Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning process used to predict, assess, mitigate, and monitor the potential environmental and social impacts that may be associated with a proposed development project. Essential to the efficacy of EIA is follow-up - a post-decision process that attempts to understand EIA outcomes and provides feedback on project development and learning processes to improve environmental management practices. While considerable literature on follow-up related themes exists, the actual implementation and engagement of all stakeholders involved with follow-up in post-consent decision stages lacks or is not done well. That being said, in northern Canada, and in the mining sector in general, much of this post-decision activity is occurring under a new institutional arrangement: privatized community-industry Environmental Agreements and associated community-based monitoring programs. Based on a case study of follow-up in northern Saskatchewans uranium mining industry, this thesis examines both the institutional development of EIA follow-up and the role and contribution of community-based Environmental Agreements to EIA follow-up and impact management practices. This thesis adopted a manuscript-style format; both utilized a combined methodology of document review and semi-structured interviews. The first manuscript focuses on the institutional development of follow-up in the northern Saskatchewan uranium mining industry, giving context to the current situation. Results demonstrate that follow-up in Saskatchewans uranium industry has transformed and is characterized by four themes ranging from little or no follow-up to a new system that now includes a participatory yet privatized process based on privatized agreements. Results suggest that follow-up has evolved to a current emphasis on environmental management incorporating a community-centric approach, recognition of socioeconomic issues in monitoring programs, and an increased community and industry presence in follow-up and monitoring activities. The second manuscript examines the nature and scope of the northern Saskatchewan uranium industrys Environmental Agreement and its potential role in EIA follow-up. Results indicate that although privatized Environmental Agreements and community-led monitoring programs complement and supplement formal EIA follow-up processes and contribute to environmental management practices, they do not have the capacity to replace EIA follow-up. Results from this thesis advance current knowledge and understanding of the evolution of EIA follow-up and the current role and contribution of privatized agreements to post-decision follow-up and impact management practices.

This thesis consists of three papers. Industries that motivated this analysis range are exclusive clubs (Chapter 1) and pharmaceuticals (Chapters 2 and 3). A common thread is the study of the strategic behavior of monopoly or monopoly-like firms and the implications of such behavior. Chapter 1 studies an “invitation only” strategy for a durable goods monopolist. “Invitation only” functions as a commitment device, enabling the extraction of more profit than the conventional durable goods setting. In addition, the effectiveness of commitment devices in profit-extraction can be compared: each commitment device is modeled as an extra condition in the profit maximization of the general durable goods monopolist, enabling straightforward comparisons across commitment devices. Chapters 2 and 3 discuss the effect of patent protection on innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, in particular competition to produce drugs that follow-on from pioneer drug discovery, and any feedback effects on pioneer innovation. Despite the conventional notion, I show that longer patent protection may reduce or distort the incentives of innovation: with longer patents, the increased need of pioneer inventors in deterring the production of follow-on drugs may translate to less profitability for the pioneer inventor. Chapter 2 serves as a background and a literature review for Chapter 3. It explains the multi-stage drug discovery process and the phenomenon of follow-on drugs; it reviews strategic entry deterrence theories and summarizes the behavior of brand-name drug firms in deterring generic entry studied in the literature; it also reviews the optimal patent length and breadth literature. Chapter 3 presents several observed puzzles in the pharmaceutical industry and provides a unified explanation for these puzzles within a strategic entry deterrence model. The central conclusion is that under some general conditions, longer patent life distorts incentives for innovation and lowers research productivity: pioneer research is discouraged relative to follow-on research; inexpensive R&D projects are discouraged, and ceteris paribus expensive projects are favored instead, especially those with large clinical trial costs. Other predictions from the model accord with industry observations, including mid-development cancellations of potential drugs for non-medical reasons and early development of follow-on drugs in large markets.

This thesis consists of three papers. Industries that motivated this analysis range are exclusive clubs (Chapter 1) and pharmaceuticals (Chapters 2 and 3). A common thread is the study of the strategic behavior of monopoly or monopoly-like firms and the implications of such behavior. Chapter 1 studies an “invitation only” strategy for a durable goods monopolist. “Invitation only” functions as a commitment device, enabling the extraction of more profit than the conventional durable goods setting. In addition, the effectiveness of commitment devices in profit-extraction can be compared: each commitment device is modeled as an extra condition in the profit maximization of the general durable goods monopolist, enabling straightforward comparisons across commitment devices. Chapters 2 and 3 discuss the effect of patent protection on innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, in particular competition to produce drugs that follow-on from pioneer drug discovery, and any feedback effects on pioneer innovation. Despite the conventional notion, I show that longer patent protection may reduce or distort the incentives of innovation: with longer patents, the increased need of pioneer inventors in deterring the production of follow-on drugs may translate to less profitability for the pioneer inventor. Chapter 2 serves as a background and a literature review for Chapter 3. It explains the multi-stage drug discovery process and the phenomenon of follow-on drugs; it reviews strategic entry deterrence theories and summarizes the behavior of brand-name drug firms in deterring generic entry studied in the literature; it also reviews the optimal patent length and breadth literature. Chapter 3 presents several observed puzzles in the pharmaceutical industry and provides a unified explanation for these puzzles within a strategic entry deterrence model. The central conclusion is that under some general conditions, longer patent life distorts incentives for innovation and lowers research productivity: pioneer research is discouraged relative to follow-on research; inexpensive R&D projects are discouraged, and ceteris paribus expensive projects are favored instead, especially those with large clinical trial costs. Other predictions from the model accord with industry observations, including mid-development cancellations of potential drugs for non-medical reasons and early development of follow-on drugs in large markets.

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Syftet med arbetet är att kartlägga och att finna möjligheter till förbättringar i projektflödet. Arbetet berör de delar av företaget som befinner sig i ett tidigt skede av projektflödet eftersom ändringar i dessa skeden kan göras till en liten kostnad. Informationsinsamling har skett genom fria samtal, dock med vissa förberedda frågor. Information har inhämtats från flera delar av projektflödet så som försäljning, projektledning och konstruktion. Vi har kommit fram till att det är värt att lägga mer resurser på förbättringsarbete och se över ansvarsfördelningen för detta. Man bör även se över reklamationerna som till antalet är för många och många av felen är likartade. / The main purpose of this thesis is to survey and find possibilities of improvements in the project flow. The report only touches the parts of the company which are located in the early parts of the project flow, hence alterations can be made at a low cost. The gathering of information was made by open conversations, with some prepared questions. The information has been gathered from several parts of the company such as sales, project management, and construction et cetera. We consider it to be profitable to increase the resources in the improvement work. The company should also investigate the distribution of responsibility in the work of improvement. The complaints are too many and many of the faults are similar.

Bakgrund: Att råka ut för en osteoporosrelaterad höftfraktur medför ofta att personernas funktionsnivå försämras mer än vad som kan förklaras av åldrandet i sig. Syfte: Att hos personer som blir inlagda på sjukhus på grund av höftfraktur, dels beskriva könsskillnader och dels identifiera riskfaktorer för nedsatt gångförmåga och smärta i den opererade höften fyra månader postoperativt. Metod: En registerstudie där 1000 personer, 50 år och äldre, med icke patologisk höftfraktur ingick. Registermaterialet analyserades dels deskriptivt och dels med multivariata regressionsmodeller för att undersöka riskfaktorer för nedsatt gångförmåga och smärta. Resultat: Kvinnorna var äldre, friskare enligt ASA, använde mer gånghjälpmedel och bodde oftare ensamma innan frakturen jämfört med männen. Riskfaktorer för nedsatt gångförmåga var högre ålder (OR = 1,07; 95% CI, 1,05-1,10), att vara svårare sjuk enligt ASA (OR = 2,04; 95% CI, 1,50-2,77) och att inte använda gånghjälpmedel (OR = 0,36; 95% CI, 0,25-0,53). Riskfaktorer för smärta i den opererade höften var lägre ålder (OR = 0,95; 95% CI, 0,92-0,97) och att inte använda gånghjälpmedel före fraktur (OR = 0,68; 95% CI, 0,47-0,99). Slutsats: Det är viktigt att utveckla rehabiliteringsprocessen för att minska risken för nedsatt gångförmåga speciellt för äldre personer och att optimera smärtbehandlingen framför allt till de yngre. / Background: To incur a hip fracture often means that people's level of function deteriorates more than can be explained by the aging process itself. Objective: To describe gender differences and also identify risk factors for impaired walking ability and pain in the operated hip four months postoperatively. Method: A register study in which 1,000 people, aged 50 and older, with non-pathological hip fracture were included. Index was analyzed partly descriptive and partly by multivariate regression models to examine risk factors for impaired walking ability and pain. Results: The women were older, healthier according to ASA, using more walking aids and more often lived alone before the fracture compared with men. Risk factors for impaired walking ability were older age (OR = 1.07, 95% CI, 1.05-1.10), to be affected with severe illness according to ASA (OR = 2.04, 95% CI, 1.50-2.77) and not using walking aids (OR = 0.36, 95% CI, 0.25-0.53). Risk factors for pain in the operated hip were younger age (OR = 0.95, 95% CI, 0.92-0.97) and not using walking aids before fracture (OR = 0.68, 95% CI, 0.47-0.99). Conclusion: It is important to develop the rehabilitation process to reduce the risk of impaired walking ability especially for older people and to optimize pain management particular to the young.

Syftet med studien var att beskriva vilket stöd gastric bypass-opererade upplever att de behöver före och efter sin operation. Studien hade en beskrivande design och sjutton gastric bypass-opererade svenskar deltog. Data insamlades genom semistrukturerade frågeformulär via mail och materialet analyserades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet redovisas i tre kategorier och ett tema. Kategorin Känna sig utelämnad beskriver hur deltagarna upplevde ett bristande stöd från sjukvården inför sin operation. I kategorin framkom en saknad av psykologiskt stöd både före och efter gastric bypass-operationen. Kategorin beskriver också den bristande uppföljningen efter operationen. Kategorin Känna trygghet skildrar betydelsen av information före ingreppet och vikten av att vara förberedd på livet efter operationen. Kategorin visar hur viktigt stöd från sjukvården, anhöriga och andra opererade var för att känna trygghet. Den tredje kategorin, Stå på egna ben, visar att de gastric bypass-opererade tog eget ansvar för att söka information före och efter operationen och att de då inte var i behov av stöd från sjukvården. Temat Så stor, men ändå så liten - att ta eget ansvar för ett livsavgörande beslut, men ändå behöva stöd med förbindelsen framkom ur kategorierna och beskriver vilket stöd de gastric bypass-opererade upplever att de behöver före och efter sin operation. / The aim of the study was to describe what kind of support patients who undergo gastric bypass-surgery needs. The study had a descriptive design and seventeen Swedish participants who’ve had a gastric bypass were recruited. Data were collected by a semi structured question form through mail and the material was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The result is presented in three categories and one theme. The category Feeling left out describes how the participants experienced a lack of support before their surgery. In this category a lack of psychological support, both before and after surgery, came out. The category also describes the loss of follow-up after surgery. The category Feeling at ease describes the importance of information before surgery and to be prepared for life after surgery. The category also shows the importance of support from healthcare services, relatives and other people who’ve had a gastric bypass, to feel at ease. The third category, To stand on my own two feet, showed that the participants took own responsibility to get as much information as possible before and after surgery and that they were not in need of support from healthcare services. The theme So big, but still so small – to take own responsibility for a life changing decision, but still be in need of support with the connection emerges from the categories and describes the patients need of support before and after gastric bypass.

Denna studie syftar till att utgöra underlag och förslag till utformningen av statistikrapporter till WoodEye’s nya statistikdatabas som ingår i WoodEye 5. WoodEye 5 lanserades på Lignamässan i Hannover, 30 maj- 3 juni 2011. Förslagen har sin grund i kvalitativa intervjuer med ett urval av Innovativ Vision AB’s kunder, som tidigare visat intresse i frågan. Innovativ Visions kunder finns inom träbearbetningsindustrin, och uppvisar stora variationer i verksamhetsområde. Därför ska den nya statistikdatabasen präglas av en större valfrihet och flexibilitet, för att ett specifikt företag ska kunna göra de produktionsuppföljningar som är lämpliga för ändamålet. I slutet av 1960-talet påbörjades utvecklingen av automatisk virkessortering, eftersom detta skulle medföra en högre kapacitet och en jämnare avsyning i träbearbetande företag. En större mängd produkter kan tillverkas och fler sorteringsregler kan tillämpas samtidigt vid automatisk virkesavsyning jämfört med manuell avsyning. På senare år har även träindustrin påverkats av olika produktionsfilosofier, exempelvis resurssnål produktion. Detta medför att arbetet med kvalitetsteknik får en mer betydande roll i träbearbetande företag. Eftersom trä är ett heterogent material, är kvalitetsoptimering en komplex aktion. Därför har man börjat förespråka idén om rätt kvalitet för rätt ändamål, istället för att tala om hög och låg kvalitet. Innovativ Vision har sina rötter i den datorbaserade bildbehandlingen som bedrevs med stor framgång vid Linköpings universitet under 1980-talet. I slutet av 2011 beräknas den femte generationen WoodEye vara i drift, och i dagsläget finns tre tillhörande mjukvaruoptioner; Sorter, CrossCut och Parquet & Flooring. Sorter är en sorteringsoption, CrossCut är en kapoptimeringsoption och Parquet & Flooring är en sorteringsoption med förbättrad avsyning av färgvariationer i virket. I intervjuerna framkommer att de uppföljningar som referensföretagen utför idag är personal-, tillgänglighets-, och leverantörsuppföljningar samt hur den faktiska produktionen förhåller sig till den kalkylerade produktionen. Det finns stora variationer i uppföljningsverksamheten mellan företagen. Tre företag utför leverantörsuppföljningar och dessa anses vara de som har bäst rutin på uppföljningar. För optimalt genomförda uppföljningar av råvaran krävs en utvecklad defektstatistik, en funktion i statistikdatabasen som skulle innebär ett stort mervärde för kunderna. Det är framför allt kunder som använder WoodEye CrossCut som efterfrågar defektstatistik. Det beror sannolikt på att ingen motsvarighet till WoodEye Sorter’s nedklassningsstatistik finns till denna kapoptimeringsoption. I WoodEye 5 kommer trendstatistik genereras. Trendstatistiken blir ett verktyg för att avgöra hur det ögonblickliga produktionsutfallet förhåller sig till produktionsutfallet över tiden. Bland referensföretagen råder delade meningar om hur trendstatistiken kommer att användas; en del företag tror sig vilja göra uppföljningar baserat på informationen, medan andra enbart vill tillämpa den som ett stöd då WoodEye är i drift. / This study aims to provide support and suggestions for the design of statistical reports to WoodEye's new statistical database based on interviews with a sample of customers of Innovativ Vision AB. The new databas will be developed because of the improved fifth generation WoodEye 5, that will be in operation in late 2011. The customers varies widely in scope, and therefore the new statistical database should be characterized by a greater freedom of choice. Automatic sorting of wood panels imply a higher capacity and a smoother inspection. A greater variety of products can be produced, and a larger amount of sorting rules can be applied to automatic inspection of wood than in the case of manual inspection. The interviews reveal that there are wide variations in follow-up activities between the companies. The follow-ups the reference companies perform today are primarily whether the actual production is related to the deferred production, personnel monitoring, availability monitoring and supplier monitoring. Many of the companies demand some kind of defects statistics, for optimal follow-up of the raw material.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a planning process used to predict, assess, mitigate, and monitor the potential environmental and social impacts that may be associated with a proposed development project. Essential to the efficacy of EIA is follow-up - a post-decision process that attempts to understand EIA outcomes and provides feedback on project development and learning processes to improve environmental management practices. While considerable literature on follow-up related themes exists, the actual implementation and engagement of all stakeholders involved with follow-up in post-consent decision stages lacks or is not done well. That being said, in northern Canada, and in the mining sector in general, much of this post-decision activity is occurring under a new institutional arrangement: privatized community-industry Environmental Agreements and associated community-based monitoring programs. Based on a case study of follow-up in northern Saskatchewans uranium mining industry, this thesis examines both the institutional development of EIA follow-up and the role and contribution of community-based Environmental Agreements to EIA follow-up and impact management practices. This thesis adopted a manuscript-style format; both utilized a combined methodology of document review and semi-structured interviews. The first manuscript focuses on the institutional development of follow-up in the northern Saskatchewan uranium mining industry, giving context to the current situation. Results demonstrate that follow-up in Saskatchewans uranium industry has transformed and is characterized by four themes ranging from little or no follow-up to a new system that now includes a participatory yet privatized process based on privatized agreements. Results suggest that follow-up has evolved to a current emphasis on environmental management incorporating a community-centric approach, recognition of socioeconomic issues in monitoring programs, and an increased community and industry presence in follow-up and monitoring activities. The second manuscript examines the nature and scope of the northern Saskatchewan uranium industrys Environmental Agreement and its potential role in EIA follow-up. Results indicate that although privatized Environmental Agreements and community-led monitoring programs complement and supplement formal EIA follow-up processes and contribute to environmental management practices, they do not have the capacity to replace EIA follow-up. Results from this thesis advance current knowledge and understanding of the evolution of EIA follow-up and the current role and contribution of privatized agreements to post-decision follow-up and impact management practices.

Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva hur patienterna upplevde Brännskadeteamets ettårsuppföljning. Studien har en deskriptiv design med såväl kvalitativa som kvantitativa data. Som underlag för studien har en utvärderingsenkät använts, svaren är insamlade under tidsperioden 2001- juni 2008. Svarsfrekvensen var hög (81,4%), 57 patienter av 70 hade besvarat enkäten. Bemötandet skattades av samtliga patienter som mycket bra (77,2%) eller bra (22,8%). Samtliga patienter som hade ställt frågor ansåg att de hade fått svar på sina frågor (93%) medan en mindre grupp svarade att de ej hade ställt några frågor (7%). Informationen innan besöket ansågs som dålig eller mindre bra av 4 patienter (7,1%), bra/tillräcklig av 33 patienter (57,9%) och mycket bra av 19 patienter (33,3%). Informationen under besöket ansågs vara bra eller mycket bra av samtliga patienter utom en som klassade den som mindre bra. Fyra av de fem kommentarerna som skrivits till frågorna gällde brister i information och förberedelse. Majoriteten av patienterna (93%) ansåg att tiden för besöket var lagom. Brännskadeteamets ettårsuppföljning är unik och den anpassas i möjligaste mån efter varje patients behov. Svaren på enkäten visar att detta lyckats ganska bra, men att informationen innan besöket behöver förbättras. / The purpose of this study was to describe the burn patients´ experience of the one-year follow-up, with a multidisciplinary team. The study has a descriptive design with both qualitative and quantitative data. An evaluation questionnaire was used to collect data. The answers are collected in the period from 2001 until June 2008. The response rate was high (81.4%), 57 patients out of 70 had responded to the survey. The patients replied that they were treated very good (77.2%) or good (22.8%). All patients that had asked any questions felt that they had received answers to their questions (93%) a smaller group replied that they had not asked any questions (7%). The information before the visit was considered as poor or less good by 4 patients (7.1%), good/sufficient by 33 patients (57.9%) and very good by 19 patients (33.3%). Information during the visit was considered to be good or very good by all patients except one who rated it as less good. Four out of the five written comments was about issues related to gaps in information and preparation. The majority of all patients (93%) were satisfied with the length of time of the visit. The multidisciplinary one-year follow-up, at the Burn Center, is unique and the aim is to adjust the follow-up visit after each patient's needs. The results show that it has succeeded quite well, but that the information given before the visit needs to be improved.