The global market is becoming increasingly integrated and to keep up with growing competition and to achieve even greater success, companies expand to foreign markets. Previous studies have shown that the concept of psychic distance has an important impact on international performance regarding small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). The aim of our study is to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of how psychic distance influences export performance regarding Swedish SMEs. Through a single case study of a Swedish SME, we chose to research three different markets in three different continents. Our findings show that psychic distance influences export performance through export marketing strategy and active learning.

Purpose: The Swedish correctional service is on the brink of its biggest expansion in history, due to political investments related to battling a rise in gang related criminality. The purpose of this thesis is to exam and understand the strategic competence supply work from an employer perspective and investigate the elements included in the Swedish correctional service competence supply form a regional perspective. The study specifically focus on what strategies the Swedish correctional service employ to attract, recruit, develop and retain workforce. Theory: The theoretical framework of the study includes among others, a model divided into three different phases (within, in and out) within competence supply, the demand-control-support model, push and pull factors, as well as the two-factor theory. Method: This study has a qualitative approach with semi structured interview as its specific method. A total of seven interviews were conducted with personnel within the swedish correctional service. Results: The main challenges are related to recruitment, staff retention, support of managers, and the fact that many correctional officers do not have time to complete their training before leaving. The latter is particularly significant are of concern.

Studien avhandlar ett brittiskt kompani under mission i Afghanistan och hur deras operationer står sig i förhållande till David Kilcullens twenty-eight articles. Förbandet hade som uppgift att söka stridskontakt med motståndaren inom ett kompaniområde i syfte att isolera striderna och möjliggöra uppbyggnadsprojekt i Sangin provinsen i Afghanistan. Slutsatserna är att kompaniet uppträdde mer som ett reguljärt skyttekompani och hade inte någon tydlig counterinsurgency metodik i enlighet med Kilcullens teori..

Background:The definition of mental illness is characterized by a lack of management regarding mood, thoughts or behavior. It is difficult for the person to cope with everyday duties as well as relationships with other people.The study revealed that the society should take action to prevent social isolation for those with mental illness. The central concepts of care theory is love, learning and well-being, where nurses' conditions and actions create results in the patient.Aim:Describe skills and prerequisites nurses need at the meeting of patients with mental illness. A further aim was to examine the ethical considerations included studies made use of.Method:A descriptive literature studyMain result:Nurses feel they do not have skills regarding mental illness. When nurses care for patients with mental illness are often formed stigmatizations regarding these patient groups and care will suffer.

With this thesis I wanted to find out how a teacher-team in Stockholm reason about and whether they have specific expectations of male teachers in the early school years. Interviews with five teachers from pre-school to grade 3 and in after-school have shown that specific expectations of male teachers is something obvious. Are male teachers expected to enter into the role of male role models to contribute with masculinity and a male perspective? However, the informants are not able to define how a male role model is or should act. Men and women are often defined as two separate, and often as opposite, groups.

Kompaniledningen har uppträtt som förmyndare för hela förbandet och har ej lämnat ansvar till helt vuxna soldater som alltså inte är grundutbildnings-ungdomar. Från början jobbade vi alla järnet men befälen körde GU-stuket och tog civilisten ur oss varvid självständigheten och initiativförmågan försvagadesDessa ord från soldater finns nedtecknade i avhandlingen Militärt ledarskap som undersöker ledarskapet under internationella insatser och påvisar en brist i ledarskapet. Försvarsmaktens nya personalförsörjningssystem innebär att förbanden kommer att bestå av anställda soldater och den erfarenhet som Försvarsmakten har av anställda soldater är från de som befunnit sig på internationell tjänstgöring. Ett framgångsrikt ledarskap under internationell tjänstgöring torde därför kunna verka som en inriktning för hur ledarskapet skulle kunna vara i den nya Försvarsmakten.Denna uppsats söker svar på hur en chef som uppskattas av anställda soldater kan vara, om utvecklande ledarskap är aktuell som modell och om uppdragstaktik är en metod att leda anställda soldater med. Slutsatserna är att soldater uppskattar ledaregenskaper som ärlig, rättvis, förebild, engagerad och lyhörd.

Employee turnover can cost an organization a significant amount of money. In addition, retention of employees can beneficial towards to an organization as it e.g. allows to save costs related torecruitment and training of new employees. The fast food industry is recognized as an industry which employs low-skilled employees and is especially in the United States known to be prone to high employee turnover. With regards to Europe, only little information is available in the field of low-skilled employee retention in the fast food industry.

The purpose of this work is to explore and illuminate the circle times function and importance of preschool by the pedagogue perspective and the circle time design in relation to children's age group composition. The study questions are:What is the purpose of circle time in preschool educational activities according to the teacher and how does the teacher look at his own role?How do the teachers plan, design and perform the circle time of small children and big children's section? What similarities and differences exist?This is a qualitative study based on interviews with four preschool teachers and observations of their circle times. Research and theories showed that the circle time is a social training, provide a sense of community and is a ritual that gives a good daily rhythm.The results of the study demonstrate that the circle time is an important routine that occurs for a short time daily in early childhood education. The circle time organizes and structures the day for both children and staff group.

The use of technology in today's society is frequent and often necessary, but how, when and where are we supposed to learn how to use it? And if it is such a big and important part of our society, then why don?t teachers get more training in how to use the technology? The purpose of this paper is to examine whether teachers attitudes to technology affects their use of technology in their teaching. In school technology can be a complementary to other material, if teachers have the necessary skills to use technology in a pedagogical way. I have chosen to do a qualitative study in form of interviews and observations at a school outside of Stockholm. The results show that both school and teachers must want to work with technology if anyone will be getting something out of it.

The specific task of this thesis is to illustrate the complexity of a cooperation between civilian and military entities by examining Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and their role as an actor among others in the field in a war-torn Afghanistan.By using counterinsurgency strategy as an analytical framework it has been possible to examine the civilian and military contexts closer. Underlying structures concerning the norms and interpretation of reality of the PRTs has been partly revealed. Studies of the PRTs as one significant bearers of "the comprehensive approach", which includes a holistic approach regarding the use of civilian and military capabilities, new conclusions can be drawn on whether a general civil-military approach can be a part of the solution for current and future conflicts. Based on the counterinsurgency strategy, the author has identified three themes as bearing and thus appears through the thesis as a foundation. These are Coordination, Development and Security.

Bakgrund: Fotboll är en sport som präglas av knäskador, muskelbristningar och stukningar. Mycket fokus ligger kring hur man på bästa sätt kan undvika och förebygga att ens främsta resurs, spelarna, undviker att bli skadade och på bästa sätt kan producera resultat för klubben de tillhör. Studier har visat på att skadeprevalens är något som ökar i och med en ökad träningsmängd och att många skador är en följd av både muskelsvaghet och fel sorts träning. Många av dessa undersökningar menar på att man i dagsläget tränar fel och att träningen mer måste fokuseras på de fysiska krav som ställs inom den idrott man utövar, i detta fall fotboll.Syfte: Syftet med denna undersökning har varit att se om det finns någon korrelation mellan typ av träning, träningsmängd och skadeprevalens inom herrfotboll.Metod: Studiens syfte har besvarats med hjälp av en strukturerad enkät som skickats ut via en web-länk till aktivt fotbollspelande män. Undersökningen har involverat 100 respondenter från olika divisioner.

The manufacturing industry is currently in a short-term downturn while the competition is increasing. The result of this is that companies must find new ways to bring out their products. Traditional competitive strategies, such as low pricing, is not sufficient today as the customer is inquiring something more than just a good product. Higher demands are presented on an accurate, well functional, communication between customer and companies, as this has become an important strategic factor in achieving long-term profitability.The aim of this independent project was to analyze and evaluate the communication process between a company and its sales companies.In order to illustrate this process, a case study was carried out at Alfa Laval, their sales companies and employees at their distribution center in Tumba. In order to see the differences in attitudes between the management, the sales companies and the employees regarding communication and involvement a gap analysis were used.The theoretical part of the study considers theories about business mission, communication, involvement, quality and creating value.The result showed that a smaller gap exists between the sales companies and the management while a slightly larger one exists between the employees and the management.

Different techniques for precision agriculture have been available during the last decade. Some of them are more widely used than others. The main purpose of this thesis was to investigate the different attitudes to precision agriculture that exists among farmers and advisors in Sweden. Eight advisors and sixteen farmers were asked for their opinion of a number of specific techniques for precision agriculture, such as yield-mapping, precision liming, the Yara Nitrogen Sensor and site-specific fertilization with phosphorous and potassium. They were also asked to describe the way in which the counselling in Swedish agriculture is used and also about it's importance for the adaptation of new techniques. The high costs are mentioned to be one of the most important reasons why precision agriculture hasn't been more widely spread. Several farmers refer to their farms as too small to bear the costs that come with the techniques. The individual interest for technique among the potential users plays an important role.

The writer has attempted to discuss the distinction between the necessary and the contingent. It begins with a criticism against the possibility for a so-called ?a possible worlds realism? to give a ?philosophical explanation? of this distinction. The writer argues that this is impossible, since it requires that a notion of this distinction be already accepted (more precisely that the necessity of such a theory is already accepted).After this specific criticism, the writer intends to show that this is a more general problem that follows any explanation of the contingent/necessary distinction.The writer then discusses the counter-argument that the requirements placed on these explanations are set to high, therefore the writer shows in theory the problem can be solved and sketches a more specific way how to explain and show the basis for this distinction..

This is a thesis in Personal- och Arbetslivsprogrammet at Dalarna University with thepurpose of evaluating an education initiative in Borlänge kommun. The educationCoaching Leadership is an initiative for the managers in the organization to exercisegood leadership and the education also serves as an incentive for managers. Eightbusiness managers and one from the HR staff have completed the training. Out of thetotal 9 participants in the training, six of them took part in this evaluation. Based on thethesis aim and questions we wanted to explore participants' attitudes to the education,and what skills and abilities they have acquired on the basis of educational goals andcontent.