This paper explores a model for self-assessment of purchasing maturity in large companies. The author adapts contemporary purchasing theory and further enhances existing tools and procedures to create a survey based instrument for maturity measurementThe paper also explores potential methodological challenges associated with conducting a more extensive study of purchasing maturity via the proposed model. A preliminary study is made and the learnings discussed.The preliminary findings of the survey indicate that the purchasing maturity varies with industry. The purchasing function average score was found to be 3,4 out of 6 with samples spread across the whole spectra ? agreeing with previous theories stating that the purchasing maturity is highly varied between different industries..

This master thesis has been done in cooperation with Sweco Viak AB in Sundsvall. The aimwith the project is to investigate the purifying effect of percolation filter due to iron andmanganese. The overall goal was to investigate how the parameters surface load,sandfractions, and burden time affect the purifying effect. The expectation is to optimize thedesign and find a demouldning of the filter that gives sufficient purifying with a highersurface load. As an attempt to accelerate the curing of the filter, experiments with a layer ofsand which surface has been covered with manganese ore (MnO2) on top of the filter havebeen done.As test filters 10 L bars were used and the experimental work was performed at thewaterworks in Hassela and Munkbysjön.In Hassela different sandfractions were tested.

This study aimed to investigate whether lambs show anticipatory behaviours in a holding pen prior to entering a known arena, whether the holding pen experience prior to the arena exposure affects their play expression in the arena and whether their behaviour (in home pen) is affected if arena access is denied. Twenty pair-housed male lambs (average 14 weeks old), were exposed, in chronological order, to five treatments. Holding pen treat-ment (HP-control): Each pair was led into a holding pen (2.7 m2) and remained there for 5 minutes before returning to their home pen (6 m2). Holding pen ? arena treatment (HP-A): Each pair was led into a holding pen for 5 min and then was allowed access into the arena (22 m2, containing two hanging chains, one ball and one platform) for 15 min before re-turning to their home pen.

The thesis deals with consumers behaviour in the use of online services and the cultures effect on it. It is a study of Swedes and Danes use of online job data bases. The thesis is based on a quantitative study. A questionnaire were used sent out to 80 Swedes and 80 Danes. The theory concerns areas of online consumer behaviour, decision making and services theory as well as theories within culture in relation to services and behaviour.

In the debate on laying hen welfare, and specifically housing conditions, the main focushas been on physiological and behavioural measures. What is lacking is knowledge of howthe hen experiences the situation ? her state of mind.This study is an attempt to gain insight into the private mental states of former batteryhens. It uses a cognitive bias method based on spatial judgement, i.e. judgement of aambiguous stimulus placed spatially in between a reinforced and an unreinforced stimulus.This method has previously shown differences in judgement by animals in enriched versuspoor housing.

Inside the south Swedish national park Dalby Söderskog, wild boars (Sus scrofa L.) have been visiting since 2010. The presence of wild boars has earlier been proven to impact both soil and vegetation characteristics, both positively and negatively. Still, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the rooting effect on the vegetation in deciduous forest within the native range. In this study, I have compared the field vegetation collected before and after the invasion of wild boars in 74 permanent experimental plots. More specifically, the study aimed to qualify the effect of wild boar rooting on cover ratio, species richness and species composition in a temperate deciduous forest.

Marknadsförutsättningarna för en utveckling av den svenska marknaden för högavkastande företagsobligationer är idag bättre än någonsin. För första gången är bankerna motiverade att hjälpa svenska företag med marknadsfinansiering via exempelvis företagsobligationer. Tidigare har denna verksamhet setts som konkurrerande till bankernas egen lånefinansiering. Regulatoriska förändringar, såsom Basel III, ligger till grund för denna nya viktiga förutsättning. Det händer saker på bred front och mycket sker samtidigt. Nya aktörer och organisationer har bildats, färdiga marknadsplatser för högavkastande företagsobligationer finns nu att tillgå.

One of the areas in which current theory on entrepreneurship is ambiguous is in the explanation of how entrepreneurs act when entering a new market. One author that has attempted to contribute in this area is Saras D. Sarasvathy who has tried to explain the entrepreneurs reasoning through the theory of causation and effectuation. The former refers to a reasoning that takes the effect of an entrepreneurial action as given, while the latter looks upon the effects as uncertain, while only the means are given. With a foundation in this theory, Sarasvathy claims that when entrepreneurs enters a new market the level of environmental uncertainty is so high that reasoning based on causal relationships is rendered useless.

The spontaneous blink rate is found to be a non-invasive but functional, reliable and useful way to monitor central dopaminergic activity. Dopamine is associated with a range of functions such as reward, motivation and learning. It plays an important role in goal-directed behavior and in maintaining a behavior once a task is learned. As far as the author knows, there are today no publications that discuss the topic regarding the possible link between training and spontaneous blink rate in dogs. Therefore, eight privately owned dogs were included in this study to determine if there was a significant difference in the spontaneous blink rate before and after the process of learning a task.

AbstractAim: The aim of this study was to describe cancer patients? experiences of quality of life and wellbeing in relation to yoga practice.Method: A descriptive qualitative study with semi structured interviews was carried out during the fall of 2009 at the University of Uppsala. Informants in the study were cancer patients who were participating in the yoga/psychotherapy group at the clinic of oncology at the Akademiska hospital in Uppsala.Result: Five out of six informants experienced that their quality of life and their wellbeing improved by practicing yoga. One informant had mixed feelings which were not due to the yoga practicing, but to the place where it was practiced. For her this place was associated with illness.

Transporter och dess påverkan är ett miljöproblem eftersom transporter bland annat bidrar till ökad försurning, övergödning och växthuseffekten. Ett antal politiska mål har antagits som indirekt eller direkt syftar till att minska den miljöpåverkan som transporter medför. Transporter regleras både i speciallagstiftningar och i den övergripande miljöbalken. Transporter är inte tillståndspliktig verksamhet enligt miljöbalken, men enligt förarbeten kan transporter till och från en anläggning eventuellt tas med vid en tillståndsprövning av en miljöfarlig verksamhet. Genom att studier av miljöbalken och förarbeten erhålls ingen klarhet gällande detta.

Sedan år 2000 är romer tillsammans med fyra andra grupper erkända som etniska minoriteter i Sverige, vilket fått konsekvenser bland annat för modersmålsundervisningen i skolorna runt om i landet. Genom examensarbetets intervjuer framkom att det finns en paradox kring bevarandet av kulturell särart och samtidig integration, där skolans personal ställer sig frågande till hur man ska möta en främmande tradition. Trots preciseringen av alla varianter av romani chib som etniska minoritetsspråk visar sig flera informanter ha en oklar bild av skillnaderna mellan de olika språken, vilket leder till att den garanti som finns för att romska elever ska få undervisning på rätt variant inte uppfylls..

Via semantisk analys har förekomst och variation av KRAFTmetaforer i två olika typer av texter jämförts. Hypotesen är att kognitiva neurala nätverk som ansvarar för den abstrakta tanken är tätt sammanbundna med kognitiva neurala nätverk som representerar känsloerfarenhet baserat på sensoriska upplevelser. Analysen utfördes på två olika typer av texter. Resultatet visar på signifikant skillnad i förekomsten av antalet metaforer i de olika texterna. Ett antagande för undersökningen var att självbiografiska texter är mer förankrade i känsloerfarenhet baserat på sensoriska upplevelser än vad argumenterande texter är.

Prosthetic leg can give a negative psychological effect to the user, which ends up in decreased self-esteem and that the user hides his handicap. xCover gives a more natural volume and a cool look. xCover changes the look of the prosthetic leg C-leg. The product is constructed by us, Patrik Svensson and Magnus Zetterqvist, for Christoffer Lindhe at Lindhextend AB. Christoffer has hired Martin Bergman at Smedjan 17 to make the design.

The outset of this study is to contribute to the literature concerning China?s increasing economic interest to engage in the African context, its economies and resource abundandce. The overarching research problem is that the approaches held by the respective African state entities may facilitate increasing development gains for the recipient state of this economic interest in principle. To adress this research problem the study is undertaken by conducting a comparative case study where three cases/states, with presumably diverging economic and political status, are likely to effect their overall state approaches differently.Research questions, which are addressed by the creation of an idealtype analytic matrix, concern whether the states of South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe take on a more ?permissive? or ?restrictive? approach towards China?s economic interst and whether the approaches can be looked upon on both aggratege and case/area-specific levels.The main findings are that a clear tendency of the ?permissive approach? may be noted on a aggregate level for all cases.