This master thesis concerns the relation between law and the theory of the conceptual metaphor which has developed within cognitive linguistics. Although its main focus is abstract thinking, it also covers a wide range of aspects within cognitive linguistics, such as the prototype theory and radial categories. In order to address this relation, three questions will be dealt with. Firstly, does the theory of the conceptual metaphor have relevance to interpretation of legal rules and contracts? Secondly, can the same theory explain why a legal rule or a contractual term has been interpreted outside of its most given area of application? Thirdly, when an interpretation is not predictable from a legal viewpoint, can such an explanation answer to that fact? Answering the first question will require a descriptive analysis of the conceptual metaphor and cognitive linguistics.

Uppsatsen behandlar miljöteknikbranschen och venture capital branschen. Vi undersöker vilka investeringsvariabler venture capital investerare intresserar sig för och hur de prioriteras vid investeringsbeslut. Resultaten används för att undersöka hur väl miljöteknikbolagen på den svenska marknaden motsvarar investeringskriterierna. Undersökningen har genomförts kvantitativt genom att enkäter har riktats till 83 venture capital bolag på den svenska marknaden och till 200 miljöteknikbolag. Frågorna har vi ställt i matchande par till respektive bransch för att tydliggöra skillnader och likheter och utan respondenternas vetskap om syftet att matcha branscherna för att undvika vinklade svar.

This paper?s objective is to investigate whether Modigliani and Miller (MM) I & II proposition from 1958 with regard to capital structure, is still valid among public Swedish firms.We have chosen the 63 firms on the Stockholm Stock Exchange (OMX) that Affärsvärlden magazine?s general index (AFGX) has categorized as industrial firms. We based this selection on the assumption that these firms are relatively capital intense and have a clear focus on production and, therefore, mainly uses capital structure as a mean to finance their production and not as a means in itself.To be able to fully evaluate these firms we have calculated the current key ratios based each firm?s annual report. To make the figures comparable across the entire population we adjusted them to each firm?s turnover.The results we have reached concur with MM?s proposition I regarding capital structures independence of the firm value.

The purpose of this research is to examine some historical aspects of Robert Putnam?s thesisabout voluntary associations and social capital. According to a micro perspective theory ofsocial capital the trust and reciprocity required and created by associations is important toexplain the disparity between institutional performance and socioeconomic development ofsocieties. The social patterns governing this therefore set a precedent for the future. Using themutual sickness benefit societies in Sweden as variable for voluntary associations around1884, the essay discusses the possible links between social capital, associations and long termeconomic development.

In September 2008, a proposition to limit auditors? liability for statutory audit was launched by a Swedish Government official report. Auditors? legal liability in this respect has been joint and unlimited for more than 60 years in Sweden. By using a qualitative literature study method, this paper aims at discovering how the proposed change in legal liability affects the legitimacy of auditors in Sweden.

The company Betsson opened its first physical gambling shop in Sweden in May 2008, thereby defying the Swedish government?s legal gambling monopoly. The legal case that has resulted due to the violation of the Swedish gambling law has attracted immense attention from mass media, thus generating vast amounts of publicity for the company. This paper aims to evaluate and describe the company?s decision to open the store, as well as to examine the relationship between market driving practices and market driven practices.

ABSTRACTSince Robert D. Putnam first wrote about the causes behind the regional differences in economic and political development in Italy, the theory of social capital has truly flourished in the fields of social science. This days you constantly hear politicians and scholars stressing the important role of the quality of the social fabric to a society?s wellbeing. There all looking at ways to construct policies and institutions that help the spread of social capital.

Background: The growth of the venture capital industry has given birth to new relations between investors and entrepreneurial firms. Venture capital firms are by definition investors serving as an active partner which implies a deeper relation between investors and entrepreneurs than has been the case previously. This new situation leads to a number of questions. Do venture capitalists really act as active partners with a long term interest in the venture? Do they add any value besides capital? How important is their influence in the portfolio company's decision making process? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to give a deeper understanding of the relation between venture capital firms and IT companies in the start-up phase.

The topic of this master thesis in legal science is state law and constitutional law, or more specific judicalization, with the division of power and thus increased individual legal rights in various forms. Sweden has traditionally had a weak constitutional protection for the individual?s legal rights. The public power has been concentrated to the government and the courts have only played a marginal role. Since the implementation of the European convention of legal rights and with the ever-increasing importance of the legal system of the European Union, the Swedish legal system gone through changes of historical dimensions.This master thesis is based on the legal dogmatic method where laws, preparatory work, case law and doctrines have been systemized.

Den här uppsatsen syftar till att redogöra för i vilken mån Sveriges storföretag prioriterar arbetet med att optimera sitt rörelsekapital. Studien var av en explorativ sort där målet var att identifiera och uppmärksamma tidigare okända mönster och samband angående hur kapitalrationaliseringsarbetet utförs utifrån perspektiven fokus, ansvar och mätningar.Informationen som studien bygger på inhämtades genom en enkätundersökning som skickades ut till CFO:n på de 200 största svenska företagen rankade efter omsättning, exkluderat finansiella företag. Svarsfrekvens bland respondenterna blev 25 % då exakt 50 företag valde att svara på enkätutskicket. Enkäten skickades elektroniskt och besvarades genom att svara på ett webbaserat program.Resultatet från studien visade att majoriteten av Sveriges största företag prioriterar Working Capital Management. Till vilken nivå de väljer att fokusera på Working Capital Management beror på det enskilda företagets förutsättningar som till exempel vilken bransch de opererar inom..

Over the last decade, the private insurance market has undergone a stable growth in turnover and growing demand for insurance products in all Member States of the European Union. Therefore, the creation of a single market in insurance will enable consumers to have access to wider choice of insurance products, and insurance companies to gain access to markets in various Member States and compete effectively. The EU legal framework for the insurance industry embraces the Treaty freedoms of services, establishment and capital, the EC Directives and the ECJ case-law. The present thesis identifies numerous factors that hinder the Community insurance market integration and offers possible remedies. The summary of the market obstacles is all-inclusive and reflects the responses to the questionnaires and the Commission surveys.

The aim of this paper is to study intra household allocation of capital income by using data on Swedish observations. The 1991 tax reform was to change the taxation on capital income from a progressive to a flat tax system. Before the tax reform there were incentives to allocate capital income to the spouses with the lowest income of labor in order to reduce the total tax burden. The data describes the year of 1989 and 1993, those we choose to examine. Using Swedish data from LINDA database we estimate a quotient by ordinary least squares (OLS) regression.

The 3:12-provisions are part of a legal system specified for owners of close corporations (companies owned and managed by a small group of businesspeople), for taxation of capi-tal gains and dividend. The reason for special rules for the taxation of these owners is to prevent them from transforming their income, to only be subject of the lower taxation of capital gains, instead of income of service. Since the rules were put in force, they have been subject to several changes. The most recent changes took effect on the 1 January 2006. They involve a higher importance for the rule of salary-based taxation.

The aim of this thesis is to describe the development of profitability and capital structure in Swedish quoted companies during the period of 1990 to 2004. Further, the aim is to determine the relationship between profitability and leverage in order to conclude whether the choice of capital structure supports the pecking order theory or the trade-off theory of capital structure. The findings show that return on assets fluctuates between 3 and 11 percent and that return on equity fluctuates between 3 and 22 percent during the period. Further, the leverage and the cost of debt have decreased. This indicates lowered financial risk in Swedish quoted companies in the period between 1990 and 2004.

This thesis examines the legal boundaries of third-party use of trademarks in the European customized clothing market. The purpose is to determine under what circumstances third parties may legally modify and sell trademarked apparel without infringing on trademark rights. The study employs a legal dogmatic method, analyzing EU trademark law, case law, and legal doctrine to clarify the scope of exclusive rights and their limitations. By analyzing key EU case law, the study further illustrates how the legal framework has been interpreted and applied in cases concerning third-party trademark use. Given the increasing demand for customized fashion and the rise of new business models in the clothing industry, this topic holds significant legal and economic relevance. Additionally, Schumpeter?s theory of creative destruction provides a theoretical perspective on how trademark restrictions impact innovation and market competition.