This quantitative study, with qualitative elements, intended to investigate the empathic ability among students and its change during social work education in Sweden. The study used a self-assessment form in the form of a questionnaire sent out to 8 of the 15 universities around the country. Respondents who participated in the survey studied in semester 1 & 2 and semester 6 & 7. The instrument which were used, measure the empathy level of the respondents and was a Swedish translation of the instrument, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) which is a proven self-assessment form. IRI consists of 28 questions divided into 4 areas (subscales), which together provide a score, where a higher score corresponds to a greater capacity for empathy.

Följande arbete handlar om bedömning som ett pedagogiskt verktyg för att främja elevers lärande och kunskapsutveckling, en så kallad formativ bedömning eller bedömning för lärande. Arbetets forsknings- och litteraturgenomgång behandlar, utifrån syftet, vilka förutsättningar som krävs för en formativ bedömning och hur lärare kan arbeta med en sådan bedömning. Skolans styrdokument förespråkar en formativ bedömning, varpå undersökningens syfte är att beskriva hur denna bedömning upplevs av elever för att kunna analysera och påvisa vilka förutsättningar eleverna ges till att utveckla sitt lärande.Utifrån arbetets inriktning fokuserar undersökningen på elevers upplevelser av den formativa bedömningen i de samhällsorienterade ämnena, i grundskolans tidigare år. Arbetets syfte är uppdelat i de preciserade frågeställningarna:Vad innebär det att arbeta med formativ bedömning?Hur upplever elever bedömningen i de samhällsorienterade ämnena?På vilka sätt blir eleverna involverade i bedömningsarbetet i de samhällsorienterade ämnena?Undersökningen genomfördes med fokusgruppsintervjuer, med totalt 15 elever i årskurs 5-6 uppdelade i fyra olika fokusgrupper.

The main purpose of this bachelor thesis is to create a product in the form of a database that can be used for cost estimates of equipment within bio refineries. Through interviews and literature searches the key components and their costs were identified. The database was constructed in Microsoft Excel with different tabs for different categories of components; these tabs are further divided into three parts: one part with costs, one part with calculations and an information part. Most of the part with costs contains the expenses found in scientific papers during the literature study, the calculating part converts different capacities according to user preferences and the currency to euro (?) from 2010 and the information part consists of references and information about what is included in the cost.The database is a good tool for making cost estimates for bio refineries.

The main purpose of this bachelor thesis is to create a product in the form of a database that can be used for cost estimates of equipment within bio refineries. Through interviews and literature searches the key components and their costs were identified. The database was constructed in Microsoft Excel with different tabs for different categories of components; these tabs are further divided into three parts: one part with costs, one part with calculations and an information part. Most of the part with costs contains the expenses found in scientific papers during the literature study, the calculating part converts different capacities according to user preferences and the currency to euro (?) from 2010 and the information part consists of references and information about what is included in the cost.The database is a good tool for making cost estimates for bio refineries.

The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is listed as an endangered species and scientific litterature concerning its biology and behaviour is scarce. The current study observed a group of three giant otters in a Swedish zoo. First the otters normal behaviour was recorded. Then the aim of the study was to see if the otters behaviour changed when given blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). Furthermore the aim was to see if the otters displayed any tool-using behaviour when given mussels.

Changes in the labour market combined with an increased media coverage of managers, have resulted in the rise of a new human due diligence industry. The use of background checks has lately become increasingly popular on the Swedish market and many companies use it as an evaluation tool when recruiting. This study investigates differences in the background screening procedure for recruitment to executive management positions and lower level positions. It also aims to answer why background checks are conducted, using a cultural and a functional perspective. The report takes an abductive approach and data has primarily been gathered through a survey directed to large Swedish companies.

The main purpose of this bachelor thesis is to create a product in the form of a database that can be used for cost estimates of equipment within bio refineries. Through interviews and literature searches the key components and their costs were identified. The database was constructed in Microsoft Excel with different tabs for different categories of components; these tabs are further divided into three parts: one part with costs, one part with calculations and an information part. Most of the part with costs contains the expenses found in scientific papers during the literature study, the calculating part converts different capacities according to user preferences and the currency to euro (?) from 2010 and the information part consists of references and information about what is included in the cost.The database is a good tool for making cost estimates for bio refineries.

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 to this study is to find an understanding of the effects of how sponsorship can affect companies and their business and at the same time get a better understanding of how sponsorship is or can be used as a marketing tool in today?s marketing. By using a quality research method we have chosen to use a half structured research method to make it possible to find out how sponsorship as a marketing tool can be used from a company perspective in relation to our chosen thesis. To enhance the readers understanding we describe the base of sponsorship and principals for sponsorship, after that describes a deeper perspective of sponsorship, what sponsorship is, and what factors are needed to be taken into consideration. Further on we illustrate the figure that later on will constitute the analysis with attributes like: association, exposure, relations and integrated communication.

The purpose of this study is to analyze and specify the characteristics of servicescapes in the hotel industry and its role when building a brand. Further, the aim is to put forward how Management in this sector strategically utilizes the location to manage the staff in order to help build a strong lasting brand. To fulfill our purpose we have targeted one overall question - What purpose does servicescape have when building a solid brand name in the hotel sector?In today?s society brands play an integral part in influencing our buying behavior and are now considered to be a new business tool to communicate a business trough. Also services have become a widespread phenomenon, which is seen as a competitive tool not only for companies in the service sector.

In Trollhättan municipality approximately 700 school bus stops are in service. To ensure high quality of the performance of school bus operations, with focus on traffic safety, it was decided to conduct a survey of bus stops including assessments of risks.This master thesis aims to identify the factors affecting road safety at bus stops and pedestrian connections, and to conduct an inventory and analysis of selected sites in Trollhättan municipality. The work also aims to show examples of how risk assessment should be performed in future studies. A risk analysis model provided by the Swedish Transport Administration is supplemented and used in a field study. The risk assessment is based on, inter alia, traffic flow, visibility distance, lighting, speed of traffic and the presence of bus shelter.

At SLU, Divison of Reproduction, Dept of Clinical Science, there is an ongoing project on the development and evaluation of new methods for the assessment of stallion semen quality. This EEF-study, which is a part of that larger project, has focused on the effects on motility and fertility of stallion semen of two different extenders and selection. Both an objective method and a subjective method for analysis have been used and compared in the study. The increase in the use of artificial insemination with cooled semen in Swedish horse breeding over the last decade is thought to play a part in declining foaling rates (Kareskoski et al, 2006, Kuisma et al, 2006). This calls for better evaluation methods of semen quality since cooling and transportation put higher demands on semen quality in order to maintain fertility (Aurich, 2005).

ABB Capacitors is looking to introduce LEAN within their organization. The purpose of this research is to suggest ways to improve the production planning in order to facilitate the company?s production processes. This should be done in accordance with the LEAN concept.Today, ABB will produce two of the customers? orders at the same time.

Companies and special interest organizations pays multiple millions each year in order to reach out with messages about that their products are biggest, best and most beautiful. The publicity happens among thing like TV, in brochures, on the Internet andin newspapers etc. places. This means that consumer permanently becomes affected of publicity, and is thereby in an exposed situation. Around the EU, the border of what to consider undue or not, have been in different levels.

The topic of our thesis is Packaging Design as a Brand Building Tool and we are presenting the Scandinavian perspective. We found the topic interesting because, from a theoretical point of view, we identified a scarcity in research focusing on packaging design as a brand management tool, and from a practical point of view, we found out that businesses use packaging design at different levels in their communication efforts. Thus we wanted to provide both academia and business world with a clear picture to what extent and how businesses use packaging design in their brand-building process. Therefore the aim of our thesis is to provide practitioners and academicians alike with a better understanding of how packaging design can be used to create strong brands in the FMCG sector in the Scandinavian market. To reach the stated aim first we provided a solid theoretical background of packaging, its elements and its role in the marketing mix.