Investeringar är grunden i ett företag och därmed är investeringsprocessen ett intressant fenomen att titta närmare på. Efter att ha studerat litteratur och tidigare forskning, som tar upp problematiken i investeringsprocessen, framkom att beslutsfattarens roll är en väsentlig del vid investeringsprocessen. Studien behandlar både beslutfattarens bakgrund och val som påverkar investeringsbeslutfattande i restaurangsbranschen, beslutfattarens bakgrund och val behandlas som påverkande respektive förklarande faktorer. Studien syftar på att ta reda på om och i vilken omfattning belutfattarens bakgrund påverkar sina val i investeringsprocessen. Genom att tillämpa en kvantitativ metod i form av en enkätundersökning lyftes beslutsfattarens bakgrund och investeringsprocess fram. Utifrån enkätundersökningen gjordes en statistisk analys för att hitta eventuella samband mellan de påverkande samt förklarande faktorerna. Resultatet av enkätundersökningen och statistiska analysen visade att det fanns starka samband mellan faktorer såsom kön, ålder, investeringsrutin, kalkylanvändning, utbildningstyp och utbildningsnivå. Detta bekräftar tidigare forskning och teorier om beteendeinriktad investeringsbeslutfattande.

För många resenärer är internet den främsta källan att använda sig av vid bokning av resor och turismtjänster. Detta har i sin tur bidragit till nya sätt att samla information på inom turismbranschen. Ett av dessa sätt är via recensioner som är internetbaserade, även kallat elektronisk word of mouth (eWOM). Syftet med studien är att bidra med kunskap om eWOM uppfattas trovärdigt nog för att ha inflytande på köpprocessen vid bokning av boende. Studien är baserad på teorier som behandlar köpbeslutsprocessen, eWOMs egenskaper, hur eWOM kan utvärderas, positiva och negativa recensioner samt falska recensioner. Utifrån dessa teorier har en kvalitativ forskningsmetod tillämpats genom åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer. Intervjufrågorna bestod av tre till åtta frågor per teman utifrån teorierna nämnda ovan. Studiens urval är baserat på att endast undersöka webbplatsen Tripadvisor, privatresenärer som reser minst två gånger per år och som vid något tillfälle har använt sig av Tripadvisor. Resultatet indikerar att respondenterna har en positiv syn till eWOM och det är en del av deras köpbeslutsprocess vid bokning av boende dock är det inte den enda källan som de använder sig av för att komma fram till ett beslut. Kommunikationssättet är ett smidigt sätt att samla information på och trots att det sprids anonymt anses det inte vara tvivelaktigt. Resultatet visar även att det är viktigt att se om recensionerna överensstämmer med varandra samt att läsa både positiva och negativa recensioner. / The internet is for many travelers the main source for booking trips and tourism services, which has contributed to new ways of gathering information in the tourism industry. One of these ways is through onlinebased reviews, also called electronic word of mouth (eWOM). The aim of this study is to contribute with knowledge if eWOM is perceived to be credible enough to influence the purchasing process when booking accommodation. This study adopts theories that illustrates the purchasing decision process, electronic word of mouth's characteristics, how eWOM can be evaluated, positive and negative reviews as well as fake reviews. Based on these theories a qualitative research method has been applied containing eight semistructured interviews. The interview questions consisted of three to eight questions per theme based on the mentioned theories. The study's selection is based on the website Tripadvisor and private travelers who travel at least twice a year and have used Tripadvisor before. The result indicates that the participated respondents have a positive view of eWOM and it is part of their purchasing decision-making process when booking accommodation, however, it is not the only information source they use. According to the respondents the communication method is a convenient way of gathering information and despite being spread anonymously it is not considered to be doubtful. The result also shows that it is important to evaluate if the reviews are consistent with each other and it is significant to read both positive and negative reviews.

Arguably, the Schumpeterian ideology of “creative destruction” saying that eventually even the most secure monopoly will be destroyed by a new technology, a new idea, or a shift in tastes could be applied to open source software. Currently, the proprietary software holds a strong position in the software market. Nevertheless, one could see a surge in articles and acceptance among organisations concerning open source software. Proprietary software companies like Microsoft are still gaining ground within the Swedish municipalities. Although one get the impression that municipalities generally are positive toward open source software, the decision-making process often results in choosing a proprietary software alternative. However, one could question which are the underlying factors and to what extent are these factors affecting the decision-making process of municipalities integrating or migrating into open source software? In order to study this phenomenon, we chose a quantitative approach using a questionnaire as the tool for data gathering. The sample consisted of 100 randomly selected municipalities. A pre study was made through an interview in order to strengthen the accuracy of the questionnaire which later on was sent out to the IT manager at each municipality in the sample. The organisational-, environmental-, user- and system level are four main factors affecting the decision-making process concerning open source software. Among these, the organisational factor was the only one which had a significant negative impact on the decision-making process concerning open source software. The importance of being able to integrate different software increases the need for compatibility which, according to the IT managers, is facilitated using a standardized software environment offered by for example Microsoft.

The aim of this study is through a policy analysis to illuminate the decisions that the EU has taken to respond to the terrorist attacks in the US, Madrid and London and through this analysis try to explain the problem of each decision and find out if these decisions might risk the individual rights of the European Union’s citizens. In order to reach this purpose the following questions are to be answered: In what way has the EU’s decision-making process, regarding its fight on terrorism, been affected by the terrorist attacks in Madrid and London? What consequences may the EU’s decisions against terrorism have on the individual rights? The method that has been used is qualitative studies of literature and the main material is overarching policy documents from the EU. The conclusions are that the bombings in Madrid and London have increased the speed of the decision-making process and more areas have been included in the union’s fight against terrorism. If individual rights are at risk by the union’s decisions there are reasons to be concerned. But my conclusion is that the European Union has to have strong and effective instruments to answer to the threat of terrorism.

The problem with which this study is concerned is determining the degree of faculty participation in the decision-making process within six small private black colleges in Texas. The decision areas investigated are faculty personnel (which includes appointments, promotions, tenure, and merit pay increases), curriculum, and administration. Respondents to this study include 189 administrators and faculty members from six small private black colleges in Texas. A continuum designed by a task force of the American Association of Higher Education (1967), which is composed of administrative dominance, administrative primacy, shared authority, faculty primacy, and faculty dominance, was used in the survey. Data from responses are presented by number, percentage, and mean.

This research is focused on agricultural mechanization within the context of Brazilian agribusiness and its theme modeling processes, focusing on the description and modeling of the management of the agricultural production process in rural enterprises. From the emphasis of the research that has as main objective to create a reference model for the management process of agricultural production: emphasis on mechanization and in order to achieve the objectives of the study, the author sought information in the literature to promote closer ties between the context and the focus of research, but covers other areas of knowledge considered essential to the development of the thesis, such as: design of systems, processes, planning, agricultural mechanization planning addition of process modeling. The approach of theory and practice occurs through the modeling of the process of administration of agricultural machinery, according to the formalism of modeling, the Núcleo de Ensaio de Máquinas Agrícolas da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. From the literature review and systematization of this, there was the necessary basis for the creation of the Reference Model for the Management of Agricultural Production Process: Focus on mechanization, which presents in three macrofases: Planning, Sizing, Control and Evaluation. From these eight phases originated: Physical Environment, Production, Operations, Machinery, Workforce, Performance, Capital and Results. / Esta pesquisa está centrada na mecanização agrícola dentro do contexto do agronegócio brasileiro e tem como tema a modelagem de processos, com foco na descrição e modelagem do processo de gestão da produção agrícola nos empreendimentos rurais. A partir da ênfase da pesquisa que tem como objetivo geral criar um modelo de referência para o processo de gestão da produção agrícola: ênfase na mecanização e, a fim de atingir os objetivos do estudo, o autor se ampara na bibliografia para promover a ambientação entre o contexto e o foco da pesquisa, mas aborda outras áreas do conhecimento, consideradas essenciais ao desenvolvimento da tese, como: delineamento de sistemas, processos, planejamento, planejamento da mecanização agrícola além da modelagem de processos. A aproximação da teoria com a prática ocorre através da modelagem do processo de administração de máquinas agrícolas, segundo o formalismo de modelagem, das práticas do Núcleo de Ensaio de Máquinas Agrícolas da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. A partir da revisão da bibliografia e desta sistematização, houve a base necessária à criação do Modelo de Referência para o Processo de Gestão da Produção Agrícola: Ênfase na mecanização, que se apresenta constituído por três macrofases: Planejamento, Dimensionamento, Controle e Avaliação. A partir destas originaram-se oito fases: Físico Ambiental, Produção, Operações, Máquinas, Força de Trabalho, Desempenho, Capital e Resultado.

Ce mémoire se penche sur les raisons ayant mené à l’isolement du secrétaire d’État Colin Powell au sein du processus décisionnel de politique étrangère de l’administration de George W. Bush entre 2000 et 2004. Plus précisément, cette recherche mobilise le concept de dynamiques de groupes afin d’expliquer l’isolement de Powell dans le processus décisionnel ayant mené aux interventions en Afghanistan (2001) et en Irak (2003). Ce mémoire se veut une contribution à la littérature sur le processus décisionnel de politique étrangère ayant mené à ces deux interventions militaires. Cette littérature est abondante et témoigne d’un consensus au sujet de l’isolement de Powell au sein de cette administration. Toutefois, aucune contribution, à notre connaissance, ne s’était concentrée jusqu’ici à fournir une explication concernant cet isolement. Dans un premier temps, ce mémoire démontre que l’isolement de Powell ne peut être simplement attribué à la nature de la fonction qu’il occupait au sein de l’administration Bush. Par la description des dynamiques de groupes au sein du cabinet de guerre, il établit qu’une série d’indicateurs cognitifs et bureaucratiques permettent plutôt d’expliquer, du moins en partie, cet isolement. La présence d’un sous-groupe décisionnel déterminé utilisant des manœuvres bureaucratiques afin de marginaliser Powell, l’omniprésence de l’idéologie néoconservatrice et l’importante polarisation au sein du cabinet de guerre ainsi que la distribution inégales des ressources bureaucratiques sont des facteurs explicatifs développés dans ce mémoire. / Abstract: This master thesis focuses on the factors that led to the marginalization of the Secretary of State Colin Powell inside the foreign policy decision-making process of the George W. Bush administration (2000-2004). More precisely, this research uses the concept of small group dynamics to explain Powell’s isolation in the decision-making process that led to military interventions in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003). This thesis is a contribution to the literature relating to the decision-making process that led to those military interventions. This literature is plenteous and testifies to the consensus about Powell’s marginalization inside this administration. So far, to our knowledge, no contribution has focused on providing an explanation for this marginalization. In the first place, this research reveals that Powell’s marginalization cannot be attributed to the function he occupied in the Bush administration. By describing the small group dynamics within the war cabinet, it establishes that a series of cognitive and bureaucratic indicators are more explanatory of this isolation. The presence of a determined subgroup using bureaucratic strategies to marginalize Powell, the omnipresence of neoconservative ideology that led to important polarization within the war cabinet, and the unequal distribution of bureaucratic resources are some explanatory factors developed in this research.

Diploma thesis focuses on floorball in the Czech Republic with purpose to suggest the draft of the license system for the highest men league for Czech Floorball Union. The current organization of floorball is presented also the problem, objectives and stakeholders are defined with application of managerial decision-making. Key areas which can provide healthy development of the highest league are financial, technical, player and personal criterions. The clubs must accomplish all aspects in order to take part in the competition. The draft is compiled based on interests of stakeholders, analysis of current conditions, analysis of license systems of different sports in the Czech Republic and of floorball in foreign countries. Process of implementation with risks and possible restrictions is also draw up, so that Czech Floorball Union can use this thesis within the final execution of license system.

La fragmentation de la politique fiscale de l'Etat s'opère par la démocratisation de la vie publique et de la crise économique marquée par une érosion du monopole étatique et une atomisation du processus décisionnel due à l'internationalité des questions fiscales. Une première partie démontre l'apparente cohésion de la politique fiscale malgré la dispersion institutionnelle issue du jeu entre l'exécutif et le législatif supplantés par l'activisme des forces sociales diffuses. Le « désordre normatif » est issu de l'éclatement des instruments de l'ordre juridique qu'une codification lacunaire n'a pas su restaurer. Le contexte économique inspire aussi les choix fiscaux de sortie de crise et la réflexion s'ouvre pour une politique fiscale de développement. La deuxième partie développe la compétence limitée de l'Etat en raison de la décision fiscale influencée par l'intégration en zone CEMAC et l'entrée en commerce juridique avec d'autres nations et organisations internationales. A la mondialisation, la politique fiscale se définit par la posture offensive ou défensive de l'Etat même si ce dernier continue de tenir le gouvernail de la décision fiscale. C'est un Etat imaginatif recherchant des solutions adéquates, conciliant exigences de la ponction fiscale avec celles de l'atteinte des objectifs macroéconomiques. Le décryptage de la politique fiscale devient une problématique centrée sur le rôle de l'Etat dans l'environnement post-moderne et capable d'assurer l'unité conceptuelle du processus décisionnel fiscal malgré les turbulences interne et internationale. C'est un Etat intelligent fédérant, les acteurs impliqués dans la construction d'un nouvel ordre fiscal. / Against the backdrop of the conceptual uniqueness of the tax policy implemented by the government, lies a genuine fragmentation of fiscal decision-making sources. The State organ ultimately responsible for tax policy choices actually bears the laborious compromise built on trading of choices between public and private stakeholders at national and international levels. The State of Cameroon which, since independence in 1960, has been the keystone of the whole political edifice, and the initiator of tax-related decisions, is witnessing an adjustment in its unique structure national level due to the combined effect of political democratization and economic crisis. Its erstwhile monopoly in the production of fiscal choices is being fragmented due to the increasingly assertive international scope of tax-related issues. In short, the State's tax jurisdiction is shifting from decision-making monopoly to shared decision-making prerogatives integrating national constraints and requirements at international level. Understanding fiscal policy becomes a central issue in the State's new role of implementing the social contract. The new challenge for the State in the post-modern environment is to enhance its ability to continue to ensure the conceptual uniqueness of the fiscal decision-making process despite the turbulence of the internal order and international society. It is the advent of a smart State bringing together stakeholders involved in the construction of a fiscal order.

The focus of this thesis is mainly on the area of human decision making. During the decision process we are subjected to several influences, which bias our judgement. Therefore, we may be misguided towards wrong decisions. In addition, it is important that the display of distorted influence is regularly repeated with the same persons. Thus, we may assume that we are talking about a universal apparatus of the human mind. The aim of this thesis is also to identify the above-mentioned influences, and mainly to understand the nature of their origin. The knowledge resulting from the research could become important and useful tool for the reader, since the knowledge may be used for the improvement of our own decisions in both private and professional life. The research is based on interdisciplinary approaches to cognitive science. On one hand we use the functional model of mind, on the other hand we utilize a wide range of empirical data from several fields, such as psychology, behavioral economics and the sciences concerned with the brain. Using these tools, we analyze specific influences, which are considered to be important from the point of view of decision making. They are for example feelings, emotions, social influences, language, self, experience, expectations and prior forms of judgement. Based on the analysis of the influences, hypotheses about their interconnectedness are deduced. Finally, we suggest several practical methods, which should help us to improve our own decision making and help us to avoid wrong conclusions.