The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate the suitability of the three instruments SERVQUAL, SERVPERF and Zone of tolerance to measure service quality, from the respondents' perspective. This study has been carried out by a quantitative method in which respondents answered three questionnaires, which was based on the three instruments. The SERVQUAL instrument is a revised version based on criticism by Carman (1990). It is based on the five dimensions; reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangibility, with 22 items in which each dimension is associated with a number of items. SERVPERF is the instrument most similar to SERVQUAL and is also composed of the same five dimensions.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate traditional market segmentation variables, as criticism has been directed towards these variables. Based on our problem discussion we find it motivating to undertake investigation in order to understand which connotations an ethnographic approach will provide. Methodology:We have applied an ethnographic approach, which has enabled us to attain under the surface knowledge from our respondents. Theoretical perspective:As we wanted to evaluate existing traditional segmentation variables, we decided to only include theory regarding these variables. Empirical data:In order to collect our data, we observed seven respondents at Ikea and conducted observations and in-depth interviews in their homes.

This essay in how to create a brand identity is a result of a case study of the Spanish mobilephone company Xfera and their new brand ?Yoigo?. Our object was to identify the critical variables in the process of building a brand identity. To achieve this we collected data about the company through several interviews with respondents with good insight in the company. The critical variables that we obtained by analyzing the interviews are presented in an empirical driven model.

Belyser övergången från historiska till verkliga värden för finansiella instrument. En banksektor och en industrisektor undersöks för att fastställa slutsatsen, som visar att det inte skett någon förändring på grund av tillkommande paragrafer i ÅRL utan förändringen ligger hos de noterade företagen och övergången till IFRS regler, den så kallade säkringsredovisningen. .

This essay is about democracy and how a democracy index can be used as a tool to illustratethe gap between reality and ideal. The purpose of this study can be expressed by two researchquestions: Does the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) democracy index illustrate thedistance between reality and the ideal of democracy presented by Dahl? and Can the EIU'sdemocracy index be modified by a) internal adjustments and b) using the variables includedin World Economic Forum?s (WEF) equality index?By using a combination of theories (Dahl?s theory of democracy, Rawls theory of justice andchosen theories critical to liberal democracy) as an analytical framework the following twoquestions have been answered:1) Which of the variables included in the EIU's democracy index have the potential to capturethe level of political equality?2) Which of the variables included in the WEF?s equality index have the potential to capturethe degree of political equality?By using a quantitative method the study?s third and last question has been answered:3) How strong is the rank correlation between the EIU?s democracy index and the WEF?sequality index, that is; how strong is the rank correlation coefficient (rho)?The data presented by the WEF?s equality index indicate that women are systematicallydiscriminated against as a group. From a democratic perspective the EIU may need tomeasure inequalities at a group level in order to capture the lack of political equality betweenindividuals. By reformulating some of the EIU?s variables, by revising the EIU?s point systemand by using the variables included in the WEF's equality index to extend EIU?s democracyindex, the chances of capturing the gap between reality and the ideal of democracy presentedby Dahl would likely increase..

AbstractEssay in Political Science, C ? level, by Ylva Björkegren, spring semester 2008. Tutor: Anna Spånning. ?Sida from a liberal feministic perspective.

The analysis of acute phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) has recently been brought into clinical use in veterinary medicine. Some of the difficulties with incorporating the SAA method in clinical practice have been the expensive and rather large equipment required for the method. Due to these difficulties only larger clinics can afford to use the SAA analysis.The company Equinostic has recently developed a smaller instrument that costs one-tenth of a larger instrument. The instrument is named EVA1 and has so far only been used to analyze SAA in horses.The aim of this study was to investigate if the EVA1 instrument could be used to analyze SAA in cats. This study included 24 serum samples from cat, which were first analyzed twice on the EVA1 instrument and then sent to the Strömsholm Referral Animal Hospital in Sweden where they reanalyzed the samples using a validated reference method.

This essay is about democracy and how a democracy index can be used as a tool to illustratethe gap between reality and ideal. The purpose of this study can be expressed by two researchquestions: Does the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) democracy index illustrate thedistance between reality and the ideal of democracy presented by Dahl? and Can the EIU'sdemocracy index be modified by a) internal adjustments and b) using the variables includedin World Economic Forum?s (WEF) equality index?By using a combination of theories (Dahl?s theory of democracy, Rawls theory of justice andchosen theories critical to liberal democracy) as an analytical framework the following twoquestions have been answered:1) Which of the variables included in the EIU's democracy index have the potential to capturethe level of political equality?2) Which of the variables included in the WEF?s equality index have the potential to capturethe degree of political equality?By using a quantitative method the study?s third and last question has been answered:3) How strong is the rank correlation between the EIU?s democracy index and the WEF?sequality index, that is; how strong is the rank correlation coefficient (rho)?The data presented by the WEF?s equality index indicate that women are systematicallydiscriminated against as a group. From a democratic perspective the EIU may need tomeasure inequalities at a group level in order to capture the lack of political equality betweenindividuals. By reformulating some of the EIU?s variables, by revising the EIU?s point systemand by using the variables included in the WEF's equality index to extend EIU?s democracyindex, the chances of capturing the gap between reality and the ideal of democracy presentedby Dahl would likely increase..

The price of farmland has risen sharply in the last 20 years. This has led to discussions about what creates the value of farmland. The aim in this study was to try and find what factors are affecting the price on farmland. The area that is studied is the counties around Mälardalen during the period 2005 to 2009.The method chosen to achieve the objective is the hedonic price model. The variables are chosen after a preliminary study where a literature search has been made and a number of interviews with people in the industry.

This Master Thesis has been carried out in cooperation with Ursus Medical AB (URSUS) which markets, assembles and sells the Rotex Screw Needle Biopsy Instrument ®. The instrument is delivered with an instrument holder. Customers had expressed dissatisfaction over that they needed to use two hands during a biopsy procedure, which resulted in a project to develop a new instrument holder.The project aim was to create concepts for how the new instrument holder should be designed, with focus on the mechanics. The new instrument holder would build on the existing basic principle that the screw needle and the cannula were screwed into the tissue. The thesis work would result in a technical solution and a functional prototype of the chosen concept.To achieve this, a generic product development processes were used and began with a comprehensive literature review.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att utreda vilka finansiella instrument som används i affärsplaner framtagna av nya företag i uppstartsskedet.Litteratur om affärsplaner har studerats för att utreda vilka som är de vanligaste finansiella instrumenten som förekommer. En kvantitativ prövning har utförts för att studera vilka finansiella instrument som används i praktiken, hur vanligt förekommande de är, för vilka tidsperspektiv de redovisas samt hur många finansiella instrument som tas upp i respektive affärsplaner. Prövningen har utförts genom att en befintlig volym med affärsplaner har stu-derats och samtliga finansiella instrument registrerats. Resultatet har i sin tur analyserats och presenterats textuellt och i form av grafer.De finansiella instrument som enligt tidigare forskning bör finnas med i en affärsplan är resultaträkning, balansräkning, kassaflödesanalys och breakeven-analys. Dessa fyra instrument har klassificerats som finansiella huvudinstrument.

Belyser övergången från historiska till verkliga värden för finansiella instrument. En banksektor och en industrisektor undersöks för att fastställa slutsatsen, som visar att det inte skett någon förändring på grund av tillkommande paragrafer i ÅRL utan förändringen ligger hos de noterade företagen och övergången till IFRS regler, den så kallade säkringsredovisningen..

Syftet med denna litteraturstudie är att beskriva hur standardvårdplaner, kan vara ett instrument som förbättrar omvårdnadskvalitén för patienter och närstående i sen palliativ fas.Artiklarna söktes via Högskolan Dalarnas bibliotek och Falu lasaretts bibliotek. Artiklar från andra referenser ingår också i studien. Totalt har 17 artiklar använts i resultatredovisningen. Resultatet visar att efter införandet av standardvårdplan förbättrades följande områden; symtomkontrollen, anhörigstöd efter dödsfallet, kommunikation, omvårdnadens standard och evidens. Fokus lades på att prioritera viktiga omvårdnadsåtgärder och det visar sig att standardvårdplanen Integrated Care Pathway (ICP) är ett användbart pedagogiskt instrument vid kvalitetsförbättringar i palliativvård.

Betting under ordered forms has been around for a long time, but the recent increase in Internet betting and the large sums of money that are now involved makes it even more important for betting companies to have correct odds. The purpose of the essay is to calculate probabilities for outcomes of football games using a statistical model and to see if you can find better odds than a betting company.The data contains the 380 games from the 2004/2005 season and the variables form, head-to-heads, league position, points, home/away, average attendance, promoted team, distance and final league position from previous season. After performing an ordered probit regression we only find the variable ?form of the away team? to be significant at the 5 % level. We suspect the presence of multicollinearity and perform a VIF-test which confirms this. To fix this problem we perform a second ordered probit regression where a number of variables are combined to index variables. In the second regression we once again find only one significant variable.

Forecasting stock market returns is an interesting topic since more and more Swedes enter and invest in this market. Theory implies, however, that such exercises should be impossible. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the possibility to forecast future stock returns by looking at macroeconomic variables? history. The study is limited to the Swedish market as it is based on the OMXS30-index which represents the 30 most exchanged stocks on Stockholms¬börsen, the Swedish stock exchange.