A performance measurement system can be used as a means to evaluate past performances and to communicate prioritizations. It has also been proposed that a performance measurement system can serve as a method to execute strategies, guide in operational decisions and constitute a tool for making the organization more efficient. Yet one may question if such a system will ever reach this capacity if operating managers do not utilize it as a management tool, but rather treat it as a mere report in the bunch. This paper explores how middle managers in fact apply performance measures and what obstacles there are to integrating them in the management of subunits. Furthermore it serves to investigate whether these managers experience a conflict between how they are expected to use the measures and what they deem possible to adopt.

This study explores the notion of class and social inequality as expressed in the Swedish election campaign of 2006 and in the reception of the Swedish conservative party as a "worker's party". Inspired by Fairclough's critical discourse analysis I have carried through an investigation of the debate. My sources consists in a collection of articles, mainly leader columns and contributions to the debate, from a selected number of Swedish newspapers.I found that an explicit discussion about class, or use of the concept as such, was largely absent. In cases where the concept occurred it was often used in a purely descriptive sense or dismissed as outdated. Furthermore, I have drawn the conclusion that the traditional understanding of class is being challenged by a discourse which aims at establishing a new understanding of social inequality as lack of paid work.I take my point of departure in the belief that class continues to be one of the most important bases of social inequality.

The aim with this master's thesis is to describe the work process with the graduation film Player, by a composers perspective and given conditions. It provides a detailed insight into how the work was done from the script stage to the end result, scene by scene reflecting about both the musical performance and the collaboration between the director and me as a composer. The work was done during the spring term of 2012 at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts..

The result of a short field work done in Maria Park, a place situated in the north of Helsingborg city. A comparative work, using the old S:a Maria and Maria Park. The same place, once a mental hospital, and now, at the time of the paper being written, it's a richer residential district. Is there anything left of the old mental hospital in the new community and the residents identities?.

The aim with this master's thesis is to describe the work process with the graduation film Player, by a composers perspective and given conditions. It provides a detailed insight into how the work was done from the script stage to the end result, scene by scene reflecting about both the musical performance and the collaboration between the director and me as a composer. The work was done during the spring term of 2012 at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts..

The purpose of this study is to create a method that can be used to produce decision supportdata for the climate goals of a municipality. The method should be able to demonstrate the potential for reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions for measures aimed at the stationary energy system in the municipality. It will be used to make long term projections of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in order to be able to demonstrate the ability to reach climate goals. The aim was also to test the method's applicability by using the municipality of Uppsala and the Uppsala climate protocol project in a case study. Uppsala climate protocol is a project consisting of participants from business, government and organizations that voluntarily want to commit to reducing their carbon footprint by reducing their energy use and thus work to achieve the municipality's overall climate goal.

The purpose of the present thesis is to investigate the interaction between the branches in the different villages and its users and the importance of the branches for democracy. To illustrate these points, I have focused on Högsby municipality, a local council in Kalmar county. Högsby municipality is of particular interest in this connection, since all seven of the branches have been closed recently; only the main library remains. Moreover, three of the closed branches were, in 2005, taken over by citizen organizations local to the part of Högsby municipality where the libraries were located. The specific issues that were addressed were:- What needs were satisfied by the local libraries in Högsby council and is it possible to satisfy these needs in other ways and then, how?- Does the absence of a local library affect democracy?Interviews were performed.

The aim of this study is to gain an understanding of former criminals' own experience of their entry into criminality and to identify and analyze the factors they use to explain their path into criminality. To study this area, a qualitative method has been applied with five semi-structured interviews of ex-criminals from an organization that works to help and support people who have previously been involved in crime by offering employment, education, and rehabilitation in order to be further integrated into society again. To analyze the respondents' stories about their way into criminality, the theory of social bond by Hirschi has been applied and contribute with insights in later criminal acts as well as the theory has been problematized to some extent. Today, there is a lot of research on different aspects that can explain the way into criminality in different aspects, on the other hand, research has largely been measured with a quantitative approach with statistics and self-reported data. This study therefore intends to apply a qualitative approach, where ex-criminals themselves describe their path into criminality.

The traditional airlines exist on a market that is distinguished by an increasing competition. They are often partly or completely owned by the government and are characterized by slow decision making. Because of their existing structure and old business culture the traditional airlines find it hard to use price as a means of competition. Consequently the traditional airlines need to create loyalty amongst their customers. The purpose of this essay was to analyze and evaluate SAS long-term marketing strategies through a comparative study of the companies? management, employees and customers.

White-Nose Syndrome, WNS, is an emerging fungal disease in the Northern American bat population causing mass mortality in infected hibernacula. Geomyces destructans is a newly discovered psychrophilic fungus causing WNS but the pathogenesis and epidemiology of the disease is not yet fully clarified. Geomyces destructans has been found in Europe but has not been a cause of mass mortality there. This study is the first investigation done to see if G. destructans is present in Sweden.

REINERTSEN AS performs expansion and buckling analyses of pipelines using ANSYS, afinite element modelling and analysis tool. In an expansion analysis the pipeline is modelledwith thin?walled pipe elements called PIPE20 which allows plastic deformation. However, ina recent analysis the results retrieved from the PIPE20 element were incorrect for strainsabout 1 percent. One main issue was that the PIPE20 element overestimated the strains.The purpose with this Master Thesis was to become familiar with the theories and analysismethods used in pipeline design.

SammanfattningRegeringens intention med den nya lagen om sjukförsäkring som infördes i juli 2008 och kompletterades i januari 2010, var att gå från en passiv långtidssjukskrivning till ökad rehabilitering och en möjlighet till återgång till arbetsmarknaden samt ett minskat utanförskap.  Den mediala debatten i samklang med våra praktikplatser gjorde oss nyfikna på hur förändringen har påverkat livet för den enskilde individen. Vårt syfte är således att undersöka vilka konsekvenserna blir för enskilda individer i samband med och efter beskedet om utförsäkring från sjukförsäkringen. Vi ville utan att ha några förutfattade meningar lyfta fram intervjupersonernas berättelse så vi valde att ha en explorativ ansats, men tog stöd av en semistrukturerad intervjuguide baserad på tre teman som vi ville veta mer om. Temana är; ekonomisk situation, upplevelser av relationer med berörda myndigheter och upplevelser av samhällets syn och deras syn på sin självbild. Resultaten är komplexa och visar att de teman vi valt ut påverkar varandra, med det menar vi att det ena inverkar på det andra. De teorier vi valt att använda i analys av materialet är Ekonomi- skam modellen, Kasamteori samt teori om social uteslutning.

AbstractWhy don't (some) regimes with formal democratic features undergo transition to democracy? Which are the internal dynamics of these regimes that can offer comprehension to this state of affairs? The main purpose of this thesis is to advance the above questions, and, on a lower level of abstraction, examine the case of Egypt. The Egyptian regime is characterized by, for instance, a multiparty-system, steps toward economic liberalization, and some level of persistent state opposition, and has been considered on the way to liberal democracy, but can still hardly be estimated as such.Thus, the thesis takes part in a theoretical framework on democratization, and further analyzes the case of Egypt on grounds of socioeconomic development, political culture, and class configuration. By this contextual approach, the thesis adduces that a low level of modernization, an incomplete democratic political culture, and a bourgeoisie supported by the state are impending significant factors. The thesis additionally remarks on the interconnection of the adopted theories, and discusses a potential need for new theoretical propositionsA secondary aim of the thesis also gives some insights into the concurrence of regime stability and the absence of democracy in, what often could be labelled, authoritarian regimes.

Syftet: Syftet med denna uppsats är att studera och kartlägga i vilken utsträckning användandet av formella styrmedel, i ambitionen att minska sjukfrånvaron, skiljer sig mellan stora och små företag.Metod: Vi har i denna studie tillämpat en kvantitativ forskningsmetod för att besvara uppsatsens forskningsfråga och syfte. Detta sker med hjälp av en explorativ studie, baserad på 60 slumpmässigt utvalda konsultföretag inom ekonomisk och juridisk verksamhet. Vi har utifrån befintliga teorier skapat hypoteser som testats på verkligheten och vi följer därför en deduktiv ansats. Det empiriska materialet har samlats in via telefonintervjuer och svaren har sedan sammanställts i olika tester i SPSS.Slutsats: Vi kan utifrån vår studie konstatera att användandet av formella styrmedel skiljer sig mellan stora och små företag i tre av fyra avseenden, nämligen användandet av nyckeltal, kalkyler som beslutsunderlag och användandet av förebyggande åtgärder. Detta trots att sjukfrånvaron inte skiljer sig åt mellan stora och små företag..

The term CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is frequently discussed today. Many large companies work actively with CSR related questions. However, few empirical studies exist on what this work entails and why it is undertaken. Instead, most of the academic research focuses on what the term itself should mean. To bridge this gap this study centers on the employees? perceptions of CSR.