The crimes made by the under-ages – is one of the most important problem in the society. The number of those crimes are growing very fast during the last years. So, that’s why it is so important to understand the factors of this negative activity, to start crime prevention on it’s early stage. While studying the earliest stages of prevention of under-ages crimes it is very important to analyze all the factors which can make influence for the activity like that. That’s why in this master’s work I tried to educe these tasks : 1. To describe the conception of crimes of under-ages and to educe the situation of nowadays. 2. To find and analyze the reasons, why under-ages are making crimes. 3. The importance of interdepartmental cooperation while trying to prevent the under-ages crimes. All those tasks were implemented, while analyzing science literature. Investigation showed, that the prevention of under-ages crimes must be shared by the society and all responsible officers. It is important, because only in that way good results can be reached. The first step of the prevention must be made in each family. Parents have to ensure not only physiological environment, but also to organize interesting leisure time. In the cases, when parents are disabled to do all those duties it is social workers, who are always ready to help under-ages, to feel a real member of society.

Entrepreneurship has been gotten fruitful attentions all around the world, it also has become one of the most significant engines for both national economic and social growth. The internal factors, which are able to affect entrepreneur’s behaviors during the whole entrepreneurship life cycle, are gradually becoming a hot topic in both practical and academic research fields. Especially for some of the famous researchers, such as Melissa Cardon and Mitchell, J.R. are leading the academic research of the relation between entrepreneurial emotions (e.g., passion and fear) and behaviors. In this study, our objective is to understand how passion and fear effect student entrepreneur’s behaviors when they are running their businesses at the early stage of entrepreneurship. Moreover, semi structured interview has been chosen to collect qualitative materials for this Master thesis paper. In this case, eight student entrepreneurs from Linnaeus University in Vaxjo, Sweden who are studying and running their business at the same time, or have finished their study already but started their business while they were students are selected by us for doing the interview. Furthermore, we broadly discussed about different stages of entrepreneurship, also entrepreneurial passion and fear along with entrepreneurial internal emotions such as cognition, self-regulation, self-efficacy, persistence, which could influence student entrepreneurs’ behaviors to start up their business and afterwards. Finally, after empirical analyzing we found that the bright side of passion and fear have positive effects on student entrepreneurs’ behaviors, whilst the negative effects of passion and fear can hinder their behaviors during the early entrepreneurial process.

Although the cost of investment in power lines insulators is 3-5% of the total cost of the installation, the impact of their performance on reliability, failure costs, maintenance routines, etc in power systems is tens of times higher. Composite insulators were introduced 50 years ago and have been used around the world with consistently good experience. Low weight, easy handling, good performance under high pollution, low maintenance costs, and resistance to vandalism are some of their advantages. Nevertheless, acid rain, salty dust deposition, corona discharges, ozone, UV radiation, and humidity among other factors, deteriorate the quality of the polymeric housing reducing their hydrophobicity. The synergistic action of ageing factors is extremely complex and the whole degradation process may change when any one variable is slightly modified. Many studies have been carried out to increase understanding of the physicochemical processes which control the electrical and mechanical stability of polymers during in-service ageing with the objective of predicting remaining life-times. Vital areas of knowledge about polymer insulators are still incomplete and lacking; three of them are: (1) early stages of degradation in service under different environmental conditions, (2) monitoring and diagnosis techniques suitable for distribution installations and (3) steps to establish an insulators management plan based on condition and risk of failure. In this research these three topics are covered. A full review of literature about management of electrical distribution assets is included, followed by a specific plan developed for monitoring, diagnosis and ranking of insulators mainly supported by visual inspections. Diagnosis of medium voltages EPDM insulators recovered from service aged under different conditions is done using both traditional techniques and, uniquely, dielectric impedance. The relationship between surface roughness and static contact angle is also used to characterize insulators' surfaces. Early stages of degradation are studied focusing the experimental work to evaluate the electrohydrodynamic processes which occur on new samples under different conditions, giving special attention to leakage current pulse analysis, electric field enhancement, and resistance/capacitive behaviour including phase of leakage current. Results from each specific topic offer additional understanding of polymer insulators degradation providing insight to monitoring, diagnosis and management. Additionally, results open new topics in which new investigations are proposed.

La maladie de Parkinson (MP) est une maladie neurodégénérative caractérisée par trois symptômes moteurs principaux : la bradykinésie, la rigidité et le tremblement de repos. Son diagnostic définitif repose sur l’identification post-mortem d’une importante mort des neurones dopaminergiques de la substance noire (SN) et la présence de corps de Lewy dans les neurones survivants. Cette maladie progresse lentement et les premiers symptômes moteurs n’apparaissent qu’après la dégénérescence de plus de 50% de la SN. Le diagnostic clinique de MP est donc établi tardivement, réduisant ainsi la fenêtre d’action thérapeutique. De plus, les traitements actuels ne soulagent que temporairement les symptômes moteurs. Les défis de la recherche actuelle pour la MP sont donc : 1) d’anticiper le diagnostic de la MP à un stade où la SN est encore suffisamment intacte pour mettre en place des stratégies neuroprotectrices, et 2) d’améliorer les traitements actuels et/ou développer de nouvelles stratégies thérapeutiques pour stopper la progression de la maladie avant que le phénotype moteur ne soit installé. Le stade clinique de la MP est précédé d’une phase prémotrice durant laquelle les patients présentent souvent des symptômes non moteurs tels que l’anosmie, la dépression ou la constipation. Des travaux récents suggèrent que les lésions caractéristiques de la MP pourraient d’abord apparaître dans le système nerveux périphérique puis progresser lentement jusqu’au cerveau. Ces stades précoces de la MP sont cependant mal connus et leurs caractéristiques méritent d’être étudiées dans des modèles expérimentaux appropriés. Ainsi, des études récentes ont montré que la ghréline, un peptide gastro-intestinal, protège les neurones dopaminergiques de la SN contre la mort dans des modèles in vivo et in vitro de syndrome parkinsonien. De plus, dans un modèle animal de syndrome parkinsonien, la ghréline prévient l’aggravation des symptômes gastro intestinaux par la L-DOPA, traitement médicamenteux principal de la MP. Enfin, des altérations des concentrations plasmatiques de ghréline ont également été observées chez les patients aux stades précoces de la maladie. Dans ce contexte, nous avons émis l’hypothèse que la ghréline pourrait jouer un rôle important aux stades précoces de la maladie et donc être utilisée comme biomarqueur et/ou agent neuroprotecteur dans la MP. Ainsi, l’objectif de ma thèse était d’étudier les rôles de la ghréline aux stades précoces de la MP par des approches in vitro et in vivo.La première étape a consisté à déterminer les effets de la ghréline dans des cultures primaires de cellules mésencéphaliques exposées au pesticide roténone, un inhibiteur du complexe I mitochondrial connu pour son association avec la MP. Contrairement aux données de la littérature, nous montrons un effet délétère en fonction de la dose et du temps sur les cellules exposées à la roténone. Nous ne confirmons donc pas l’effet neuroprotecteur de la ghréline dans nos conditions expérimentales. En parallèle, nous avons étudié le potentiel de la ghréline en tant que biomarqueur dans un modèle murin de syndrome parkinsonien reproduisant les stades précoces de la maladie après exposition orale chronique à de faibles doses de roténone. Nous avons d’abord validé ce modèle et confirmé le développement des altérations non motrices et l’absence de mort neuronale au sein de la SN après 1.5 mois de ce régime. En revanche, nos résultats ne montrent pas de modification des taux plasmatiques de ghréline chez les souris exposées 1.5 mois à la roténone. Cependant, des facteurs tels que l’anxiété pourraient avoir affecté les taux de ghréline. Ces données devront donc être confirmées avec des animaux stratifiés selon leur niveau d’anxiété et/ou de plus longues expositions. En conclusion, nos résultats interrogent le rôle neuroprotecteur de la ghréline dans la MP et posent les bases pour de futures recherches sur l’implication de cette hormone orexigène dans la MP. / Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disease in the world. It is characterized by motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, rigidity and resting tremor. Its definite diagnosis relies on the identification of specific neuropathological hallmarks at autopsy including severe neuronal death within the substantia nigra (SN) and the presence of Lewy bodies in the surviving neurons. PD progresses slowly and the first motor symptoms appear when more than 50% of the SN has degenerated. Therefore, the clinical diagnosis is established late in the course of the disease, thus restricting the therapeutic window for clinicians. In addition, the currently available therapeutic options can only temporarily alleviate PD motor symptoms. The challenges of current PD research are: 1) to anticipate the diagnosis and be able to identify the disease as early as possible, when the SN is still intact enough to implement a disease-modifying/neuroprotection strategy to prevent the appearance of motor symptoms, and 2) to improve current medications and/or develop new therapeutic strategies able to stop the disease before the motor phenotype is installed. The decade preceding PD clinical diagnosis is of particular interest since patients often complain about non-motor symptoms such as anosmia, depression or constipation. Moreover, recent evidences suggest that PD-characteristic lesions could first appear in the peripheral nervous system and slowly progress towards the brain. Thus PD earlier stages and their characteristics deserve better investigations using appropriate experimental models. In this regard, recent studies realized in animal and cellular models of advanced parkinsonism have suggested that ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide mainly produced in the stomach, could play a neuroprotective role in PD. Indeed, exposure to ghrelin has shown a protective effect against the neuronal death in animal and cellular models of parkinsonism. In addition, in a rodent model of parkinsonism, ghrelin was shown to alleviate the L-DOPA-induced worsening of gastro-intestinal symptoms, L-DOPA being the current main therapeutic option in PD. Moreover, ghrelin plasma concentrations have shown alterations in early stages of the disease in small cohorts of PD patients. We therefore hypothesized that ghrelin might play an important role in PD early stages and could serve as a biomarker and a neuroprotective agent in PD. In this context, the aim of my PhD was to investigate the roles of ghrelin in PD early stages using both in vitro and in vivo approaches.We first studied the effects of ghrelin in primary mesencephalic cells exposed to the pesticide rotenone, a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I known for its association with PD. Contrary to the data of the literature, we show a dose and time-dependant deleterious effect of ghrelin on mesencephalic cells exposed to rotenone. This does not confirm the neuroprotective potential of ghrelin in our experimental conditions. In parallel, we investigated the potential of ghrelin as a biomarker in a rodent model of parkinsonism mimicking early stages of the disease after chronic oral exposure to low doses of rotenone. We first validated this model in our animal facility and confirmed that mice exposed to such a regimen develop progressive non-motor alterations but no dopaminergic neuronal death in the SN after 1.5 months. Our initial results do not show a modification of plasma ghrelin levels in rotenone-exposed mice at early stages of the pathological condition. However, confounding factors such as anxiety might have altered ghrelin levels. This should therefore be further ascertained in animals stratified for their anxiety levels and/or in longer exposures. In conclusion, these results challenge the suggested role of ghrelin as a disease-modifying agent in PD and set the bases for future investigations of ghrelin in the context of PD.

The thesis focuses on the integration of sustainability in the early stages of startups by developing a new framework. Given the resource constraints and focus on viability, it might be difficult for startups to consider sustainability at these early stages. A literature review revealed a lack of information on this subject. The research investigates the sustainability-related challenges startups face, identifies factors for sustainable business models using expert interviews and literature review. Due to the lack of information related to sustainable early stages start-ups, the author analyses basic principles related to start-ups and sustainability. The author looks into holistic approach to sustainability since a fragmental approach to sustainability risks harming the ecosystem while improving some metrics without systemic overview. Life-centred design is an emerging design approach that focuses on the well-being of all life forms and the health of our planet, thus making a shift from just human-centred design. The life-centred design was taken into consideration since it covers different aspects of sustainability as well as ethics and provides practical guidance for the designing process. Based on literature review and expert interviews the framework was formulated. The developed solution was tested with three early-stage startups, providing practical insights. The author analyses the findings and concludes that start-ups which have sustainability as a core value proposition are already sustainable and their sustainable impacts potentially scales with their product growth. At the same time for these types of start-ups it’s vital to consider additional value for the customer apart from sustainable value. For the start-ups with core value not directly related to sustainability, the sustainability can be embedded within a lean approach and aligning sustainability with their business goals if it doesn't require sacrificing limited resources such as money. Finally, the author suggests tools that raise awareness of participants and can be useful for holistic picture, based on findings during the workshop.

I takt med Sveriges ökande befolkningsmängd tillkommer krav på att kommunen ska kunna planera städer som lämpar sig till befolkningen utifrån fundamentala men även personliga behov. Kommunerna är de som genom planbesked meddelar om de tänker påbörja planläggning. I detaljplaneprocessen syftar samrådet bland annat till att bidra med bra beslutsunderlag men förekommer i processen först efter att ställningstaganden och beslutsfattande moment redan har skett från kommunens håll. Syftet med denna studie är att med hjälp av kvalitativ undersökning ta reda på hur Sveriges, till invånarantal, största kommuner arbetar med dialoger i tidiga skeden av detaljplaneprocessen. För att uppnå studiens syfte formuleras och ställs semistrukturerade intervjufrågor till de deltagande respondenterna. En litteraturstudie kring medborgardeltagande, inflytande och dialog har även genomförts i syfte att ge studien ett teoretiskt angreppssätt. Litteraturstudien har visat att för att bäst uppnå kvalitativa och resultatgivande medborgardialoger krävs både strategier och metoder. Beroende på sakfråga finns det vissa strategier, metoder och/eller styrverktyg som lämpar sig bättre än andra. Resultaten från intervjuerna visar på att de utvalda kommunerna enligt respondenterna anser sig arbeta med dialoger i tidiga skeden men att det saknas både en tydlig metodik kring hur dialogerna genomförs och en brist på implementering av resultaten från dialogerna. Samtidigt finns en medvetenhet bland respondenterna kring fördelarna med att föra dialoger i tidiga skeden och stora utvecklingsmöjligheter för samtliga kommuner som undersökts. / In line with Sweden's increasing population, there is a requirement that the municipality is able to plan cities suitable for the population based on fundamental as well as personal needs. The municipalities are the ones who, through planning notifications, announce if they intend to start planning or not. In the detailed development plan the consultation in planning aims, among other things, to contribute with a good decision-making basis. However the consultation occurs only after decisions have been made from the municipality's point of view. The purpose of this study is to use qualitative research to find out how Sweden's largest municipalities work with dialogues in the early stages of the detailed development planning process. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, semi-structured interview questions are formulated and asked to the participating respondents. A literature study on citizen participation, influence and dialogue has also been carried out with the aim of giving the study a theoretical approach. The literature study has shown that in order to best achieve qualitative and rewarding citizen dialogues, both strategies and methods are required. Depending on the subject matter there are certain strategies, methods and/or tools that are better suited than others. The results of the interviews show that according to the respondents, the selected municipalities consider themselves to be working with dialogues in the early stages, but that there is a lack of both a clear methodology regarding how the dialogues are carried out and a lack of implementation of the results of the dialogues. At the same time, there is an awareness among respondents about the benefits of dialogues in the early stages and furthermore great development opportunities for all municipalities that participated in the study.

The purpose of this study has been to examine the use of augmentative and alternative communication in special school The study examine which methods and various purpose AAC used by and with the students and what it is that determines what form to use according to educators. The research shows how important communication is for a child's cognitive development and that it is largely a question of competence on how AAC is used in special school. It is a qualitative study based on observations at three different special schools and three interviews with five educators who all work with students having development disabilities in early stages and use AAC in their daily activities. The empirical data has been analyzed from a socio-cultural perspective, focusing on the concepts of artifacts and mediation. The results show that they use both aided and unaided AAC. AAC are used to structure the day visually in schematically pictures, to enhance their speech, to help to show their intention and to help their memory. The result also shows that, according to educators, students' abilities and previous experience is crucial to which form of AAC that they will use. It is also clear that many cases the teachers themselves is the one who analyze the abilities that students have and then choose an AAC method to work with. Another factor that also influences is the financial resources allocated to special school and the teachers 'and assistants' lack of expertise in the field. The result also reveal that a very small portion of AAC use is about how students communicate with AAC, to make their opinions and voices heard in a more independent way. The conclusion is that there are many different forms of AAC in special school. The purpose of the AAC is usually about structuring and make the world more understandable to students. It is generally the student's abilities that determine what form of AAC used, but there are other factors that also affect. Financial resources and lack of expertise are some of these factors. In other words, the special teacher have in their profession an important role in which type of AKK that are used and in which knowledge those who working in special school have of AAC. / Syftet med studien är att undersöka användningen av alternativ och kompletterande kommunikation (AKK) i grundsärskolan. I studien undersöks vilka olika former och i vilka olika syften AKK används av och med eleverna, samt vad det är som avgör vilken form man använder enligt pedagogerna. Forskningen visar hur viktig kommunikationen är för ett barns kognitiva utveckling och att det till stor del handlar om kompetens på hur AKK-användningen ser ut. Studien är en kvalitativ undersökning som bygger på tre observationer i grundsärskolan samt tre intervjuer med fem pedagoger som alla arbetar med elever på tidig utvecklingsnivå och använder AKK i den dagliga verksamheten. Empirin har analyserats ur ett sociokulturellt perspektiv med fokus på begreppen artefakter och mediering. Resultatet visar på att det både används hjälpmedelsberoende och hjälpmedelsoberoende AKK. AKK används i syfte att strukturera vardagen visuellt i form av schemabilder, förstärka det talade språket, att förmedla sin vilja och som minneshjälp. Resultatet visar även på att det enligt pedagogerna är elevernas förmågor och tidigare erfarenheter som är avgörande för vilken form av AKK som används, det framgår också att det många fall är pedagogerna själva som analyserar vilka förmågor som eleverna har och därefter tar fram en AKK-metod som man arbetar med. En annan faktor som också påverkar är vilka ekonomiska resurser som tilldelats grundsärskolan samt pedagogers och assistenters brist på kompetens inom området. Resultatet visar även på att en väldigt liten del av AKK användandet handlar om hur eleverna kommunicerar med AKK för att göra sin röst hörd eller sina egna åsikter på ett mer självständigt sätt. Slutsatsen är att det finns många olika former av AKK i grundsärskolan. Syftet med AKK handlar oftast om att strukturera och göra omvärlden mer begriplig för eleverna. Det är i huvudsak elevens förmågor som avgör vilken form av AKK som används, men det finns andra faktorer som också spelar in. Ekonomiska resurser och brister i kompetens är några av dessa faktorer. Med andra ord så har specialläraren i sin profession en viktig roll i vilken typ av AKK som används och i hur kompetensen hos de som arbetar i grundsärskolan ser ut.

L'esturgeon européen Acipenser sturio est un poisson migrateur amphihalin qui a connu un fort déclin au cours du 20ème siècle. La dernière population vit dans le bassin Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne (GGD) et sa dernière reproduction connue date de 1994. Les individus relachés lors de repeuplements sont supposés venir se reproduire prochainement. Du fait du changement global et de l'évolution des activités humaines, une meilleure connaissance de la vulnérabilité des jeunes stades de A. sturio vis-à-vis de la température, de la disponibilité en oxygène et des polluants s'est avérée nécessaire. La sensibilité aux conditions oxythermiques actuelles et à venir a été évaluée ainsi que la qualité des sédiments des frayères. Enfin, la sensibilité des jeunes stades de cette espèce à des mélanges de polluants représentatifs du bassin GGD a été également évaluée. Une forte sensibilité des jeunes stades de A. sturio au taux d'oxygène a été mise en évidence. Les fenêtres optimales et critiques de tolérance ont été estimées. La toxicité des sédiments de frayères de Dordogne est globalement supérieur à celle des sédiments de frayères de Garonne. Beauregard et Pessac-sur-Dordogne semblent être respectivement les sites les plus favorables et défavorables aux jeunes stades. La sensibilité de A. sturio aux polluants rencontrés dans le bassin est relativement faible. Les conditions environnementales actuelles du bassin GGD semblent globalement satisfaisantes pour accueillir le développement de jeunes stades de A. sturio. Les données collectées dans cette étude pourront servir pour d'autres programmes de réintroduction de cette espèce. / The European sturgeon Acipenser sturio is a diadromous species which has exibited a drastic decline during the 20th century. Its last population lives in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne (GGD) catchment where the last documented reproduction occured in 1994. Individuals released in the context of restocking actions are expected to re-enter the system for reproduction in the next few years. Because of global changes and human activity evolution, environmental conditions have changed from the last reproduction. Improved knowledge on the sensitivity of the European sturgeon to temperature, dissolved oxygen and pollutant is required to evaluate its capacities to recolonize the GGD catchment. Sentivity to present and future, considering global changes, oxygen and temperature conditions were evaluated as well as quality of the substratum of potential spawning grounds. The sensitivity of the early stages toward a mix of pollutants found in the GGD catchment was evaluated. Results obtained show a high sensitivity of the young stages of this species to oxygen concentration. Thermal optimum, optimal and critical tolerance windows were determined. Sensitivity to pollutants mixtures found in the GGD was relatively low. Dordogne river substratum was globally more toxic than Garonne river substratum. Beauregard and Pessac-sur-Dordogne were tested respectively as the best and the worst potential spawning ground for the development of the European sturgeon early stages according to their toxicological effects. Current conditions in the GGD catchment seems to be sustainable for European sturgeon early stages. Data from this study would be useful for further restocking programs in the historical european sturgeon reproduction area.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T14:38:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Salete de Paula.pdf: 1167747 bytes, checksum: 9705df79d28b7d3992e3d6910e9ce124 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-24 / Fundação Araucária / This study describes the development and allometric growth patterns of larval Piaractus mesopotamicus from induced reproduction. From hatching until the 19th day, twenty individuals were selected for eight stage of development (yolk sac larval, preflexion, initial of flexion, flexion, end of flexion and post flexion). Later, morphometric measurements were taken of each individual: total length, head length, trunk length, tail (post anal) length, head height, body height, muscle height at anus leveleye diameter, mouth length, caudal peduncle height and caudal peduncle length. Allometric growth coefficients were calculated by linear regression; the changes in the coefficients of growth relate to ontogenetic changes in the priorities of the larvae. During the developmental stages of larval yolk and pre-flexion (mean CT = 3.363 and 5.89 mm), the larvae showed an evident priority for feeding and swimming capabilities. From the flexion stage (mean CT = 9.33 mm) was observed a change in growth priorities, especially those relating to body height, important characteristic for this species. From the post-flexing stage (mean CT = 16.25 mm) a greater propensity to isometry was evident for all coefficients growths. These results confirm the informations that there are different growth patterns for priority functions during ontogeny initial larvae. This study of morphometric and allometric growth of larvae Piaractus mesopotamicus, may assist the fisheries biology, supporting management strategies and conservation of natural populations / Este estudo descreveu o desenvolvimento e os padrões de crescimento alométrico de larvas de Piaractus mesopotamicus provenientes de reprodução induzida. Desde a eclosão até o 19° dia, vinte indivíduos foram selecionados para oito estágios de desenvolvimento (larval vitelino, pré-flexão, início de flexão, flexão, final de flexão, início de pós-flexão, pós flexão e final de pós-flexão). Posteriormente, foram tomadas medidas morfométricas: comprimento da cabeça, comprimento do tronco, comprimento da cauda anal posterior, altura da cabeça, altura do corpo, altura do músculo em nível do ânus, diâmetro do olho, comprimento da boca, altura do pedúnculo caudal e comprimento do pedúnculo caudal. Os coeficientes de crescimento alométrico foram calculados por meio de regressões lineares; as alterações ocorridas nos coeficientes de crescimento referem-se as mudanças nas prioridades ontogenéticas das larvas. Durante os estágios de desenvolvimento de larval vitelino e pré-flexão (média CT= 3,36 e 5,89 mm) as larvas apresentaram uma evidente prioridade para as capacidades de alimentação e natação. A partir do estágio de flexão (média CT= 9,33 mm) foi observada uma mudança nas prioridades de crescimento, principalmente as relacionadas com a altura do corpo, característica importante para essa espécie. No estágio de pós-flexão (média CT=16,25 mm) uma propensão maior a isometria ficou evidente, para todos os coeficientes de crescimentos. Esses resultados confirmam as informações de que existem padrões diferenciados de crescimento para funções prioritárias durante a ontogenia inicial de larvas. Este estudo sobre morfometria e crescimento alométrico das larvas de Piaractus mesopotamicus, poderá auxiliar a biologia pesqueira, subsidiando as estratégias de manejo e conservação das populações naturais

The subject of this thesis is entrepreneurship policy and the focus is on public support programmes directed to early stages technology-based ventures. It advocates that a broad view should be taken with regard to the type of policies for entrepreneurship that aim at supporting the facilitation of the supported ventures’ ability to link to their surrounding innovation system, in which they can secure their access to crucial external resources. Taking the departure in the perspective that early stages technology-based ventures are vulnerable, this thesis shows that publicly financed entrepreneurship supporting programmes can be motivated because small and newly started ventures have got limited resources, and because the risks, with which they are associated, generally make them unattractive in the eyes of private actors. Among the practical implications of this thesis, the following findings are emphasised: Public support, directed to the very earliest stages of venture development benefits from broadness, for the latter stages, specialisation and a higher degree of selectiveness could be an advantage. Moreover, it is important that the support provided take into account the whole process of business development, i.e. both the issues concerned with product/service and the issues connected to the market. A long-term commitment, cooperation between different actors and information about what support is available, are other aspects that are important for policymakers to consider in their design of public policies to support entrepreneurship. Finally, the importance of evaluative awareness must be emphasised from the very start. / Den här avhandlingen är en sammanläggning av 7 studier kring vilka en kappa med titeln ”Entreprenörskapspolicy: offentligt stöd för teknikbaserade företag” har skrivits. De inkluderade studierna beskrivs kortfattat i slutet av den här sammanfattningen. Syftet med avhandlingen är att analysera skälen till varför statliga interventioner kan vara berättigade, vidare att analysera målsättningar, design och resultat av offentliga program för stöd av nya teknikbaserade företag/projekt och slutligen att identifiera såväl praktiska som forskningsintressanta implikationer för utformningen av framtida stödaktiviteter. Avhandlingen baseras till största delen på olika typer av kvantitativa analyser av Stiftelsen Innovationscentrum (SIC) (studie 2-6). Förutom detta ingår en konceptuell studie där ett ramverk för att utvärdera inkubatorer, främst ur ett ”best practice” perspektiv, har tagits fram (studie 1). Slutligen har jag inkluderat en pågående uppföljningsstudie av Vinnovas program Vinn Nu (studie 7). Avhandlingen förespråkar en bred syn på begreppet entreprenörskapspolicy, där syftet med stödet är att underlätta för företag/projekt att koppla upp sig mot relevanta innovationssystem där de kan säkra sin tillgång på externa resurser. Med utgångspunkt i ett sårbarhetsperspektiv visar avhandlingen att offentligt finansierade program som stödjer entreprenörskap kan motiveras genom att de små och nystartade företagens resurser är begränsade och eftersom riskerna ofta gör att intresset från privata aktörer att gå in i dessa företag är lågt. Avhandlingens praktiska implikationer är bland annat att det stöd som riktas till de allra tidigaste utvecklingsfaserna i syfte att kvalificera idéer bör vara brett. Däremot kan ett mer selektivt urval vara fördelaktigt i något senare utvecklingsskeden och för mer specialiserade stöd. Vidare visar de inkluderade studierna på behovet av att se till hela företagets utvecklingsprocess. Det innebär bland annat att det är nödvändigt att kombinera hårt och mjukt stöd och att lika vikt läggs vid produkt- och marknadsutveckling. Offentligt stöd bör också vara långsiktigt, och samarbete mellan olika stödprogram är viktigt, inte minst med avseende på information om vilka stöd som finns och hur, var, när och av vem dessa kan sökas. Slutligen understryks vikten av att stödprogram redan från början bör ta hänsyn till utvärderingsaspekter.