We investigate the effects of various types of word-of-mouth (WOM) messages on consumer bahavior. The message is varied along two dimensions where one is valence and the other is whether or not it contains an explicit call for certain behavior or attitude change. We use an experiment in the form of a web-based survey. Five different scenarios were designed to represent neutral, positive, and negative WOM. The latter two came in two different versions - one with a Recommendation and one without.

The question of whether financial analysts can forecast stock movements or not has been widely debated for many years. This study examines if an investor has been able to receive an excess return by following financial analysts? Recommendations. We continue by studying if an investor has been able to earn a different excess return by following different types of Recommendations. The study includes more than 15,000 Recommendations made by 10 first tier banks and brokerages on the Swedish market during the years 2003-2007.

In 2001 the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a revised global Recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding for a child ´s first six months. The aim of this study was to investigate what information parents receiving from the Child Health Care about introduction of solids to breastfed infants and if they follow the Recommendation. A further aim is to document reasons for introduction of solids at the selected time and describe what food parents start with.The method has a descriptive and a qualitative design. Users of several Swedish parenting websites were asked to participate in the study. A total of 27 users completed the anonymous open-ended questions posted on the websites.

Aim The aim of the thesis is to explain the factors that affect the auditor's Recommendation concerning audit services to customers who are not subject to mandatory auditing.Background and problem In 2010 mandatory auditing for small companies was abolished. It is common for the auditor to provide Recommendations re-garding whether or not a customer should chose to retain the audit. The question is which factors can explain the auditor's Recommendation.Method and empirics This thesis uses a deductive approach with inductive elements and a combination of qualitative and quantitative data is used. The qualitative data consists of a pilot study and the quantitative data consists of a questionnaire survey. The analysis of the empirical data was performed using regression analysis.Theory This thesis applies an eclectic approach where the starting point is legitimacy, institutional theory, professional theory and decision making theory to develop a model.Results and conclusions The notion of the Recommendation as well as the extent of the Recommendations can be explained by factors related to the auditor's agency affiliation and the auditor's personal qualities..

Research on the power of customer involvement, and in particular Recommendation is very resourceful. Many studies have mapped the reasons for why customers are willing to recommend, however they often ignore potential differences among brands and how that may affect these reasons. This study is built on a quantitative survey investigating how consumers interact with brands, depending on category affiliation. The categories used were Bhat and Reddy's symbolic and functional, consisting of three brands respectively where each brand represented a different product type.The evolvement of social media has also transformed the platform of Recommendation from physical to virtual and changed the way people connect. Thus, taking the investigation further, potential differences between symbolic and functional brands was tested in different social media platforms.

I takt med att Internet blir mer och mer tillgängligt och att informationsmängden på Internetkonstant ökar, har ett behov för rekommendationssystem uppkommit. Ett problem på internet äratt veta vem och vad man kan lita på. Ett sätt att komma runt det här tillitsproblemet är attanvända sig av social media. Samtidigt har sociala medier ständigt ökat i populäritet de senasteåren. Syftet med den här uppsatsen är att undersöka hur rekommendationssystem och socialamedier kan dra nytta av varandra samtidigt som ett praktiskt problem om att fårekommendationer från sina (online) vänner löses.

Research has shown that our numbers of choices are constantly increasing. In this paper, we investigate the choice-making process further with regard to satisfaction, Recommendation propensity, confidence, and preference. The study focuses on two fitness clubs where product information is provided sequential to the participant. We examine if consumers who maintain their choice tend to be more satisfied with their choice and more willing to recommend the choice to a friend. If they are, why is this? We found that the participants who changed their choice claimed to be less satisfied and had less propensity to recommend the choice to a friend.

Concurrently with higher demands on comparability between companies, all Swedish listed parent companies are guilty to apply international accounting standards, IFRS/IAS, no later than January 1, 2005. In this thesis IFRS 7 Financial instruments: Disclosures, that treats information about financial instruments, is investigated. IFRS 7 aims to establish a good international standard for disclosures about financial instruments. The purpose of this thesis is to study differences in the interpretation of IFRS 7 Financial instruments: Disclosures between Swedish life insurance companies, problems ? if any ? that associate with the Recommendation, the Recommendation?s effect on accounting and the attitudes towards IFRS amongst the Swedish life insurance companies.

One of the aims of this report has been to make an inventory of the building trade market to see which document handling systems that are available. The secondary aim was to document the users´ demands on the systems and other demands such as quality assurance. After this, the document handling systems Byggnet and Lotus Notes, which are rather complex systems, have been analysed. Finally a Recommendation has been made. In the inventory of the marketthe internet has been used because it is there the latest information can be found.

Streaming is a big field in todays digitalized society. The streaming market is huge, both in regards to the customer base, but also in regards to different providers and their stakes within this market. But how does the different providers go about in order to provide their users with added value? What does the user prioritize? The purpose of this study is to examine which additional functions can be considered important when designing a streaming service, which in turn will create an added value for the user. The study is based on a qualitative study of 6 individuals with semi-structured interviews and we will present an in-depth analysis regarding four fields of interest to us in regards to streaming services; second devices, Recommendation systems, keywords and social connectivity.

Due to higher standards of living around the world, greater industries and larger infrastructures causes an increase of the global energy consumption. This harvest of energy puts a great stress on the global environment. With this development, it becomes increasingly important to utilize energy resources in the best possible way.Fans are components that are often used in the industry and in households. A common problem is that the fan is oversized. An oversized fan causes an excessive flow, which has to be adjusted in order to achieve the correct flow.

In Sweden, selection for leanness in pigs has been going on for almost a century. This sometimes results in gilts and sows being too lean and consequently in a risk for reduced reproduction and health status. The Swedish Recommendation includes that gilts should be mated after seven months of age, after one documented oestrus, at 120-140kg live weight and with a backfat thickness of 16-20mm. Five gilt producing herds were visited and records of age, heart girth (for weight estimation), body condition (visual estimation), backfat thickness and exterior were made. The same records were also taken in four gilt buying herds on newly purchased gilts.

This research is about six pedagogue´s and their reflections about the size of the children´s group in the preschools. Then I will discuss the pedagogue?s Recommendation on the significance of the size of a children´s group learning and development and it´s practical significance for the preschool function. The pedagogue?s statements will be discussed in relation to The Swedish National Agency for Education (TSNAE) guidelines on group size.The theoretical framework of this essay will take an overview of the social cultural perspective, the group size and its significance for both the children´s learning and development, for interaction and communication and TSNAE advice and guidelines.

Knowledge about womens experiences that after a myocardial infarction try to comply with dietary Recommendation is relatively unknown today. Scientific studies have concentrated on men as a patient and the woman as a partner when it comes to myocardial infarction. There is a need for qualitative studies to investigate womens perceived and actual support after a myocardial infarction..

Sand pits are a valuable habitat which can hold many sand living species including several endangered ones. As many sand habitats with exposed sand are declining, sand pits have a potential as a substitute habitat. This study was conducted to see what effect the area of a sand pit has on species number and composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Also, the effects of other environmental variables were tested, for example the proportion open sand, vegetation cover, sun exposure and tree cover. The study was conducted in the county of Uppsala in 2008 and included 13 sand pits with areas between 200 and 180,000 m2.