This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using different benchmarking models to measure and compare the efficiency of Swedish gas distributors. It also discusses to which extent the results of a benchmarking study should influence the revenue-cap which will be implemented in the gas distribution sector in Sweden from year 2011. The discussion is based on arguments from both theory and practical applications of benchmarking. The results suggest that benchmarking Swedish gas distributors against distributors in another country using a parametric model is most favorable, but the reliability will be increased if non-parametric models are used also. Partial and total productivity measures could be used to confirm results of other benchmarking analyses.

Syfte ? Studiens syfte är att öka kunskapen om hur fordonstillverkares affärsmodeller påverkas vid förändring av statliga regelverk genom att studera ett framtida införande av HCT i Sverige. HCT, High Capacity Transports, är ett samlingsnamn för lastbilar som är tyngre och/eller längre än vad gällande lagstiftning tillåter. Regelförändringen övervägs för att sänka kostnader och miljöpåverkan. Metod ? Arbetet har genomförts i form av en case-studie.

Detta examensarbete utgör resultatet av en studie på uppdrag av byggföretaget Peab och dess dotterbolag Skandinaviska Byggelement. Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka transporternas påverkan till följd av en högre grad prefabricering vid byggnationer av flerfamiljshus. Med hjälp av kartläggning och data har en analys renderat i rekommendationer för företagen.Från Skandinaviska Byggelements fabrik i Katrineholm transporteras prefabricerade skalväggar till Peab och övriga kunder. Studien har därmed en helhetssyn från underleverantörer till kund för att försöka identifiera problem som stör transportflödet genom försörjningskedjan.Transporter till och från Skandinaviska Byggelement fungerar i nuläget tillfredsställande, med få praktiska problem och en tillfredsställande fyllnadsgrad. Transporterna är väl integrerade i Skandinaviska Byggelements strategi att hålla låga lagernivåer på ingående material.

Water related problems are highlighted as a challenge to sustainable development and the topic of forests and water is gaining increased attention worldwide. Governing forest and water is a complex issue, as the interactions are affected by policies and actors from multiple levels and sectors. In Sweden, forests cover much of the land and forestry is an important land-use, inevitably impacting the water in the landscape. This study aims to understand and explain the existing governance framework around forestry and water in Sweden. Based on the Policy Arrangement Approach, the study?s research questions focused on the actors involved, the formal and informal rules, the resources and power structures and the discourses related to forestry and water in Sweden.

With the prospect of future construction on the Skutskär Pulp Mill property, Stora Enso Fine Paper has initiated an investigation of soil contaminants and a risk assessment of these contaminants. A soil and groundwater investigation has therefore been conducted on an open area of about 16 000 square meters, situated between the current wood room and digester house. To be able to integrate this study into an investigation for the whole industrial property, the study has been carried out as a phase 2 study according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency?s Methods of Inventories of Contaminated sites (MIFO).The site investigation has involved soil and groundwater sampling, together with the analysis of heavy metals and organic contaminants. The degree of hazard posed by the contaminants, the level of contamination, the potential for migration of the contaminants, as well as the degree to which protection of human health and the environment is required in the area, have been weighed together for an overall risk assessment of the area with regard to human health and the environment.The investigated area was built up by filling in the coastal waters.

The purpose of this report is to analyze the advantages of using programme software to monitor masshauling instead of using the conventional method. A comparsion between different programs will also be conducted in an attempt to determine the most affordable. This report is written for NCC Construction AB to help them choose a software most fitting for future projects.The report is based upon literature such as information taken from the developers website, existing reports with similar context, interviews with sellers of the software and interviews with people working in the building sector.The result of this report shows that there are several advantages with investing in a software that helps the management of a project and that it is something that should be taken under consideration instead of the existing method. Topcon is a clear favorite following the inquiries comparisons as done, when they deliver a complete system and not only a supplement to the current approach. Scanlaser are just in the beginning of its development, and is so far only out with an early version of the software, while Topcon has been brought further in development and therefore has more features in the program.

Government regulations and customs duties restrict the import of trucks to some of the markets to which Scania tries to sell their trucks. The distribution problem due to these regulations is solved by the foreign assembly department, KD, at Scania. This means that competence is needed and costs are added not related to Scania's core operations.The aim of this master thesis has been to analyse and to evaluate alternative ways of managing the packing operations considering cost, quality and work organisation. To study and examine the work methods and operations of today and also to present methods measuring the operations effectiveness and productivity.We have used the system approach to maintain totality and to understand the component's relation to this totality. Field studies combined with studies of relevant literature and studies of other companies operations have given us the knowledge and the understanding of the packing operations needed.

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explain and discover how a Swedish commune works with their external crisis communication during a large crisis. The case study revolved around a simulation exercise with Mjölby commune that was and organized by the company VSL Systems AB. The study addresses the difficulties that arise within the crisis communication, and shows witch factors that are important to consider, when you are responsible for an entire community.Our result shows that the relationship with media could be utilized in a better way and both parties could benefit from cooperation. The commune could have used varied communication channels to create more effective crisis communication which had reached a bigger group of people. The information was not adapted to the different groups to the extent it could have been..

We have left the industrial society, and instead, we live in a post-industrial knowledge and information society. It is often said that industrial production has disappeared or that it has changed greatly. This means that fewer are employed in the manufacturing sector while the service sector is increasing, resulting in that the boundaries between production and administration decreases. The production goes from mass production to more flexible and specialized solutions. This puts greater demands on the logistics chain that continually need to work to meet customer requirements.

Användningen av pellets har ökat kraftigt de senaste åren och har blivit ett viktigt verktyg för att minska miljöpåverkan. I energibranschen är viktigt utreda möjligheten att effektivisera tillverkningsprocessen för att ligga i framkant av utvecklingen och göra bränslet till ett attraktivt val för konsumenterna. En stor del av pelletstillverkarnas utgifter går till att torka det råmaterial som pellets består av. Torkning och transport av material är två energikrävande processer som är nödvändiga i många industrier och kan ibland innebära stora utgifter såväl kostnadsmässigt som miljömässigt. Pneumatisk transporttorkning är ett sätt att kombinera torkning och transport av material och tekniken kan vara lämplig att använda vid pelletstillverkning.

This study focuses on carpooling and how carpools can be better integrated into today's society. The purpose of the study is to investigate what affects the motorist?s decisions to become a member of a carpool. The study will highlight the barriers and drivers of membership in a carpool. It is important for the future to change the attitude of motorists and get more motorists to choose more sustainable modes, as is the concept of carpooling is a good solution.The study is based on a qualitative approach with six respondents from the Eskilstuna municipality.

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a transport protocol designed for the wired Internet. In wireless networks packet losses occur more frequently due to the unreliability of the physical link. The main problem is that TCP treats all losses as congestion, which leads to a lower throughput. Ad hoc networks are multihop wireless networks of mobile nodes, where each node can allow other packets to pass through it. Topology changes often occur and may lead to packet losses and delays, which TCP misinterprets as congestion.

The need of raw material does of course fluctuate but the long term view is an increasing demand due to the growing consumption of sawn timber products, pulp, paper and lately also biomass. This has led to a keener competition for wood. At the same time there is an ongoing structural change of a significant part in the Swedish wood supply market, the private forest owners. In 1992, 22 % of Sweden´s 335 000 private forest owner lived apart from their forest. In 2007 this figure had risen to 36 %.

Varje dag begås misstag utav människor. För piloter kan dessa misstag bli fatala. Länge har man vid flygolyckor endast sett till de direkta misstag som blivit begångna och på så sätt skaffat sig en syndabock. I detta arbete kan dock vikten av att uppmärksamma faktorer som varit bakomliggande i organisationen påvisas. Då en olycka inträffar skiljer man mellan osäkra handlingar och latenta förhållanden.

Purpose: To examine if the management of the public sector organization Sida actively work with how to motivate their employees. We also examine which factors of motivation dominate amongst the employees.Method: A case study with a qualitative approach was conducted, using semi structured interviews and a survey to gather data. By connecting motivation theories with collected data, we analysed the results to find similarities, differences and relations between them.Theory: The study is based on motivation theories and other contributing research.Conclusions: The study shows that management actively work with how to motivate their employees. But the employees are not aware of how management work with motivation. The majority of the motivation factors are highly valued, but the dominating factors are personal growth, stimulating work assignments and the ability to know the results of their work..