<p><em>Abstract</em></p><p>The research behind this licentiate is spread out over a decade of intensive development of environmental work in industry. A 1998 survey of Swedish companies with newly installed environmental management systems (EMS) concluded that such systems need more product-orientation. Data collected by companies as part of the process of creating their EMS between 1996-2001 offered further evidence that it is environmentally justified to seek improvements in the materials selection, use and disposal phases of products, i.e., to make the environmental improvement work more product-orientated. In a EU-funded project carried out between 2004-2006 it was demonstrated that developing an environmental product declaration could be a cost-effective product-oriented environmental action even for smaller companies.</p><p>This licentiate thesis relates to methods for companies to orientate their environmental work on their products. In particular, it examines experience and provides insights on the possibilities for companies, including small ones, to use life cycle assessment in product development in order to design products with an environmental performance well above legal compliance.</p><p>It is difficult to give general recommendations to companies about their environmental work because each company has its own unique business idea, customers, work culture, stakeholders etc. Nevertheless, the main findings of the licentiate thesis can be summed up in the following recommendations for, say, a small company in Europe without much previous experience of environmental work:</p><p>§  Focus your environmental work on your products because you will accomplish more environmentally and the chance of profiting economically will motivate your personnel;</p><p>§  Consider doing a life cycle assessment, LCA, on a strategically chosen product in order to learn more about your products and how to improve their environmental performance;</p><p>§  Do not expect to find a general market demand for green products; start a dialogue with your best customers in order to create the demand;</p><p>§  Engage an LCA specialist to do the LCA and work together with your personnel to interpret the results and generate improvement ideas;</p><p>§  If your customers demand that you install an environmental management system, ask them if they would not prefer to receive an environmental product declaration on the particular product they are interested in, and a chance to discuss how its environmental performance can be improved.</p>

The desire to influence ones opponent without using violence, has probably existed in all times. Reflexive control is a method used historically without the user knowing about the concept, but through research during the 1900s, theories from psychology, behavioral science and cybernetics entered into the military application of modern influence operations. Reflexive control builds upon the fact that a stimulated organism responds with a reflex. Which, in the context of the essay, means that a controller transfers prepared information to a partner or a counterpart to bring him to single-handedly take one of the controller intended decision. This is expressed either by methods used intuitively by an intelligent user or systematically by a controller with knowledge and resources, creating a situation which voluntarily brings or forces the other part to make decisions as the controller wants for its own use. The methods are based on knowledge of the other part's self-image. A self-image that can be individual, for example, a president, or a group, such as a state leadership. The reflex may contain of a decision or of an action that are not well considered but that benefits the controller. The controller then exploits the new situation created by its preparations that may have been on going for a long time. The essay describes some of the methods that has been used by the Soviet Union and later integrated into the Russian warfare. The essay askes the questions; Can Bismarck's actions in 1870 and Russia's actions in the Georgia conflict in 2008 be explained by the theory of reflexive control? Is there a difference? If it is - how is the difference expressed? Yes, both cases reflect reflexive control. The differences between them are explained by the evolution from intuitive actions into systematic use.

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The role of Universities in building a sustainable society is paramount. It is therefore essential for Universities to adopt and apply tools such as EMS in creating a culture of sustainability which is vital in creating awareness for students as they graduate to fulfil the needs of society.The purpose of this thesis was to investigate what was required of a University in handling this challenge; to start up and be successful with implementation of an Environmental Management System.To do this an environmental review has been performed using the University of Borås as a case study. Indirect and direct aspects of the University have been identified and will be evaluated. The result of the review is based on information from interviews, questionnaires and meetings and will serve as the foundation for the University of Borås‟ further work with EMS.By comparing four Swedish Universities and their work with EMS, factors to be considered during the development and implementation an EMS have been found. An in depth-interview of key personal together with published and unpublished data from the four Universities have been used for the study. The drivers which prompted the EMS work as well as factors for a successful implementation were identified. Using a prioritization matrix, management commitment, Approach to the process, training and communication have found to be the most important success factors. Other factors worth considering during implementation of EMS in Universities have been found to be duration of the system, timing of success factors, and handling of barriers specific for academia and keeping a simple system.Using a performance excellence diagram, the different level of commitment to each of the contributing factors for a successful EMS implementation has been established and used in performing a gap- analysis for University of Borås. Based on the outcome of the gap-analysis, appropriate recommendations for EMS work have been given.

Systémy environmentálního managementu (EMS), uplatňované způsoby jejich zavádění a zhodnocení jejich přínosů pro podnik a pro životní prostředí. Charakteristika systému environmentálního managementu zavedeného podle norem ISO řady 14000, popis procesu zavádění, certifikace a následného neustálého zlepšování. Vymezení úkolů managementu v procesu zavádění a při provozu zavedeného systému, v rámci podniku a vůči veškerým dotčeným subjektům. Konkrétní aplikace systému environmentálního managementu dle ČSN EN ISO 14001 v podniku Kanalizace a vodovody Starý Plzenec, a.s. Detailní popis procesu zavádění systému v podniku, jeho dokumentace, vyhodnocení nákladů na zavedení systému a jeho přínosů. Doporučení možných zlepšení.

An electron momentum spectrometer at the Australian National University has been used to study various aspects of different solid state systems. EMS is a transmission mode technique and involves the collision of the incident electron with a bound electron, after which both electrons are ejected and measured in coincidence. Through well defined reaction kinematics the complete valence spectral momentum density A(ɛ,q) can be measured. The spectrometer has been used to measure the spectral momentum densities (spectral functions) of single crystal targets, as well as targets in disordered states. A new spin polarised electron source was constructed and implemented in the ANU spectrometer, which was used to measure spin dependent features of ferromagnetic samples.¶ This thesis is divided into seven chapters, the first chapter is an introduction into the field of electron momentum spectroscopy, highlighting what has been measured before and how the technique has progressed to its present state. Some comparisons to other experimental techniques will be made.¶ The second chapter describes the ANU EMS spectrometer in detail. The technique requires some technical and advanced equipment that is often used in novel ways. The production of thin (20 nm) free standing targets will be detailed, along with the experimental chamber and electronics used to run the apparatus and collect data. The determination of the energy and momentum resolution of the experiment is also described.¶ The third chapter will detail the design and construction of the new spin polarised electron source. The results of commissioning and characterizing the new source will be presented.¶ Chapters four through six will present the measured results. The fourth chapter will detail the single crystalline measurements for the group eleven noble metals (Cu, Ag and Au). Each sample was measured along three high symmetry directions and compared to a DFT calculation using the LDA and a FP-LMTO basis. The fifth chapter will include the results from samples that were in disordered states, a measurement which is unique to the EMS technique. The polycrystalline and amorphous states of the Si and Ge semiconductors are presented and conclusions are made to the degree of difference in the results and to which theoretical approach to the unique amorphous state of the semiconductors best matches the EMS results. The sixth chapter includes results of ferromagnetic iron, measured using the spin polarised electron source. The spectrometer was used to measure spin-polarised electron-energy-loss-spectroscopy (SPEELS) and magnetic electron-Compton profiles. A theoretical investigation is also presented in chapter six which details the advancements required in the spin polarised electron gun to measure an accurate spin-polarised EMS spectra of a ferromagnetic Fe sample.¶ Chapter 7 includes the summary of all the results presented and conclusions reached from the comparison of the measured EMS spectra and various theoretical calculations. A discussion is presented about the future directions and possibilities of the EMS technique.

<p>Environmental (‘Green’) issues have become an increasingly important issue in contemporary business management. Pressure on business regarding environmental issues is increasing and is expected to continue to do so into the future. Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are thought to have a large combined effect on the environment and this area has been cited as problematic for the SME sector. This thesis investigates collaboration amongst SMEs through networks as a way to increase environmental activity in this sector – focusing on the Hackefors model (a joint ISO 14001 certification network). The empirical study of this thesis involved a survey study of 4 networks that have implemented the Hackefors model to achieve ISO 14001 in Sweden. The networks represented SMEs from a large variety of industries and the study brought a 75% response rate. It explored different aspects of the Hackefors model, such as the motives and benefits for entering the network, drawbacks and disadvantages of the model, network relations, pressures for ISO 14001 certification and the possibility of extended network relations after certification. The results showed that group ISO 14001 certification using the Hackefors model is an effective way for an SME to implement an EMS. Not only is the model successful in achieving certification, it also brings many other benefits with it. The Hackefors model can be seen as an effective way to encourage SMEs who may not have previously considered an EMS, to implement ISO 14001. In addition, it helps companies become ISO 14001 certified at a significantly lower cost and to overcome some of the problems traditionally associated with SMEs, such as size and lack of time.</p>

<p>Many of the future methods are used in areas like economical studies, predicting future markets or legislations that might have an effect on a company or an organization. There is a necessity for knowing what the future holds. Following sustainable development companies has begun to adopt standardized environmental management systems like EMAS and ISO 14001. The companies that use scenario methods are often companies that also use environmental management and standardized management systems, which also is the case in this study. The aim of the study is to examine how future oriented studies can be used to develop the environmental strategic arena, by suggesting possible work procedures. The aim is also to describe how different future studies and techniques theoretically can be used within the strategic environmental area and to examine the use of future studies within different companies. Four Semi-structured interviews were made with companies that both use EMS and future studies. The interviews and the theoretical framework in study were used to answer the aim.</p><p>The results indicate that company future studies only have an effect on the market area and not the company EMS, the influence at the best is only indirect. The companies are more focused on factors that can change the market and economical aspects surrounding their products and services, than on factors that can be of important in making strategic important decisions about the appearance of the future environmental arena. Future oriented studies can be of use in EMS, the forecasting used in company A or the external method used in the three other companies. The methods each have qualities that are of use in different areas of the standardized EMS. Forecasting can help the user in the beginning of the planning process of EMS, with its short term visions the user can create an understanding about which way to go and this can then be complemented with backcasting. External scenarios used in the other three companies should be able to be integrated with the environmental area of the companies. These companies have god conditions to integrate their scenario work with the EMS because of the knowledge and use of future studies today.</p> / The ISRN in the pdf-file is incorrect. The correct ISRN is shown below.

Environmental (‘Green’) issues have become an increasingly important issue in contemporary business management. Pressure on business regarding environmental issues is increasing and is expected to continue to do so into the future. Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are thought to have a large combined effect on the environment and this area has been cited as problematic for the SME sector. This thesis investigates collaboration amongst SMEs through networks as a way to increase environmental activity in this sector – focusing on the Hackefors model (a joint ISO 14001 certification network). The empirical study of this thesis involved a survey study of 4 networks that have implemented the Hackefors model to achieve ISO 14001 in Sweden. The networks represented SMEs from a large variety of industries and the study brought a 75% response rate. It explored different aspects of the Hackefors model, such as the motives and benefits for entering the network, drawbacks and disadvantages of the model, network relations, pressures for ISO 14001 certification and the possibility of extended network relations after certification. The results showed that group ISO 14001 certification using the Hackefors model is an effective way for an SME to implement an EMS. Not only is the model successful in achieving certification, it also brings many other benefits with it. The Hackefors model can be seen as an effective way to encourage SMEs who may not have previously considered an EMS, to implement ISO 14001. In addition, it helps companies become ISO 14001 certified at a significantly lower cost and to overcome some of the problems traditionally associated with SMEs, such as size and lack of time.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how work with Lean and environmental aspects affect one another, and if possible and beneficial from a business point-of-view, how they could be integrated into a single model. It was found that several of the fundamental concepts concerning Lean and environmental aspects support one another. Further, Lean has the potential to improve the environmental performance of a company, and can contributeto the environmental work by its proactive approach, structured way of operating and long-term way of thinking. The environmental perspective can contribute to Lean with its more holistic view; additional cost savingsand improvements might be found when looking at the operations from an environmental point-of-view. The study showed that it is not only possible to integrate Lean and environmental work, but that it also has the potential to be beneficial from both a business and an environmental standpoint. Integration can reduce the risk of sub-optimization, and synergies can be achieved. With this knowledge, the authors composed a model for how Lean and environmental work can be practised and integrated.