviews with library staff in leading position and studies of the public librarys relationship to cultivation and adult education in a changeable society. The work concentrates on two main questions. One is about what, and in which way, changes, that are important for the public library and that take place in society now or within the next ten years, affect the future activities of the library. The other is about the public librarys relationship to cultivation in general and in the future.

AbstractIntroduction: The condition of human health and its lifestyle has become a great questioner towards the public healthcare of our country. Despite the recommendations of at least 30 minutes physical exercise per day, many individuals of our society do not get the recommended amount of physical activity.  To improve the situation a method called ?Fysisk Aktivitet på Recept, FAR (Physical Activity on Recipe). This means that licensed health- and medical staff, as district nurses are able to write prescriptions on physical activity to patients.Purpose: Was to highlight the district nurse?s experience in the role of the FAR-prescribers.Method: The study was conducted using qualitative method.