The purpose of this paper is to investigate the existence of the discipline Design Thinking in a project that aims to strengthen Sweden as a brand. The study will generate knowledge about Design Thinking, with the purpose to increase the understanding of how the discipline can be used as a strategic tool in the processes of strengthening Nation Branding. The authors have used a descriptive and qualitative approach where the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 was examined. The theoretical framework contains previous research in the field, data has been analysed in relation to Lockwood's ten principles of how an organization can become more design-minded and Anholt?s hexagon, which features the parameters that creates a country's Nation Branding.

The purpose of the essay Multi criteria analysis of potential conflicts concerning land use planning - natural stone mining in Lysekil municipal is to study possibilities and limitations in GIS based multi criteria analysis as a tool for land use planning. How GIS based multi criteria analysis can be implemented to localize potential conflict areas between natural stone mining and other land use activities and what advantages and disadvantages the method holds are the main issues of this study. The essay studies these questions through a case study, concerning the geographical area of Lysekil municipal in western Sweden and problematizes the interest of natural stone mining in relation to other land use interests. A literature study was carried through, concerning multi criteria analysis and planning. After collecting and processing of data the multi criteria analysis could be implemented in the ArcGIS tool Weighted Sum.

First time labelling occurred was when animal owners marked their cattle in order to distinguish the differences. The need for labelling was added when the trade had expanded during Roman times in order for the customers to know who manufactured their craft. Trademarks are characterized as a way to distinguish one's own product or service from someone else. The marketing purpose is to create an identity. The brand has an important role as an effective competitive tool for businesses.A brand can have many different functions, which will simplify a customer's decision making process in selecting a service or product.

Background: Investors have several options to choose from when the goal is to achieve the highest yield at the lowest cost and risk. Stocks are a common investment options, but is also associated with risks. Portfolios are usually constructed with several different assets to reduce the unsystematic risk of investment. Funds are similar to composite stock portfolios, the big difference is that they dealt with in their entirety and investors may not affect the fund's content. The problem remains that whether you choose stocks or mutual funds there is still uncertainty as to how the future will unfold.

In Sweden exist a Swedish institute for children?s book which is a national information center. They have an annual "Book tasting" where they present statistics and trends from the latest publications of literature for youth and children.In their ?book tasting?? from 2010 a number of picture books had, as they say, children who descend from non-Swedish culture (Swedish institute for children?s book, 2010). The aim of this thesis is to investigate how the ethnical diversity describes in these picture books from 2010. To understand how the ethnical diversity describes in these books I had two questions which helped me in my research.

The first four AP-funds have a well-diversified Swedish portfolio, which is managed in similar way as the largest Swedish bank funds. Up until today, there has not been any comparable study that focuses specifically on this part of the AP-funds. Our aim is two-folded; First we will look at how well the AP-funds have managed their Swedish assets compared with Swedish funds of the four largest banks in Sweden during 2002-2006. This will be done by looking at some important key ratios and both absolute and active return. Secondly we will present a descriptive analysis of the management structure within the respective organisations, to be able to draw conclusions regarding the possible deviations in investment return.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine and analyze the characteristics of the management control system private equity firms use to manage their portfolio companies. The thesis takes a share holder value perspective, and it is assumed that the goal of the management control system is to increase the shareholder value in the portfolio company. In a qualitative study two private equity firms and two portfolio companies, one for each private equity firm, were studied in detail. In total, nine in debt interviews were completed. The results from this study suggest that the characteristics of the control system are dependent on the surrounding context; the focus on shareholder value and the specific characteristics of the private equity industry shape the characteristics of the management control system.

Background: The global capital markets have enlarged investment opportunities and thus also the sources of funds for companies which increasingly face global markets for their services and products. Huge capital movements show that investors are constantly searching ways to minimise risk and maximise returns. In the light of the substantial growth of assets in institutional funds, an important question for international finance is the degree to which institutional investors have diversified their portfolios internationally. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the international diversification of portfolio investments of institutional investors in Japan, the US and the UK and deepen into international diversification in portfolios of Japanese institutional investors. Demarcations: Institutional investors can use their power directly in companies or indirectly through capital markets.

The purpose of this study is to examine what characterizes brand identity and positioning regarding festivals on the current Swedish festival market. In relation to our purpose we are also going to analyze how festival attendees relate to a festivals brand identity. Our research question is as follows:What characterizes festivals brand identity and positioning on the current Swedish festival market?This study has been written with a qualitative research method and an inductive approach. Our empirical foundation is built on a rich content based on personal interviews.

Detta examensarbete omfattar brandskydd och dimensionering för de olikakonstruktionsmaterialen limträ, stål och betong. Där målet är att utveckla ett underlagför nyutbildade ingenjörer och konsulter. Layouten på arbetet ger en enkel överblicköver informationen kring de olika materialen och tar upp de viktigaste stegen manska ta hänsyn till vid dimensionering.Arbetet inleds med en allmän översikt på hur brandskyddet behövs i byggnader föratt uppfylla de lagar och regler som ställs. För att få en större förståelse för hur deolika konstruktionsmaterialen beter sig under påverkan av brand, presenteras de olikamaterialegenskaperna och hur påverkningen för samtliga ser ut.Huvuddelen av rapporten beskriver de grova skillnaderna mellan materialen och hurman går till väga för att nå samma brandklass på konstruktionen för de olikamaterialen.För att utvärdera litteraturstudier, har erfarna ingenjörer och konsulter intervjuats.Detta har resulterat i bredare inblick kring det informationsbehov som krävs för att tafram dimensionering vid brandskydd i konstruktioner..

The thesis demonstrates a low-cost, low-bandwidth and low-resolution Analog-to- Digital Converter(ADC) in 0.35 um CMOS Process. A second-order Sigma-Delta modulator is used as the basis of the A/D Converter. A Semi-Uniform quantizer is used with the modulator to take advantage of input distributions that are dominated by smaller-amplitude signals e.g. Audio, Voice and Image-sensor signals. A Single-bit feedback topology is used with a multi-bit quantizer in the modulator.

The effect of moderate incongruency between a celebrity endorser and an advertised brand is considered in an experiment with celebrities, both congruent and moderately incongruent with the investigated brands. In addition, the influence of possible moderator variables was examined, as well as the potential impact of the celebrities? gender. It was found that an ad exposing a moderately incongruent combination of celebrity and brand generated a more positive result on attitude towards the ad, brand attitude and word of mouth. Furthermore, under some conditions certain moderator variables influenced the relationship between moderate incongruency and responses evoked by the ad..

Background: Investors have several options to choose from when the goal is to achieve the highest yield at the lowest cost and risk. Stocks are a common investment options, but is also associated with risks. Portfolios are usually constructed with several different assets to reduce the unsystematic risk of investment. Funds are similar to composite stock portfolios, the big difference is that they dealt with in their entirety and investors may not affect the fund's content. The problem remains that whether you choose stocks or mutual funds there is still uncertainty as to how the future will unfold.

High brand equity is a great asset for companies that operate their business in a free and competitive market. Brand equity can arise from both product-related and non-product related attributes and may be viewed from many different perspectives. This study examines which different attributes that contribute to enhance brand equity from customers point of view at the Swedish market for agricultural machinery. The study have been developed using a comprehensive literature search in order to investigate the field regarding brand equity and brand image. The literature review results in one product specific and one non-product specific approach in order to examine factors that contribute to enhanced brand equity. This takes the form as one survey-based approach regarding the non-product related attributes which is examined by interpreting the extra value added by different attributes.

För att ta reda på hur väl en Multi-Agent-Systems-bot kan stå sig mot andra, icke-MAS-bottar, så har vi implementerat en bot till brädspelet Arimaa. Botten är implementerad i C++ och den kan spela mot andra bottar, eller människor, genom Arimaas officiella hemsida. Syftet har varit att skapa en fullfjädrad bot som både klarar av att spela korrekt, och att spela bra. För att ta reda på om MAS är en bra designfilosofi för Arimaa så har vi utmanat ett antal av de bottar som andra människor skapat och lagt upp på hemsidan. Alla bottarna har under tiden de legat uppe blivit rankade genom tävlingar och utmaningar och flera av dessa har tävlat om stora pengar, vilket betyder att människor har lagt mycket tid på dem.