The purpose of this study was to examine how young managers (26-32 years old) in municipal old-age care organizations, in Skåne and Blekinge, experience their professional roles as managers in relation to their age. One of the questions asked in this study was whether managers experienced that their age affected their managerial position, and in that case, how? In order to investigate this, a qualitative method was used, including interviews and observations. Seven interviews with young managers were conducted. My approach in the working process was influenced by Grounded theory as defined by Glaser and Strauss (1968).

This essay examines middle school students? understanding of a text read aloud to them in English and the connection between the degree of listening comprehension and the expected increase of vocabulary throughout middle school. The same listening comprehension test was carried out in grades 4, 5 and 6 in a middle school in order to survey differences in English listening comprehension in regard to the ability to reproduce the content of an oral text. The result shows that there was a progression from level to level when it comes to comprehension and the number of words reproduced and that this progression was most noticeable between grades 4 and 5..

Swedish healthcare has experienced increased economic pressure during the last decades and organizations have faced many changes. Managers and their roles in organizations have also been affected by the changes. Traditionally, managers in the healthcare sector are highly specialized doctors with a strong medical background. In the thesis, we study a big private healthcare company with an ambition to lead the development in the sector. In order to accomplish its goal, the company is trying to change the organization of managers.

We have decided to conduct a case study of German and Swedish mid-level managers within the automobile industry. Primarily we used a qualitative method of investigation and a phenomenographical methodological approach in order to conduct an in depth analysis. We conducted semi-structured interviews with six mid-level managers each in Germany and Sweden. The semi-structured interviews allowed us to conduct flexible interviews which enabled these managers to speak relatively freely about their own view of leadership. Throughout our investigation we have based our results on the empirical findings and at the same time sought explanations to different phenomenon in relevant secondary data, such as management literature, thus used the abductive method of investigation..

This study is based on interviews with four managers in public elderly care and four managers in private elderly care. The aim of this paper is to examine how these managers are experiencing their leadership in relation to conflict management, and if the managers leadership differs depending on private or public elderly care. Leadership and conflict management are theories that have been used in order to analyze the empirical findings. Previous research that has been used in the study concerns ?leadership/leadership styles?, ?conflict management?, ?to be active in the private/public elderly care?.

The purpose of this work is to find out how present manager contracts are set up in Landstinget Västmanland (the county council of Västmanland), explore managers? perception of these contracts and why managers have chosen leadership. The work has also reviewed the question if managers need to have a relationship or expertise to the activities they lead and which qualifications are needed in such case. The survey was conducted in two divisions in which nine interviews were held with managers at all levels. In addition to this a questionnaire including the 87 managers in the divisions were held.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate which the main determinants of capital structure in Swedish listed firms are and to identify which incentives lies behind managers choice of capital structure determinants. Further, the study investigates whether the Post Keynesian theory and theories which incorporate behavioral aspects can be used to explain the capital structure decisions or if the traditional Neoclassical theory give an better explanation. We have used a qualitative method to analyze the determinants of capital structure and the managers incentives behind capital structure decision. We conducted a survey which was sent to 83 Chief Financial Managers and financial executives in Swedish firms listed on Mid Cap or Large Cap. The questionnaire was on-line which enabled for the respondents to quickly and convenient respond.

The purpose of our study is to examine the case managers reasoning and descriptions of empowerment as a method in their social work from a comprehensively perspective including family members. To manage with this purpose we interviewed two case managers, two clients with mental disabilities and five family members. We have come to the conclusion that the case managers works more consist of advocacy than empowerment. Despite that we have found that the long term goal for the case mangers work is to give the clients tools for empowerment. Our results also show that the clients feel that they have gained and increased their ability to do things by themselves and to be a part of the community.

The purpose of this study was to investigate a Swedish assessment centre and more specifically the predictive validity of its assessments of ten managers from a Swedish technological company. The study was made by interviews with these managers' executives in order to find out how well their opinion about their employees matched the assessments made by the assessment centre consultants. The results showed that the congruence of the managers' strengths was 74% whereas that of their weaknesses was 59%..

The aim of this master thesis is to examine research perspectives and a selection ofmanagers? views on the concept of work motivation. With an exploratory approach,based on a literature review and interviews these views are examined and compared inrelation to a theoretical framework. This theoretical framework consists of three keyconcepts, the individual, the context and the regulation of work motivation. Theliterature review reveals two research perspectives, a classic economic perspectivebased on Principal?Agent Theory and a more up to date social psychologicalperspective based on Self-Determination Theory.

Introduction: First line managers in the public sector, are under a great pressure from both senior management, leadership, politicians and often from a large group of employees. Few studies have been made on the first-linemanagers psychosocial work environment, even though in the studies found that the manager affects their employees work environment.Aim: How first line managers in municipal elderly describes the psychosocial work environment on the basis of demand-control - support model.Methods: The study was conducted through individual interviews with six first line managers. Respondents were recruited through a strategic selection in a medium-sized municipality in Västernorrland. The interviews were conducted using an interview guide. Qualitative content analysis with an deductive approach was used as a method of interpretation of the results.Results: First line managers point out the difficulty in balancing the requirements and several managers also mentioned the importance of having clear role descriptions and objectives.

This essay constitutes a qualitative case study about democratization theory and the middle class in Russia. This is a very important case to study, especially because of the geographic position of the country as well as the economic importance Russia has as a part of the G8. In the essay the author seeks to answer the question whether the lack of a significant middle class in Russia can be a part of the explanation to the absence of a well functioning democracy in the country. Several democratization theories are presented. The most important being Ruth Berins Collier's theories about ins and outs plus the elite- or working class as the initiator of democratization processes.

This study examines how managers in the public sector experience and manage their digital maturity in the context of digital transformation. The study is based on qualitative interviews with twelve managers and three developers in a municipality in western Sweden and is analyzed based on a theoretical framework that combines individuals digital maturity (DIMI model) with organizational conditions. The results show that managers' digital maturity is influenced by both individual and organizational factors. At the individual level, the importance of digital competence, self-efficacy, and willingness to participate in and lead change are emphasized. At the same time, organizational conditions such as coordination, resources, technical support and clear governance are required.

The purpose of this study was to examine how food managers of Östergötland County disucss around their possibilities of reaching the government´s orientation towards 25 per cent of the food - procured, prepared and cooked in the school meal - coming from certified organic production. The study was a cross-sectional study in wich a qualitative approach was used. The sample consisted six food managers in Östergötland. Data processing was done through a semantic content analysis.  The result showed that involvment and intrest were significant factors for the introduction of organic food in the school meal. The three municipalities with the highest percentage of organic food used the SMART - concept.

Vocational rehabilitation is an ongoing issue that directly or indirectly affects everyone at a workplace. In recent years, laws and rules have changed. The 1st July 2008 changes were made in the General Insurance Act (SFS 1962:381). These changes have meant that there is now a so-called rehabilitation chain.  The rehabilitation chain contains time frames for when sick people will have their ability to work tested against their normal work or to other jobs. If a person is considered having enough capacity to be able to work he or she will lose their entitlement to sick pay.The aim of our study is to investigate managers? perceptions of the new rehabilitation chain, with a focus on vocational rehabilitation of long-term sick to get them back to work.The method used was qualitative and data collection was done through nine semi-structured interviews.