The municipality of Sandviken is in a state of strong growth. This affects the need for more hotel rooms in Sandviken, in a way that it’s profitable to invest in a new hotel. Sandvikens largest company, the steal industry Sandvik AB, grows just like Sandviken, and have great influence on the need of more hotel rooms. Today there are three hotels placed in Sandviken, and these hotels aren’t enough when the pressure of hotel guests is at its top. The purpose with the project was to analyse the criteria’s that are important for localization of a new hotel in the Sandviken, and to clarify what kind of hotel Sandviken is in need of. The need of hotel rooms in Sandviken where to be challenged during the investigation. To find the most appropriate locations, a multi-criteria analysis was used that was based on the weighting of criteria from a questionnaire study. The questionnaire study contained two parts. The first part where selecting which criteria’s the multi-criteria analysis would include. The other part was weighting the selected criteria’s to be able to input them in the multi-criteria analysis. The weighting where made by selected persons, chosen due to their skills in the particular area. The selected criteria’s in the multi-criteria analysis where: traffic noise, proximity to sports arena, proximity to park area, proximity to travel centre, proximity to restaurants, proximity to Sandbacka park and proximity to Sandvik AB. When the multi-criteria analysis was done, it presented which areas that had the highest values. The mean value for all the selected weightings gave the results of high values in the central parts of Sandviken. This analysis where then complimented with a visual stock-taking of selected areas around Sandviken that where considered free space for building new hotel. The investigation shows that there is a need for more hotel rooms in Sandviken at the moment. This need for hotel rooms will probably grow cause of the recruitment of new personnel by Sandvik AB, and the fact that three new sports arenas is planned to be built in Sandviken. The questionnaire studies shows that the category of hotels with the most need in Sandviken, is especially business hotels. The reason for this is mostly due to Sandvik AB. The areas that are most appropriate for hotel establishment in Sandviken, are located in the central parts of Sandviken. / Sandvikens kommun befinner sig i ett starkt växande tillstånd, det påverkar behovet av fler hotellrum på så sätt att ny etablering av hotell är aktuellt. Sandvikens största företag, stålindustrin Sandvik AB, växer precis som Sandviken, och det har stor påverkan på behovet av fler hotellrum. I Sandvikens tätort finns idag tre hotell, som inte klarar behovet av hotellgäster när antalet gäster är som mest. Dessa är Alséns hotell, Stadshotellet Princess och Högbo Brukshotell. Syftet med arbetet var att analysera vilka kriterier som är viktiga för lokalisering av ett nytt hotell i Sandvikens tätort, samt att klargöra vilken kategori av hotell Sandviken är i behov av. Behovet av fler hotellrum i Sandvikens tätort ifrågasattes även under utredning. För att hitta de platser som är lämpligast, användes en multikriterieanalys som grundade sig på viktade kriterier från en enkätundersökning. Enkätundersökningen bestod utav två delar. Den ena delen valde ut vilka kriterier som skulle ingå i multikriterieanalysen. Den andra delen viktade de utvalda kriterierna för att sedan matas in i multikriterieanalysen, viktningen skedde med hjälp utav utvalda personer som ansågs kunniga på området. De utvalda kriterierna till multikriterieanalysen var: närhet till större idrottsanläggning, buller (hur viktigt det är med låg nivå av buller), närhet till handel, närhet till parkområde, närhet till resecentrum, närhet till restauranger, närhet till Sandbacka park och närhet till Sandvik AB. Multikriterieanalysen visade sedan vilka områden som gav de högsta värdena. Medelvärdet för alla de utvaldas viktningar gav ett resultat av höga värden vid centrala delarna av Sandvikens tätort. Denna analys kompletterades sedan med en visuell inventering av utvalda områden som ansågs lediga platser för hotellbygge. Utredningen visar att det i dagsläget finns behov av fler hotellrum i Sandvikens tätort. Detta behov kommer med all sannolikhet att öka på grund av att Sandvik AB anställer ny personal, samt att tre nya idrottsarenor byggs i Sandvikens tätort. Enkätundersökningarna visar att den kategori av hotell som det finns störst behov av i Sandvikens tätort är framförallt företagshotell. Detta beror framförallt på storföretaget Sandvik AB. De områden som är lämpligast för etablering av hotell i Sandvikens tätort, enligt den multikriterieanalys som gjorts, är de centrala delarna av Sandvikens tätort.

Sectra Communications is today developing cryptographic products for high assurance environments with rigorous requirements on separation between encrypted and un-encrypted data. This separation has traditionally been achieved through the use of physically distinct hardware components, leading to larger products which require more power and cost more to produce compared to systems where lower assurance is required. An alternative to hardware separation has emerged thanks to a new class of operating systems based on the "separation kernel" concept, which offers verifiable separation between software components running on the same processor comparable to that of physical separation. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the feasibility in developing a product based on a separation kernel and which possibilities and problems with security evaluation would arise. In the thesis, a literature study was performed covering publications on the separation kernel from a historical and technical perspective, and the development and current status on the subject of software evaluation. Additionally, a software crypto demonstrator was partly implemented in the separation kernel based Green Hills Integrity operating system. The thesis shows that the separation kernel concept has matured significantly and it is indeed feasible to begin using this class of operating systems within a near future. Aside from the obvious advantages with smaller amounts of hardware, it would give greater flexibility in development and potential for more fine-grained division of functions. On the other hand, it puts new demands on developers and there is also a need for additional research about some evaluation aspects, failure resistance and performance. / Sectra Communications utvecklar idag kryptoprodukter med högt ställda krav på separation mellan krypterad och okrypterad data. Traditionellt har denna separation gjorts i hårdvara med fysiskt åtskilda komponenter, vilket lett till större produkter, högre energiförbrukning och högre tillverkningskostnader än motsvarande system för lägre säkerhetsnivåer. Ett alternativ till hårdvaruseparation har framkommit tack vare en ny typ av operativsystem baserat på ett koncept kallat "separationskärna", som erbjuder verifierbar separation mellan mjukvarukomponenter på en processor likvärdig med fysisk separation. Syftet med examensarbetet var att undersöka möjligheten att basera en produkt på ett sådant system samt vilka ytterligare möjligheter och problem med säkerhetsevaluering av produkten som uppstår. I examensarbetet utfördes en litteraturstudie av publikationer om separationskärnan ur ett historiskt och tekniskt perspektiv, samt den historiska utvecklingen inom säkerhetsevaluering av mjukvara och dess nuvarande status. Dessutom implementerades delar av ett mjukvarukrypto som en demonstrationsenhet baserad på Integrity från Green Hills Software, vilket är ett realtidsoperativsystem byggt kring en separationskärna. Arbetet visade att separationskärnan som koncept har nått en hög mognadsgrad och att det är rimligt att börja använda denna typ av operativsystem till produkter med mycket högt ställda säkerhetskrav inom en snar framtid. Det skulle förutom uppenbara vinster med minskad mängd hårdvara även ge större flexibilitet vid utvecklingen och möjlighet till exaktare uppdelning av funktioner. Samtidigt ställer det andra krav på utvecklarna och det behövs ytterligare utredning om vissa aspekter av hur evalueringsförfarandet påverkas, systemens feltolerans samt prestanda.

This study aims at presenting a strategic supplier evaluation model that can assist Cederroth in strategic supplier selection and give indications on potential areas for strategic supplier development. The evaluation model aims at assessing supplier performance also with respect to environmental aspects. The final model has been developed through five steps, five models, with starting point in a theoretical review and basic empirical data. Following the model was developed through four iterations of workshops, interviews, weighting and case studies. The final model includes 7 criteria categories and 41 criteria whereas one category including 7 criteria assesses a supplier’s environmental performance.

Fire plays an important role in forest ecosystem management depending on the dual character of it. It should be managed and supervised effectively. In this particular study, the study area was located in the north part of Gävleborg County in Sweden, which is in a high- latitude region. Seven factors, divided into natural factors and human caused factors, were extracted from digital elevation model (DEM), classified land use map and feature shape files provided by National Land Survey of Sweden (Lantmäteriet). Two different weighting schemes for the factors were determined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. With the help of ArcGIS 9.3 and Erdas 9.3, two classified result maps were obtained, where forest fire risk ranks were shown as five classes, very low, low, moderate, high and very high. The 43 fire incidents in the year 2007 and 2008 recorded by Global Fire Management System were used to evaluate the results. The results show that the higher rank the region is, the larger is the probability for forest fire risk and higher the risk to spread the fire. Furthermore, according to the occurrence time of the fire incidents, the period of time from end of May to beginning of June was generalized as a dangerous period for forest fire risk in this study area. After analyzing and discussing, even if there might be some uncertainties caused by variable selection, resolution problem and weighting schemes, the results were generally reliable.

Nowadays, GIS techniques have been widely used in every walk of life. Owing to the rapid urban growth, it is of importance to plan and develop the cities in a reasonable and scientific way. As a result, optimum sites of different constructions should be considered to make full use of land resources and optimize urban structure. Although the traditional field-survey method is important, GIS-based multi-criteria analysis (MCA) provides a more reasonable and scientific way in site selection issue. Weihai, our study area, is one of the fastest developing coastal cities in China. Owing to the rapid urban expansion, Weihai government municipality planned to develop the Poyu town into a new district with multifunctions. In consideration of its advantages in natural resources and geographic position, a holiday resort is proposed. In the aim of applying GIS-based MCA in site selection, this thesis would present an experiment to select the optimal site for a holiday resort with the help of GIS techniques. The data used in this project is a satellite image and digital elevation data of Poyu town. The satellite image has been digitized to obtain the current land use map, based on which constraint maps and factor maps have been made to make preparation of multi-criteria analysis. Finally, the multi-criteria analysis model has been made. The weights for multi-criteria analysis are obtained from the advice of experienced people in Weihai Planning Bureau and also earlier studies on the site selection. There are three sets of weights based on three themes that have been used in this project. The three themes which were fruit-picking theme, seascape and seafood theme as well as leisure and recreation theme were decided based on the results of the questionnaire. Through the discussions of the results, a final selected site for the holiday resort was determined. It includes the optimal site for the main part focusing on both fruit picking theme and leisure and recreation theme and also the optimal site for an accessory part focusing on seascape and seafood theme. The final section concludes the general project work, its perspectives and the function of GIS-based MCA in site selection.

Introduction – People and society are more concerned about Corporate Social Responsibility as well as the demand of outsourcing logistics services. When buyer companies select TPL providers, the selection criteria are focused on cost and on time delivery, while issues like CSR are often placed in a low priority. Purpose – The purpose of this master thesis is to analyze how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) impacts as selection criteria when buying services from Third Party Logistics (TPL) providers. Design/Methodology – The research approach of this thesis is qualitative. Both primary data and secondary data collection were used; semi-structured interviews, emails, field observation and documentation. There are seven respondents from three different companies. Findings – From buyer companies’ perspective, CSR was taken into account when buying services from TPL providers. However, it had impact on a low priority since the buyer company chose leading TPL providers that have a good reputation and image. The buyer company believes that those selected TPL providers have already implemented CSR practice. Moreover, the results show that the main driving force behind the application of CSR was the customer requirement Research limitations – This master thesis has studied in a specific Swedish company when selecting TPL providers. Moreover, this research has been studied from the buyer companies’ perspective.

This thesis is about Turkish accession to the European Union and criteria to be fulfilled in order to become a member state. At Helsinki summit there were defined four main areas, that are the main obstacles of Turkish membership in the structures of EU – military influence in domestic politics, economy disproportions, the issues of minorities living in Turkey and problems with obeying human rights and fundamental freedoms. In addition the attitude among European countries and Turkish political elites has changed dramatically since 1999. There is a great discussion, whose main purpose is, to show if Turkey should or shouldn’t become a part of united Europe. With the help of created conceptual framework, which is empirically based on qualitative methods and with theoretical approach in form of analysis considering human rights, I have developed a set of three hypotheses, that are based on primary and secondary sources like EU, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International reports considering changes of Turkish attitude to the question of human rights. In the process of testing validity or invalidity of those hypotheses, I have tried to conclude, why the implication of reforms considering human is the main obstacle of Turkish membership in the EU. / <p>The paper may be used free, but it is forbidden to copy or use directly any parts of it without earlier contact with author.</p>

Flexible approaches for eliciting preferences of decision makers involved in a conflict are developed along with applications to real-world disputes. More specifically, two multiple criteria decision making approaches are proposed for capturing the relative preferences of a decision maker participating in a conflict situation. A case study in logistics concerned with the conflict arising over the expansion of port facilities on the west coast of North America as well as a transportation negotiation dispute are used to illustrate how these approaches can be integrated with the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution, a practical conflict analysis methodology. Ascertaining the preferences of the decision makers taking part in a conflict constitutes a key element in the construction of a formal conflict model. In practice, the relative preferences, which reflect each decision maker’s objectives or goals in a given situation, are rather difficult to obtain. The first method for preference elicitation is to integrate an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) preference ranking method with the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution. The AHP approach is used to elicit relative preferences of decision makers, and this preference information is then fed into a graph model for further stability analyses. The case study of the Canadian west coast port congestion conflict is investigated using this integrated model. Another approach is based on a fuzzy multiple criteria out-ranking technique called ELECTRE III. It is also employed for ranking states or possible scenarios in a conflict from most to least preferred, with ties allowed, by the decision maker according to his or her own value system. The model is applied to a transportation negotiation dispute between the two key parties consisting of shippers and carriers.

This thesis studies the use of a collaborative spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis tool in site evaluation with multiple participants. The approach is situated within the context of three concepts of space, choice and participation, and is informed by fields as diverse as Decision-Making, Participatory Planning, Geographical Information Systems, Decision Support Systems, Voting, and Group Collaboration. A collaborative spatial Multi-Criteria Analysis software tool called MapChoice was designed for this thesis, built upon open source components and featuring easy-to-use decision support functionality in both single-user and collaborative modes. MapChoice was then evaluated in a real-world site selection situation with a case study on the location of much-needed affordable housing in the Town of Collingwood, Ontario. Based on previous discussions and workshops on the project, a workshop was held with a group of community housing advocates to compare a set of possible sites for an affordable housing project according to a set of spatial and aspatial criteria. The study indicates that a collaborative spatial MCA approach can be used in dealing with complex planning problems, and that it has the potential to contribute to improved consensus between participants.

Urban centers and smaller communities across Canada are witnessing an increase in youth gang activity. But, determining both the level and nature of youth gang involvement/activity is problematic, in part because of varied interpretations of what it means to be a gang. Many Canadians believe that a gang is a structured organization with crime as their main objective. However, youth gangs can range from associations involving a loosely organized collective of friends that come together to protect their neighborhood to that of the hardcore gangs who have political agendas and are structurally organized. It is much more difficult to determine the level and nature of youth gang activity because they are ever changing entities depending on factors such as race, socio-economic status, and community. Youth gangs become a burden to society financially, emotionally, and mentally. Costs are incurred due to vandalism and an increase in crime: while anguish and a heightened sense of fear/anxiety speak to the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects resulting from gang activities.<p> This study is a qualitative analysis that focuses on how agencies in Saskatoon define youth gang activities and behaviors. The agencies involved constitute community based organizations, permanent and part-time holding residences, justice and city officials. Grounded theory analysis was utilized to maintain the original interviewees own voices from interviews to the final product. The final analysis is divided into three sections that focus on: characteristics of Saskatoon youth gangs, implications of defining, and programming. By analyzing these themes we begin to see that defining youth gangs becomes a very political issue and that agencies who work with youth have difficulty in coming to terms in creating a common definition of youth gangs for Saskatoon.