In the social sciences, geopolitical theory is used in order to analyze states actions and commitments when it comes to foreign policy. This thesis develops a new understanding of geopolitical theory. Firstly, the development and application of geopolitical theory, from its foundations in the early twentieth century to contemporary geopolitical studies is discussed. Secondly a revised understanding of the variables integrated in the concept and how it can be operationalized as an analytical tool is presented and tested empirically.The critical assessment of the research field of geopolitical theory tells us that six different geopolitical perspectives have been considered the most influential (room, strategy, power projection, identity, affiliation and governance) when it comes to analyzing state action. This model is applied as an analytical tool and thus tested on a single case.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the price transmission among ADRs (American Depositary Receipts) and their underlying shares, US market index and Hong Kong market index. We will attempt to capture how a shock in the home market is transmitted to the foreign (and vice versa). In addition we will attempt to assess the relative weight of each variable in the system generating unexpected variations of its own and other variables and at what speed the shocks are absorbed.Methodology: ADF unit root test, Johansen?s co-integration test, Granger causality test, VECM, impulse response, variance decomposition Empirical foundation: Five Chinese ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Each ADR represents a specific industry.

Companies acquiring ERP systems are often dissatisfied with the project and therefore consultancy firms wish to make use of project models in order to achieve success in implementations. Since research on ERP implementations in service companies is limited, there is a need for mapping of critical activities in implementation projects in this line of business. Under these premises, the purpose of our master thesis is to develop a model for implementation of ERP systems, specified in activities, which can be used by mid-sized consultancy firms with mid-sized qualified service companies as customers.A literature study including project models, modern models and methodologies for ERP implementation, commonly existent activities, success factors and system development methods was carried out. Starting out with this, a theoretical model for ERP implementation was generated. In excess of this, a case study was conducted, where the implementation of the ERP system Microsoft Dynamics AX at the service company Eurostep, performed by the consultancy firm Medius, was studied.

This bachelor thesis examines the activities and values associated with automation and technical development at four Swedish research libraries. It does so by applying textual analysis to annual reports and job advertisements from the respective libraries. The study also questions whether some assumptions of automation have changed or remain over time, and includes a short historical discussion in relation to the contemporary analysis. As an added perspective it introduces the methods and philosophies of French sociologist Bruno Latour. The author reflects on the merits of Latour in research of library automation.

The purpose of the current study is to present an interpretation of Eros and its demonical aspect as it is described in Plato?s dialogues Phaedrus and The Symposium as well as to attempt to throw some light over the question in which way the erotic as such influences Plato?s notion of how to pursue philosophy. In the first part of the essay an account is given of the Platonic Eros as a unifying element and as striving for being. I defend the position that in the context of the interpreted dialogues philosophy is thought of as an erotic enterprise which takes place as a coming closer to the object of love. This coming closer takes place as remembering in Phaedrus and as creating in beauty in The Symposium.

Målet med detta examensarbete har varit att undersöka kunskapsnivån angående vind i bebyggd miljö hos verksamma inom stadsplanering, arkitekter och inom berörda utbildningar samt tillgängligheten på hjälpmedel och information. Vinden påverkas starkt av landskapets utseende. Skog, hav, stad och kuperad terräng har alla olika vindförutsättningar. Inom urban miljö bestäms vindförhållandena av bebyggelseutformningen och byggnadernas omgivning. Historiskt har vindplanering varit en naturlig del av planerandet, inte minst då det gäller jordbruk. Under årens lopp har människor tagit lärdom av tidigare erfarenheter vilket har lett oss fram till dagens kunskapsläge med en rad olika tumregler och hjälpmedel, varav det senaste består i numeriska datorbaserade analysverktyg så som Computational Fluid Dynamics. En god och komfortabel utemiljö utgår ifrån hur vi människor upplever den.

When a company seeks to enter a new market, the multiple choices of possible new business relationships exist. Further, establishing new relationships is a time-consuming procedure associated with high uncertainty and high costs. Hence, if the firm does not succeed in pinpointing the most suitable business partners to collaborate with, the firm may both forfeit other possible good relationships, as well as resources invested. Based on this notion the aim of this thesis is to explore how a manufacturing company can base the selection of future dealership Business-to-Business partners by evaluating indicators of a possible business relationship?s potential to become successful. The choice of focusing on the Business-to-Business relationship between a manufacturer and a dealership company originates from being influenced by the issues facing the Swedish agricultural machinery manufacturer Väderstad-Verken AB, who is putting attention to explore the US market.

Psykiskt välbefinnande på arbetsplats kan kännetecknas av att det finns ett bra samspelmellan arbetsgivare och anställda och en arbetsgivare som förebygger hälsa ochsäkerhet genom att vidtar nödvändiga åtgärder. Brist på socialt stöd, kamratskap,psykisk belastning och stress är några faktorer som kan leda till psykisk ohälsa på enarbetsplats. Syftet med studien var att undersöka anställdas psykiska välbefinnande påarbetsplatser med fokus på gruppdynamik, arbetsmotivation, stress och vilkaförebyggande åtgärder som görs av arbetsgivaren. Undersökningen baseras på enenkätstudie med 97 deltagare i olika åldrar. Utifrån enkäterna gjordes tester i SPSS medyrkeskategorin i fokus och dess förhållande till psykiskt välbefinnande, stress,arbetsmotivation och gruppdynamik samt förebyggande åtgärden kring psykisk ohälsainom varje yrkeskategori.

Young stands in urban forests often lack a shrub layer, though shrubs play an important structural and biological role in forests. All layers interact with one another to form a multilayered stand, in which shrubs have a vital role.In this diploma thesis, theoretical models for forest dynamics are compared with four reference stands to detect factors, and principals for introduction of shrubs in young stands. In these stands four different ways of introduction were found. In one trees and shrubs were planted together at the same time. Shrubs spontaneous spread under a canopy of mature forest, in another.

Sverige har med sina åtaganden inom EU Battle Groups tagit ansvar för en militär verksamhet som kräver storamått av rörlighet med snabb insatstid. Troliga konflikthärdar kommer inom en överskådlig tid att uppstå långtifrån Skandinaven vilket kräver planering och snabba transporter med stor kapacitet samt lång räckvidd. Enallvarlig kapacitetsbrist i en svensk Battle Group utgörs av bristen på nationella resurser för strategiskatransporter. Avsaknaden av egna militära strategiska transportresurser gör att behovet av civila aktörer och nyagemensamma samverkansformer inom kommunikationstjänsten aktualiseras.Uppsatsens syfte är att analysera hur EU Battle Groups insatstid påverkar transporterna och desstransportförberedelser.Metodmässigt bygger uppsatsen på ett antal frågeställningar vars svar söks genom litteraturstudier ochkvalitativa intervjuer. Den teoriansats som ligger till grund för denna uppsats är systemteorin vilken i sin turhar kompletterats med System Dynamics och dess systemformalisering av materielflöden.Resultat visar på att EU BG med nuvarande resurser inte kan hålla uppsatta tidskrav men med bättreförberedelser kan transporterna påskyndas.

I denna studie är syftet att undersöka och analysera personer som haft ett alkohol- och/eller narkotikaberoende, när det gäller deras uppfattning och upplevelse av omgivningens syn på dem och deras dåvarande missbruk. Vidare vill vi belysa och analysera om och i så fall på vilket sätt denna syn påverkat dem, i förhållande till deras missbruk. För att besvara syftet har följande frågeställningar använts: Hur upplever människor som har haft ett alkohol- och/eller narkotikaberoende att deras omgivning såg på dem och deras dåvarande missbruk? Vad var det avgörande för att dessa människor tog sig ur sitt beroende? Hur kan detta förstås ur ett stigmatiseringsperspektiv? Idag hävdar många att problemet med alkohol- och narkotikamissbruk inte är själva drogerna i sig utan att alltfler människor lever under ett negativt samhälleligt tryck. Via stämpling skapar detta tryck personliga besvär såsom ångest, självdestruktivitet och dålig självbild.

Hip-hop music has long been an expressive medium used by individuals from marginalized areas in Sweden to address social issues and shape their identities. Through interviews with Swedish hip-hop artists and analysis of lyrics, this bachelor thesis explores the self-expression of the artists and how they express their views of society. It focuses on how social problems are expressed and understood, as well as on how the artists view the depiction of contemporary Swedish hip-hop music in media. Additionally, the study investigates how hip-hop artists themselves perceive the significance of their music lyrics. Furthermore, I explore the impact of music on the identity of hip-hop artists from marginalized areas, as perceived by the artists themselves. To gain a comprehensive understanding, the ethnographic study employs semi-structured interviews and participant observation with four non-ethnically Swedish hiphop artists who live or have grown up in disadvantaged areas in Sweden.

As the contemporary discourse surrounding urbanism is almost exclusively focusing on aspects of density and traditional urban qualities, it entrenches notions of what constitutes a proper city and countryside. But beyond this urban-rural dichotomy is another highly contemporary landscape. A territory usually mentioned as sprawl, peri-urban, wasteland, edge city, etc. Although its existence is due to mobilization, telecommunications, globalization and other phenomena of modern life, it is a landscape without an own name or place in public awareness.This thesis provides a case study of how to map and intervene in such a landscape, specifically along the border between Malmö and Burlöv municipalities in southern Sweden. Its structure is composed of a sequence of three parts:1 Spatial Conditions:Divided up in the sections Network, Fringe and Void.

Vertical hydropower units has a rotating mass of up to 1000 tons. For the generator and turbine to work well the rotating system is required to be centered in relation to the surrounding structure. This is achieved by means of radial bearings. The dynamic characteristics of these bearings have a strong impact on the overall rotational dynamics of the total system and thus influence the vibrations in the unit. At Vattenfall Research & Development in Älvkarleby ongoing research is taking place on how the bearing parameters should be represented in the rotor dynamic calculations.

In the post-war era many European countries were recovering from the ravages of the bombings of the second world war destroying whole countries. Sweden being neutral was spared the destruction of war but instead we demolished almost as much housing all by ourselves. A social program was modeled to modernize the country and to drag the swedes out of poverty by building one million apartments in just ten years and demolishing the old, dilapidated working-class neighborhoods. The traumatic events of the demolition of large areas of both the central and the outskirts of most Swedish cities is still very much present in the collective memory of people today and the new modernistic districts are still paying the price of that, more than fifty years later. Today these modernistic districts are in need of repair, and they are often homes to groups alienated from society making their reputation even worse.