Title: The Relationship between Internationalization and Firm Performance Seminar date: 5 June, 2008 Course: Masters thesis in Business Administration, Programme for Managing People, Knowledge and Change, 15 University Credit Points (15 ECTS). Authors: Cheng Hsun Chiang and Márton Pap Advisor: Dan Kärreman Key words: Internationalization, Performance, Multinationality, Degree of Internationalization (DOI), Country of Origin Purpose: To illuminate various crucial aspects of internationalization by systematically contrasting the different models of the multinationality-performance relationship and searching for underlying reasons. Methodology: Meta-analysis on previous theoretical and empirical research. Our emphasis in this paper has been put on the qualitative aspects of the previous research unlike many other conventional meta-analyses that focus on the comparison of the empirical data. Theoretical perspectives: Five main models have been developed by earlier studies to describe the relationship between internationalization and performance: positive linear, no or ambiguous relation, inverted U-shaped, standard U-shaped and S-shaped curve.

In this master thesis, control algoritms using arm side sensors are investigated for an industrial robot. The sensors can be position encoders placed after the gearbox and accelerometers on the robot arms. Control strategies are discussed and evaluated for different models of the robot, after which chosen strategies are applied to a realistic model. Control algoritms using arm side sensors (LQ, dual-loop and PD-PID) are compared to a PID-controller that only uses measurements of motor position for feedback control. The comparison are done with respect to disturbance rejection, oscillation damping, robustness and tracking performance of a reference trajectory.

Being able to take a decision on an area you've never seen is a difficult task. It is also complicated to introduce an environment in the best way to benefit its purpose. This study focuses on the differences people notice between 2D and 3D models. To make it more concrete, the study has been linked to a case study called Ha?lsans va?g 255.

This thesis was conducted at Linköping University and SAAB Aerostructures, Linköping, and focuses on the automation of flexible fixturing in machining applications. At Linköping University a project called "Koofix" is conducted with support from Strategiska stiftelsen and several manufacturing industries including SAAB Aerostructures. The purpose of this project is to develop a more cost-effective, flexible, technique for fixation of workpieces during processing and assembly.Fixtures are an important part during the machining process, especially if you process the parts with high accuracy. Today a large number of fixtures are used at SAAB and they would prefer to reduce the number of fixtures by using flexible fixtures instead. SAAB uses one fixture for each article and this result in a high fixture cost and it also takes time to design and construct a new fixture.There are several advantages with using a flexible fixture such as that you can process workpieces with different length, height and thickness in the same fixture.

In this master thesis work, a new method called MultiScat, is compared with the conventional method with alfa-correction, for computing concentrations from intensities in X-ray spectrometric analysis. The conventional model is a linear model, which only takes the photoelectric effect into consideration. It doesn't consider Rayleigh and Compton scattering even though it has a great impact on the measured intensities. Here MultiScat differs a lot. MultiScat is based on a solution of the Boltzmann transport equation.

This report aims to study the condominium prices in central Stockholm and the factors thataffect these prices. A linear regression model was set up and data about relevant covariatessuch as floor area, mortgage rates and where the condominium is situated were gathered toassess if and how they influence the price. The raw data was processed and enhanced to gain asmuch relevant information as possible to the model. To determine the covariates? influence onthe final price, regressions were ran and various tests were performed on the output data.

Predicting corporate failure is an increasingly important topic in the world of economics today. This paper, with the help of the credit ranking company Syna AB, aims to investigate a few different statistic strategies to do just that. This task is accomplished by using a data material of 250 000 Swedish companies divided into two subsamples. The first sample is used to develop the model and the second as a validation sample. The model developing sample holds 160 000 companies divided into five different subgroups based on size and age.

Nowadays the majority of the thinnings made in Swedish forests are done by machines, harvesters and forwarders. The most common model in thinning with a harvester is strip-road operated thinning and stand-operated thinning with one intermediate passage between the strip-roads. This study is a time study with some quality follow ups on a strip-road operated thinning model, a stand-operated thinning model with one intermediate passage between the strip-roads and a stand-operated thinning model with two intermediate passages between the strip-roads. The machines in the study were a small harvester (Forestline MPM C90) and a medium sized forwarder (Timberjack 1110). The study was made in Litsnäset outside the city of Östersund in Sweden and was made during the autumn 2007. In a lodgepole pine stand six study units (0,6 ha) were thinned with the three different models, two study units per model.

The use and attention given to the certification system ?Miljöbyggnad? has increasedin recent years. The system is completely Swedish and was initiated in 2005 by theBygga-Bo-Dialogen. Miljöbyggnad aims to create a healthy indoor environment, reduceenergy consumption and discourage the use of hazardous chemical substances. Thegrades that can be obtained are Classified, Brons, Silver and finally Gold.The work has been to examine three different models and conclude how the designof the models affect the grades in the certification system Miljöbyggnad.

AbstractSAAB has for a long time used user controlled pilot models in ARES. ARES is a simulation tool used in the desktop environment for simulations and calculations of the JAS 39 Gripen fighter and other aircraft. ARES stands for ?Aircraft Rigid body Engineering Simulation?. To work with these pilot models has been both time-consuming and inefficient.

This Master Thesis is a product development project that has been carried out in cooperation with Scania CV AB. The purpose has been to find the relationship between geometric parameters and the swirl number for an XPI- cylinder head in order to improve the design specification.The increased focus on environmental issues from society leads to tighter emission legislations for the truck manufactures. In order to drive the development forward considerable resources are spent on research and development on diesel engines and its combustion process. The inlet air has a significant impact on the formation of emissions and the flow that is desired is called swirl. Swirl is achieved by making the air rotate around the vertical axis of the cylinder.Earlier cylinder heads that has been developed at Scania CV AB have shown clear relationships between geometric parameters of the cylinder head and the swirl number.

The aim of this work is to demonstrate how the net present value (NPV) at the time of the first thinning depends on the spacing after pre-commercial thinning, and show how net value from first thinning in same stand is influenced. This study is performed with models based on non-distant dependent growth models for single trees. Two different growth models have been used, one for cleaning (pre-commercial thinning) and one for thinning. The first one yields stem density distributed over diameter classes. In the second one, (the thinning model), it is possible to choose when thinning should be done, the thinning method, thinning grade and numbers of thinning.

Background: Of those who start companies, only about 30 % are women. Women's companies also often have both fewer employees and lower turnover. Several efforts are therefore being made to try to influence and encourage more women to start businesses and to get them to expand. Two of these ventures are special network for women and about women entrepreneurs as role models, something that also the theories believe is very important for a more egalitarian business. While entrepreneurship is encouraged for growth in the community, it also has a male character, something that needs to be considered.Purpose: As both the EU and the Swedish government through measures such as Tillväxtverket, is investing large sums to promote networking and role models, we intended to analyze the importance of networking and role models for entrepreneurial women.

ABB is one of the world?s leading engineering companies in power and automation technologiesand their solutions improve performance while lowering environmental impacts for energycompanies and industries. ABB FACTS designs equipment and plants for series and phasecompensation.This thesis has been performed at ABB FACTS on the Mechanical Design (DM) department inVästerås, Sweden. The purpose of the thesis was to develop and design calculations andsimulation tools for ABB FACTS?s standard series capacitor platforms.

Sweden have 419 000 km road in the country and about half of these roads is forestroads. The forest road net most important mission is to make it possible to deliver wood from the forest to the industries. With a raw material that is spread over a large area the road network is important. Each year has the forest road network been extended with about 1 700 km new roads. To decide if a new road is to be built different forest road cost estimation models has been used.