We have by Statistics Sweden (SCB) been given the task of using different dynamic regression models in order to forecast service price index for sea transport. The aim is to see whether these models provide better forecasts than those previously used. This essay aim to identify, estimate and evaluate the selected prediction models. Through our data material we were given access to 28 sightings of sea transport index during the period of 2004 q1 to 2010 q4. We have chosen to evaluate three different transfer function models, one ARIMA model and one naive forecasting model. The input variables we decided to test in our transfer function models were the price of petroleum products, the port activity in Swedish ports and the lending rate of Swedish Central bank. The results of our study suggest that transfer function models generally provide better models than the ARIMA model and the naive forecast model.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to in a comparative and causal way explore whether there is a relationship between risk and return and also how it is perceived on the Nordic financial markets.Theory: The theoretical frame of reference applied in the thesis is considered relevant inthe perspective of the study?s purpose and research questions. We have among other theories used The Capital Asset Pricing Model, The Efficient Market Hypothesis and various Behavioural finance theories.Method: The study has its starting point in a quantitative approach with a quantitative data analysis supported by secondary data extracted from Thomson Reuters.Empirics: The empirics contains regression analyses made from calculated secondary data of 240 randomly chosen companies from Nasdaq OMX Stockholm, NasdaqOMX Copenhagen, Nasdaq OMX Helsinki and Oslo Bors.Conclusion: The study conclusions show that there are both a negative and positive relationship between volatility and actual return on the investigated markets. Considering this prior statement we can conclude that the Capital Asset Pricing Model can?t correctly describe the actual relationship between the parameters investigated on the current sample.

Background: HIV/AIDS has existed officially for more than 35 years and is now seen as a global epidemic. The disease has claimed many victims and there is no indication showing decrease of the mortality rate. The disease is currently incurable, but antiretroviral drugs have good effect at slowing down the process. The persons who live with the disease are exposed to stigma and, sometimes, negative attitudes. The negative attitudes could affect the person?s willingness carry through the test.

Body esteem is the affective aspect of body image, which is shaped by social experience. Compared with men, women have a more negative body image, which is more frequently correlated with depression and dysfunctional thoughts, especially in the case of eating disorders. The purpose of the present study was to examine gender differences in body esteem and its subcategories, and to find out whether there exists a stronger link between negative body esteem and higher levels of dysfunctional thoughts in women. The relationship between body esteem, dysfunctional thoughts and mental illness was examined. Participants were 73 college students doing social sciences and sports training educations.

The purpose of this thesis has been to build a parameterized model of a prototype motor in the program Solidworks, to use in future optimization of aspects of effectiveness and weight. The result were two models. The first model were one minor part of the whole design in 2D, to be able to optimize and study the minor part with a faster loss simulation. The second model was the whole design in 3D. The whole model were done with the three programs Solidworks, Comsol and Matlab.

We have chosen to focus on the meaning of long-term income support dependency regarding health, goal setting and motivation for the recipient of economical aid. We have chosen to use semi structurized interviews to achieve our goal of reaching the clients experience of long-term income support dependency. The study consists of interviews of six clients whose answers have been analyzed through appliance of Kielhofner´s Model of human occupation, Scheff´s Shame in self and society.   Our results show regarding, 1) the factor health that long-term income support dependency may elevate the risk of illness and less experienced options of possibilities to act. 2) regarding the factor goal setting, that goals may be inefficiently used during social work with long-term income support dependent clients and may result in a disorganized relationship between client and social worker in the sense of making the parties pull in opposite direction. 3) regarding the factor motivation, that long-term income support dependency and the living with the emotion of shame elevates the risk of maintaining a negative image of oneself that limits the willpower to assimilate new knowledge and/or skills.

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate whether accounting quality is a priced factor by investors. The event studied is the release of year-end result and the release of the annual report. To assess accounting quality a sample of 30 companies listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange during 2003 to 2007 are studied. We assess accounting quality by the absolute size of discretionary accruals using the modified Jones model developed by Dechow et al. (1995).

Background: In 1998 it was stated that Swedish municipalities would report the pension liabilities according to the mixed model where the pension liabilities before 1998 was moved from the balance sheet. The mixed model has been criticized by economists for not showing the total pension liabilities. To remove some of the liabilities in the municipalities balance sheets means that the solvency improves. Some municipalities have decided to go against the municipal accounting law and recognize all of the pension liability as a liability according to the full funding model. When two accounting models are being used the comparison of the municipalities' financial statements is much harder.Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to study the reason why some municipalities apply full funding model rather than the mixed model.

Home care services have had, and will have a major imortance in the future. More people will be using home care services as a consequence of political strategies but also as an effect of caretakers own wishes. The purpose of this study was to illuminate the factors that are significant for a successful encounter between a caretaker and a caregiver. The study is made as a qualitative analysis of litterature. The data collection was based on Polit and Hungler's model of information retrieval and the data analysis on Graneheim and Lundman's model of analysis.

Theories about exposure and risk-taking in an everyday environment show a connection between parental strategies, parent-child relationship and exposure on the Internet. In the present study, the Internet is presented as an everyday activity. Negative exposure is seen as an outcome of risk-taking. The purpose of the study was to examine in what way parental strategies together with the parent-child relationship were related to the teenagers? negative experiences on the Internet, which consisted of three categories: 1) Exposure to pornographic sites, 2) Exposure to upsetting and violent material, 3) Digital bullying.

Home care services have had, and will have a major imortance in the future. More people will be using home care services as a consequence of political strategies but also as an effect of caretakers own wishes. The purpose of this study was to illuminate the factors that are significant for a successful encounter between a caretaker and a caregiver. The study is made as a qualitative analysis of litterature. The data collection was based on Polit and Hungler's model of information retrieval and the data analysis on Graneheim and Lundman's model of analysis.

This thesis treats the topic of user-generated comments connected with news stories on news sites, meaning electronic word-of-mouth combined with PR. The writers have examined how different types of comments affect consumers' perception of the article and also what communication effects these comments generate in terms of attitudes, purchase intent and word-of-mouth intent. The results interesting to the news site owners, is that lots of comments and negative comments generate a negative effect by making the actual article less credible, attractive and worth reading (relative to the subsequent comments). On the positive side, serious comments imply that the news story is perceived as more interesting, than a news story followed by non-serious comments. From a brand equity perspective, the interesting results show that few comments compared to lots of comments, generate a better attitude to the brand, even though there is no difference in how positive or negative the comments are.

The purpose of our essay is to examine if variation exists in the way that auditors try their independence, this so called analysis-model. We will suggest some factors that influence the way auditors practise the analysis-model. The institutional theory predicts no differencies since the normative pressure could be expected to be severe. But we found that among other things people?s qualifications, personalities and audit firm?s size and age influence the way auditors try their independence.

Theories about exposure and risk-taking in an everyday environment show a connection between parental strategies, parent-child relationship and exposure on the Internet. In the present study, the Internet is presented as an everyday activity. Negative exposure is seen as an outcome of risk-taking. The purpose of the study was to examine in what way parental strategies together with the parent-child relationship were related to the teenagers? negative experiences on the Internet, which consisted of three categories: 1) Exposure to pornographic sites, 2) Exposure to upsetting and violent material, 3) Digital bullying.

A unified model of stress and affect consciousness was proposed. The connection between affect consciousness and perceived stress was studied. Teachers (n = 19) were interviewed using Monsens affect interview, followed one month later by a questionnaire containing Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S, STAI-T) and Twenty Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).Statistical analysis showed no connections between level of total affect consciousness and perceived stress. Though there were some indications of a negative relationship between affect consciousness and trait anxiety. There were also indications, using a complementary analysis, of a connection between level of affect consciousness on the subscale distress in the interview and perceived stress.