This paper explores a model for self-assessment of purchasing maturity in large companies. The author adapts contemporary purchasing theory and further enhances existing tools and procedures to create a survey based instrument for maturity measurementThe paper also explores potential methodological challenges associated with conducting a more extensive study of purchasing maturity via the proposed model. A preliminary study is made and the learnings discussed.The preliminary findings of the survey indicate that the purchasing maturity varies with industry. The purchasing function average score was found to be 3,4 out of 6 with samples spread across the whole spectra ? agreeing with previous theories stating that the purchasing maturity is highly varied between different industries..

The network with its virtual business structure challenge the established vertical business structure. Part of the network theory that has developed focuses on relationships that forms B2Bnetworks. One way to create a B2B-network is for independent businesses to form a organization promoting co-operation. For co-operation to be successful it requires well thought-out actions, but a lack of how these actions are implemented have been noticed. This study explores how encouragement of co-operation can be done practically.

The disciplinary role of madness in the European society was major during the17th century rise of the national state.By studying the view on madness in Swedish governmental investigations duringthe modern years of the Swedish psychiatry, 1950 to today, it's possible to seehow madness function in society have changed. The study is based on a discourseanalysis and done in three important aspects of Michel Foucault's philosophy:terms of existence, control and knowledge.Based on Foucault's theories of self-discipline, exclusion mechanisms and adetailed investigation on the concept of power, the empirical survey shows howthe ?crazy? Swede changes from a disciplinary object of society into a drone toserve under the structures of capitalism. In a psychological condition previousscience has judged as animal..

The objectives of this research were to determine whether the natural rattan resources in Sulawesi, Indonesia can cope with the strongly increased harvesting pressure that has occurred over the last centuries. I was furthermore looking for patterns in the rattan population dynamics that might give a hint on how the harvesting system could be improved to ensure a maximum sustainable yield. To answer these questions, I developed an individual-based model to analyse the dynamics of rattan growth in connection with rattan harvests by locals to identify sustainable levels of rattan harvests around villages in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Scenarios with different harvesting intensities were run to compare the change in harvest amount. For a given harvesting pressure, scenarios with a high number of harvesters and a low harvesting frequency had the same effect as scenarios with high harvesting frequencies and a low number of harvesters.

Laser scanning is a method of surveying that has evolved rapidly in recentyears. The technique is based on a laser scanner set up, which can document a structureusing pulsed laser beams. Each time the laser hits a surface it is partly reflectedback to the scanner that stores the point. By using strategically placed targets, storedpoints from different scans can be merged into a point cloud. A point cloud is avisualization of the scanned object with a very high accuracy.

The topic of interest is why Swedish unemployment after OPEC - 1 remained exceptionally low, compared to the OECD average. The object of study is the evolution of welfare institutions, like the Rehn ? Meidner model, after WWII, and the aim is to explore why the institution of solidaristic wage bargaining collapsed coming the nineties. Deployed theoretical perspectives are how domestic institutions determine a country's adaptation to alterations of the international economic system. However, equally important are how policy objectives, like full employment, becomes institutionalized and therefore guides the actions undertaken.

Purpose: Our purpose is to describe and understand how a project-based, knowledge-intensive firm in the high-technology industry creates and transfers knowledge, seen from two perspectives.Methodology: Our qualitative case study has an explorative approach since earlier studies within our positioning are absent, thus we look at KM abductively. To gain more depth to our study, we mirror our findings from our case company with data collected from three additional organisations.Theoretical perspectives: We see a clear distinction between researchers, either seeing knowledge as an object or a process. Thus, we review theories from both sides, either focusing on the creation or transferring of knowledge. In addition, theories on KM in project organisations areaccounted for.Empirical foundation: The study is based on the empirical foundation which consists of the data received through six interviews with employees at our main case company and, additionally, two interviews at each of our three mirrorcompanies.Conclusion: The study found KM being seen from both perspectives in all four firms. Through this, we found implications for how our case company could proceed in the future..

The aim of this report is to analyse the logistics of a medium sized restaurant and give an overall solution for improvements on the restaurant's logistics. The restaurant of interest belongs to Laponia Hotel and is located in Arvidsjaur, Sweden. Investments for over 100.000 Euros are planned for the hotel, which includes a reconstruction of the restaurant. The details on how the restaurant will be reconstructed are not yet known. I therefore chose to analyse the problemin general terms and find a solution that is focused on the logistic system itself rather than its layout.

The purpose of this Master?s thesis is to examine how the gender system is described in chick lit. The analysis is based upon seven chick lit novels. The primary theoretical point of departure is Yvonne Hirdman?s theory about the gender system, the hierarchical order and the separation of the sexes.

Nötcenter Viken is a Swedish nucleus herd for dairy cattle. The goal for the farm is to select suitable mothers for the next top generation of bulls. Today the selection for udder health is based on a pedigree index and phenotype data. The pedigree index is based on the cow?s father and grandfathers breeding values.

As IT service departments in organisations are becoming more complex and customised, the indirect costs are increasing in relation to the total costs. The difficulty of fully estimating and identifying the spread of the cost in the IT service department is increasing. As a result, firms tend to budget the business unit as a total cost rather than as a spread of defined costs. In order to deal with this challenge an ABC calculation will be applied. The Time Driven ABC model will be conducted in OMX´s Servicedesk unit within the IT services.

When a person arrives at the emergency ward at the Uppsala University Hospital with his or her symptoms he or she explains the problems and then a priority process starts. The staff evaluate at which emergency level the patient is located in a model called Triage. The Triage model helps to decide the priority need and is based upon templates which point out in which of the 5 categories a patient is to be placed, to eliminate any future risk regarding his or her health. A lower triage level means lower priority but implies better health when the evaluation takes place. To obtain optimal effect of the Triage model the evaluation of symptoms must be reproducible so that patients with the same symptoms are placed at the same triage level regardless of whom among the staff conducts the evaluation. The purpose of the study was to see if the resources are allocated based on priority level of the patients.

The need for snow-free surfaces at squares, bus stops, platforms, car parks and sports facilities increases and at the same time energy price rise and the environment is becoming a hotter issue. The construction of the ground heating systems often lack thermal insulation under the heating pipes, which means that the heat from the pipes not only warm up the soil surface but also heats the surrounding soil. The insulation also has more features, by insulating the risk of frost damage is minimized. The goal of this report is to demonstrate the large heat loss and energy costs in the absence of insulation under the heating system.The report begins with a scientific way to study and treating the soil heating system uses, and the theory involved. Furthermore it also deals with different routing principles of heat pipes depending on the facility.All calculations are made with so called finite element method (FEM), in COMSOL Multiphysics 3,5a, where models are created with different conditions.

The report handles the transmission of signals from piezoresistive pressuresensors and thermocouple from a rotating object. This report also evaluates the possibility to collect data in a datalogger that rotates with the object. Telemetrics was previously used for signaltransmission in Finspång, therefore there has been no tests considering preassure measuring. One transmitting method handled in this report is transmission through a slipring connection. One test with a slipring connection was performed for transmitting signals from a piezoresistive preassuresensor.

The purpose of this Masters thesis is to examine how young womens sexuality is described in Swedish youth novels. The analysis is based upon eight books of which four were published during the period from 1970 to 1975 and four books were published during 2000 to 2005. The theoretical framework is based on a gender theoretical perspective where Yvonne Hirdmans theories about a gender system and Ylva Elwin-Nowaks and Heléne Thomssons ideas about gender construction are crucial. Also Anthony Giddens theories about sexuality in the late modern society are used, where the plastic sexuality and the pure relationship are central ideas. The method is based upon textual analysis, and a model of analysis is constructed with its basis in the theoretical attempt.