This thesis deals with competition policy in the field of state aid. The objective is to outline how the system of granting the state aid works and how the regulations are anchored in the legislation of EU. On the other hand the thesis wants to offer different points of view on the policy. The second half of the paper focuses on the Czech banking sector -- it studies the environment of late 90s and compares the positions of big bank before their privatization. The case of Komerční banka has been chosen to analyze the specific impacts of granted state aid.

Diploma thesis deals with the recovery of the Icelandic economy after the financial crisis that affected the country in 2008. The thesis is divided into four main chapters. The first chapter focuses on theoretical view on the financial crisis and the typology of each crisis. The second chapter describes pre-crisis economic development, triggers and the subsequent collapse of the banking sector. The third chapter deals with the impacts of the crisis on selected economic indicators, evaluation of the assistance provided by International Monetary Fund and outlines the issue of capital controls that were relatively controversial element of the IMF program. The last chapter discusses the question of joining the European Union in relation to the crisis and also describes the major difficult point of negotiation, namely fishing.

The diploma thesis deals with the problem of social networking in banking sector of the Czech Republic. The goal of the thesis is to define a set of best practices for successful activity of banks on social networks, based on own research of current activity of selected Czech banks in social networks environment. The thesis is divided into four main chapters. The first chapter summarizes the findings of previous theses, which dealt with similar topic. The second chapter deals with the problem of social networking theoretically, describes the actual most important social networks in the world, suggests their division according to typical attributes and describes the most important ways of social networking usage for business. The third chapter contains own research of social networks usage by Czech banks, definition of criteria for evaluation of the research and the evaluation itself. The final chapter contains the set of best practices based on the research, which can be used for successful activity of banks in social networks environment. Keywords

In the first chapter of my thesis titled "The Spanish Financial System", I introduce a concept of a financial system in general and a historical development of the Spanish financial system including legislation from the beginning of the 20th century till today. The second part describes a current structure of the Spanish financial system and component entities operating within its framework structured from a point of supervising institutions. The last and crucial chapter is focused on reforms of the Spanish banking sector which have got no parallel in a modern history of the country. Restructuring and consolidation of the banking sector have been primarily carried out by mergers of traditional savings banks which became vulnerable during a period of an international liquidity crisis and an excessive exposure to the construction industry and real estate developments. I explain reasons for reforms, their starting points, progresses and difficulties during the restructuring processes. In conclusion I assess their results and impacts not only on credit institutions but the whole society as well.

Agenda 2030 är en gemensam handlingsplan som tagits fram av Förenta Nationernas (FN) medlemsländer för att uppnå hållbar utveckling. Målsättningen är att de globala målen ska vara uppnådda till år 2030, men för att visionen ska bli verklighet krävs det att alla aktörer tar sitt hållbarhetsansvar. Därmed är det nödvändigt att företagen utvecklar nya verktyg och processer som bidrar till en hållbar utveckling. Tidigare forskning visar att implementeringen av hållbarhet i verksamhetsstyrningen är komplex, därför är det av betydelse att utveckla kunskapen kring implementeringen av Agenda 2030 hos en aktör som har ett betydande inflytande på den hållbara utvecklingen. Syftet med studien är att tydliggöra hur och varför banksektorn implementerar Agenda 2030 i verksamhetsstyrningen. Studiens teoretiska syfte är att visa hur incitamenten till CSR bidrar till en hållbar verksamhetsstyrning. Således avser studien att bidra till den kunskapsutveckling som är nödvändig kring bank-sektorns CSR-arbete för uppnåendet av de globala målen. För att uppnå syftet har studien undersökt fem olika banker i Värmland utifrån en kvalitativ forskningsansats. Med hjälp av tio semistrukturerade intervjuer har bankernas implementering av Agenda 2030 i verksamhetsstyrningen undersökts. Studien visar att incitamenten för att implementera hållbarhet och Agenda 2030 i verksamhetsstyrningen har förändrats. De mest centrala drivkrafterna för ett hållbart agerande är påtryckningar från intressenter, en fråga om överlevnad, erhållande av legitimitet liksom ett eget ansvarstagande. Vidare indikerar studien att Agenda 2030 till viss del är implementerad i banksektorns hållbara verksamhetsstyrning. De styrmedel som främst inkluderar Agenda 2030 är planering, cybernetisk styrning och administrativ styrning. Däremot används inte belönings- och bonussystem för att uppmuntra till ett hållbart agerande, utan studien visar snarare på att kulturstyrning bör användas för att påverka medarbetarnas beteende. För att hållbarhet och Agenda 2030 ska bli en del av kärnverksamheten är det därmed nödvändigt att utveckla och förändra kulturstyrningen. Studien visar att hållbar utveckling och uppnåendet av Agenda 2030 uppnås när företagens hållbarhetsarbete fortlöper och kontinuerligt förbättras. / Agenda 2030 is a joint action plan developed by the member states of the United Nations (UN), in order to reach sustainable development. The ambitions are that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) should be reached by 2030, but everyone needs to work together to make that happen. Therefore, companies must develop new tools and processes to contribute to sustainable development. Previous research shows that the implementation of sustainability in the operations management is complex. Hence, it is of great importance to create knowledge about the implementation of Agenda 2030 for an actor that plays a significant part of the sustainable development. The aim of this study is to clarify how and why the banking sector implements Agenda 2030 in their operations management. The theoretical aim is to show how incentives of CSR contributes to sustainable operations management. Therefore, this study contributes to developing the knowledge necessary for the banking sector, in order to reach the SDGs through their work with CSR. To fulfill the purpose, five different banks in Värmland have been investigated through a qualitative research approach. Throughout ten semi-structured interviews, the implementation of Agenda 2030 in the operations management of the banks have been investigated. The study shows that the incentives for implementing sustainability and Agenda 2030 in the operations management have changed. The most crucial incentive for sustainable actions is instigations from stakeholders, a matter of survival, obtaining legitimacy as well as the company’s own responsibility. Further, the study indicates that Agenda 2030 is partly implemented in the banking sector’s sustainable operations management. The controls that mainly include Agenda 2030 are planning, cybernetic control and administrative control. However, rewards and compensations are not used in the banking sector to encourage sustainable actions. In this regard, cultural control should be used in order to affect the behaviour of the employees. For sustainability and Agenda 2030 to be a part of the core business, is it crucial to develop and change the cultural control. This study shows that sustainable development and achievement of Agenda 2030 are completed when the sustainability of the companies continually is improved.

The interpretation an individual does as an organizational member is complex. This studyfocuses on the meaning that arises when an individual interprets their organization through theopinions of others. The importance of other people's perceptions of the organization has thusfar seen a low degree of sociological research. However, this study intends to contribute to suchresearch. The purpose of this study is to understand how external perceptions of one's ownorganization become part of an organizational member’s identity, as well as the importance ofthese external perceptions in the organizational member’s relationship with the organizationand external actors. The study takes a qualitative approach, and the results are based on semistructuredinterviews with informants working in different positions in the Swedish bankingsector. The theoretical frameworks used in this study consist of Tom J. Brown et al. and thetheory of organizational identity, Pierre Bourdieu's concept of habitus, and the forms of capitalcombined with Howard Becker's Commitment theory, and finally Erving Goffman'sdramaturgical perspective. The results show that the most crucial aspect for the informants tostay in an organization is the social contacts and networks they receive from their organizationalmembership. Thus, the perceptions of external actors' regarding the organization have littlebearing on the perceived commitment of the informants. Furthermore, it appears that theinformants in interactions with others find their financial knowledge to be highly valued by thepublic, despite a perceived negative attitude towards the sector. The study finds this to beimportant for the impression management, and role-taking informants undertake in interactions.Lastly, it seems that the habitus has a central purpose in understanding the meaning informantsplace in other people's perceptions of the organization, both regarding commitment andinteractions. / Det tolkande som en individ gör i egenskap av organisationsmedlem är komplext och dennastudie riktar in sig på den mening som uppstår när en individ tolkar sin organisation i utifrånandras uppfattningar. Betydelsen av andras uppfattningar om organisationen har hittills sett enlåg grad av sociologiskt inriktad forskning och det är något som denna studie ämnar bidra med.Syftet med denna studie är att få förståelse för hur externa uppfattningar av den egnaorganisationen blir del av en organisationsmedlems identitet, samt betydelsen av dessa externauppfattningar i organisationsmedlemmens relation till organisationen och externa aktörer.Resultatet av denna kvalitativa studie baseras på semistrukturerade intervjuer med informantersom arbetar på olika positioner inom den svenska bankbranschen. Det teoretiska ramverk somhar använts i studien är Tom J. Brown m.fl. och teorin kring organisationsidentitet, PierreBourdieus habitusbegrepp och kapitalformer i relation till Howard Beckers teori om åtagande,och slutligen Erving Goffmans dramaturgiska perspektiv. Resultatet visar att den viktigasteaspekten till att informanterna stannar kvar i organisationer är de sociala kontakter och nätverkde får. Därför kan man se att externa aktörers uppfattningar om organisationen har litenbetydelse för informanternas upplevda åtagande. Det framkommer även att informanterna iinteraktioner upplever deras finansiella kunskap som högt värderad av allmänheten, trots enupplevd negativ inställning till branschen som helhet. Detta konstateras ha betydelse för denintrycksstyrning och det rolltagande informanterna gör i interaktioner. Avslutningsvis,framläggs det även att habitus verkar ha en central roll i att förstå betydelsen som informanternalägger i andras uppfattningar om organisationen, både gällande åtagande och i interaktion.

Denna studie undersöker bakomliggande faktorer till lokaliseringsbeslut när kontorssektorn väljer att etablera sig utanför stadens centrum. Vi analyserar hur företagen resonerar och vilka faktorer som påverkar deras beslut. Tidigare forskning och teori talar för att ett centralt läge är det mest optimala för kontorssektorn, då det genererar agglomerationsfördelar. Därför är kontorssektorns betalningsvilja för mark också högst i centrala lägen. På ett icke-centralt läge som Hyllie, skulle företag som är beroende av billiga transporter som tillverkningsindustrin valt att lokalisera sig. Detta då de föredrar närheten till motorvägar över de centrala platserna. Studien är avgränsad till området Hyllie, vilken är lokaliserad i utkanten av Malmö och nära infrastrukturen. Hyllie var också en ödelagd åkermark när de första kontorsföretagens gjorde beslutet om att etablera sig där. Det fanns dock visioner och en framarbetad detaljplan som kommunen skapat tillsammans med marknadens aktörer, där Percy Nilssons engagemang troligen hade en stor inverkan. Därför har kommunen och Percy ingått som respondenter i studien för att även fördjupa författarnas inblick i områdets utveckling. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ ansats där empirisk data har insamlats genom både ostrukturerade- och semistrukturerade intervjuer med ett urval av anställda inom banksektorn. De banker som ingår i studiens urval är Nordea, Sparbanken Syd och Swedbank. Det valda teoretiska materialet har byggt grunden för intervjufrågor och även för analysen. Resultaten av studien visar på att de främsta faktorerna bakom lokaliseringsbeslutet i Hyllie var att platsen ansågs vara strategisk, erbjöd en bra kollektivtrafik samt gav tillgång till de människorna som skulle röra sig i området på grund av bland annat Emporia och arenan. / This study explores the underlying factors that affect location decisions when the office sector chooses to establish outside the city center. We analyze how companies are reasoning and the factors that influence their decisions. Previous research and theory suggest businesses in the office sector prefer central location, as they generate agglomeration advantages. Therefore, the office sector’s willingness to pay for land is highest at central locations. At a non-central location like Hyllie, should companies which rely on cheap transports of goods such as the manufacturing industry choose to locate. This because of that they prefer nearness to motorways over central locations. The essay focuses on the area Hyllie, which is located outside of Malmoe and close to the infrastructure. Hyllie was also a loamy field when the first office companies made the decision to establish there. However, there were visions and a zoning plan that were prepared by the municipality along with the market actors, where Percy Nilsson's involvement probably also had a great impact. Therefore, the municipality and Percy have been included as respondents in this study to deepen the authors' insight into the development of the area. The essay is based on a qualitative approach where the empirical data has been collected through both unstructured- and semi-structured interviews with a selection of employees in the banking sector. The banks that are included in the study's selection are Nordea, Sparbanken Syd and Swedbank. The selected theoretical material has been the basis for the interview-questions and also for the analysis. The result of the study shows that the main factors behind the location decision in Hyllie are that the place is perceived as a strategic location, offers a good public transport service and provides access to people who are in the area because of Emporia and the arena for instance.

Women's participation in the labor market has increased significantly since the 1970s, but thediscussion about their absence from several top positions has long been relevant. The financialsector performs second-worst from a gender equality perspective. The study therefore aims toexamine female managers’ experiences of career barriers in the banking sector and how they areexpressed. We also want to investigate the ways in which female managers navigate careerbarriers. Previous research in the field has shown that women's advancement in the labor market,specifically in the banking sector, is limited due to various reasons. Women's limitations depend,among other things, on societal and organizational gender structures, which enable both verticaland horizontal gender segregation. This study, which is based on qualitative interviews withfemale bank managers from different cities in Sweden, has been analyzed on the basis of atheoretical framework containing Hirdman's gender system and Kanter and Acker'sgender-related organizational theories. The result shows that women are excluded frommanagerial positions partly because recruitment is characterized by homosociality, and partlybecause men are given the opportunity to advance early in their careers. The study also showsthat stereotypical gender norms contribute to female managers being questioned. Furthermore,the results show that women navigate career barriers by having greater performancerequirements and wanting to be more educated than their male colleagues. Finally, the studyshows that female managers navigate career barriers by competing with each other. / Kvinnors deltagande på arbetsmarknaden har ökat avsevärt sedan 1970-talet, men diskussionenkring deras frånvaro på åtskilliga toppositioner har länge varit aktuell. Finansbranschen presterarnäst sämst utifrån ett jämställdhetsperspektiv. Studien syftar därför till att undersöka kvinnligachefers upplevelser av karriärhinder inom banksektorn och hur de kommer till uttryck. Vi önskaräven att undersöka på vilka sätt kvinnliga chefer navigerar karriärhinder. Tidigare forskninginom ämnesområdet har visat att kvinnors avancemang på arbetsmarknaden, specifikt inombanksektorn, begränsas på grund av olika anledningar. Kvinnors begränsningar beror bland annatpå samhälleliga och organisatoriska könsstrukturer, vilka möjliggör såväl vertikal och horisontellkönssegregering. Denna studie, som baseras på kvalitativa intervjuer med kvinnliga bankcheferfrån olika städer i Sverige, har analyserats utifrån ett teoretiskt ramverk innehållande Hirdmansgenussystem samt Kanter och Acker genusrelaterade organisationsteorier. Resultatet visar attkvinnor upplever karriärhinder genom uteslutning från chefspositioner. Dels på grund av attrekrytering präglas av homosocialitet, dels på grund av att män tidigt i karriären ges möjlighet tillavancemang. Studien visar även att stereotypiska könsnormer bidrar till att kvinnliga cheferifrågasätts. Vidare visar resultatet att kvinnor navigerar karriärhinder genom att de har störreprestationskrav och vill vara mer pålästa än sina manliga kollegor. Slutligen visar studien attkvinnliga chefer navigerar karriärhinder genom att de konkurrerar med varandra.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur traditionella banker och fintech-banker använder retorik som ett inslag av ’impression management’ i sin hållbarhetsredovisning – för att presentera en hållbar företagsbild. Vidare ska studien undersöka skillnader mellan bankerna. Utgivna hållbarhetsrapporter av två banker från år 2017 och 2021 analyseras genom en retorisk analysmodell baserad på Aristoteles klassiska retorikram etos, patos, och logos. Studiens resultat visar att företagen använder sig av retorisk argumentation i sin hållbarhetsredovisning på ett övertygande sätt och på så vis förmedlar en hållbar bild av sig själva. Etos används för att öka trovärdighet hos företaget exempelvis genom association till andra trovärdiga aktörer på marknaden och genom att de informerar om att de följer lagar och regelverk. Patos används för att anspela på känsla och identifikation hos läsaren genom målande beskrivningar om en mer hållbar framtid och genom metaforer som knyter an till nutida samhällsvärderingar. Logos används i argumentation genom rationalitet som data, vetenskap och rationell argumentation och bidrar till att ge en företagsbild som ger ett logiskt intryck. En korsanalys av fallen visar att den traditionella banken använder retorisk argumentation som mer kan förenas med en konservativ natur. Studien visar hur traditionella banker och fintech-företag använder sig av argumentation i sin hållbarhetsredovisning: och hur bankerna därigenom kan förmedla en bild av sig själva som hållbara. Studien pekar också på att bankerna använder det frivilliga utrymmet i sin hållbarhetsredovisning som ett kommunikationsmedel där de presenterar en önskad företagsbild. / The purpose of this study is to investigate how traditional banks and fintech banks use rhetoric as an element of 'impression management' in their sustainability reports – to present a sustainable corporate image. Furthermore, differences between these banks will be analysed. Sustainability reports presented by two banks in 2017 and 2021 were analysed using a rhetorical analysis model based on Aristotle's classical rhetoric concept of ethos, pathos, and logos. It is found that the banks use rhetoric argumentation to convey a convincing image of their own organization’s sustainability. Ethos is used to support the credibility, for instance through association with other credible actors on the market, and by informing that they follow laws and regulations. Pathos is used to influence emotions and a sense of identification with the reader through illustrative descriptive social values. Logos is used for argumentation by rationality and reason which contributes to the logic appeal of the company. Logos is achieved through data, science, and logic argumentation. A cross case difference is that the traditional bank use rhetoric techniques more in line of a conservative nature. This study shows how traditional banks and fintech companies can use argumentation in their sustainability reports – and how banks can convey an image of themselves as sustainable. This study also imply that banks use the voluntary space in their sustainability reports as a means of communication where they present a desired corporate image.

In recent years the important of leadership in the organization has become an area of interest. Leadership has been noted to impact corporate culture, employee commitment and response and the overall performance of the organization. Given the fact that leadership is such an important part of organizational development and discourse, effective methods for developing effective leadership in the organization are needed. Without definitive methods for leadership development, organizations will not be able to optimize the outcomes of leadership in the organization. Thus, there is a clear impetus to delineate what works best in the context of leadership development. This study used concurrent qualitative and quantitative research to understand better the effect of cross-cultural influences on the leadership development programmes and leadership practices development in a study population consisting of managers and supervisors in the Kuwaiti banking industry. Although Kuwaiti organisations employ many international employees and operate foreign subsidiaries, they have not created leadership development programmes to improve cross-cultural leadership skills for managers. As a result, Kuwaiti managers often rely on traditional transactional methods and an authoritarian style of leadership that may be less effective with employees from different nations and cultural backgrounds. The qualitative phase of the research collected data from Kuwaiti bank managers through interviews while the quantitative phase of the research collected data with survey instrument. The quantitative phase of the study also tested the validity of a conceptual model and hypotheses using structural equation modelling and regression analysis. The research was guided by distributed leadership theory, which considers leadership as a series of interactions between leader and follower with the follower sometimes adopting an informal role as temporary leader. The theory also considers the context in which the leader operates as a critical factor for motivating leadership practise. The testing and validation of the theoretical model in the study led to the acceptance of a new 'Effective Cross Cultural Leadership' (ECL) model. This model describes the relationship between the exogenous or independent variables of cultural differences, training and development in traditional Kuwaiti leadership, cross cultural leadership development programmes and international leadership practises with the endogenous or dependent variables of leadership development programmes and leadership practises development. The testing of the hypotheses of the study showed a statistically significant relationship between the four independent variables and the two dependent variables with exception of the relationship between the independent variable of international leadership practises and the dependant variable of leadership programmes development. The quantitative findings also indicated that demographic variables do not have a moderating effect on the model. The qualitative findings of the study determined that cultural differences between employees and managers influence the managers' leadership behaviours and their understanding of the type of leadership development programmes to improve their cross-cultural leadership skills. Managers with greater experience or knowledge of foreign cultures adopt more flexible leadership practises when leading international teams. The qualitative findings also determined that front office managers are more willing to use participative leadership styles in leadership practises, while back office managers rely on authoritarian leadership styles focusing on tasks in their leadership practises, indicating that the context influences leadership styles and practise. The findings of the study including the development and validation of the Effective Cross-Cultural Leadership (ECL) model contribute to the theoretical and practical knowledge of cross-cultural leadership in Kuwait that can be extended to other Middle Eastern nations. In addition, the study finding extends cross-cultural theory by indicating that international influences both internal and external to the organisation affect leadership styles despite national norms and preferences. These findings implied that Kuwaiti organisations experience significant pressure to adopt some international leadership practises and styles to accommodate the expectations and needs of the many international workers employed in Kuwait. The practical implication of these findings showed that Kuwaiti managers would benefit from leadership training emphasising that no standard or correct approach to leadership exists and that it can be acceptable for leaders to use participative styles when warranted by the situation.