This Master Thesis has been carried out as a new product development project in collaborationwith G-Man Tools AB located in Edsbyn. The purpose of the project was to construct a newpruning saw there the blade is integrateble in the handle, thus a foldable pruning saw.The work has been performed on the occasion of G-Man Tools AB wanted to improve theirproduct range by creating a saw that complement their range of quality saws. They have a similarproduct today, but they do not manufacture this product by them selves and it is not directlytargeted against garden use, which is a disadvantage when it is one of their major markets.Even though almost the entire chain from the requirements of the users to drawings has beentaken into consideration, emphasizes has been put on generating ideas. However the first thingthat was carried out was to establish a productspecifikation from interviews with users and thecompany?s experience.

The Swedish business cycle is in a strong position at the moment, leading to great results and larger profits. This strong business posture has encouraged companies to increase both their liquidity and revenue. Now there is a dilemma, what actions should or could a respectable business take on these newfound liquid assets.The purpose of this paper is to deliver a clear picture of what options there are for such companies listed on the Swedish stock-market, and how the market wants them to act. To these means we have studied the basic theories linked to this subject and reviewed the cause and effects that motivates them. We have also conducted interviews with the people representing the market through their line of business.In the theory we found several options on what companies in similar situations tend to do.

This report discusses the constructionof different types of exterior wallconstructions and analyses wall layers.Standard wall constructions from theSwedish building contractors NCC andSkanska and also from the materialproducer Isover have been chosen for theresearch. Life cycle cost analysis hasbeen made to conclude the mostprofitable wall type, seen from asustainable and economic perspective.The calculations have been made for aperiod of 50 years.The report shows that building with wellinsulated walls is a more profitablesolution both economically and whatconcerns sustainability even though thehigher investment. However, when wallssimilar insulation properties are beingcompared, the study proves that lowerinvestment cost is more profitable.The report introduces requiredconstruction techniques of walls inorder that the reader should understandwall constructions with different layersand properties. The essay shows theimportance of properly constructed wallsto avoid air leakage and moisturedamage.The essay has been implemented byliterature studies, contacts with NCCand Skanska and by energy calculationsmade by hand and using the software VIPEnergy..

Our report procedure identification of instability and disturbance in an automatic manufacturing line of processing and assembling of chair sliding rails at Sapas manufacturing department in Vetlanda.To obtain a stabile ground we have mapped the material flow to receive a comprehensive view and to visualise connections.We have examined cycle times at different stations in purpose to identificate bottlenecks. The result of our examination showed that the bottleneck of the line was the brush station. This leads to that the expected bottlenecks identificated by Sapa gets a delay time and by that a longer cycle time.Interruptions has a clear negative influence at the line performance so we have also assemble data through the operators report list and compiled these in order to find out the interruptions effect on the line. The outcome during our assembled period was that the reported interruptions corresponded about 30 percent of the total available production time. This has a clear negative effect on the line productivity and efficiency as we have calculated in order to get the present status..

The concept of brand equity emerged inthe eightiesto justify the long term value of marketing investments. Brand equity signify the value that a brand adds to a product and is the result of the marketing of a brand. One of the most widely used strategies to enhance brand equity is to do a brand extension, which means that a firm uses an established brand to introduce a new product to the market. At worst, a failed brand extension can damage the brand equity, which Vinjamuri (2008) claims that the brand Axe is currently in danger of doing. This January Axe launched an extention including products for both men and women for the first time and Vinjamuri claims that this can disappoint Axe´s former target group (men between 14 and 27 years old) (Newman, 2012). In this thesis Axe´s brand equity among the extensions target group (men and women, age 14 to 27) in Sweden is studied to find out if the brand extension is likely to affect the brand equity in the target group.

Inom sjukvården används ? precis som överallt där människor sover ? sängkläder av hygienskäl. Problem med smittspridningar av typen multiresistenta bakterier (MRSA) och spridning av andra sjukdomar har drivit företag som Cellcomb i Karlstad AB till att utveckla engångssängkläder för att förhindra detta. Engångssängkläderna är skyddade av en biofilm som ska ge ökat skydd mot bakterier och fungerar som en barriär så att inte vätska tränger igenom. Problemet är att det inte finns mycket till underlag för hur engångssängkläderna står sig mot vanliga sängkläder ur miljösynpunkt.

The study has got three aims. The first purpose is to implement the Newman et al.s rampage theory (2004) in a more dominant European context. In this way, the theory?s strengths and weaknesses can be exposed. The second objective is to look at the motive.

There are many good reasons to ponder about what it is that makes life worth living. To observe and reflect on what it is that gives a person a good quality of life is arguably the essential core of social-work. The aim of this research was to investigate how 15-year old youths interpret quality of life. The key areas that we explored in order to meet the research aims were: what did the youths interpret as a good quality of life for a 15-year old and for an adult, how did they view their own quality of life, and did they think that the regional context (i.e. if one lives in a big city or in a small town) affects how one interpret quality of life.The studywas based on interviews with four boys and four girls.

This thesis examines how a company can get an effective, high quality, maintenance of their computerized systems. After literary studies concerning the life cycle activity Maintenance we have studied how the maintenance at the department IT Supply of IKEA IT AB in Älmhult is carried out. What steps and measures in the analyzing of results of changes are carried out and if they have predefined processes for changes. Based on the facts we found most important in our literary studies we have created a model and theoretically applied this to the maintenance of a specific system to see what they can work with to further improve the quality and efficiency in their maintenance. The basis for our thesis is literary studies and the collected material has been used as a foundation for the research at the company, which was carried out through interviews. This thesis is based on the question: ?How do the lack of a model for maintenance and the lack of orientation affect the maintenance in a company??.

This candidate report describes how a group of students can develop a smartphone applicationwithout any prior knowledge in the field. To make the project more realistic there is also a clientwho has requests and wishes regarding the finished product.The document describes the methods used to produce the application and also includesexperiences that the group gained. How the interaction with the client has been performed togain a good understanding of what they wished the product to become is also accounted for.The research questions focus on how the development has proceeded and how one can learnsomething new in a relatively short timespan as a group..

The technological progress of the world has had a massive effect on how we communicate with one and other, it also has had an big impact on how companies communicate with their customers and consumers. Today you cannot only communicate a ?promise to your costumers and consumers you also have to ?deliver? what it is you promise. Strategic communication is today not only to market your product but to ensure that your strategic communication is shown even in you innovation, design and product development.  This thesis is conducted in collaboration with No Picnic AB.The purpose of this study was to get an insight in how Swedish companies use their strategic communication. We aim on bringing a new point of view of strategic communication with innovation, design and product development also as a communication channel.

Cause-Related Marketing (CRM) is not a completely new phenomenon, yet an idea whose time has truly come. To have commercial organizations cooperate with charity organizations for mutual profit is a "win-win-win" situation. The company gets added value to its brand, the charity organization gets to collect more money that it otherwise wouldn't and the customer gains a feeling that he or she has contributed to the society.The purpose of this thesis is to study how a company, in practice, works with CRM marketing. How do they choose which charity organization to work with,what type of product is most appropriate to market with CRM and how is the CRM campaign designed? A theoretical model is then formed to answer these questions, after a thorough research of relevant theory on the subject.

The background for this degree thesis is a need to replace the existing seal used to protect equipment containing secret or sensitive equipment used by Swedish Defence. The target design should satisfy both the need for tamper evidence and reduce Life Cycle Cost. In developing a new design for a seal, additional benefits such as improved logistics support and indication of attack methods such as heat and solvents have been considered.The lack of guiding principles for end users of seals became evident during the interviews. Major concerns for the future are education of users, information about actions if a seal is broken and user liability.The design work was divided into several phases. A feasibility study was performed including investigation of theory of labels, materials and possible technologies.

Since January 2005 new rules have been introduced from the International Financial Reporting Standards for accounting of Business Combinations. Goodwill, which is the difference between the purchase price and the value of the net assets in an acquired firm, should no longer be amortized but should instead be treated as an object for yearly impairment tests. Nevertheless, there are many companies making the tests but not impairing goodwill. The theoretical frame of reference looks at goodwill from its two parts; true goodwill and false goodwill. False goodwill is defined as a measurement bias and constitutes a certain percentage of the operating net assets.

This essay discusses the legal and economic functions of the trademark and furthermore the degeneration of trademarks. These two concepts are strongly connected as the primary function of the trademark is the ability to separate the proprietor of the trademark?s product from the competitors´ products. The ability to separate is the basic condition for receiving legal protection. Through degeneration the trademark loses this ability to separate the product and becomes a generic term for the category of the product.