The research within the management control systems-field and more specifically performance management has been rather shallow and not much has happened the last decades besides the balanced scorecard. The researchers see a lack of studies focusing on the effects of an integrated performance management system and also how it affects the different hierarchical levels and the tasks to perform.We decided to perform an essay with case study-characteristics by looking at both the strategic and tactical level at Volvo Group, or more specifically Group Trucks. We performed three different interviews, one at the group level and two at the division level. The aim was to see what effect an integrated performance management system had on the tactical level (i.e. the divisions).Our findings and corresponding analysis suggested that Volvo was a rather centralized company in order to get the performance management system to work by enabling a ?weekly control?.

Problem: The corrugated board industry is highly affected by customer uncertainty, various demands and short delivery times. In combination with a complex multi-step production process managers have to be able to identify bottle-necks and gain knowledge and understanding of how different changes in process will affect the production output. <br/><br/>Purpose: The purpose of this master thesis is twofold, (1) to examine applicability of complexity theory through agent-based modelling on a production process (2) to identify improvement areas in order to increase the production output at SKS production site in Eslöv, by modelling and simulating the production process through an agent-based model. <br/><br/>Method: The chosen method of this study is a combination of a case study and a complex system approach. The empirical data was collected through interviews, observation and document studies which were analysed through an agent-based simulation model.

This Master?s thesis presents a descriptive study of the intellectual process to describe images in such a way that they can be incorporated into written information systems. The purpose of the thesis is to concentrate on the scientific development for the last two decades, in the area concerning the description of images so that they can be organized and incorporated into information systems and possible to retrieve when searched for. Library and information science (LIS) has a strong tradition of turning to the iconographical theories of Erwin Panofsky and to semiotics according to Roland Barthes, for models and theories for the interpretation of images. The question for this thesis is whether LIS in this scientific field, has deviated from these models and theories, or are Panofsky and Barthes and their scientific work still providing for intellectual and practical guidance for LIS within this area..

This thesis aims towards an understanding of information systems and subject representation in relation to academic disciplines. This is achieved by comparing how a discipline, History of science and ideas, represents itself compared with the subject representation of its dissertations in an information system, LIBRIS. The point of departure for this thesis is the domain analytic view of Hjorland which states that the quality in information seeking is enhanced if the subject representation considers the contexts in which documents are produced and used. The importance of concepts such as domain and discipline is discussed. The disciplines view of itself is established by the study of articles written by scholars in the discipline, by how the discipline presents itself on the homepages of five university institutions and by the examination of titles and keywords given to dissertations in the discipline.

This study investigates how performance management in primary schools can facilitate learning, relating to theories of efficient schools. This is done through a qualitative study of the performance management systems in two public primary schools in Sweden. The schools selected were similar in all major aspects, except pupil grades, where there was a clear difference between the schools. The analysis revealed differences in how the schools handled the process of management by objectives, the professional development of teachers as well as routines, rules, and policies. We conclude that having a rooted process for management by objectives, professional development of teachers, and clearly formalized values, gives a school a good foundation to support a pupil's learning and development..

Environmental issues and sustainable development is a high priority in today?s society and has received substantial attention lately. In the inaugural speech it is expressed that the goal for the IT?politics is a sustainable information society for everyone, which can be achieved by using IT to support sustainable growth. The Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications has developed a document which outlines three specific proposals on what the government should focus on during a three?year period (2008?2010) that with the use of IT will contribute to a sustainable society.

The energy that the earth receives from the sun hourly has potential to cover a year?s energy demand in the world. Further, this type of energy is environmentally friendly, natural and free of cost. This report covers solar energy in an urban environment and consists of a case study of installations of photovoltaic cells in a part of the city of Stockholm. It is mainly the economic aspects that are covered but there is also a discussion about the practical consequences and the sustainability as a result of integration of solar energy in an urban environment. The aim of the study is to present results from economic calculations for utilization of solar energy in chosen buildings in Kungsholmen in Stockholm.

How schools handles threat and violence among pupils could have an effect on the surrounding world, since schools reflect society at large. This study attempts to explore how this is handled within two schools, one secondary school and one upper secondary school. How do the schools work with violence and threats amongst pupils? Who is responsible for what? Is this work based on school guidelines? Why/why not? The theoretical starting-points have been Lundquists implementation-based control-model and an organizational point-of-view using theories about open and closed systems, primarily Meyer and Rowans neo-institutionalism. To gain validity, the study has been carried out by way of triangulation, i.e.

By identifying effects that a buyout-firm has on management control systems in its portfolio companies, the aim of this thesis is to explain how such effects differs between the companies and finally to explain why the effects differs even though the companies are owned by the same buyout-firm. The study is conducted as a qualitative case study based on interviews with representatives from the studied buyout-firm and three of its portfolio companies.By analyzing the empirical findings with frameworks and theories within management control systems and value creation, we cannot only identify effects that are common for all portfolio companies but we can also observe differences between the portfolio companies.The identified effects that are common for all portfolio companies are: increased internal reporting burden, increased perceived risk of getting laid off among managers and co-workers and replacement of the board immediately after acquisition.The effects that are observed only for two portfolio companies are: increased focus on short-term planning, higher financial targets, replacement of company management upon acquisition and moving of decision authorities to higher organizational levels. Differences are observed although the portfolio companies are owned by the same buyout-firm due to: differences in management and co-workers equity stake in the portfolio companies, differences in business complexity and differences in planned exit-horizon..

Computer use at work has risen considerably over the past fifteen years and is currently a relatively common phenomenon when 76 percent of women and 72 percent of men using the computer in their daily work (SCB Arbetsmiljörapport 2009).According to Gulliksen and Göransson (2009), Sweden is one of the countries which are more advanced in the procurement of computer systems at work. He means that Sweden has unique opportunities and conditions for user participation in the development of computer systems, when the user has the right to influence their working environment through a law in the Work Environment Act. The paper examines the importance of user involvement in system development and the Swedish company's approach and experience of user involvement. To highlight and explore the importance of user involvement, there has been a case study in which users have been representative of the development process. The case study has been conducted on a case company where the system IST analys was in need of a new interface.

At SLU, Divison of Reproduction, Dept of Clinical Science, there is an ongoing project on the development and evaluation of new methods for the assessment of stallion semen quality. This EEF-study, which is a part of that larger project, has focused on the effects on motility and fertility of stallion semen of two different extenders and selection. Both an objective method and a subjective method for analysis have been used and compared in the study. The increase in the use of artificial insemination with cooled semen in Swedish horse breeding over the last decade is thought to play a part in declining foaling rates (Kareskoski et al, 2006, Kuisma et al, 2006). This calls for better evaluation methods of semen quality since cooling and transportation put higher demands on semen quality in order to maintain fertility (Aurich, 2005).

The purpose of this essay has been to examine the public`s view of the Swedish eldercare during 2006. This study uses discourse analysis as a research method, the reference material has been articles from the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. The aim of the research has been to find central themes, conflicts and consensus in the discourse of eldercare. The analysis resulted in four main subjects which were based on four main questions; the questions of responsibility and execution, the question of contents, and the question of where the eldercare should take place. The analysis of conflicts and relations of consensus in the discourse of eldercare resulted in two different main views; the traditional and a more modern.

This thesis examines a sample of Pitted Ware pottery from the Gotlandic site of Ajvide in regard to the spatial and temporal relationship of the shards. Ajvide Stone Age site have been extensively excavated over the past 25 years and the most recent analysis of pottery was carried out by Inger Österholm in 1987 and new analyses of the material are therefore greatly needed. Pottery from three sample areas was analysed in regard to their distribution, decoration, fragmentation, part of pot and quality of the goods. To analyse the material in a contextual way a multivariate statistical analysis called correspondence analysis was used. Two areas denominated ?dark areas?, which Österholm defined previously, as possible ritual sites, and one reference area with mixed material were chosen for the analysis.

Introduction: Every year about 450 women in Sweden are diagnosed with cervical cancer, almost 200 die and thousands undergo surgery because of cell changes in the cervix. A HPV infection can lead to cervical cancer and therefor costs for the society. The implementation of a vaccination program against HPV is a way to avoid these costs. Aim: The study aimed to calculate the economic impact of the HPV- vaccination program for children in Sweden through a cost-benefit analysis. Method: In this analysis, status quo was compared with non-administration of the HPV-vaccine for the selected cohort of ten-years-old girls in Sweden.

AbstractTitle: A union, a collaboration and a currency crisis- a quantitative study of the media coverage of the euro crisis within the European Union in Spanish and Swedish newspapers.The purpose of this study was to see whether Sweden and Spain ?s differences in media climates and relations to the euro crisis would affect how the story was portrayed from a narrative perspective. Did the coverage differ between the two countries and who got to comment on the situation in the media were two of the questions I strived to answer. I also wanted to see how the coverage reflected on the situation that the euro crisis has created.In this study I used a number of theories that I based my research on. The main theories I focused on was about different media systems and Sweden and Spain ?s relation to the euro crisis.