The common literature about strategic alliances offers a very fragmented picture. This thesis gives a theoretical overview on strategic alliances and builds the basis for the following examination of the different dimensions most strategic alliances have. The examination of the different dimensions is the crucial point of this thesis. Here the reader gets a detailed insight into the different dimensions and the implications they have on the design of a particular strategic alliance. This examination leads in the end to a more differentiated view on strategic alliances and the insight that no simple models exist, which give a sufficient basis for decision-making and understanding strategic alliances, today.

The aim of this comparative study is to analyse the French and the Polish regional governance in order to see if there are any differences in their regional ruling systems. Further more I will study their different possibilities in taking part in the European Union regional political market. The shape of the regional systems will be explored both organisationally (study of the institutional entities of the regional construction) and functionally (study of the competencies of the regional body etcetera) to focus on its cause on the regional development. My over all focus will be to find out whether regional rule means differently in the countries France and Poland.Several questions are dealt with and the two main ones are as follows; How do the different structures of the form of government in France and Poland influence the governance on the regional level? Do Poland, as a new member state of the European Union, have what it takes to face the challenges of the new membership; or are there a complex of problems arising from the admittance that prevent its regions from fully taking part in the European regional political market?Some of my conclusions are as follows;There are major differences between the two countries when it comes to their regional ruling systems leading to different abilities in taking part in the European regional political market.

According to the EC fuel regulations 2 % bio fuel has to be blended in all fuel by the year 2005, and 5.75 % by the year 2010, which means ethanol for gasoline driven vehicles, so there will be a substantial demand for ethanol. Brazil already has an established industry for producing ethanol and is the leading producer and exporter of fuel ethanol. My purpose with this paper is to investigate why Brazil decided to develop ethanol production on a large-scale operation and to find out today?s situation. Focus will mainly be on ethanol production with sugarcane as a feedstock.

This study was performed in an afforestation experiment established 1982 on an abandoned peat harvesting area, Flakmossen, in the province of Värmland, SW Sweden. The experimen-tal design include planting with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), in combination with various drainage intensities (20, 30, and 40 m between ditches), and fertilizer doses 0, 100, and 200 g PK per seedling applied at the date of planting. The aim of this study was to achieve more knowledge about the conditions on afforestation of peat harvesting areas, especially regarding drainage intensity and fertilization requirements, by means of determining the stand growth and yield in the Flakmossen trial. The forest growth did not differ significantly between the drainage intensities tested when the same amount of phosphor and potassium fertilizer was added. Thus, shorter distances between ditches than 40 m can not be recommended. When no fertilization was carried out seedling survival was very low, and the growth of sur-vived seedlings was poor. The largest diameter and height growth were observed in the areas where the highest dose of phosphorus and potassium (200g/seedling) was given.

The electric vehicle market has potential to contribute to Sweden?s national goal to have a fossil fuel independent transport sector by 2030. However, the market answers to a lot of challenges making it difficult for the market to fully reach its potential. The volume of electric vehicles has seen a steady increase during the last year (2012), although many of these vehicles are mostly for PR purposes or bought by the public sector that wants to lead by example. Still, barriers in the form of high purchase costs, an anxiety for the limited battery capacity and the lack of standardisation are some of the problems that the market is struggling to solve.

The aim of this essay is to problematize the role of living support in a group home and to examine staff reflections about the users' opportunities for and possibly limits to self determination and, in addition to this, how they work towards supporting this right. The study is conducted through seven semi-structured qualitative interviews. The theoretical points of departure are theories of empowerment and paternalism. We have analysed the study results from the vantage point of these theories. The results are consistent with earlier research showing lack of guidance for supporters and also a lack of common approach towards users..

A new system of public transportation that can simplify and shorten the trips made throughout the city, anddo that both cheap and environment-friendly. Sounds like good news. This new system, though, require anall new type of infrastructure, differing from what we are used to see in our cities. Podcar, or PRT, as thesystem is called can become a transport revolution, possibly. If that revolution does happen it is crucial that webeforehand have studied the possible effects it can cause on our city environment, from a spatial point of view.This thesis thoroughly describes the function and essence of the PRT system and presents what is availabletoday and in what forms.

In today?s technological society, there are increasingly less physical demands on the locomotor system. However, despite that notion strength and function in the hand?s complex biomechanical system are in fact both needed to cope with daily life. The grip function is a main function in the hand and is used in many examples of scientific research, for instance when assessing physical health and predicting the probabilities of premature mortality.

What are the competencies and qualifications required by employers concerning the first line executives in medical care? In this paper we aim to scrutinise this question by analysing the significance of terms reproduced by employers in advertisements between 1971 and 2007.Our survey concerns 93 advertisements and two interviews with knowledgeable authorities on personnel administration in the county council of Jönköping municipality, Sweden. Using a theoretical framework developed by Ellström our results point out how the demands of the employer have changed starting in the 1970?s. We set fore, as a way of conclusion, the setting of competency and qualifications required by the employer have not only increased but appears much more comprehensive and far more complex than ever before..

The accounting of today results in reports that are valued according to one kind of value.There are advocates who recommend that the accounting should be expanded by one orseveral columns, which would enable that other methods of valuation could be used. In thisessay we examine how the ?multi column reporting? can alter the outcome of a financialanalysts? valuation procedure.In this essay we used existing theories about the financial analysts? usage of information toreach the lack of information we found and which we aim to erase whit this essay. To do thiswe studied decision theories and theories regarding information processing, and by interviewswith three financial analysts. After we collected the information needed for the analyses, wethen also compared the results of the interviews with related theories.The theories about decision in this essay concern whether a decision is based on rationality,bounded rationality or irrationality.

Uppsatsen handlar om hur lärare i idrott och hälsa på gymnasieskolan ser på sitt arbete med elevers fysiska kapacitet samt vilka förmågor (till exempel styrka, rörlighet och kondition) de anser vara viktiga. Bakgrunden till arbetet är att studier har visat att elevers fysiska kapacitet sjunker trots att lärare i idrott och hälsa ska arbeta med den. Undersökningen har en kultursociologisk utgångspunkt och analysen gjordes efter Pierre Bourdieus teori om habitus samt tidigare forskning inom fysisk kapacitet. Undersökningen var av kvalitativ karaktär där lärare intervjuades utifrån deras tolkningar av fysisk aktivitet, fysisk kapacitet och kroppslig förmåga. Dessa tolkningar användes för att sedan beskriva deras arbete.

The requirements for operative planning activities are increasing. The forest industry wants to gain better control over wood flow. A felling that is more market adjusted is desirable. However, this causes problems in the operative planning process because of the data collection methods used today. Data about timber assortments and data about the distribution of the tree diameter, etc., are often lacking. Airborne laser scanning is used to a greater extent than before for estimation of forest variables and should perhaps be used to the same extent in operative planning activities as well.

This study explores employees subjective experience of their employment relation before and during an outsourcing process and has its starting point in the concept of the psychological contract. Eight employees, in the process of being outsourced, were interviewed. The focus was on ?the employees? individual experiences and stories about the subjective and perceived employment relationship. Data were analyzed using basic qualitative analysis.

The aim of this study is to make clear the conception ?Sustainable Urban Development? through an investigation dealing with how the sustainable goals are attained in today?s Swedish urban planning. And also try to clarify where and why sustainable development is failing or lacking. Besides that I have investigated how actors take position towards urban sustainability. The essay is based on a literature study about sustainable urban development and it?s changes through the time and place.

As the European Landscape Convention is brought into action, planning in Sweden has got to become increasingly considerate of the landscape and its character. To render this possible, a basic requirement is that we find a functional method for analysis. The Landscape is a synthesis of the interplay between place and man. It is made up of our physical environment and shows the result of our actions throughout history. Our surroundings affect us in many ways, financially as well as emotionally. This is why an analysis of the landscape has to be inclusive of many types of information. I have performed a landscape analysis, according to the British Landscape Character Assessment-method, in Svedala kommun.