Ever since Lipsky wrote about street-level bureaucrats in 1980 the main belief has been that certain characteristics of their jobs make it exceptionally difficult to severely reduce their discretion. However, discretion comes at a price and if public servants abuse their power the legitimacy of government is at risk and ultimately even the democracy.This thesis address this question by analysing the Swedish employment service which in the beginning of 2001 started a project called ?Af Sverige? trying to improve internal rule of law. By comparing two local and fairly equal jobcentres and how the street-level bureaucrats within use their discretion, I seek to find support for my hypotheses that organizing local jobcentres according to the principles of machine bureaucracy plays a significant part in reducing discretion.My findings show that a jobcentre characterised by strict rules, few units, good communications and a forthright manager who delegates formal power to the employees results in a stricter and more uniform application of regulations among the street-level bureaucrats. My conclusion is therefore unambiguous.

Transmission of reactive power is well known to cause active power losses. Thus, newcomponents who can help minimizing these expensive reactive power flows are ofgreat interest to the power distribution companies. ABB Corporate Research hasdeveloped the first electronic power breaker. One possible application for thisbreaker is transient-free switching of capacitor banks. This could prove a usefuldistribution voltage complement to the switch-sync technique, mainly applied to transmissionvoltage level.

Background: The consumers of today have the possibility to choose from a wide range of products and services. Consequently, the ability to differentiate the products is essential for the brand owners. If a brand owner does not manage to differentiate its product, it can be difficult to make the consumers realise the benefits of the product and convince them to buy it. One way to differentiate the product is to create a distinguished brand identity. However, it is not enough to create a strong brand identity, the brand owner must also be capable of communicating the brand identity successfully.

For a school library to function as a support for the students? development of their academic abilities, it must provide material satisfying their needs as well as the needs of the teachers. The school library should assist the students in their research endeavours, as well as inspire reading for pleasure. In order to do this it is imperative that the school library actively develops the existing collection and continually strives to meet the needs of its users. The aim of this Master?s thesis is to describe and reflect upon how a particular school library works with collection development.

Abstract Title: Yes logo! What defines a good logo? Authors: Fredrik Dahlin and Vladimir Zunkovic Supervisor: Klaus Solberg Söilen. Department: School of Management, Blekinge Institute of Technology. Course: Bachelor?s thesis in Business Administration, 10 credits. Purpose: To find out which are the defining characteristics of a good logo, from a scientific point of view. Method: We have used a qualitative method consisting of interviews with experts within the marketing area with the goal to test the Swedish point of view against the one in the litterature. We also used a quantitative method to investigate the publics attitude towards the testlogos we created. The purpouse of this poll is to test different colourcombinations and how the marketsegments feel about them. In this poll we used statistical methods to make sure that the agelimits and the number of male and female respondents are correct. We executed another quantitative study towards Swedish marketing companies to create an idea of the businesses thoughts about a good logo are. Results: A good logo is a simple symbol or geometrical form consisting of a combination of colours that reflect the company?s core values, visions and goals.

Antifouling paint containing the biocide bisTributyltinoxide (TBTO) has been used since1960 to reduce the occurrence of fouling on hulls on boats/ships. January 1st, 2003 theantifouling paints containing TBTO were prohibited. This ban covered all use of paintcontaining the substance TBTO. The ban was introduced because of alarming observationssuch as development of imposex in aquatic non-target organisms. Imposex is the impositionof male sexual characteristics on mainly female marine snails and occurs due to exposure toTributyltin (TBT).

Alkali-kiselsyrareaktionen (AKR) är en kemisk reaktion som medför att spänningar uppstår i betongen då den bildade silikatgelen expanderar. Reaktionen kräver tillräcklig hög alkalihalt, reaktiv ballast samt vatten. På grund av de AKR-inducerade spänningarna är det av intresse att få kunskap i hur reaktionen påverkar betongens böjmomentkapacitet, förankring samt skjuvnings- och genomstansningskapacitet. För att besvara frågeställningen har därför en omfattande litteraturinventering tillsammans med tre kompletterande intervjuer utförts. Resultat som har erhållits, påvisar att två huvudsakliga effekter fås av AKR.

The aim of this study was to examine how the Danish people and Denmark are represented in the daily Swedish press. We wanted to examine how the Danish people were represented, the characteristics given to the Danes and the differences we see between the different genres. We used theories about discourse, representation, stereotype and national community, too see what underlying messages was hidden in the texts. We analysed 30 texts from three Swedish daily newspapers: Sydsvenska Dagbladet Snällposten, Dagens Nyheter and Aftonbladet. The method we used was discourse analysis based on Faircloughs theories and methods.One of the most interesting results we found was that the Danish people often were represented as different kinds of stereotypes.

Testicular measurements and daily sperm output (DSO) are important factors affecting reproductive capacity of stallions. In the present study testicular measurements of 10 Swedish half-blood stallions were determined (height, length, width and volume). Ejaculates were collected from each stallion once daily for 10 days to evaluate some important seminal characteristics: gel-free ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, percent progressively motile spermatozoa and total number of spermatozoa (TSN). The gel-free ejaculate volume was measured with a graduated cylinder, the sperm concentration was counted in a Bürker chamber, the sperm motility was estimated in a phase-contrast microscope and TSN was determined by multiplying the gel-free seminal volume by the sperm concentration. Testicular measurements were as follows (left and right testis): height 7,5 cm and 7,8 cm, length 10,6 cm and 10,8 cm, width 6,5 cm and 6,6 cm, volume 278,2 cm3 and 293,8 cm3, scrotal width 12,3 cm and total testicular volume 572,0 cm3 .

This report aims to examine the design of a passive house. The design addresses the selection ofmaterial, sizing and selection of both building services systems and building technical features suchas load-bearing framework and moisture control. Interior layout is designed for a family of twoadults and one child.A big part of the report is devoted to an in-depth comparison of three different wall constructions ofpassive house standard. The structures that have been compared are a lightweight timber structure, aheavier concrete structure and a sandwich wall of the brand Weber Leca. The report covers variousaspects such as air flow, wall thickness, the risks associated with the construction, U-value, thermalbridges, power consumption, price, and assembly costs.

Three-dimensional computer graphics enjoys a wide range of applications of which games and movies are only few examples. By incorporating three-dimensional computer graphics in to a simulator the simulator is able to provide the operator with visual feedback during a simulation. Simulators come in many different flavors where flight and radar simulators are two types in which three-dimensional rendering of large terrains constitutes a central component.Ericsson Microwave Systems (EMW) in Skövde is searching for an algorithm that (a) can handle terrain data that is larger than physical memory and (b) has an adjustable error metric that can be used to reduce terrain detail level if an increase in load on other critical parts of the system is observed. The aim of this paper is to identify and evaluate existing algorithms for terrain rendering in order to find those that meet EMW: s requirements. The objectives are to (i) perform a literature survey over existing algorithms, (ii) implement these algorithms and (iii) develop a test environment in which these algorithms can be evaluated form a performance perspective.The literature survey revealed that the algorithm developed by Lindstrom and Pascucci (2001) is the only algorithm of those examined that succeeded to fulfill the requirements without modifications or extra software.

Due to recent legal enactments regarding carbon dioxide emissions, the car industry is facing higher demands. An effective way of reducing these emissions is to minimize the weight of the vehicle. This thesis constitutes a feasibility study on whether or not it is applicable for the car industry to utilize an inner floor structure comprising composite materials. The principal was the projectSåNätt, in which the main participant was Volvo Cars Corp. In consultation with a reference group, consisting of delegates from the industry and KTH, a specification of requirements was produced.

AbstractThis essay discusses different explanations and interpretations of what characterizes large areas containing clearance cairns (cairn fields). Results from the analyses show that there are different explanations about when and why cairn fields and clearance cairns occur. Explanations vary from introduction of the wooden ard in the early Bronze Age to the introduction of rational hay-making in the Roman Iron Age.  There is, anyway, relative agreement considering why and when cairn fields were abandoned. The reason suggested is an increasing pasturage with the consequence of reducing soil to poverty during the period of the Great Migration or in the Viking Age.The most likely cultivation system in cairn fields is a system consisting of both intensive and extensive characteristics. The latter coincides with the probable mobility of settlements.

Title: What drives the customer's choice of packaging and which factors influence the customer's packaging cost? ? in the automotive and manufacturing industriesAuthor: Lena AnderssonSupervisors: Annika Olsson, Division of Packaging Logistics, Lund Institute of TechnologyHelena Claesson, Volvo Logistics ABProblem: Which parameters are important for logistic people to think of when they are going to choose a package?Which cost factors are included in the packaging cost?What kind of added value can an emballage supplier provide their services with?Purpose: The purpose of the project was to study the parameters that drives the customer's choice of packaging and the factors that influence the total packaging cost. The study also consists of a valuation of what an emballage supplier can offer to add value to their services.Method: The study is based on interviews with people who are working at Volvo Logistics and Volvo Car Corporation. Volvo Logistics provide their customers with standard packaging material, which they own and administrate. Volvo Car Corporation is one of their customers.

This report aims to examine the design of a passive house. The design addresses the selection ofmaterial, sizing and selection of both building services systems and building technical features suchas load-bearing framework and moisture control. Interior layout is designed for a family of twoadults and one child.A big part of the report is devoted to an in-depth comparison of three different wall constructions ofpassive house standard. The structures that have been compared are a lightweight timber structure, aheavier concrete structure and a sandwich wall of the brand Weber Leca. The report covers variousaspects such as air flow, wall thickness, the risks associated with the construction, U-value, thermalbridges, power consumption, price, and assembly costs.