In recent years, Lean has been implemented in a variety of companies with focus areas that differ from the conditions that characterizes manufacturing. This transfer has contributed to fairly superficial results because companies almost exclusively focus on Toyotas methodology and not on the goal of Lean. The effort of transforming Lean from manufacturing to any organization requires a definition on a general level and a view of Lean as a system. One of the core principles of Lean and the foundation of continuous improvements is standardized work. In product development there is a negative view on standardized work, where the engineers state that the principle is not applicable for knowledge processes that include non-repetitive and creative work.In the framework of this master thesis literature has been studied to find support that standardized work is applicable for product development and areas that include knowledge processes.

This study's primary purpose was monitoring of conservancy operation measures. The fixed sections within ekopark Storklinten owned by the forest company Sveaskog. These measures are performed with the purpose of creating and maintaining hardwood forest and mimic natural processes. The sections were divided into different categories depending on the type of measures they were exposed with. The monitoring showed that the purpose of these measures was fulfilled in general.

Background: A patient undergoing surgery will meet many caregivers in different settings pre-, intra- and postoperative in the surgical pathway. Lack of communication is a common digression and the handoff is such an occasion. The purpose is to describe current knowledge about the patients´ right to safe care perioperative. The study is a systematic review (pilot). Result: The handoff was informal, unstructured and inconsistent.

Restoration projects are planned and carried out in order to reduce the impact due to anthropogenic influence and to achieve at least good ecological status according to the EU Water Framework Directive. The resilience effort of such restorations is however ambiguous. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of follow up restoration measures in Swedish lakes and streams. In particular, we visualized the geographical spread of restoration measures in Sweden and quantified the different types of measures that were implemented so far. Further, we evaluated the extent of sampling of biological factors before and after the restoration measures have occurred. For the purpose of our study, we used the recently compiled national database of restoration measures in Swedish lakes and streams.

The annual cost of home care services of transport in Falun/Borlänge, is now at 31 million kronor. It is clear from previous research that it is possible to reduce these costs through a restructuring of the existing home-help service. The restructuring aims to have a higher proportion of older people, who are in need of care, to live in special accommodation, in order to reduce transport costs. Therefore there is a need for systems that allow home-help service to plan their operations in such a way that transport is working as efficiently as possible. Through better planning, there are profits to be done.

The object of this essay is to discuss the relationship between the definition of the concept of gender equality and attitudes towards gender equality and their consequences for gender equality measures. The point of departure is feminist political theory and interviews about attitudes towards gender equality at a department at the University of Linköping. The conclusions of this study is that there are a wide range of definitions and attitudes, and these conceptions are not necessarily the same as those being pointed out in the official gender equality policy at the University of Linköping. In this study the opinions of measures for gender equality among the interviewed are widely spread. Some finding Swedish men and women already being equal and therefore there is no need for measures, since this would result in discrimination of men since women would gain advantages from being women.

I transportbranschen finns behov av ett gemensamt och standardiserat mått för mätning av effektivitet och trots avancerade IT-system och moderna verktyg råder det idag avsaknad av detta. Transportföretagen behöver inte bara ta fram egna, interna mått utan också accepterade och vedertagna mått som kan användas för att kommunicera med kunder, myndigheter och andra externa intressenter..

Calesco Foil AB is a manufacturer of thin flexible circuits for heating or electric conduction.The plant is located in Kolbäck, Sweden.One of the company?s products, the conducting polymer pasta is in present situationunpredictable. Unpredictable in the way that the same type of heater shows differentresistance, depending on which time they have been produced. The desired repetitivelyprocess is almost non-existing.The aim of this master thesis is to primary identify those parameters that effects theresistance, observe and if possible to perform tests on them. The results from this analysisstand as base for recommendations to achieve a repetitive and standardized printing process.The results and the observations from the tests indicate that a repetitive process is possible toachieve.

In family firms altruistic effects can arise in order to preserve the ownership of the firm within the family. The family firm may chose to carry or take measures against these effects. Regardless, it will lead to different agent costs. Therefore, the aims of the study were to explain how altruistic effects in family firms exert an influence on the administrative systems and possible counter measures.In order to explain the origin of altruistic effects, we built a theory which showed that the altruistic effects were followed by agent costs. The family can take measures to counteract these original effects.

In an attempt to make social work evidence based, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, has recommended the use of standardized methods. As there are very few instruments that are defined as standardized, we decided to compile studies made with the "Family Climate self-rating scale", FCS, that is used by the profession, although not yet validated. We were looking for conformity in results and functionality in family treatment. FCS comprises a list of 85 adjectives to reflect different aspects of the emotional atmosphere in the family. It has been used since the late 80´s and there has been no attempt to compile results of using the instrument, until now.By searching in databases and libraries we found 20 Swedish studies using the instrument, which we compared to each other.

Traditionally risk-based measures have been used to assess animal welfare in legislation and certification schemes. With increased knowledge and research, debate today tends to focus on and advocate the use of animal-based measures. However this is not a panacea for welfare and the most sound conclusion should be that assessment of animal welfare needs both. The aim of this thesis is to identify the points that need to be taken into consideration to find the optimal balance in the use of input and outcome measures according to the aim of the assessment and how these should be applied when designing a certification scheme? To answer this, a comparison of the use of resource-based, management-based and animal-based measures in two certification schemes for dairy cow welfare, Freedom Food (UK) and Svenskt Sigill (SWE), was made.

This thesis investigates whether it is accordance between the different profit measures in the financial market. The first aim of the thesis is to examine if it exists a difference between the profit measures that companies publish in their fourth quarter interim report and the measures that they state in their annual report, issued some months later. The second aim is to examine whether there is a divergence in definitions and the assumption regarding the risk of bankruptcy between profit measures published by companies and analysts. The study focuses on Swedish companies listed on the OMX Stockholm Large Cap and concerns the years of 2006 and 2007. The analysts interviewed are working in Sweden with listed Swedish companies.

This thesis aims to investigate if peer-groups based on industry classification perform as well as, or better than, peer-groups based on other measures that represent factors affecting the price-to-earnings multiple. In contrast with previous empirical studies, a solid theoretical approach is used in defining which factors, according to valuation theory, affect the P/E-ratio. The factors identified as explanatory are accounting measures, risk and growth. Furthermore, we have recognized several measures that represent these factors. These measures are tested for accuracy of prediction in terms of the P/E-ratio for peer-groups based on these measures relative to an industry classified peer-group.

A performance measurement system can be used as a means to evaluate past performances and to communicate prioritizations. It has also been proposed that a performance measurement system can serve as a method to execute strategies, guide in operational decisions and constitute a tool for making the organization more efficient. Yet one may question if such a system will ever reach this capacity if operating managers do not utilize it as a management tool, but rather treat it as a mere report in the bunch. This paper explores how middle managers in fact apply performance measures and what obstacles there are to integrating them in the management of subunits. Furthermore it serves to investigate whether these managers experience a conflict between how they are expected to use the measures and what they deem possible to adopt.

The purpose of this study is to get an understanding about how municipalities in Sweden integrate climate-change into the social planning; especially the risk of flooding. To get a good picture of the planning process, background about the following are given; flooding, social planning and protective measures that can be taken against flooding. Three municipalities in the south of Sweden is studied; Halmstad, Vellinge and Kristianstad. They have in their work progressed differently and Kristianstad is the municipality that already has taken measures to protect themselves against flooding. The other two have only started to plan for the future threat.