PropTech var ett begrepp som genomsyrade fastighetsbranschen sedan några år tillbaka, även om fastighetsbolag, akademiker eller finansiärer hade olika tolkningar om vad som ingick i samlingsordet, användes det frekvent för att beskriva olika typer av teknik inom fastighetssektorn. Denna teknik hade potentialen att utmana eller till och med helt förändra sättet på vilket fastighetsbolag bedrev sin verksamhet. Syftet med rapporten var att reda ut hur fastighetsbolagen definierade begreppet PropTech i sin verksamhet, samt huruvida de hade gjort interna utredningar eller analyser av tekniken. Detta för att se om det fanns en gemensam bild av vad som ingick i PropTech bland etablerade bolag och vad lösningarna resulterade i vid praktisk tillämpning. För att besvara frågeställningen använde författaren sig av en kvalitativ metod i form av intervjuer med sakkunniga inom fastighetsbolagen. Därutöver analyserades materialet vidare, vilket presenterades i arbetets resultatavsnitt. Studien kom fram till att fastighetsbolagen inte hade en definition av PropTech inom bolagen. Däremot arbetade fastighetsbolagen ständigt med utredningar kring tekniken och hur den skulle implementeras på bästa sätt, främst genom pilotprojekt. Förslag till framtida forskning var att undersöka informationsluckan mellan PropTech-bolagen och fastighetsbolagen så att teknikbolagen utvecklade teknik som efterfrågades av fastighetsbolagen. / PropTech was a concept that permeated the real estate industry for several years, even though real estate companies, academics, or investors had different interpretations of what was encompassed by the term. It was frequently used to describe various types of technology within the real estate industry. Technology that could challenge or even completely change the way real estate companies conducted their business. The purpose of the report was to clarify how real estate companies defined the concept of PropTech within their companies and whether they had conducted internal investigations or analyses of the technology. This was done to determine if there was a common understanding of what was included in PropTech amongst established companies and whether the solutions resulted in practical applications. To address this inquiry, the author employed a qualitative method, conducting interviews with experts within real estate companies. Furthermore, the material was analyzed, as presented in the results section of the paper. The study concluded that real estate companies did not have a definition of PropTech within their organizations. However, real estate companies were continuously engaged in investigations regarding the technology and how it should be implemented in the best possible way, primarily through pilot projects. A suggestion for future research was to investigate the information gap between PropTech companies and real estate companies, allowing technology firms to develop solutions that were in demand by real estate companies.

Digital Transformation (DT) is becoming a comprehensive part of everyday lives. It has become disruptive to the point that it has transformed the way we live, work and interact with each other. One area which has been affected by DT are Public Administrations (PA). DT is changing both the expectations of the performance of PA’s, but digitalization also transforms their objects and processes. To understand how DT affects PA’s, research often addresses external reasoning. This research paper instead explores internal reasoning; that is to say the PA’s organizational culture. It does so by asking what dimensions of Organizational Culture (OC) impacts DT within PA with the conclusion that (1) Communication as a part of OC decelerates DT (2) Competence Development can create acceptance of DT and (3) Social Sustainability holds DT accountable.

Syftet med denna studie är att skapa kunskap om hur digitalisering har påverkat marknadsföringsstrategier inom svenska apotek som verkar inom både e-handel och fysisk verksamhet. Två forskningsfrågor har undersökts, vilka är hur marknadsföringsstrategier påverkats av digitaliseringen i svenska apotek samt hur denna utveckling hjälpt apoteken i Sverige att konkurrera med varandra. Kvalitativ metod med abduktiv ansats har använts vid denna studie. Fallstudieformat har applicerats med semistrukturerade intervjuer som datainsamling. Fallstudieobjekten var Meds, Apotea, Apoteket AB och Apotek Hjärtat. Intervjuerna har analyserats genom innehållsanalys och tematisk analys. Resultatet visar att digitaliseringen påverkat en snabb utveckling av marknadsföringskanaler och distribution såsom e-handelsbutikerna för apoteken i Sverige. Vi drar slutsatsen att digitaliseringen gett upphov till nya strategier som ges större utrymme inom marknadsföringsarbetet hos apoteken. Vi kan också se att apoteken i denna studie utgår från traditionella strategier och kompletterar dessa med digitala marknadsföringsstrategier som även ges störst utrymme. Studien fyller ett forskningsgap för apoteksföretagen i Sverige och marknadsföringsstrategierna till följd av digitaliseringen. Studien bidrar till ökad förståelse för hur digitaliseringen påverkat apotekens utveckling och hur marknadsföringen ser ut för samtliga fallföretag. En framtida forskning kring hur apoteken i Sverige utvecklas längre fram i digitaliseringen samt med fler apoteksföretag.

Many industries are transitioning to a digitalized world these days due to new opportunities and applications that come with it. This process has been accelerated in various ways due to the Covid-19 pandemic, to the point where many organizations have been able to digitalize some aspects of their daily tasks in a short period of time, ranging from using new technology and equipment like AI to utilizing social media and web-based platforms for forming virtual communities. We, as master's students with an engineering background, became interested in this topic and began reviewing literature to learn more about it. We noticed that the impact of digitalization on leadership in the healthcare industry has not been adequately addressed in previous academic work. We approached this topic as social constructionists with a relativistic perspective, and attempted to conduct a qualitative study with in-depth interviews with knowledgeable managers and employees in three different countries with different organizational cultures. This allowed us to examine how this process would affect both hierarchical and flat organizational management systems. Next, we went through open coding, trend identification, and templating. Following the theoretical framework and comparing the findings from different sample groups led to an interesting conclusion: Digitalization, as expected and as a support to our theoretical framework, helps organizations be more productive and deliver higher service quality, training and academic in this way helps all members, especially managers, do their jobs better, and there was no difference between the three different group samples. The final and most intriguing finding is that in the presence of digitalization, flat organizations become flatter thanks to the various tools that digitalization provides to the system to create a closer and more flat communication structure, whereas in hierarchical organizations, managers use the tools provided by this phenomenon to cement their position and power pyramid. To put it another way, digitalization alone will not be able to shape or even force the organizational structure to become flatter; all those virtual teams and web-based platforms will be used in the way that the current organization structure desires.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused immense challenges to businesses and people’s lives. For the pharmaceutical industry, these challenges entail changes in demand, supply chain, consumption trends, as well as a shift towards telemedicine and changes in R&D priorities. To respond to these market changes, firms must reallocate their resources and modify their processes, which requires an agility in the firms’ structure and management practices.The aim of this work was to identify how firms can manage their operations resources and processes to adapt to sudden market change and facilitate crisis-driven digital transformation. The objective is to investigate how firms’ operations strategy and organizational attributes affect firm performance under the changing market conditions during the recent pandemic. To do this, we analyzed the operations strategy of 13 large (more than 250 employees) pharmaceutical firms in Sweden qualitatively. Using the operations strategy matrix as a guiding tool, keywords describing the decision areas and performance objectives of these firm were used for searching online published information. By reviewing annual reports, press releases and articles in trade journals, information on firms’ strategic priorities was extracted. By the use of pattern matching, the relation between firms’ strategic preferences and their ability to adapt to market changes was established. Moreover, we analyzed the relation between pharmaceutical firms’ financial performance, their organization attributes (i.e., span of control, financial resources and intellectual resources) and crisis conditions quantitatively. For this purpose, OLS regression and panel (data) analysis was used to identify significant variables that impact performance of 239 registered firms in Sweden.We found that firms focusing on market competitiveness and growth orientation in their operations strategy showed better performance during the pandemic in comparison to firms focusing only on market competitiveness. It was also noted that it takes time to see the effects of changes in strategic priorities and depends on firms’ existing agility. However, the relation between firms’ performance during the pandemic and their status within the organization and ownership structure was unclear. It was also observed that ownership structure and firms’ status within the organization had no impact on the choice of perspective on operations strategy.Similarly, organizational attributes in terms of firms’ financial resources were found to have a positive impact on financial performance, and this relation was more prominent for firms with a wide span of control (horizontal structure) than for firms with a narrow span of control (vertical structure). While a negative relation between crisis conditions and financial performance was observed for firms with a narrow span of control, no such relationship could be observed for firms with a wide span of control. Similarly, no relation between firms’ intellectual resources and their financial performance was found in this study.This work provides evidence on how firms’ operations strategy and organizational attributes affect performance, particularly during COVID-19 pandemic-driven market changes. The findings provided in this work are relevant considering that the business environment is currently changing at an increasing pace. Additionally, the increased use of artificial intelligence, big data, the internet of things, and the platform economy has led us to a new industrial revolution, in which firms with efficient use of resources and processes are endowed with increased survival chances. The results of this thesis can provide insight into how organizations can optimize their resource usage and processes to achieve organizational agility for sustainable competitive advantages during future market changes.

The fallout of digitalization: A study over the challenges facing modern journalism As the number of professional youtubers and bloggers are increasing and the world where one individual with a camera and access to the internet can make a living out of pure public interest, the number of sold newspapers is decreasing. The journalists of today have become obliged to reevaluate the core of their craftmanship and resort to unusual ways of publishing. The growing tendencies of fake news have contributed to a perception of media as a propaganda tool amongst the consumers. Having to compete with social media as well as other journalistic players might result in a slight change of publishing that makes the published material stray further from the ethics of journalism, and it puts the news media in a zone of conflict. While the journalistic ideal is jeopardized in the tough competition on the digital platform – it is that very ideal that distinguishes journalist from the competitors. The purpose of this study is to examine the reflections on the theme of digitalization by journalists on different web based news media in Sweden. I have interviewed four people on four separate news sites in an attempt to clarify how they approach the potential challenges a digital climate proposes to the journalistic profession, and how they view the future of the profession in an age where the lines between digital mediums are becoming more and more blurred.

Background: Automation of processes is taking place more and more in the manufacturing industry today. Automation today is used by companies to be more productive/efficient to be competitive. Automating a process not only increases the chance of reduced waste, but it also increases productivity, precise measurements, shorter lead times and increased cost efficiency, and that the company maintains its place in the market. Therefore, it is important for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to be able to automate the processes, especially since SMEs make up the largest part of the market. Quality control is one of the most important parts of the complex production process. This is because the quality controls ensure the quality of the products for both the company and the customers. If the quality controls are automated, this can lead to an increase in the quality of the products and to them becoming more efficient.  The purpose: The basis of this thesis is to be able to increase the productivity/efficiency and safety of the quality controls, i.e. more specific and accurate measurements that increase the credibility of the quality of the products, through automation/digitalization. This is to reduce human assistance, increase the efficiency of the process and be more cost-effective as the workers can focus on other tasks than the quality controls. The research questions in this study are: What is needed to redesign and streamline the quality control processes? What are the important technologies and process changes needed to automate the quality controls? How can the quality controls be made more efficient with the help of automation?  Method: This study is based on a qualitative & quantitative research approach which is based on a case study at the company Senior Material. Through interviews, observations, participant observations and notes, the empirical data was collected. All data was analyzed to help the study find relevant solutions. Theories were collected through various search tools through a literature study. The literature that was relevant and could advance the study was used, this through data analysis of the literature and elimination of irrelevant literature. An analysis of the market also took place to find relevant solutions.  Conclusions: The study's conclusion presents which steps are important to take to be able to redesign and streamline the quality control processes in the companies. These steps are to first understand the problem, understand what requirements the company has, be very involved in the case, set limitations and goals, find solutions that meet all requirements and finally analyze whether the solutions meet all requirements and are effective. A very important part of automation is to understand why it should be done, this especially for SMEs as they do not have as many resources as large companies. Another important point to consider is not to have too high a level of automation as this can have several consequences. One of the most important technologies to consider in automation is the digitization of data. This is to be able to detect deviations or problems early and be able to remedy them. Digitization is a large part of the solution, therefore it is important for companies to first check whether the problem lies in a lack of automation or digitization The solutions found were to automate the controls for the particle, humidity and temperature measurement and digitize the rest of the controls. With the help of these solutions, Senior saves more than 123 working days of unnecessary work while streamlining quality controls.

This theory-driven thesis explores the notably low levels of brand trust in Sweden through the lens of digitalization. Employing qualitative research methods, the authors conducted eight interviews with experienced experts in Sweden's marketing and communication sector. The study aims to provide an expert view on the current state of consumer trust and the factors contributing to mistrust. The study intends to identify effective strategies for building brand reliability and brand intentions, collectively fostering long-term brand trust, all from the digitalization perspective.  The results show that the rise of digitalization has contributed to lower trust in brands, identifying several reasons behind this mistrust, all connected to digitalization. Six strategies are identified as effective ways for brands to increase long-term brand trust. More specifically, email marketing, data privacy, and brand communities are shown to enhance brand reliability. Whereas trust recovery, ethical marketing, and influencer marketing enhance brand intentions. This is portrayed in a re-conceptualized framework based on an already established conceptual framework, showing how brand reliability and brand intentions collectively creates brand trust. This thesis contributes to the existing literature by offering a detailed analysis of the mistrust in brands and presents strategies to address this issue within the Swedish market by fostering long-term brand trust.

I dagens samhälle är digitaliseringen ett område som påverkar många redan nu, både företag och konsumenter, och kommer att fortsätta göra det framöver. I digitaliseringens värld står webben och applikationer i fokus för de olika digitala system och tjänster som företag använder för att gå från traditionella analoga processer till mer digitala och automatiserade metoder. Inom snabbmatsbranschen är det inget annorlunda. Ett av de viktigaste systemen för företagen inom branschen är beställningssystemet. En teknik som tillåter konsumenter att beställa mat med hjälp av olika enheter. Denna studie syftar till att systematiskt bedöma om ett företag inom snabbmatsbranschen bör överväga implementeringen av ett webbaserat beställningssystem för sina kunder och därigenom fastställa om de potentiella fördelarna överväger eventuella nackdelar. Utöver detta undersöker även studien ifall React tillsammans med Express kan tillföra några fördelar när ett webbaserat beställningssystem skapas. Arbetet genomförs genom en kombination av personalundersökning i form av ett formulär som skickades ut till personal på olika företag, litteraturstudier samt implementering av ett webbaserat beställningssystem som utsattes för både prestandatester och användartester. Resultatet visar att det finns både för- och nackdelar med ett webbaserat beställningssystem. 91.7% av personalen som deltog i undersökningen och utnyttjar ett redan implementerat beställningssystem på en arbetsplats påstår att implementeringen har effektiviserat deras arbete. 84.6% av alla kunder som har påpekat till personalen menar att de är nöjda och positiva till systemet. Resterande procent i båda frågorna är neutrala. Nackdelarna enligt enkäten anses vara tekniska problem samt dataintrång, där 100% av svaren menar att ett tekniskt problem kan påverka restaurangen negativt. 33.3% anser att dataintrång är en nackdel med systemet. Utifrån testerna angående React och Express visar resultatet att prestandan är en konkurrenskraftig anledning till att välja teknikerna för att implementera ett webbaserat beställningssystem. Slutsatsen av arbetet är att ifall företaget anser att fördelarna övervinner nackdelarna är ett webbaserat beställningssystem på React och Express att överväga. / In today's society, digitalization is an area that already affects many, both businesses and consumers, and will continue to do so in the future. In the world of digitalization, the web and applications are at the forefront of the various digital systems and services that companies use to transition from traditional analog processes to more digital and automated methods. In the fast-food industry, it's no different. One of the most important systems for companies in the industry is the ordering system. A technology that allows consumers to order food using various devices. This study aims to systematically assess whether a company in the fast-food industry should consider implementing a web-based ordering system for its customers and thereby determine if the potential benefits outweigh any drawbacks. In addition, the study also examines whether React, together with Express, can provide any advantages when creating a web-based ordering system. The work is conducted through a combination of personnel surveys in the form of a questionnaire sent out to staff at various companies, literature reviews, and the implementation of a web-based ordering system subjected to both performance tests and user tests. The results show that there are both pros and cons to a web-based ordering system. 91.7% of the staff who participated in the survey and utilize an already implemented ordering system at their workplace claim that the implementation has effectivized their work. 84.6% of all customers who have communicated with the staff indicate that they are satisfied and positive about the system. The remaining percentage in both questions is neutral. According to the survey, the disadvantages are considered to be technical problems and data breaches, with 100% of the responses indicating that a technical issue can negatively impact the restaurant. 33.3% believe that data breaches are a disadvantage of the system. Based on the tests regarding React and Express, the results show that performance is a competitive reason to choose these technologies for implementing a web-based ordering system. The conclusion of the study is that if the company believes that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, a web-based ordering system on React and Express is worth considering.

Technology grows continuously within the accounting field. A lot of new technologies have been invented in order to make facilities for the accountants and increase the quality of their performance, but there is less research on what accountants need based on the characteristics of the firm that they work for. There are a lot of different kinds of obstacles to investigate and implement new technology. Sometimes it happens that a company implements a new “trendy” technology just to be up to date with the market, but after a while they see that the technology is not suited for their firm’s employees or the size of the firm. Therefore, both investors and technology creators need to be aware of the firm characteristics and its need. On the other hand, employees or graduating students need to prepare themselves for the real competitive market and it is necessary for them to know which kind of skills they need to know and which knowledge they need to learn in order to be able to enter the job market. Consequently, universities as a place that have significant roles to educate and skilling students and make them ready for the real market need to keep the curriculum up to date and in line with the market demands. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to extend the current knowledge of the potential effects of various firms’ characteristics on digitalization in accounting function and the need of new skills by providing an answer to these two main questions:➢ What is the relation between the level of digitalization in accounting function and the characteristics of firms?➢ What is the relation between the level of digitalization in accounting function and the need of skills among the employees of an accounting function?Findings from the empirical data show that accounting functions currently need to have an accountant with IT base knowledge and cloud computing knowledge besides the accounting knowledge. Moreover, results show that not all the firm characteristics have a significant role to develop and implement the new technologies within accounting functions.