In this thesis we consider a number of past, present, and future neutrino experiments designed to test physics beyond the Standard Model. First, we analyze potential new physics explanations of the NuTeV anomaly and check their compatibility with the most recent experimental data. The models we consider are: gauged Lmu-Ltau, gauged B-3Lmu, and S1, S3, V1, V3 leptoquarks. We find that only the triplet leptoquark models can explain NuTeV and be compatible with the data from other experiments at the same time, and only if the components of the triplet have different masses. Then, we analyze the prospects of discovery of heavy Majorana neutrinos (neutrissimos) suggested by the Okamura model at the LHC. We find that these particles, if produced, will live short enough to decay inside of the detector, while long enough to lead to a narrow peak in the invariant mass spectrum of the decay products. We estimate the typical masses of the neutrissimos to be in the TeV range. However, studies exist that have shown that if their masses are larger than about 150 GeV then the production cross-section is too small to lead to an observable event rate. Thus, we conclude that it will not be possible to detect the neutrissimo at the LHC unless its mass is smaller that about 150 GeV which corresponds to a very small region close to the edge of the parameter space of the Okamura model. Nevertheless, we argue that the signature of the neutrissimo may be detectable in other neutrino experiments which may be carried out in the future. As examples, we consider the NuSOnG experiment, which is a fixed target neutrino scattering experiment proposed at Fermilab, and a hypothetical long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment in which the Fermilab NUMI beam is aimed at the Hyper-Kamiokande detector in Japan. In addition to the sensitivity to neutrissimos, we analyze the capabilities of these experiments to constraint the coupling constants and masses of new particles in various models of new physics suggested in the literature. The models we consider are: neutrissimo models, models with generation distinguishing Z's such as topcolor assisted technicolor, models containing various types of leptoquarks, R-parity violating SUSY, and extended Higgs sector models. In several cases, we find that the limits thus obtained could be competitive with those expected from direct searches at the LHC. In the event that any of the particles discussed here are discovered at the LHC, then the observation, or non-observation, of these particles in the NuSOnG and Fermilab-to-Hyper-Kamiokande experiments could help in identifying what type of particle had been observed. / Ph. D.

In this thesis we analyze a number of past, current, and future experiments to extract information on physics beyond the Standard Model. We use the Jacobi method to derive a set of simplified expressions for the probabilities of neutrino oscillations in matter. we show the possible constraints that can be placed on various models beyond the Standard Model. In several cases, we find that the limits thus thus obtained could be competitive with those expected from direct searches at the Large Hadron Collider. We then consider the possible effects of new physics beyond the Standard Model on precision measurements. In particular, we look at recent Bell/Babar results on the B meson branching fraction, and the bounds on Tau-decays from Babar. As a general framework of analyzing new physics beyond the Standard Model, we discuss what constraints can be placed on R-parity violating SUSY from these experiments. To complete our analysis, we update the single-coupling bounds on R-parity violating supersymmetry using the most up to date data as of October 2009. In addition to the data listed in the latest Review of Particle Properties, we utilize a new measurement of the weak charge of cesium-133, and preliminary Tau-decay branching fractions from Babar. Analysis of semileptonic D-decay is improved by the inclusion of experimentally measured form-factors into the calculation of the Standard Model predictions. / Ph. D.

This essay aims to shed light upon the philosophical dignity of Edith Stein’s critique of the early Heideggerian conception of sociality in her text ”Martin Heideggers Existenzphilosophie”, from 1936. I will argue that Stein’s critique of Heidegger’s concept of sociality comes to be substantiated through her existential-philosophical approach to his understanding of the transcendent character of Dasein. By objecting to Heidegger’s definition of Dasein as ecstatic temporality, Stein points out his inattentiveness to authentic otherness in Being and Time, which reaches out into a problem surrounding Mitsein. I will further demonstrate how Stein, by ascribing to Dasein an enduring and sustaining quality in the midst of ecstasy, uses Heidegger’s concept of Dasein in order to formulate her own social ontology.

Titel: Benchmarking - Den nya budgeten Bakgrund: Budget är ett mycket utbrett styrverktyg som under senare år kommit att kritiseras. Kritiken menar på att en budget är för stelbent i en värld som snabbt förändras och att styrverktyg krävs som passar in i dagen förutsättningar. Flera företag har med detta valt att tillämpa en budgetlös styrmodell då de anser att budgeten inte kan möta den osäkerhet som marknaden idag besitter. Ett populärt verktyg som bättre kan möta de krav som företag ställs inför idag är benchmarking. Genom att jämföra och lära inom organisationen såväl som att utbyta kunskaper externt med andra företag strävar företagen efter att nå ”best practice”. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att ta fram ett teoretiskt ramverk för hur benchmarking kan ersätta budgetens syften. I nästa steg beskrivs och jämförs hur tvåbudgetlösa företag arbetar med intern benchmarking på huvudkontorsnivå och kontor/butiksnivå. Studien bidrar med material till hur benchmarking används som substitut till budget i företag och syftar till att belysa hur olika nivåer uppfattar begreppet inom företaget. Teoretisk referensram: Den teoretiska referensramen i vår studie utgör en presentation av budgetering, budgetlös styrning samt olika styrsätt för att ersätta budgetens syften. Ett stort fokus har lagts på benchmarking där delar som syfte, processen, benchlearning, intern och extern benchmarking samt för- och nackdelar belyses för att få en tydlig bild över begreppet som en del i ett styrsystem. Benchmarking tillsammans med olika styrsätt beskrivs för att jämföra dessa med budgetens syften. Metod: Vi har utfört en jämförelsestudie på två budgetlösa företag. Företagen är Handelsbanken AB och Ahlsell AB. I vår studie har ett kvalitativt angreppssätt tillämpats för att samla in och analysera det empiriska materialet. Resultat: Studien visade att enligt teorin kan benchmarking ersätta alla budgetenssyften utom två. Dessa två syften, planering och resursallokering, kan ersättas genom att använda komplementet rullande prognoser. Benchmarking kan av denna anledning inte ersätta budget helt utan är i behov av komplement för att utgöra ett komplett substitut. Detta är också något som bekräftas av det empiriska materialet som samlats in om företagen Ahlsell och Handelsbanken. I jämförelse mellan olika nivåer på de två fallföretagen konstateras i studien att i kontrast till forskning som menar på att benchmarking ofta görs för generellt eller på en för central nivå i företagen, har det av denna studie visats att så inte är fallet. Benchmarking används på olika nivåer av fallföretagen och liknar till stor del ledningens syn på styrverktyget. / Titel: Benchmarking - The new budget Background: Budget is a widely used management tool which has been criticized during recent years. The critique implies that a budget is too rigid in a world with swift changes and that management tools are needed which meet the playing conditions of today. Several companies have chosen to implement a model that goes beyond budgeting. This is a consequence of the fact that they believe a budget cannot face the uncertainty that the market possesses. A popular tool which is able to meet the struggles that companies face is benchmarking. By comparing and learning within the organization as well as exchanging knowledge with other companies, these actors are trying to reach best practice. Purpose: The purpose with our study is to create a theoretical framework of how benchmarking can substitute the purpose of budgeting. The next step is to use the framework to compare internal benchmarking within different levels in two companies. Our study has the aim to contribute with knowledge of how benchmarking can substitute budgeting. This study also aims to address how different levels, top and ground level, interpret benchmarking within the company. Theoretical framework: This study’s theoretical framework consists of budgeting, beyond budgeting and management tools with the aim of finding a substitute for budget.The focus is on benchmarking and consists of the purpose, the process, benchlearning, internal and external benchmarking as well as advantages and disadvantages to create a broad understanding of the concept. Method: We conduct a comparison study of two companies practicing beyond budgeting. The companies are, Handelsbanken AB and Ahlsell AB. In our study, we have applied a qualitative approach to collect and analyse the empirical material. Findings: The study shows that according to theory, benchmarking is able to substitute all the purposes of budget except for two. These two purposes, planning and resource allocation, could be substituted by the complement rolling forecasts. Benchmarking could, for this reason, not on its own substitute the budget, but needs to be complemented in order to form a complete substitute for budget. This theory is confirmed by the empirical material gathered from two companies, Ahlsell and Handelsbanken. In comparison between the different levels within the companies, a conclusion is made that in contrast to earlier suggestions, benchmarking is not implemented too generally or only on a centralized basis. It is used on different levels within the companies and the view of benchmarking is more or less uniform between these levels.

Uppsatsen syftar till att studera banker som utövar traditionell budgetstyrning och banker som har frångått budgetering. Studien undersöker alternativa styrningsmetoder som kan tillämpas vid en budgetlös styrning och hur det kommer sig att traditionell budget utövas trots deras kritik. Dessutom analysera hur ledarskapet ser ut beroende på metod som utövas. Centraliserade organisationer fattar beslut på högre nivåer, medan decentraliserade organisationer har beslutsfattande och ansvar på lägre nivåer, närmare kunden. Organisationsstrukturen påverkar styrningsmetoden på så sätt att: Bankkontoren inom centraliserade organisationer har möjlighet att ta beslut som berör det enskilda kontoren, inom givna ramar. Decentralisering möjliggör för bankkontoren att arbeta mer självständigt. Studien visar att alternativa metoder banker arbetar med är exempelvis att bankkontoren upprättar egna verksamhetsplaner. Därefter involveras medarbetarna genom att de utformar sina handlingsplaner utifrån verksamhetsplanen. Målen ska vara mätbara, realistiska och nåbara, samt upprättas i nyckeltal. Metoden möjliggör för kontoren att anpassa sig efter den lokala marknaden. Budget är användbar för att se organisationens resultat, fungerar som ett verktyg för att uppnå de långsiktiga målen och upprättas för koncernledningen och VD. Det framkommer i studien att budget brukar stämma in och ger tydliga ramar att förhålla sig till. Budget motiverar medarbetarna till att arbeta mer effektivt och ger en känsla av trygghet. Studien framhäver tre distinkta ledarskapsstilar; Transformativt-, det ”Tjänande” ledarskapet (Servant leadership) och Autentiskt ledarskap. Där två av dem tillhör det etiska ledarskapet och den tredje anses vara önskvärt och effektiv. Det framkommer att budgetstyrda bankkontor utövar det ”tjänande” ledarskapet och transformativt ledarskap inom budgetlösa kontor. / This thesis aims to study banks that practice traditional budgeting and banks that practice Beyond Budgeting. This study investigates alternative control systems that could be applied when budget is not exercised and how come others practice budget despite bad criticism. And analyzes whether leadership differs depending on which control system is used.Centralized organizations make decisions on higher levels, decentralized organizations have their decision making and responsibility on lower levels, closer to the client. The organization’s structure affects the control system in the way that; banking office within centralized organizations can make decisions which concerns their own office, as long as it’s within organization’s frames. Decentralization enables the banking office to act more independently.This study shows alternative control systems that banks could work with is for example letting banking offices establish their own operational plan. Thereafter involve co-workers by having them formulate their plan of action, based on the operational plan. The objectives have to be measureable, realistic and achievable, and established in terms of key performance indicator. The method enables banking offices to accommodate the local market.The budget is useful to look at the organizations result, works as a tool to achieve long term goals and is established for the group executive board and CEO. It appears that the outcome usually corresponds with the budget, and that the budget gives distinct frames to stay within. It motivates co-workers to work more effectively and gives a feeling of safety.This study accentuates three distinct leadership styles; Transformational-, Servant- and Authentic leadership. Two of them are considered ethical leadership and the third pass for being desirable and effective. It appears that banking offices that practice budget exercise servant leadership and transformational leadership is used in banking offices that practice Beyond Budgeting.

The budget has for decades been a cornerstone in most organizations management accounting and control. The budget has also faced criticism for being expensive, time-consuming, for quickly becoming obsolete and for impeding flexibility in organisations. In an increasingly dynamic world, companies need to become more adaptive and forward-looking. Researchers believe that budgeting is generally a data-driven activity. Hence, it becomes suitable for application of analytical technologies, such as Business Intelligence (BI). Although BI has been at the top of companies' agendas for a long time, research show that many organizations still struggle to harvest the benefits or reach the expectations with BI-systems. Thus, the purpose of this study has been to analyze and compare how business intelligence can be used for and influence budgeting among Swedish car dealers. To experience several perspectives on how BI affects budgeting in practice the study takes a qualitative approach as seven interviews with individuals at seven different car dealerships was conducted. From the existing body of literature and research, a framework to describe and analyze how BI can be used for budgeting was constructed. The study found that the use of BI for budgeting practice does not reach the potential that the literature and previous research illuminates. The conclusion is based on a minimal gathering of external and unstructured data, the modest use of predictive analysis and the non-existence occurrence of prescriptive analysis. Despite this, BI can still be used for and affect budgeting in several positive remarks. BI can gather and quickly provide a both comprehensive as well as deeply detailed overview of the business. Furthermore, BI seems to enable budget evaluation more frequently and in combination with budget follow-up and control. Something that potentially might mitigate the critique the budget has endured for impeding flexibility. However, the study identified tendencies that the follow-up of budgets seems more compatible with BI-systems than the actual making of budgets. Moreover, indications points toward a more reciprocal relationship between BI-use for budgeting, as the budgeting style and style of management control might affect the use of BI. / Budgeten har under årtionden varit en grundbult inom de flesta organisationers ekonomi- och verksamhetsstyrning. Budgeten har mött kritik för att vara dyr, tidskrävande, för att snabbt bli inaktuell samt för att förhindra flexibilitet i organisationer. I en alltmer dynamisk omvärld behöver företag bli mer adaptiva och framåtblickande. Forskare menar att budgetering generellt sett är en data driven aktivitet. Vilket gör den lämplig att applicera analytiska teknologier på, så som business intelligence (BI). Även om BI varit på toppen av företagens agenda under en lång tid visar forskning att många organisationer fortfarande inte lyckats skörda de fördelar eller uppnå de förväntningar som finns på BI-system. Syftet med denna studie har således varit att analysera och jämföra hur business intelligence kan användas för och påverka budgetering bland svenska bilåterförsäljare. För att erfara olika perspektiv på hur BI påverkar budgetering i praktiken tar studien en kvalitativ ansats. Sju personer intervjuades hos sju olika bilåterförsäljare. Utifrån den existerande litteraturen och forskning utarbetades en analysmodell i syfte att beskriva och analysera hur BI kan användas inom budgetering. Studien fann att användningen av BI i praktiken inte uppnår den potential som forskningen belyser. Slutsatsen grundar sig i en minimal användning av externa och ostrukturerade data. Samt en blygsam användning av prediktiva analyser och total avsaknad av preskriptiva analyser. Trots det kan BI användas för och påverka budgetering positivt i flera bemärkelser. BI kan samla in data och snabbt ge både en överblickande och en detaljerad bild över verksamheten. Vidare möjliggör BI att utvärdering av budgetar kan ske kontinuerligt i kombination med uppföljning. Något som potentiellt kan mildra den kritik budgeten utsått för att förhindra flexibilitet. Dessutom visade empirin tendenser på att uppföljning av budgetarna verkar vara mer förenligt med BI än själva byggande av budgetarna. Studien fann även det inte bara är BI som påverkar budgeteringen utan sättet att budgetera i sin tur kan påverka användningen av BI.

Bakgrund: Konventionell budgetering har fått utstå betydande kritik under de senaste decennierna, där många menar att den inte är lämplig i dagenssnabbrörliga och globala marknad. Ett flertal organisationer har övergett konventionell budgetering, och rörelsen eller filosofin berördetta kallas för Beyond Budgeting (BB). Grundprinciperna i denna filosofi är en organisationsstruktur där mer ansvar och tillit placeras hos den operativa delen av organisationer. Detta är menat att ge mer frihet till enskilda medarbetare men väcker frågor om agentteori och organisatorisk kontroll. Controllers traditionella roll har setts som ett verktyg för ledningen att utöva kontroll och motverka agentteorins moraliskarisk. Frågan är hur denna roll påverkas av en allt mindre strikt form av kontroll, vilka faktorer som kan tänkas påverka denna roll och hur rollen redan har förändrats. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur controllerrollen och budgetarbete ser ut i dagens organisationer samt om kritiken mot budgetarbete, så som filosofin BB beskriver den, faktiskt stämmer i dagens organisationer. Ytterligare undersöker studien till vilken grad BB som metod har implementerats i dessa organisationer. Metod: Semi-strukturerade intervjuer med sex stycken respondenter inom flertalet olika organisationer har agerat som empirisk data. Denna data harsedantranskriberats och analyserats i enlighet med den deduktiva ansatsen, där de teorier vi funnit har applicerats. Analysen skedde genom en tematisk analys där teman och kategorier funnits för att påvisa samband inför slutsatsen. Slutsats: Studien tyder på att controllers idag har en hög grad av kontroll över deras arbete samt att arbetet huvudsakligen är analytiskt och framåtblickande. Delar av respondenterna anser sig ha en beslutsfattande roll och arbetar huvudsakligen enskilt men har ett brett kontaktnät. Rollen kan till viss del beskrivas som en affärspartner men vi fann stora skillnader mellan respondenterna. Bland respondenterna var det vanligast att använda en toppstyrd budget, där enskilda affärsenheter har mindre inflytande. Denna budget kompletterades sedan med prognoser. Vi fann att delar av kritiken mot konventionell budgetering stämde in bland respondenternas organisationer, samt att aspekter av BB har implementerats. / Background: Conventional budgeting has endured a lot of criticism in the last decades as many argue it is not suitable for today's agile and globalized market. Several organizations have taken the step to abandon conventional budgeting and the movement, or philosophy, regarding this matter is known as Beyond Budgeting (BB). The core principle of this philosophy are an organizational structure where a higher degree of responsibility and trust is placed on the operative sections of the organization. By doing this a much higher degree of liberty is granted to partners in the organization, but it raises questions regarding agent theory and organizational control. The traditional role of the controller has been to function as a tool for upper management to exercise control and counteract the moral hazard of agency theory. The question then is how this role is affected by a much less strict form of control, and which factors can be seen to affect the role as well as which factors that have already affected it.   Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine the role of the controller and how budgeting of modern organizations are handled as well as how the accurate the critique aimed at budgeting is, as it is described by the philosophy of BB. Furthermore, the study aims to examine to which degree the subject organizations has implemented or embraced the principles of BB.  Method: The study is built on semi-structured interviews with a total of six participants, based in several organizations, which have acted as the empirical data. This data has been transcribed and analyzed in accordance with the studies’ deductive approach upon which our studied theories have been applied. The analysis has been based on a thematic analysis where the goal has been to find common themes and categories.    Conclusion: The study has found that controllers today have a high degree of control regarding how they choose to perform their work, which has been found to be primarily analytical and forward-looking in nature. Some of the controllers consider themselves to have a decision-making role, and while their work is primarily done alone, they have a wide array of contacts. The role can to a degree be described as a business partner, but the study has found large differences among participants in this regard. Among the participants it was most common to use a conventional budget, set by upper management where local business units have limited influence. This budget was complemented with forecasts. The study also found that among the participant’s organizations, some of the critique towards conventional budgeting was accurate to a certain degree. In addition, we found that aspects of BB had been implemented.

This study is based on a combination of existing theoretical knowledge and recently conducted empirical research. The analysis of knowledge that has come from the academic world has resulted in an extensive review of budgeting. The review starts at the inception of budgets in the nineteenth century, where it was just a tool to manage cost and cash flows. The study follows the trajectory of the evolution of budgeting from Traditional Budgeting practices that lasted for decades to, what is known today as, Better Budgeting. The evolution of budgeting has been driven by the desire of organisations to mitigate business challenges which result from the economic volatilities of the day as well as to remain competitive. This desire to mitigate business challenges remains relevant today and demands that organisations be equipped with best practice management tools, systems and business processes. In order to manage organisations effectively and efficiently, Management Accounting as a discipline is in a state of constant development. Over the years, a number of new innovations have been introduced in the field of Management Accounting. These include (but are not limited to) concepts such as Activity Based Costing (ABC), Activity Based Management (ABM), Activity Based Budgeting (ABB), Target Costing, Strategic Cost Management and Economic Value Added (Budgeting)(EVA™), Zero Based Budgeting (ZBB), Rolling Budgets and Forecasting (RBF), Balanced-Score Card (BSC) and Beyond Budgeting. These innovations aim to provide business managers with practical value adding solutions for a better understanding of the organisation’s product or service costing and planning strategies. The focus of this study is on innovations relating to the planning strategies of the organisation. Innovations that relate to planning include: Activity Based Budgeting, Zero Based Budgeting and Rolling Budgeting and Forecasting. The budget evolution is not short of academic value; researchers have conducted empirical surveys and have provided a theoretical perspective on the subject matter with fruitful findings. There appears to be a consensus regarding a total overhaul of Traditional Budgeting with the clear intention to move towards Better Budgeting. In the midst of this continued research work, there has been an emergence of a radical view about budgeting. This radical view concerns pursuing an agenda that suggests that organisations must stop preparing budgets. The gist of this radical development can be summed up as the limitations presented by budgeting in organisations. This recent concept has been coined as Beyond Budgeting. To remain globally competitive, South African organisations must keep abreast with the latest developments in management practices. This study therefore provides a good platform for South African organisations to obtain knowledge in what other countries are already doing around the subject of budgeting. The study has a two-pronged problem statement. Firstly, do organisations still budget? Secondly, what do organisations feel is the future for budgeting? Are they keeping with Traditional Budgeting, moving towards Better Budgeting or rather going further and looking Beyond Budgeting? The South African business community is no exception to this global budget debate about Traditional Budgeting, Better Budgeting and Beyond Budgeting. To gather evidence, the study made use of an online survey questionnaire that is attached as Appendix 2. An email invite containing an Internet hyperlink was sent to respondents. Respondents were expected to click on the hyperlink to gain access the pre-designed online survey questionnaire. Upon the analysis of the results, it was concluded that the South African business community still relies on budgeting, with 90% of the respondents saying that budgeting is indispensable, as their organisations will not manage without budgeting. Furthermore, there was a clear-cut move from Traditional Budgeting towards Better Budgeting. The study also concluded that the move towards Better Budgeting is supported by the inability of Traditional Budgeting to keep up with the rapid changes in macro and micro-economic factors. Also interesting to note is the revelation that 0% of the respondents indicated that they had adopted and implemented Beyond Budgeting. This resistance by the South African business community to the adoption of Beyond Budgeting and the resulting slower pace of this new practice's implementation is actually similar to the pace at which global organisations have received this radical budgeting practice. / Dissertation (MCom) University of Pretoria, 2012 / am2013 / Financial Management / unrestricted

Bakgrund: Budget är en av de centrala delarna inom ekonomistyrning och är vanligt förekommande i många företag. Trots det finns missnöje med budgeten kring att den är tidskrävande och det är svårt att förutspå framtiden. Inte minst i en så pass snabbt föränderlig och oförutsägbar bransch som transport- och logistikföretag tillhör. Från missnöjet uppkom konceptet med budgetlös styrning, som bygger på prognoser och andra tillvägagångssätt för kontroller. Trots missnöjet använder sig företag fortfarande ofta av ett traditionellt budgetsystem, vilket väcker frågetecken kring varför det är så.    Syfte: Uppsatsens syfte baseras på undersökningar om hur budgetarbetet inom transport- och logistikföretag har påverkats av nya omständigheter i omvärlden. Det kommer utredas om det traditionella budgetsystemet numera präglas av icke budgetsystem inom ramarna för budgetlös styrning. Resultaten av denna uppsats ska sedan kunna vara en grund för andra företag att dra lärdom av och bidra med ytterligare ett synsätt för utvecklingen av budget.   Metod: För att genomföra studien har vi valt att använda oss av ett kvalitativt synsätt med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Fem personer med någon form av ekonomiansvar från fem företag med olika storlek och geografisk utbredning har intervjuats med frågor om deras ekonomistyrning, med fokus på budgeten.      Slutsats: Den slutsats som går att dra från studien är att många företag använder sig av budget. Flera av dem har implementerat kompletteringar som går att kopplas till det budgetlösa styrsättet, men har inte övergett budgeten helt. Det finns ett generellt missnöje med budgetprocessen hos respondenterna, men konceptet budgetlös styrning är förbisett, eftersom få vet vad det skulle innebära i praktiken. / Background: Budget is one of the central aspects in financial management and is used in many organizations. Although, there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the process concerning the amount of time it takes and it is difficult to predict the future. Not at least in an industry so rapidly changing and unpredictable as transport and logistics. Based on this dissatisfaction, the concept of beyond budgeting arised. Beyond budgeting focuses more on forecasts and other forms of control. Despite this dissatisfaction, organizations and companies still use the traditional budgeting systems, and the question is why that is.    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether budgeting processes in companies in the transport and logistics industry have been affected by new circumstances in the world. It will be investigated if the traditional budgeting systems has been characterized with the beyond budgeting ideas. The results of this study will later on be a base for other companies to learn from and contribute with a new approach for the development of budget.    Method: To complete this study we have chosen the use of a qualitative approach with semi structured interviews. Five people with some kind of financial responsibility from five companies of different sizes and geographical distribution have been interviewed with questions about their financial management, with focus on the budget.    Conclusion: The conclusion drawn from this study is that many companies use budgets. Some of them have implemented improvements which can be connected to beyond budgeting, but the budget has not been completely abandoned. There is a general dissatisfaction regarding the budget process among the respondents, but the concept beyond budgeting is overlooked, since few of them do not know how it would be involved in practice.

Inledning Traditionell årlig budgetering har länge varit ett välanvänt och pålitligt styrmedel inom verksamhetsstyrning. Under de senaste fem åren har marknadsklimatet förändrats med ökade omvärldsrelaterade osäkerhetsfaktorer som konsekvens av krig och inflation. Förändringar gällande förutsättningarna på elmarknaden har också påverkat företagen inom elbranschen. Under flera decennier har kritik framförts i tidigare forskning mot den traditionella budgeteringen när det gäller dess lämplighet i osäkra föränderliga miljöer. Kritiken blir åter aktuell då det kan krävas kompletteringar av alternativa styrverktyg för att lyckas navigera verksamheten i osäkra marknadsmiljöer. Även de alternativa styrmedlen har sina utmaningar när det kommer till att framgångsrikt implementera och komplettera den traditionella budgeteringen. Det finns även förespråkare som hävdar att den traditionella budgeteringen helt bör ersättas med mer flexibla och dynamiska styrmedel. Syfte Syftet med vår studie är att undersöka hur de senaste fem årens ökade osäkerhetsfaktorer har påverkat budgeteringens roll inom verksamhetsstyrningen. Specifikt hur företag som verkar på elmarknaden har anpassat eller kompletterat budgeteringen med flexibla styrverktyg. Metod Vår studie har genomförts med en kvantitativ undersökningsmetod. Datainsamlingen har genomförts med en internetbaserad enkät. Företagen inom elbranschen har valts ut genom ett slumpmässigt urval. Studien har genomförts med en deduktiv ansats. Resultat och slutsats Företagen inom elbranschen har under de senaste fem åren i hög grad påverkats av ökade osäkerhetsfaktorer. Planering av verksamheten har försvårats och behovet av riskanalyser har ökat.Trots detta är den traditionella budgeteringen fortsatt av väsentlig vikt i styrmixen då majoriteten inte har gjort eller planerar att göra förändringar i sitt sätt att arbeta med traditionell budgetering.Övergivning av styrmedlet är inte enväldigt relaterat till dess brister, utan organisatoriska hinderkan vara överordnade vid eventuell implementering av nya styrmedel. Av de mest omtalade alternativa styrmedlen föredras de som kompletterar en av den traditionella budgeteringens främsta svagheter, att den snabbt blir inaktuell. / Introduction Traditional budgeting has long been a reliable and frequently used management control tool. War and inflation have caused a rise in external uncertainties resulting in the market climate changing over the last five years. Changes surrounding the electricity market have also impacted companies within the industry. Over several decades critique has been presented against the traditional budgeting regarding its suitability in uncertain and changing environments. Critique has been rekindled since companies now require alternative tools to be able to navigate their organisations in uncertain market environments. Even the alternative tools have their challenges regarding successful implementation and their ability to complement the traditional budgeting.There are also advocates who argue that more flexible and dynamic tools should replace traditional budgeting altogether. Aim The aim of our study is to investigate how the external uncertainties over the last five years have impacted the role of budgeting within management control. Specifically, how companies who operate in the electricity industry have adjusted or complemented budgeting with flexible tools. Method Our study has been carried out using a quantitative survey method. The data has been collected using an online survey. Companies within the electricity industry have been randomly selected to participate. This study has been completed using a deductive approach. Results and conclusion Companies within the electricity industry have been largely impacted by external uncertainties over the last five years. The planning of organisations has become more difficult and the need for risk analysis has increased. Budgeting has, despite increased difficulties, continued to be of substantial importance regarding control tools since the majority of the companies have not made,or plan to make, any changes in their ways of using traditional budgeting. We have found that abandonment of the traditional budgeting is not strictly related to its shortcomings, but instead the organisational obstacles may be the deciding factor in the possible implementation of new control tools. Amongst the most discussed alternative control tools are the ones that complement the biggest weakness of traditional budgeting, that it quickly becomes outdated, preferred.