The container shipping industry is essentially a service industry, based on the derived need of shippers wanting to transport their goods to buyers around the world. The industry relies on the volume of world trade and consequently is highly cyclical with its profitability being dependent, in large part, on the health of the global economy. It is also a highly capital intensive industry that requires large amount of investment in large scale fixed assets, such as ocean vessels, ports facilities, terminal equipments, global office networks and communication infrastructure. The industry has been undergoing a period of restructuring and consolidation in the 1990s, reflected in both merger and acquisition and in the formation of global alliances. This paper will explore the literature on growth alternatives and competitive advantages of the industry. The specific case on NOL/APL growth path and its key success factors of strategy-performance relationship will also be identified. This paper will conclude by making some suggestions on longer-term strategy for the company in order to generate sustainable profitability and financial success for the NOL/APL group.

The thesis deals with sexually psychological factors of what makes males attracive. The theoretical part is based on the theory of evolutionary psychology. We are interested in heterosexual women's strategy when choosing a partner. Of the factors that may affect their partner choice, we have focused on one physical attribute, the penis. The attribution of the importance of penis size depends on the individual. However, we try to find a connection between penis perception as a significant factor of what makes male attractive and other aspects, not only sexuality. For the purpose of our research, we have developed a specific questionnaire which, through a series of questions, examines the attitude towards the importance of penis size. The second part of the questionnaire is more intimate, identifyinf the relationship status, sexual experience, phase of the cycle and the use of hormonal contraception. The questionnaire was simply called "Does Size Matter?". The administration was online and we addressed women through social networks. We received responses from 276 respondents. We found several differences in penis perception as an important factor. Women who have a friend with benefits (they meet a man just for sexual satisfaction) are more likely to consider penis size more important. Women who feel...

The Swedish market for vehicle inspection is re-regulated since June 2010. More than four years after the re-regulation there are eight companies in the market. Two of these companies are a result of the former monopolist's owners divided the business among themselves. The remaining six companies have entered the market through acquisitions or by building up their business from scratch, these are known as new entrants in the study. The competition has developed slowly and the former monopolist still has the highest market share. Industry conditions are to say the least special because the companies and technicians have to have individual licenses in the form of accreditation and certification, which causes high establishment barriers. The study has the aim of contributing to the knowledge of new entrants on the re-regulated vehicle inspection market. In particular, the new entrant’s establishment and their strategic choices are studied to find out how they act to market conditions in order to create competitive advantages. The study is based on four questions: Main Question: How do new entrants create competitive advantages in the vehicle inspection market? Sub query 1: How’s the new entrants view on the competitive situation? Sub query 2: How do the new entrants establish their station-/s? Sub query 3: What strategies do the new entrants use to strengthen its position against competitors? The essay is based on an empirical survey and is designed as a case study with four units of analysis that represent four new inspection companies in the market for vehicle inspection. Data were collected through interviews with people in key positions of the four companies, as well with a person of the authority whose task is to monitor market developments, namely the Transport Agency. Furthermore, also documents issued by the authorities and new entrants were reviewed. The conclusions that the study has come up with is that the new entrants create competitive advantages through a favorable placement of stations, a bit outside the city center. The strict regulation doesn’t allow the new entrants to create competitive advantages through new or modified inspection services. Based on these regulations the new entrants are trying to attract customers through enhanced service and additional services to the inspection. They try to create a total offering to the customer where the obligatory inspection service is included.

Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om hur sju elever i årskurs tre löser matematiska problem och varför de väljer att göra så. Syftet uppfylls genom tre frågeställningar som berör vilka strategier eleverna använder, hur den valda strateginanvänds och vad som påverkat elevernas val av strategi. Metoden som använts för att samla in data är semistrukturerade intervjuer, eleverna har vidare fått lösa matematiska problem i samband med en aktiv observation. Den data som samlades in klassificerades utefter Lesters (1988) syn på problemlösningsstrategier. Vidare skapades kategorier utifrån vad som påverkade elevernas val av strategi utefter den insamlade datan. I analysarbetet identifierades fyra strategier, gissa och pröva, rita en bild, ekvationer och tabeller. Eleverna visade på olika nivåer av strukturerat och systematiskt arbete och olika sätt att använda strategierna på har identifierats. Undervisning, lärare och syskon är vad som framkom som påverkansfaktorer på elevernas val av strategi. I den avslutande diskussionen lyfts bland annat hur eleverna använt sig av strategierna på olika sätt. / The purpose of the study is to contribute knowledge about how seven students in yearthree solve mathematical problems and why they choose to do so. The purpose is fulfilled through three questions that concern which strategies the students use, how the chosen strategy is used and what influenced the students' choice of strategy. The method used to collect data is semi-structured interviews, the students have also solved mathematical problems in connection with an active observation. The collected data were classified according to Lester's (1988) view of problem-solving strategies. Furthermore, categories were created based on what influenced the students' choice of strategy based on the collected data. In the analysis work, four strategies were identified, guess and try, draw a picture, equations and tables. The students showed different levels of structured and systematic work and different ways of using the strategies have been identified. Teaching, teachers and siblings are what emerged as influencing factors on the students' choice of strategy. In the concluding discussion, it is highlighted, among other things, how the students have used the strategies in different ways.

Diploma thesis describes strategy analysis of the enterprise producing interior and facade paints. In diploma thesis are used such analysis as PEST, 4C, Porter's 5F model, internal factors and SWOT analysis. On the basis of SWOT analysis is formulated strategy for improving competitive position of the enterprise on the market.