Calculations of net present value are based on a discount rate, which requires knowledge about the company?s cost of debt. A common way to do this is by observing the company?s credit rating, when no credit rating is given it?s possible to use a synthetic rating model based on quantitative data to estimate a credit rating. Thus, the aim of this study is to increase the understanding of which quantitative data, in terms of key figures, that can be used to explain the given credit ratings for companies from the Nordic countries.In developing the model, key figures found significant in previous studies are being tested for whether or not they are applicable for companies from the Nordic countries.

Since 2005 all companies listed on a regulated stock exchange within the European Union are required to present their financial reports in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and International Accounting Standards (IAS). The purposes of these standards are to accomplish international harmonization of accounting rules to make financial reports more comparable. However, recent research has shown that some firms tend to use goodwill strategically in a business combination by manipulating the acquired assets and consciously allocate the intangible assets to goodwill to reduce the depreciation in the income and decrease costs. This phenomenon may reduce the comparability between financial reports and thus has an opposite effect on the purpose of IFRS and IAS.The aim of this study is to show how the companies involved in this study allocate goodwill strategically. Furthermore, the introduction of the new standards has contributed to that goodwill now is a subject for impairment test, therefore we want to show whether this affected the comparability of the companies in this study.An empirical study was conducted, based on interviews with four Swedish managers.

AbstractBachelor thesis in political science by Alexander Hassan, autumn 2008, ?Effects of external factors on a nations democratisation process during the transition from authoritarian to electoral democratic rule ? A categorical analysis?Supervisor: Tomas SedeliusIn recent years globalization has become a hot topic in understanding the world we live in today. Globalization has indeed had a great impact on international relations and with it a great influence on the domestic conditions that determine a nation?s possibilities. It is therefore rational to hold true that this also would apply to a nation?s democratic process.

On the 1st of January 2014, new legislation was introduced on taxation of shareholders in close companies. The legislation has faced criticism from several of the respondents and the purpose of the master?s thesis is to critically examine the legislative amendments made. The base of the thesis is to present the legislation within taxation of shareholders in close companies, to examine the purposes and motives of the legislator and the criticism received for the legislative amendments, as well as provide a historical perspective of the purpose of the rules. An analysis of the incentives that the legislator is providing shareholders in close companies, with the amendments, and the extent to which they reflect the purpose of the legislation.

The purpose of this study is to determine which approach preschool teachers from a Reggio Emilia inspired preschool and a traditional preschool have on children, knowledge, learning and their own role in children?s learning. The two pedagogical approaches have different basic visions; Reggio Emilia follows the thoughts of Lori Malaguzzi and the traditional preschool follows the Swedish curriculum Lpfö 98. The main research questions asked were:What view on children, learning and knowledge does the preschool teacher from a Reggio Emilia inspired preschool have in comparison with a traditional preschool?Which role does the teacher believe that they should take regarding children?s learning?What differences and similarities can be identified in the teachers' perceptions?To carry out this study, I used a qualitative research method.

The economic prerequisite to many farmers in Sweden after the EU membership and the new agriculture policy has generated large demands on the farm management. Until year 2004 you got a grant based on what you had produced and not on consumer demand. In 2005 a new economic aid (Mid Term Revue) was introduced and the conditions has changed again. Due to this I have chosen to do a cost-benefit analysis on a case, to investigate if the present production is sustainable in the future. My conclusion is that the profitability is acceptable even if the farm has a high debt. But to make the production more profitable the products produced should be refined as much as possible at the farm, to get maximum economic return.

Although Lean has received an increased amount of attention in the service context, research still has not established how successfully Lean manages to increase service productivity; since service productivity consists of both efficiency and quality. Research regarding productivity discusses the risk of a tradeoff between efficiency and quality in service production processes. Therefore, this thesis aims to explore if the tradeoff in a production setting with low variability in demand and low customer participation exists, after Lean has been implemented. With a qualitative approach, a case study has been conducted at Scandinavian Airlines Ground Handling to evaluate the effects of Lean in the baggage handling process. The result of the study shows that the tradeoff has not been overcome; efficiency has increased at the expense of quality.

This essay deals with risk management and social risks, which have received increased attentionin recent years. Methods for dealing with social risks, for example within local Risk andvulnerability assessment (RSA), are currently under development. The purpose of this paper is toexamine if and how social risk can be quantitatively assessed and mapped using GeographicInformation Systems (GIS). The definition of social risk that the essay is based on states: "Theprobability of unwanted events, behaviors or conditions originating in the social conditions thathave a negative impact on the objects that are worth to preserve.? A number of social riskindicators that can be used for a spatial analysis have been operationalized based on thisdefinition.

There is a discrepancy between national school guidelines towards inclusive education, and the current political trend towards economic efficacy, that may be problematic for teachers. The aim of this contextual study is to formulate a contextual understanding of the participating teachers? perceptions of their effort to help all their students achieve the goals set forth by school curricula, and use this understanding for the purpose of suggesting points of entry for special needs educators´ guidance of teachers? practices towards more inclusive education.Information was gathered by sending an extensive web questionnaire to all teachers within a given headmaster´s administration, sending web questionnaires to a majority of third grade students taught by those teachers, conducting interviews with a few of the participating teachers as well as with the special needs educators, carrying out a classroom observation, and gathering additional information concerning working conditions and social interactions.The data gathered in this case study has been subjected to an analytical process comprising of an assessment of the degree of inclusive approach, using the Inclusive Approach through Participation as well as the Framework of Participation, technical triangulation of all data post the inclusive assessment, and analysis of context by the Ecology of Human Development/the Bioecological Theory.The analytical process has resulted in a contextual description that has enabled me to suggest possible points of entry to be used in special needs educators? guidance of teachers? practices towards inclusive education. The degree to which there exists a collegial sense of security, varied forms of teacher-student interactions, collegial cooperation, pedagogical discussions, a dialogue in search of mutual understanding, and consequent follow-ups appears, in the light of the limited selection of participants, as relevant to these teachers ability to help their students.Further research is needed to identify valid points of entry for special needs educators? guidance of teachers? practices towards inclusive education.

The trends in trade have been changing in the last few years. To offer a good product with agood price is not enough today, it?s also required that businesses create a good relationshipwith their customers and then do their best in maintaining it. It is now even more brandscompeting in the market, which indicates how a good relationship between the parties can bean important competitive advantage and also a significant variable.The goal and purpose of the study is to investigate and analyze the factors that influence thatthe supplier, in the sporting goods industry, is seen as a good supplier on the basis of theretailer's point of view. Then we want, from different sized companies, analyze and study howthey work with the key properties in creating a good customer relationship and hencecustomer satisfaction.

Men commit more suicide than women all over the world. They commit more violent crimes and are more inclined to alcohol abuse. There are studies that relate this behaviour to the hegemonic image of masculinity.My work focuses on Switzerland. The suicide rate in Switzerland is worrying, for men between 15 and 44 years suicide is the most common cause of death. There is no national suicide prevention and no information or prevention that highlights the connection bet- ween the hegemonic image of masculinity and the suicide rates.

Purpose?This study has examined the information behaviour and perception of information in a group ofinformation users who have a critical approach to the media and the information supply. Some of them call themselvesor are being called conspiracy theorists. The purpose was to examine how their information behaviour is influenced by the belief that the information is biased or inaccurate and what the information behaviour looks like when the user searches for discrepancies rather than a response to a question.Method?The study is based on transcribed interviews and email responses to interview questions.

Background: Urinary tract infections caused by indwelling urinary catheters causes unneccesay suffering among those it affects. These infections are also financially straining on the health care services. It is therefore of importance to gain knowledge about which evidence based preventive interventions that have the possibility to reduce the risk for bacteriuria and urinary tract infections among patients with indwelling urinary catheters. Aim: This study aimed to compile available knowledge concerning i) if silver alloy catheters does reduce bacteriuria in this patient group, ii) if aseptic catheterization does reduce bacteriuria in this patientgroup, iii) which routines for changing the urinary drainage bag reduces the risk of bacteriuria, iv) which routine genital hygenic care reduces the risk of bacteriuria? Method: Litterature was searched for in the data bases Cinahl, Medline and The Cochrane Library using the data bases? thesaurius combined with OR/AND.

The problem of separating a non-rectangular foreground image from a background image is a classical problem in image processing and analysis, known as matting or keying. A common example is a film frame where an actor is extracted from the background to later be placed on a different background. Compositing of these objects against a new background is one of the most common operations in the creation of visual effects. When the original background is of non-constant color the matting becomes an under determined problem, for which a unique solution cannot be found. This thesis describes a framework for computing mattes from images with backgrounds of non-constant color, using Bayesian statistics.

This study examines university employees? perception of their employment situation and career opportunities. By tradition, fixed term contracts are used in the Swedish research community due to dependency on insecure funding. There is a current debate that questions this use of insecure employments. The employments are said to negatively affect the university?s societal role and international competitiveness.