Tidigare studier visar att chefers arbetsmiljö inom hälso- och sjukvård och vård- och omsorg är komplex och utmanande, svårigheter finns att upprätta ett chefskap som är hållbart över tid. Covid-19-pandemin överraskade hela världen och krisen inom hälso- och sjukvård och vård- och omsorg var inte undantagen utan påverkade även chefer stort. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur chefer inom primärvård och vård- och omsorg upplevde krisberedskap och arbetsmiljö under covid-19-pandemin. För att få en större förståelse för chefernas upplevelser genomfördes undersökningen med intervjuer av fem enhets/områdeschefer i två kommuner och som arbetat under covid-19-pandemin. Resultatet i studien visar på hur viktig strukturen är i organisationen när en kris uppkommer och att det finns en förberedelse och handlingsplan för hur den ska hanteras. För att hantera en kris gäller det att prioritera de resurser som finns i organisationen och fördela dem där behovet är som störst vilket även krävde snabba och ibland jobbiga beslut för cheferna att förmedla till verksamheten. Under covid-19-pandemin upplevde cheferna att deras ledarskap var mer närvarande för att trygga sina medarbetare vid oro och rädsla. Största utmaningen under covid-19-pandemin var att hantera sjukfrånvaron och kommunicera med sina medarbetare. Rädslan för att missa viktig information och i rätt tid ökade chefernas arbetsbelastning när nya rutiner och riktlinjer förändrades flera gånger om dagen. Nya arbetsuppgifter tillkom som smittspårning och vaccinering medans andra ordinarie arbetsuppgifter fick pausas. Genomgående upplevde cheferna att covid-19-pandemin har ökat sammanhållningen mellan chef och medarbetare och att man hjälpts åt i större utsträckning vilket även gällde stödet från ledningen. / Previous studies show that managers' work environment in health and medical care is complex and challenging, there are difficulties in establishing a leadership that is sustainable over time. The Covid-19 pandemic surprised the whole world and the crisis in health and medical care was not an exception but also greatly affected managers. The purpose of the study was to investigate how managers in primary care and nursing and care experienced crisis preparedness and work environment during the covid-19 pandemic. To gain a greater understanding of the managers' experiences, the survey was conducted with interviews of five unit / area managers in two municipalities and who worked during the covid-19 pandemic. The results of the study show how important the structure is in the organization when a crisis arises and that there is a preparation and action plan for how it should be handled. To handle a crisis, it is important to prioritize the resources available in the organization and distribute them where the need is greatest, which also required quick and sometimes difficult decisions for the managers to convey to the business. During the covid-19 pandemic, managers felt that their leadership was more present to secure their employees in the event of anxiety and fear. The biggest challenge during the covid-19 pandemic was to manage sick leave and communicate with its employees. The fear of missing important information and at the right time increased the managers' workload when new routines and guidelines changed several times a day. New tasks were added such as infection tracing and vaccination while other ordinary tasks had to be paused. Throughout, the managers experienced that the covid-19 pandemic has increased the cohesion between the manager and employees and that they were helped to a greater extent, which also applied to the support from the management.

The supply chain is the underlying process which enablescompanies and customers to exchange goods and services. Centralto a functional supply chain is its resilience against disruptions.Resilience in the supply chain is its capability to prevent, manageand recover from disruptions. The last couple of years has beencharacterized by events that have caused disturbances in the supplychain. This study is set to research how two Swedish companieshave managed three specific disruptions, the Covid-19 pandemic,the blocking of the Suez Canal and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Thepurpose of this paper is to contribute with knowledge and researchabout resilience in the supply chain and how companies can adaptin a volatile world with unpredictable events that may occur. Themethod used consists of semi-structured interviews with the casecompanies and collection of literature and previous research withinthe research area. The results from the study presents that thecompany operating in the retail industry main strategy is tomaintain a transparent communication to its suppliers as well ascustomers in order to maintain a high level of certainty in its supplychain. The company operating in the forest industry explained inthe interview that the company prioritizes a high level of self-sufficiency in raw materials, energy and transportation in order tomaintain a high level of certainty in the supply chain. The resultalso explains that cooperation between the three abilities, prevent,manage and recover from disruptions is the foundation tomaintaining a high level of certainty in the supply chain. The studycontributes with insights on how companies are affected by andmanage the ongoing situation in Ukraine, with the supply chain as astarting point. / Försörjningskedjan är den bakomliggande processen som möjliggörför utbyte av varor och tjänster mellan företag och kunder. Centraltför en fungerande försörjningskedja är att den är resilient motstörningar. Resiliens i försörjningskedjan handlar om förmågan attförebygga, hantera och återhämta sig från störningar. De senasteåren har präglats av händelser som har orsakat störningar iförsörjningskedjan. Denna studie undersöker hur två svenskaföretag har hanterat tre specifika störningar, Covid-19 pandemin,stoppet i Suezkanalen samt det pågående kriget i Ukraina. Syftetmed detta arbete är att bidra till kunskapen och forskningen omresiliens i försörjningskedjor och hur företag kan anpassa sig till envolatil värld med oförutsägbara händelser som uppstår. Metodenutgörs av semistrukturerade intervjuer med fallföretagen ochinsamling av litteratur samt tidigare forskning inomforskningsområdet. Studiens resultat visar att företaget som verkarinom livsmedelsindustrin främst arbetar med att bibehållatransparent kommunikation till sina leverantörer och kunder för attupprätthålla en hög nivå av tillförlitlighet i sin försörjningskedja.Företaget som verkar i skogsindustrin anger i intervjun att företagetprioriterar en hög självförsörjningsgrad på råvaror, energi ochtransport för att upprätthålla en hög nivå av tillförlitlighet iförsörjningskedjan. Studiens resultat redogör dessutom attsamverkan mellan de tre förmågorna, förebygga, hantera ochåterhämta sig från störningar är grunden till att uppnå hög nivå avtillförlitlighet i försörjningskedjan. Studien bidrar bland annat medinsikter om hur företag påverkas och bemöter den rådandesituationen i Ukraina med försörjningskedjan som utgångspunkt.

No description available.

Des recherches ont montré comment les mouvements sociaux tirent parti des capacités techniques offertes par les plateformes numériques pour attirer l'attention sur leurs causes et mobiliser des partisans. Pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, le même phénomène a été observé chez certains softleaders s’opposant aux mesures sanitaires qui ont utilisé ces mêmes plateformes pour promouvoir leurs points de vue et leurs croyances. Cependant, elles ne sont pas neutres et tiennent un rôle dans l’aboutissement de tels objectifs. C’est ce que ce mémoire s’efforce de mettre en lumière. Dans le cadre de cette recherche, l’échange de propriétés entre des actants humains, et non-humains, soit les micro-célébrités activistes politiques et les capacités techniques de la plateforme Twitter, sont considérées comme une voie stratégique vers la mise en visibilité d’une idéologie politique. Dans une perspective sociotechnique, nous visons à comprendre la construction de récits et la fabrique du discours, en analysant les thèmes qui émergent des publications sur Twitter et le rôle des entités du collectif composé des actants humains et non-humains dans la production et la diffusion de ces messages. Nous remarquons que le résultat d’un tel assemblage, à travers des stratégies et les possibilités offertes par les affordances, permet de se saisir de l’attention médiatique de l’auditoire à des fins politiques : la promotion de valeurs issues de convictions anti-mesures sanitaires basées sur de la désinformation, des théories du complot et de la méfiance envers différentes institutions démocratiques. Ainsi, nous suggérons que des recherches futures doivent continuer de se pencher sur les effets de composition de cet assemblage sur la production et la diffusion du discours et que ces considérations doivent être prises en compte dans la recherche de solutions au problème de la désinformation. / Research has shown how social movements leverage the technical capabilities offered by social media platforms to draw attention to their causes and mobilize supporters. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the same phenomenon has been observed among some softleaders opposing health measures who have taken to Twitter to promote their views and beliefs. However, the platforms are not neutral and play a role in the achievement of such objectives. This is what this dissertation attempts to understand. In the context of this research, the exchange of properties between human and non-human actors, micro-celebrity political activists and the technical capacities of the Twitter platform, called affordances, are considered as a strategic path towards the visibility of a political ideology. From a sociotechnical perspective, we aim to understand the construction of their stories, the making of discourse, by analyzing the themes that emerge from their tweets and the role of the collective entities in the production and dissemination of these messages. We see that the result of the collective, through strategies and the capabilities offered by affordances, makes it possible for these softleaders to seize the attention of the audience for political ends: the promotion of values stemming from opposition health measures during the crisis based on misinformation, conspiracy theories and distrust of various democratic institutions. Thus, we suggest that future research should continue to address the composition effects of the network (humans/dispositive) on the production and dissemination of discourse and that these considerations should be considered in the search for solutions to the problem of misinformation.

Bakgrund: Aktiemarknaden reagerar på information och omvärldsförändringar. Prissättningen på aktiemarknaden sker utifrån investerares tro på aktierna och vid oro hos investerare reagerar aktiemarknaden ofta negativt. Investerarnas oro kan skapas av information från kriser, där krisen i sig kan speglas på aktiemarknaden men även investerarnas uppfattning om krisen kan bidra till negativa stängningkurser. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att beskriva och analysera relationen mellan globala kriser och aktiemarknaden i Sverige. Metod: För att mäta aktiemarknadens reaktion på kriser används marknadsindex OMX30, OMXSPI tillsammans med nio branschindex. Utifrån dessa har aktiemarknadens volatilitet under kriserna analyserats med hjälp av eventfönster. För att mäta investerares påverkan på aktiemarknaden och hur anpassningsbar den är har effektiva marknadshypotesen tillsammans med teorin beteendeekonomi använts. Studien har formulerat två hypoteser i syfte att analysera om statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan aktiemarknadens stängningskurser föreligger innan och efter kriserna. Studien analyserade kriserna terrorattacken 11:e september, Finanskrisen 2008, Covid-19-pandemin och Rysslands invasion av Ukraina. Slutsatser: Studiens resultat visade aktiemarknadens volatilitet varit högre utifrån aktieindex efter samtliga kriser. Utifrån branschindex har aktiemarknadens volatilitet varit varierande efter kriserna. Alla kriser studien undersöker har synliggjorts som nedgång på aktieindex och majoriteten av branschindex. Det finns en statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan aktiemarknadens stängningskurser innan och efter krisen för 36 av 39 marknadsindex. Studien kunde även visa att marknaden återhämtat sig olika snabbt efter kriserna och påverkats av information kring kriserna. / Background: The stock market reacts to information and changes in the environment. Pricing on the stock market takes place based on investors' faith in the shares, and when investors are worried, the stock market often reacts negatively. Investors' concerns can be created by information from crises, where the crisis itself can be reflected on the stock market, but also investors' perception of the crisis can contribute to negative closing prices. Purpose: The purpose of the studies is to describe and analyze the relationship between global crises and the stock market in Sweden. Method: To measure the stock market's reaction to crises, the market index OMX30 and OMXSPI is used together with nine industry indices. Based on these, the volatility of the stock market during the crises has been analyzed using event windows. To measure investors' influence on the stock market and how adaptable it is, the efficient market hypothesis together with the theory of behavioral finance has been used. The study has formulated two hypotheses with the aim of analyzing whether there is a statistically significant difference between the closing prices of the stock market before and after the crises. The study analyzed the crises 9/11 terrorist attack, The financial crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Conclusions: The results of the study showed that the volatility of the stock market was higher based on the stock index after all the crises. Based on the industry index, the volatility of the stock market has been variable after the crises. All the crises the study examines have been made visible as declines in stock indices and the majority of industry indices. There is a statistically significant difference between stock market closing prices before and after the crisis for 36 out of 39 market indices. The study was also able to show that the market recovered differently quickly after the crises and was influenced by information about the crises.

No description available.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the well-being of university students has become an important issue to investigate and understand. The pandemic has had a significant impact on students' lives and study experiences. Even after the pandemic, it is important to examine the health and well-being of university students as it is a crucial factor for their academic performance and lifelong health. Further research on the pandemic can help better understand how various aspects of student life, such as social interactions and study environment, affect students' health and well-being. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected psychosocial and social aspects of mental health among students at Karlstad University. The study uses quantitative methods to achieve the purpose. A survey is conducted to collect data. The study's results show similar findings as highlighted by researchers who have previously studied within the research field. The findings of this study, however, revealed that the respondents experienced that distance learning had a generally negative impact on what they learned, as well as the enjoyment they derived from the lessons. This was a result that was also confirmed regarding the university's other activities. The study concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a clear negative impact on the psychosocial and social aspects of the mental health of students at Karlstad University. / Under Covid-19-pandemin har universitetsstudenters välmående blivit en viktig fråga att undersöka och förstå. Pandemin har haft en betydande påverkan på studenters liv och studieupplevelse. Även efter pandemin är det viktigt att undersöka universitetsstudenters hälsa och välmående eftersom det är en avgörande faktor för deras studieprestationer och livslånga hälsa. Vidare forskning om pandemin kan bidra till att bättre förstå hur olika aspekter av studentlivet, såsom sociala interaktioner och studiemiljö, påverkar studenternas hälsa och välbefinnande. Syftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka hur Covid-19-pandemin har påverkat psykosociala och sociala aspekter av den psykiska hälsan hos studenter på Karlstads universitet. Studien använder kvantitativa metoder för att uppfylla syftet. En enkätundersökning genomförs för att samla in data. Studiens resultat visar på liknande fynd som belysts av forskare som tidigare studerat inom forskningsfältet. Vad som framkommer i detta studieresultat är däremot att respondenterna upplevde att distansundervisningen hade en generellt negativ påverkan på det som de lärde sig, samt den njutning som de fick av lektionerna. Detta var ett resultat som också fastställdes beträffande universitetets övriga aktiviteter. Studien drar en slutsats att Covid-19-pandemin har haft en tydlig negativ påverkan på psykosociala och sociala aspekter av den psykiska hälsan hos studenter på Karlstads universitet.

This thesis aims to study if descriptive representation, i.e. the social likeness between representatives and population, is considered important and if it changes when a national parliament is prevented from convening in full-format during a crisis. A maintained descriptive representation is important as it reflects that representatives have equal opportunities to execute their representational duties during a crisis (fairness argument), and because the interests of underrepresented groups otherwise risk being represented to a lesser degree (interest argument). By adopting a mixed-methods approach, semi-structured interviews are used to study how representatives were selected to participate in the reduced voting procedures in the Swedish parliament during the COVID-19 pandemic, and if descriptive representation (gender, age, geographical) was considered in this process. Results show that while descriptive representation was considered by five out of eight party groups – most prominently gender representation motivated by the fairness argument – it was not as influential as other more practical factors in the selection process, such as proximity to parliament or the need of being present for other reasons. Furthermore, changes in the descriptive representation in the Swedish parliament are studied by voting data using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results show that the share of women increased slightly during votes during the pandemic, contrary to developments in many other parliaments. Representatives over 65 years old decreased, as did representatives from constituencies far from parliament. Significant differences in average voting participation rate arose for the different age and geographical groups, indicating unequal opportunities to execute their representational duties during the crisis.

Mémoire de maîtrise présenté en vue de l'obtention de la maîtrise en psychologie (M. Sc) / Les symptômes maternels de stress, d’anxiété et de dépression durant la grossesse entraînent des altérations hormonales susceptibles d’affecter le développement fœtal de zones cérébrales et de mécanismes neurologiques impliqués dans l'excitabilité cérébrale et le traitement sensoriel. En période postnatale, ces symptômes de détresse maternelle peuvent affecter l’interaction mère-enfant, influençant le développement comportemental de l'enfant. Les effets de la santé mentale maternelle sur le développement sensoriel de l’enfant ayant été peu explorés, l’objectif est d’étudier la relation entre les symptômes maternels prénataux et postnataux de dépression, d'anxiété et de stress lié à la pandémie de Covid-19, et l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant à 18 mois. Les données longitudinales de 409 participantes suivies durant la pandémie de Covid-19 ont été utilisées. Celles-ci ont complété des questionnaires durant leur grossesse et jusqu’à 18 mois après leur accouchement. La dépression, l'anxiété et le stress lié à la pandémie de Covid-19 ont été évalués durant la grossesse et à 18 mois postnatal par l’Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), le Generalized Anxiety Disorders 7-item Scale (GAD-7) et une échelle évaluant sur 10 points le niveau de stress ressenti par rapport à la pandémie de Covid-19. L'évitement sensoriel chez l’enfant a été évalué à 18 mois postnatal par le questionnaire Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile – Second Edition. Des corrélations de Pearson et des régressions multiples ont mesuré les associations entre les symptômes de détresse maternelle et l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant. La dépression et l'anxiété maternelles prénatales et à 18 mois postnatal étaient significativement corrélées à l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant (p<0,05). Ensemble, ces variables expliquent 10,7% (F=2.79, p<.05) de la variance de l'évitement sensoriel chez l'enfant. Ces résultats soutiennent l'effet contributif de certains symptômes prénataux et postnataux de détresse maternelle sur le développement sensoriel de l’enfant. Des recherches supplémentaires seront nécessaires afin d’explorer les mécanismes biologiques de la santé mentale maternelle et des aspects comportementaux chez l’enfant susceptibles d’influencer son développement sensoriel. / Maternal symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression during pregnancy lead to hormonal alterations that can affect fetal development of brain areas and neurological mechanisms involved in cerebral excitability and sensory processing. In the postnatal period, these symptoms of maternal distress can affect mother-child interaction, influencing the child's behavioural development. As the effects of maternal mental health on the child's sensory development have been little explored, the aim is to investigate the relationship between maternal pre- and postnatal symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and child sensory avoidance at 18 months. Longitudinal data from 409 participants followed during the Covid-19 pandemic were used. They completed questionnaires during pregnancy and up to 18 months after delivery. Depression, anxiety and stress related to the Covid-19 pandemic were assessed prenatally and at 18 months postnatal using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorders 7-item Scale (GAD-7) and a 10-point scale assessing the level of stress felt related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Child sensory avoidance was assessed at 18 months postnatal using the Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile - Second Edition questionnaire. Pearson correlations and multiple regressions measured the associations between maternal distress symptoms and child sensory avoidance. Prenatal and 18-month postnatal maternal depression and anxiety were significantly correlated with child sensory avoidance (p<0.05). Together, these variables explained 10.7% (F=2.79, p<.05) of the variance of child sensory avoidance. These results support the contributory effect of certain prenatal and postnatal maternal distress symptoms on child sensory development. Further research is needed to explore the biological mechanisms of maternal mental health and behavioural aspects of children that may influence their sensory development.

As mental health care increasingly embraces recovery principles, the role of peer support workers (PSWs) has gained recognition. The work that mental health PSWs do became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when increased needs for mental health care became apparent but were often unmet. This article-based doctoral thesis adopts an interdisciplinary perspective that combines research on management and organization with research on health care and systems. The thesis examines the mental health peer support role and its integration within teams, organizations and health systems. It also considers the peer support role as it was enacted in a virtual space, which became a requirement due to pandemic work-from-home mandates. Within the context of the virtual space, PSWs confronted work-life boundaries that they had to navigate as they enacted their work roles. The virtual space also presented technological and social challenges to and opportunities for peer support, which are examined in this thesis from the points of views of PSWs and peers. Overall, this thesis attends to the PSW role more generally, and to peer support work in the specific context of a virtual environment. The thesis is composed of three studies, the second and third of which had to be adapted to the unexpected challenges and opportunities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 1 (presented in Chapter 2) is a narrative review that synthesizes the literature on factors influencing formal PSW role implementation in mental health systems. The findings are synthesized in a multilevel framework consisting of macro, meso and micro level influences. The analysis reveals that macro-level influences on PSW role implementation include socio-cultural, regulatory, political and economic factors, most of which act as obstacles. At the meso level, organizational culture, leadership, and human resource management policies play a significant role. Micro-level influences center around PSWs' relationships with team members. Interlevel interactions are also discussed. This study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and was published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services in February 2022. For Studies 2 and 3, qualitative data were collected from members of a peer support organization situated in Ottawa. This organization is a publicly funded, not-for-profit organization that provides services free of charge to people experiencing mental health and addictions challenges. Due to the pandemic, all services and operations of this organization transitioned to remote services involving virtual platforms. Study 2 (presented in Chapter 3) is a qualitative case study that delves into the work-life boundary challenges and management of PSWs who were providing virtual mental health support during the pandemic. The study identifies temporal, physical, and task-related boundary challenges in work-life domains. Strategies employed by PSWs to manage these boundaries include segmenting and integrating work and personal domains. The study highlights the importance of self-care and the need for training on work-life boundary management for mental health workers. This research is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and is published in BMC Public Health. Study 3 (presented in Chapter 4) focuses on the transition from in-person to virtual mental health peer support services. Through semi-structured interviews with PSWs and service users (or peers), the research examines how technological factors act as bridges and boundaries to mental health peer support services, and whether and how a sense of community can be built or maintained among PSWs and peers in a virtual space when connections are mediated by technology. The findings highlight the mental health peer support needs that were (un)met through virtual services, the technology-based boundaries that were manifested and the steps taken to remove some of these boundaries, and the strategies employed by the organization and its members to establish and maintain a sense of community in a virtual environment marked by physical distancing and technology-mediated interrelations. The manuscript pertaining to this study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and will be submitted soon to an academic journal. Overall, this thesis presents a unique and multi-faceted exploration of the implementation of peer support worker roles in mental health systems and their adaptation to virtual environments. It makes a number of contributions. The multilevel framework developed in Study 1 not only advances knowledge in the field but also offers a structured approach for policymakers and organizations to enhance the formal incorporation of PSW roles into mental health systems. Study 2 provides valuable insights into the nature of work-life boundaries in a virtual space, an important topic at a time when peer support workers and organizations are considering whether and how to maintain some form of virtual work post-pandemic. Study 3 adds to knowledge by highlighting the significance of virtual peer support beyond pandemic conditions. It also enhances understanding of the need for technological adaptation in mental health services and for community building regardless of the model of service. Limitations and implications for research, practice and policy are addressed.