Investment in hedge funds is a relatively new phenomenon for investors compared with other forms of savings. In recent years, the interest has increased among investors in investing their money in hedge funds, given the protection against declines in the market they are aiming for. Their main purpose is to generate a high return at a low risk regardless of market trends. This they can achieve by having fewer restrictions that offer more flexible investment strategies and freer investment opportunities.The purpose of this paper is to identify how the selected hedge fund strategies have performed during the recent economic downturn. We also want to clarify the claim that hedge funds exhibit a positive absolute return regardless of what the market is performing.In order to answer the purpose of the essay and its problems, we have used a quantitative method with a deductive approach in the processing of data.

The Capturetheory wants to give an alternative explanation for the need of regulation. From this point if view the government does not have enough information to make an optimal regulation. There is a possibility for different interest groups to take advantage of the political arena by rent- seeking behaviour. An industry may be willing to be regulated to protect itself from competition. The objective of this paper is to account for the pros and cons of the theory of regulatory capture and also if it can be applied to the Swedish market of pharmaceuticals.

The purpose of this thesis is to increase the understanding of why convertible bonds are a relatively uncommon financing method in Sweden. The aim is to find the explanatory factors for this situation. The analysis is based on interviews conducted from three perspectives; the investor?s, the adviser?s and the issuer?s. The main finding is that the Swedish financial market has characteristics that inhibit the development of a convertible bond market in Sweden, leading to the fact that most convertible bonds are issued under special circumstances.

The initial aim of the roll out of smart electricity meters in Sweden was to allow remote readings of the households? monthly electricity consumption for billing purposes. Since then the transition towards a smart grid has become a more prioritized matter. In the roll out of next generation smart meters more attention is therefore given to how the Distribution System Operator (DSO) can benefit from the meter through different smart grid applications. This study uses a qualitative research method to identify three general fields of application and 15 specific concepts corresponding to ways in which the DSO can create added value from the information provided by the smart meter.

Clearcutting systems have been the dominating silvicultural approach during the last decades in the Nordic countries. While economically rational, it is also leading to a trivialisation of the flora and fauna, and may result in negative reactions of people in urban settings. As a consequence of this, and a more diversified view on which goods and services forests should deliver, there is an increasing interest in broadening the range of silvicultural methods that are used. The term continuous cover forestry (CCF) represents a suite of methods that have gained increasing interest in the Nordic countries. In CCF a considerable amount of the trees are left after harvest to favour values that require a continuity of tree-covered areas. There are thus hopes that this method will meet the needs for maintaining biodiversity and satisfy social and cultural values.

Tidigare studier indikerar att det finns en problematik med redovisningsstandarden IAS 36, angående goodwillnedskrivningar, då standarden skapar utrymme för resultatmanipulering i form av stålbad. Enligt tidigare studier har företagsledningar incitament för stålbad när företag uppvisar svaga preliminära finansiella resultat. Denna studie undersökte i vilken utsträckning resultatmanipulering i form av stålbad genom goodwillnedskrivningar förekom för företagen på OMX Nordic large cap under perioden 2006 till och med 2009. Det gjordes genom att det i studien undersöktes huruvida det fanns ett samband mellan goodwillnedskrivningar och svaga finansiella resultat.En kvantitativ metod användes och sambandet mellan goodwillnedskrivningar och svaga finansiella resultat testades med hjälp av statistiska metoder. Undersökningen utgick från Jordan och Clarks (2004) trestegsmodell som i första steget testade huruvida goodwillnedskrivningarna var väsentliga, då det är ett tecken på stålbad.

Nordic Marine Sauna AB has, since 2005, designed, manufactured and sold floating saunas. Theproduct are characterised by a well thought thru and appealing design and its high quality. Thecompany is now intending to open a new business area by starting a subsidiary, NordicSubmarine Sauna AB, which will design submerged saunas. The expected customers are leisureand conference centres as well as customers that seek an experience out of the ordinary.Due to the products technical complexity a master thesis was adverted. The task was to do aninvestigation whether such a product is technically viable.The job involved research of existing products and constructions material as well as designingthe product with CAD and FEM-programs.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate traditional market segmentation variables, as criticism has been directed towards these variables. Based on our problem discussion we find it motivating to undertake investigation in order to understand which connotations an ethnographic approach will provide. Methodology:We have applied an ethnographic approach, which has enabled us to attain under the surface knowledge from our respondents. Theoretical perspective:As we wanted to evaluate existing traditional segmentation variables, we decided to only include theory regarding these variables. Empirical data:In order to collect our data, we observed seven respondents at Ikea and conducted observations and in-depth interviews in their homes.

Sedan 2013 har allt fler börjat använda sig av streamingtjänster för film och TV på internet (Findahl,2014). I takt med att användningen ökar är det viktigt att tjänsterna är välutvecklade och lättillgängliga för användaren. I denna uppsats undersöker vi funktioner på de tre största Video on Demand-tjänsterna (VoD) i Sverige ur ett användarperspektiv. Med hjälp av befintliga teorier och litteratur diskuterar vi användarbarhet och genomför en områdesanalys av de utvalda VoD-tjänsterna. Utifrån analysen har vi gått vidare med tio funktioner för att avgränsa studien.

The purpose of this paper is to study whether or not stock returns increase abnormally over month ends on the Swedish stock exchange. Previous research has proven an international so called ?Turn-of-the-Month? effect where stock returns increase significantly over a few days around month ends. If the effect exists, it is a violation of Fama?s Efficient Market Hypothesis.

The Swedish market for vehicle inspection is re-regulated since June 2010. More than four years after the re-regulation there are eight companies in the market. Two of these companies are a result of the former monopolist's owners divided the business among themselves. The remaining six companies have entered the market through acquisitions or by building up their business from scratch, these are known as new entrants in the study. The competition has developed slowly and the former monopolist still has the highest market share.

Background Apartment ownership is a popular and well established type of housing in many countries, such as Norway, Denmark and UK. During spring 2009 the Swedish Parliament passed a new legislation which made it possible for apartment ownerships also in Sweden. But apartment ownership has had a slow start, which partly can be explained by the recent recession.Purpose & methodThe purpose of this paper is to study the market of apartment ownership in Öckerö, Stockholm and Karlstad. The study is a qualitative examination where relevant companies from the submarkets have been interviewed.ResultThe result of this study shows that the interest for apartment ownership is over all high in all three submarkets. It is yet clear the knowledge about apartment ownership is generally poor among the public, and when the banks still misses proper routines for mortgages, it creates uncertainty, and slows down the market.

Active work to increase the efficiency of energy use is taking place in Sweden and throughout all of Europe. Electricity is an important part in our society?s energy system which means that the electrical grid operators and associated therewith has a central role in this work. Monitoring and controlling the electrical grids are managed from the distribution system operator?s DC, dispatch center.The aim of this report is to examine how the operations in a typical DC on the Swedish electricity distribution network will look like in five to ten years.

The purpose of this thesis is to study how Swedish independent record labels, or indie labels, fared on the Japanese market. The research questions were based on how Swedish independent record labels establish themselves on the Japanese market and how the cultural differences between the nations affect the business relationship. It was decided to execute a case study on two Swedish independent record labels and the Swedish export council for music. The ones chosen as study objects were B & B Records, Razzia Records and Export Music Sweden. The conclusions were that the indie labels need to understand the importance of personal business relationships when trying to get established on the Japanese market.

This report is about Swedish statistics on work related accidents and work related diseases onboard Swedish ships. The authors analyzed collected statistics from two authorities and an insurance organization in an attempt to compare the data. In order to understand the need for statistics and why the authority publishes them; minor literature study was conducted. The results of the literature study are in the background chapter. The requirements for the different cases to be registered in the statistics have been investigated, in unity with the issue in question.