This paper describes and develops a trade off model of optimal capital structure by Bradley et al. (1984). The model is then tested to examine how changes in corporate tax rates affect the optimal capital structure of firms. Based on theoretical implications of the model, four hypotheses are derived stating that firms? optimal debt-to-value ratio is (1) negatively related to financial distress costs, (2) negatively related to non-debt tax shields, (3) negatively related to firm volatility and (4) positively related to the corporate tax rate.

Background: The Stop rule for buying in property was introduced through 1976 years legislation and its formemost purpose was to prevent companies to acquire property that was useless for the company. Assets such as cars, boats and arts were of current interest. At the same time as this stop rule was introduced, another stop rule was also introduced and this was meant to work to forbid the partner to buy property from the close company to a price that would lead to sell at loss for the company. After a government decision (1999:2000, Abolished Stop rules) the close company is no longer living under this restriction since these two stop rules have been abolished since January 2001. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate which criteria are the basis to judge whether the assets is to consider as useful or not for the close company.

Nearly 74 percent of the Swedish population invests in funds and the options are therefore various. The Swedish private investors can choose between active and passively managed funds. Fund managers, who seek to generate higher returns than the market, manage active managed funds. Unlike the active managed funds, passively managed funds do not require any active investment decisions.Fama?s (1970) efficient market theory reflects all available information in the stock price, therefore it is not possible to predict how the stock price changes.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether there is a correlation between the actuarial assumptions, of listed groups in Large Cap on the Nasdaq Stockholm, equity ratio and their pensionplans funding status.Method: The study is based on a quantitative research method, where the analysis of annual reports takes place. The quantitative research method has enabled the paper to perform related analyzes and comparisons of means between groups, for listed companies equity ratio and pension obligation, and the relation to its actuarial assumptions. Correlation measurements are made using a non-parametric method, Spearman's rho, then further tested using one-sided hypotheses t-test.Theory: The backbone of the thesis is presented using two theories, earnings management and the principal-agent theory. These theories are intertwined with the previous researches, which also dealt with the essay topic of earnings management in previous years and in other countries.Empirical: Correlation analyzes between the studied actuarial assumptions and corporate groups solidity and pension financial status is presentedusing tables and charts. These are further analyzed using hypothesis tests and scatterplots.Conclusion: All tests resulted in very weak correlation between the different variables and can there for not be classified as significant.

The population growth in Europe and with that in Sweden was enormous under 18th century. The results became housing shortage in large part of Europe. Tight residency/ inhabited, poverty and emigration were series of social questions in Sweden. Private house (egnahem) as in the beginning was an idea from England and Germany became a political measure and the answer at those miserable social circumstances in Sweden. The purpose with the private house (egnahem) was to help those new people moved in to towns with place to live and counteract movers to towns and emigration. With the governmental loan and land availability that some municipalities and wealthy people contributed with, could people get a place to live with the small garden. The city garden (trädgårdstaden) with their future idealistic idea/utopia, English gardens, ideas with roots in the old-fashioned gardens (allmogeträdgårdar) and lots of books and periodicals were the source of inspirations. From these the private house gardens (egnahemsträdgårdar) were born. Object for my study is my and my family?s own house in Limhamn, south west of Malmö which was built in 1912 under private house gardens era. The garden and the building have still trace and element from the time of private house. My suggestion is inspired by the private home style with a new thinking design that answers to daily need and the busy life style; a rather easy to maintain for green environment. A more relaxing and peaceful garden with simple design, a garden despite that it is surrounded by neighbours and streets invites in harmony and dreams..

Leaders have many tools in their toolbox when it comes to managing their firms, assuring that they are moving in the right direction. One of these tools is vision. Vision can be a powerful tool for steering a company. But to be able to use it fully, you must also understand how vision is best conveyed to employees and followers. If you understand the vision as a tool, you can fully utilize it.

Title:Professional skills in public and private sectors Date:2011-05-18 Authors:Zinajda Avdic & Binasa Jasarevic Tutor:Viktorija Kalonaityte Examiner:Richard Nakamura Key words:Competence, professional, public sector and private sector. Thesis purpose:To find out what factors are behind the company and the authority identifies  their training needs, what methods they use in the evaluation of outcomes can be integrated into the organization.Method:A qualitative study with a hermeneutic approach and an abduction approach. Theory:The theory depends substances skills, skills needs and skills assessment. Empirical data:Data collected through two interview people on the two public sectors authorities, and two companies in the private sector.Conclusion:We found that organizations put a lot of time and resources to develop, identify and plan professional skills through internal and external courses. The differences between them are determined not by the fact that they are in the public sector or the private, but from organization to organization.

This paper discusses the strategy and strategic change in the Swedish freight forwarding business and analysis factors that influence the forces of the business. Three companies of various sizes are chosen to be investigated as a case study, outline that cost leadership and differentiation are both important strategies for companies to compete in the market. However, companies outpacing competition do not only pursue either of the two strategies, the need the ability to add one (cost leadership) to the other (differentiation) in relationship to environmental change over time..

This master thesis is an analysis of how the amount of health centers per inhabitant has changed since the Swedish government implemented a new health care reform in 2010. The reform implies a free choice of health centers in the Swedish regions and opens up the market for private firms. The purpose of the thesis is to study the effects of the different financing systems toward the health centers in the regions. The models are based on theories of the need of health care. Two of the independent variables which are studied are income and age.

Den svenska telekommarknaden präglas av en oligopolsituation, där de fyra största företagen utgör 97,5 procent av marknaden, och den främsta konkurrensen sker om befintliga kunder. TeliaSonera är marknadens största företag och de saluför de två operatörerna Telia och Halebop, medan Tele2 är det näst största företaget och de saluför operatörerna Tele2 och Comviq. Inom den svenska telekombranschen har operatörerna förhållandevis liknande tjänsteerbjudanden och det är därför viktigt att skapa sig ett starkt varumärke som differentierar sig ur mängden samt bidrar till att skapa synergieffekter för företag som har två varumärken. Ett varumärke kan användas för att skapa värde för både konsumenten och företaget samt etablera en relation mellan dessa parter. Det värde som företaget skapar med varumärket benämns som brand equity, vilket kan ses ur ett kundvärdebaserat respektive finansiellt perspektiv.

When you talk with the municipal housing companies today there is a general view that theyare doing all the work when it comes to social responsibilities in the municipalities, theprivate landlords only have a focus on profit. The private landlords doesn't agree but says thatthey take a social responsibility, at the same time there is a difference in what socialresponsibility is. By looking at how the picture of CSR and its use is seen today we analyzewhy the opinions and definitions about social responsibility differ. We also look at CSR in itslocal adaptation in Sweden's special conditions at the same time as we compare it to CSR inEurope and the world. We thereby create an analysis of how CSR is perceived, prioritized anddeveloped in Sweden to see the root of the disagreements.In our study we show how different views and roles in the community influence the picture ofCSR in Sweden.

SammanfattningTitel: Byggnation pågår ? uppbyggnaden av brand equity i en B2B-kontext genom märkeskännedom, märkesassociationer, upplevd kvalitet, märkeslojalitet och exklusiva rättigheter.Författare: Jesper Mårtensson och Alexander JägerfallÄmne: Kandidatuppsats i Marknadsföring, 15 hpNyckelord: B2B, brand equity, märkeskännedom, märkesassociationer, upplevd kvalitet, märkeslojalitet, varumärke, exklusiva rättigheterProblemformulering: Hur kan svenska företag verksamt på en B2B-marknad arbeta med byggstenarna märkeskännedom, märkesassociationer, upplevd kvalitet, märkeslojalitet och exklusiva rättigheter som tillsammans utgör brand equity?Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att beskriva hur företag verksamma på en B2B-marknad kan arbeta med märkeskännedom, märkesassociationer, upplevd kvalitet, märkeslojalitet och exklusiva rättigheter samt vilka effekter det får, för att öka förståelsen för varumärkesbyggnad i B2B företag.Teori: Teorin utgörs av en beskrivning av ovanstående byggstenar, hur företag kan jobba med dem samt vilka positiva effekter varje byggsten kan innebära för företaget.Metod: Med en kvalitativ ansats har personliga intervjuer med fyra respondenter från fallföretagen Getinge, AJ-Produkter, Nordifa och Logent genomförts. Frågorna ställda till fallföretagen rör deras sätt att arbeta med ovanstående byggstenar samt vilka positiva effekter de upplever byggstenarna bidrar till.Slutsats: Studien visar att företag verksamma på en B2B marknad kan arbeta med byggstenarna på olika sätt. Slutsatsen är att det egentligen inte finns något rätt eller fel sätt att arbeta eftersom studien visar på genomgående positiva effekter av fallföretagens arbete. Ur studien framkommer också att säljkåren i ett B2B-företag fungerar likt ett universalverktyg i arbetet med att skapa märkeskännedom, märkesassociationer, upplevd kvalitet samt märkeslojalitet.

This paper investigates whether the traditional accrual based trading strategy first documented by Sloan (1996) can be refined using fundamental analysis. Specifically, this is done by implementing the composite signal F_SCORE introduced by Piotroski (2000) to identify financially strong or weak firms. We find that by applying both investment models simultaneously, in a model we call P_KOMB, the mean market-adjusted return earned by an investor exploiting the accrual anomaly can be increased by 14.8% annually. This is achieved by taking a long position in strong firms (as defined by the composite signal) in the lowest accrual portfolio, while an offsetting short position is taken in weak firms in the highest accrual portfolio, repeated annually between 1997 and 2007. Consistent with prior studies, positive market-adjusted returns can be attained through assessment of accruals as well as key value drivers found in historical financial data.

Title: Argument in favour of and against private health care ? A scenario for a future health care with a possibly new Government Authors: Jessica Andersson, Nina Gunnarsson Supervisor: Thomas Danborg Department: School of Management, Blekinge Institute of Technology Course: Bachelor?s thesis in Business Administration, 10 credits Purpose: To describe the problem with privatizing of the health care by analyse the arguments in favour of and against private health care and describe a scenario about a future health care with a possibly new Government. Method: Qualitative Grounded theory method, categorizing secondary facts in order to get the complete picture. Results: The market for private health care will increase by a possibly new Government.

Data retrieved from airborne laser scanning represents a new source of forest data. Today, the technology has matured so that it can function in an operational environment. The aim of this study was to compile areas of application of laserdata in forestry. Moreover to analyze costs and accessibility of laserdata. The goal was to provide private forest owners information to support assessments of possible benefits of laserdata.