The submitted thesis deals with the relation of intuition to meaning in Edmund Husserl's early work. The structure of the thesis is given by Husserl's triadic structure of epistemic acts, which is formed by the realm of subjectivity, ideality and objectiveness. In this framework, we treat the meaning in its proper sense of meaning-intention, which is but also related to the objectiveness. This relation is made possible by meaning-fulfilment, which is intuitive. At the end, we also emphasize the role of intuition not only in the Logical Investigations, which are to our thesis the central work of Husserl, but also in the whole of Husserl's philosophy.

Magister Scientiae Dentium - MSc(Dent) / ‘A satisfied worker is a happy worker’, this statement by Robbins (1998), sums up the importance of job satisfaction. Locke (1976), defined job satisfaction as the ‘positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job and job experiences’. The Northern Cape province is the largest province in South Africa, by area. Oral health mainly focuses on primary health care and pain relief. Dental staff in the public sector are employed at district level, and not at sub-district level. This scenario requires dental staff (dentists, dental therapists, oral hygienists and dental assistants) to travel to rural areas that have working conditions that are not always optimal for dental treatment. Faced with numerous work-related challenges, it is believed that staff morale and motivation is particularly low in the province, as in the rest of South Africa in the public health sector (Howse, 2000). This research assessed the job satisfaction of dental staff in the public sector in the Northern Cape, and aims to make management aware of the need and the importance of oral health services, for staff and patients. The study found that the majority of the dental staff appear to enjoy their working environment (60%), love what their job entails (76%), and would like to continue their job in the long run (74%). Eighty percent of the participants reported that they experienced teamwork and 71% appreciated the support of their staff, which are very positive findings. However, it appears that the staff are not totally happy or satisfied with their work environment, and have identified various factors that need to be addressed to improve their job satisfaction. Seventy-four percent of the staff listed resources (human, financial, physical) as the major work-related factors that need to be addressed to improve their job satisfaction. iii The majority of the dental staff reported that the staff shortage, the poor communication with their administrator, the inadequate quantity and quality of equipment, the limited services being offered to patients, the lack of opportunities to make use of and improve their clinical skills, and their salary, are factors that need to be addressed to improve their job satisfaction. Just over half of the participants also stated that the salary they earn is not as important as the satisfaction gained from serving the public, and 80% of the participants felt that their job allows them to make a contribution to their community. Having a significant proportion of staff who feel that the salary they earn is not as important as serving their community is both interesting and praiseworthy. The dental staff seem to be giving of their best despite their current work environment, but expressed a need and willingness to deliver a more comprehensive oral health service that makes full use of their clinical skills, and that is not constrained by a lack of finances or limited treatment options. This is a positive foundation that needs to be built on to improve a service that clearly needs improving. The Department of Health of South Africa should provide adequate oral health services to the public, and should ensure that the dental staff are satisfied with their jobs. By identifying areas of concern that affect job satisfaction, these specific areas can be improved (Shugars et al, 1990). By increasing the dental staff’s job satisfaction, the staff morale can be improved. This will lead to increased productivity and quality of care (Harris et al 2008; Syptak et al, 1999). Satisfied practitioners are particularly important for a successful dental practice and the well-being of patients (Puriene et al, 2008a).

Si l’on perçoit intuitivement la durée, il est plus délicat d’en donner une définition. L’exercice devient plus périlleux encore lorsqu’il s’agit de définir la durée des contrats administratifs. Face aux interrogations que sa définition et sa délimitation soulèvent, l’étude de la réglementation, de la jurisprudence ou de la doctrine publiciste n’est que peu instructive. La diversité du vocabulaire employé traduit les imprécisions de la notion étudiée. Parce qu’elle représente une donnée essentielle du contrat, à la fois objet et source de nombreuses réglementations, la notion de durée des contrats administratifs doit être définie. Son étude révèle une appréhension parcellaire de la notion par le droit public. Celui-ci n’envisage que la durée d’existence du contrat, qui est une durée juridique et prévisionnelle. Elle traduit le prisme sous lequel le droit public s’intéresse à la durée du contrat : c’est un outil d’encadrement de la rémunération du titulaire et d’organisation de la remise en concurrence régulière du contrat. À côté de cette durée d’existence, coexiste une durée d’exécution qui a pour caractéristique d’être une durée opérationnelle constituée d’un agrégat de délais. Si ces deux durées coïncident parfois parfaitement – ce qui explique leur confusion – cela n’est pas systématique. Elles possèdent, en outre, des fonctions distinctes qui justifient leur différenciation. Parce qu’elles représentent cependant les deux facettes d’une même notion, l’unité du régime de la durée prédomine. En ce domaine, c’est un mouvement d’influences réciproques mais d’inégale importance qui s’opère. Le contrat conditionne la durée : il régit sa fixation et son évolution. Dans le même temps, la durée influe sur le contrat. Celle-ci est en effet la source d’application d’éléments de régime au contrat et justifie l’intégration de certaines clauses au sein des contrats où son volume est important. / We can easily perceive the notion of duration. However, it is rather difficult to give it an exact definition. It becomes even more delicate when it comes to identify the duration of public contracts. Neither of the legal doctrine nor the legislation or case law are helpful in solving questions about both the definition and limit of a contract’s duration. The diversity of the legal vocabulary reveals the inaccuracy of this notion. However, the duration of public contracts has to be precisely identified as it is a crucial datum of any contract, as well as a source and the object of various existing rules. As far as the study of public contracts has lead us, we can only notice that the apprehension of their duration is fragmented. Public contract law exclusively develops one aspect of the duration, which represents the amount of time during which the contract stands. This shows how the notion of duration is analyzed: itis a sort of tool used in order to frame the contract holder’s wage, but also indicates when to use properly competitive procedures. It is correct to state that the duration identifies the period during which the contract stands, however, it covers another aspect, which we aim to expose here. The duration of contract also represents the amount of time during which the contract is fulfilled, or executed, which is composed by a sum of delays. These two aspects of duration may often coincide but this is not always the case. It must be noted that these two sides have different functions, which justifies why we study them separately. Nevertheless, the legal regime remains the same whether we talk about one aspect or another. At the end of this study, we can report mutual influences. The object of the contract conditions its very own duration as its clauses set its evolution through the execution. At the same time, the duration of the public contract conditions various elements of its regime, especially when the contract stands fora substantial period of time.

The aim of the diploma thesis is to formulate recommendations for a company, that wants to expand into European markets through Amazon. The thesis is divided into two main parts. The first one is the theoretical part, where attention is paid to the study of the issue with the help of professional literature and professional articles. The basis of the work consists of the analysis of the external and internal environment. Based on the facts obtained from them, specific recommendations for entering the UK and German market were proposed.

N. Riethof - Burnout syndrome in Health Care Professionals ABSTRACT Burnout syndrome is a state of total exhaustion related to work condi- tions and prolonged stress. While initial phases of burnout resemble stress symptoms, final phases of burnout are characterized by feelings of hopelessness, loss of meaning and desperation that have similar qual- ities as depression as well as existential vacuum described by Frankl in his logotherapy. In addition, the burnout syndrome involves stages in which people detach from their emotions and feelings as a defense mechanism against stress and have decreased ability to experience their own feelings and emotional states. Burnout usually begins with feelings of enthusiasm and idealized visualizations and it is in contrast with sub- sequent disillusionment, disappointment experienced later. After decades of burnout research, there is still a need for better def- inition of this condition including more precise diagnostic criteria and internationally recognized measurement tools, especially within health care system where the risks of unrecognized and untreated burnout are high. This study is focused on examination of potential causes of burn- out and relationships of burnout symptoms with certain personality traits, defense mechanisms and coping reactions including...

The need for fast, flexible, and sustainable deliveries has become a key priority for companies as customers demand more convenience in their purchasing experience. Retailers have responded by developing their logistics into an omnichannel to meet these expectations, which has made the supply chain more complex. The following study has been conducted at The Company, a telecommunication company aiming to be competitive in the market with fast deliveries through its omnichannel. In 2015, The Company set the logistics vision of “Availability as The Competitive Advantage”, aiming for 15-minute deliveries of all physical products in Sweden. This study involved investigating the logistical consequences of realising 15-minute deliveries in an omnichannel company. Therefore, the purpose of this study was formulated: “The purpose is to investigate the logistical consequences for The Company if the logistics vision of 15-minute deliveries is realised.” Since The Company cannot provide 15-minute deliveries today, local inventory points must be added to the underlying warehouse structure, acting simultaneously as storage points and parcel boxes. Firstly, the study involved creating scenarios for The Company where the customer can reach any local inventory point within 15 minutes by bicycle. Four scenarios were designed realising 15-minute deliveries in Sweden, Östergötland County, Jönköping County, and Stockholm respectively. For all four scenarios the number of local inventory points, central- and satellite warehouses, stores, replenishment- and distribution flows were decided by semi-structured interviews with The Company. Furthermore, investigating the logistical consequences involved two supply chain business processes connected to demand and supply: the demand management- and order fulfilment process. The included activities in the demand management process were Plan Forecast, Collect Data, Forecast, Synchronization and Communication of Forecast, Measure Performance. In the order fulfilment process, activities included were Defining Requirements, Evaluation of Logistics Network, Order Fulfilment Plan, Process Order, Pick and Pack Order, and Transport and Delivery. 12 respondents from The Company were interviewed to analyse the current activities and the required activities in the four scenarios. The logistical consequences to bridge the gaps were found and investigated. In the two processes investigated, 14 logistical consequences were found, seven in the demand management process and seven in the order fulfilment process. The study’s result indicates that rapid deliveries imply the same logistical consequences regardless of geographical area and the number of local inventory points for The Company. Covering Sweden implies bigger gaps and consequences than solely covering a big city. Many of the logistical consequences address similar gaps and logistical consequences resulting in the two processes interfacing. Consequently, the logistical consequences were divided into three main categories: system, strategic, and operational. Despite the difference between the four scenarios, many of the respondents have expressed the challenging future ahead by offering 15-minute deliveries. To fulfil the logistics vision The Company must focus on the logistical consequences identified in this study. It will require major significant changes in The Company’s logistics system adding stores. However, the focus of the study lied in understanding the requirements of the demand management and order fulfilment processes within the designed scenarios. Moreover, The Company is recommended to prioritize these consequences and then actively address them.

Dagens revisionskår lider av ett stort problem som hotar dess framtid. Sedan 1990 har antalet revisorer minskat från 4400 auktoriserade till 3300. En bakomliggande orsak till minskningen är revisorsassistenters avhopp. Revisorsassistenter förväntas bli framtida revisorer men avhoppen har lett till att revisionsbranschens framtid har hamnat i fara. Tidigare studier har undersökt varför revisorsassistenter har lämnat branschen, dock finns det bristande kunskap om revisorsassistenters förhållande till revisionsbyråer. Därför är det av yttersta vikt att undersöka avhoppen ur det psykologiska kontraktets perspektiv i syfte att ta reda på huruvida uppsägningsavsikten influeras av det psykologiska kontraktet eller inte. Det psykologiska kontraktet är en teori som tar hänsyn till den mellanmänskliga relationen mellan den anställde och organisationen och baseras på den anställdes uppfattningar om ömsesidiga och implicita överenskommelser mellan denne samt organisationen. Kontraktet bygger på en subjektiv tro som den anställde har och är även en viktig aspekt att ta hänsyn till vid undersökandet av uppsägningsavsikten i relation till det psykologiska kontraktet. Syftet med studien är att ge en ökad förståelse för hur det psykologiska kontraktet influerar revisorsassisteters uppsägningsavsikt. För att genomföra studien användes en kvalitativ metod där sex semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med revisorsassistenter från sex olika revisionsbyråer. Studien visar att det psykologiska kontraktet har en inverkan på revisorsassistenters uppsägningsavsikt. När en anställd upplever att kontraktet är ömsesidigt och uppfyllt uppstår ingen känsla av att man vill lämna organisationen. Om den anställde däremot känner att kontraktet inte är ömsesidigt, kan denne vilja lämna organisationen eftersom den får en känsla av att den gör sin del i kontraktet medan organisationen förbiser sin del. Vidare framkom det även att löften som skall uppfyllas består främst av utvecklingsmöjligheter, trivsam arbetsmiljö och stöd som revisionsbyråer är förpliktade att hålla. Revisionsbyråer som inte respekterar det psykologiska kontraktet anses ha brutit mot kontraktets villkor och kan därmed leda till att de förlorar sina revisorsassistenter. / Today’s audit profession is facing a major issue that threatens the future of auditing. Since 1990, the number of auditors has decreased from 4,400 authorized to 3,300. One of the reasons behind the reduction is the audit assistants' intention to resign. These accounting assistants are expected to become the future accountants, but the turnover has led to a threatening future. Previous research has investigated the reasons behind why audit assistants are leaving the profession. However, there is not enough understanding of the relationship between accounting assistants and audit firms. Therefore, it is crucial to research how the psychological contract affects the turnover intention of the audit assistants.The psychological contract is a theory that takes into consideration the interpersonal relationship between the employee and the organization, and the theory is based on the employee´s perceptions of mutual and implicit agreements between him/her and the organization. The contract is based on a subjective belief held by the employee, and it is also an important aspect to take into consideration when examining the turnover intention in relation to the psychological contract. The purpose of this study is to provide a deeper understanding of how the psychological contract affects audit assistants’ intention to resign. In order to go through with the study, a qualitative method with six interviewees, from six different audit firms was used. The study shows that the psychological contract has an impact on accounting assistants' intention to resign. When an employee feels that the contract is mutual and fulfilled, there is no feeling of wanting to leave the organization. If, on the other hand, the employee feels that the contract is not reciprocal, he may want to leave the organization because he feels that he is doing his part of the contract while the organization is neglecting their part. In addition, it was found that the commitments to be followed consist primarily of development, a pleasant work environment, opportunities and support, and the audit firm is obliged to abide by these commitments. Accounting firms that fail to fulfil the psychological contract are deemed to be in default and therefore tend to lose their audit assistants

La thèse contribue à comprendre le rapport qui peut s’établir entre expérience spécifique de la culture et relation à la culture, dans le cas particulier de la visite muséale. C’est la notion d’ajustement qui est proposée pour rendre compte de ce rapport. Celle-ci désigne un régime d’interaction au cours duquel, l’acteur social s’engage dans un corps-à-corps avec un dispositif de communication et interprète la situation en mobilisant des représentations de cette situation et de son rôle de visiteur. Aussi la première partie montre – grâce à un détour par les théories de l’ethnométhodologie, des représentations sociales et de l’interaction médiatisée – comment le cadre méthodologique de la thèse a été construit pour appréhender la pratique du visiteur en train de se déployer. Deux terrains ont été choisis pour cette analyse : une exposition temporaire, dans les salles du musée du Louvre, qui engage une situation postulée comme une expérience de visite ; et un jeu pédagogique sur téléphone portable, mené dans les salles du musée des arts et métiers, qui ébranle, précisément, ce prérequis. La deuxième partie présente ainsi une analyse qui met en regard l’étude de la préfiguration des situations de communication par les dispositifs pour chacun des terrains, et la dynamique de leur redéfinition par les visiteurs, dans un ajustement progressif. L’exemple du texte, en tant qu’il est un opérateur de médiation aux objets et aux savoirs, permet de voir comment le visiteur s’ajuste à une double anticipation (l’activité de lecture et l’activité de visite), dans une tension entre la caractérisation de ses postures de lecture, la retextualisation des propositions et la reformulation permanente du projet général de la visite. La troisième partie consiste alors à regarder comment le visiteur caractérise la situation qu’il est en train de vivre, non plus seulement à partir de son expérience de lecture, mais à partir de sa compréhension de son activité générale de visite. On observe alors que les visiteurs vivent profondément une situation d’interaction médiatisée, c'est-à-dire qu’à la fois ils postulent une forme de dialogue avec un concepteur qui leur « parle » et en même temps ils identifient en permanence le geste expographique qui consiste à mettre en scène un espace. Cette situation est vécue dans un jeu d’attention très forte aux caractéristiques sémiotiques de l’exposition et de suspension volontaire de l’incrédulité. Pour terminer, l’analyse a permis de mettre au jour trois formes d’ajustement caractéristiques : (1) la mobilisation et construction de figures de parcours et de figures de visiteurs qui médiatisent le rapport de l’acteur à sa propre pratique et qui lui permettent de juger la situation de communication qu’il est en train de vivre. (2) La prise de rôle qui s’élabore à partir de la nécessité de trouver un cadre pertinent d’interprétation pour l’activité. (3) Et enfin, le jeu entre description de l’activité et cadre général d’interprétation qui permet au visiteur de construire un rapport plus général à la culture. / The thesis contributes to facilitate an understanding of the relation that can be established between a specific experience of culture and a relationship to culture, in the specific case of the museum visit. The notion of adjustment is proposed in order to account for this relation and points to a system of interaction during which the social agent is engaged in an embodied relationship with a dispositif (or apparatus) of communication and interprets the situation by using representations of this situation and of his role as a visitor. Thanks to a detour via the theories of ethnomethodology, of the social representations and of the mediated interactions, the first part shows how the methodological framework of the thesis has been built in order to apprehend the practice of the visitor as it is being deployed. Two case studies have been chosen for this analysis, a temporary exhibition in the galleries of the museum le Louvre, which engages a situation formulated as an experience of a visit; and a pedagogical game on mobile phone, set in the galleries of the museum arts et metiers, which disturbs this previous assumption. The second part then presents an analysis that puts into dialogue the study of the configuration of situations of communication through the dispositifs at play in each of these situations, and the dynamic of their redefinition by the visitors, through a progressive adjustment. The example of the text since it is considered to be a means of mediation with objects and with knowledge, reveals how the visitor adapts to situation that anticipate a double usage (reading and visiting), with a tension between the characterisation of his gesture and of his reading postures, the retextualisation of the propositions and the permanent reformulation of the general project of the visit. The third part consists in looking at how the visitor defines the situation that he is going through, not only from his experience of reading, but also from his general understanding of his visit. We then observe that the visitors profoundly live a situation of mediated interaction, which means that they simultaneously postulate a form of dialogue with a conceptor that “speak” to them and constantly identify the expographic gesture that consists in staging a space. This situation is experienced through a game of strong attention to the semiotic characteristics of the exhibition and through a willing suspension of disbelief. Finally, the analysis has allowed to bring to light three characteristic forms of adjustment: (1) The mobilisation and construction of figures of paths and figures of visitors which mediate the relationship between the agent and his own practice and which allow him to judge the situation of communication that he is going through. (2) The fulfilment of a role that is being elaborated from the necessity to find a relevant framework of interpretation for the activity. (3) And finally, the game between the description of the activity and the general framework of interpretation that allows the visitor to construct a broader relationship to culture.

Ce travail de recherche doctoral a pour objet d’étudier les dimensions constitutives du construit de bien-être au travail (BET) du point de vue des salariés et de proposer une échelle de mesure dudit concept propre au contexte français. A ce dessein, une analyse de la littérature relative au concept de bien-être en général et à celui de bien-être au travail est réalisée. Elle a permis en outre d’identifier les variables considérées par la littérature RH comme des antécédents et des conséquences du BET, ceci, aussi bien du point de vue des entreprises que des employés. Ce travail théorique a consisté également au recensement et à l’analyse des outils de mesure en vigueur du bien-être en général et du BET proposés par les chercheurs et par les professionnels du conseil RH. Un travail qui permet de ressortir deux principales échelles de mesure du BET en vigueur, celles de Dagenais-Desmarais (2010) et Bietry et Creusier (2013). Ce travail théorique s’est suivi par un travail empirique qui a consisté en deux principales études de terrain respectivement qualitatives et quantitatives. L’étude qualitative, qui s’inscrit dans une démarche exploratoire, a consisté en 29 entretiens individuels et 5 focus group réalisés auprès d’une même entreprise de service. Cette étude a permis d’identifier les représentations du bien-être au travail chez les salariés et qui se résument en six principales dimensions : (1) la clarté du rôle, (2) l’environnement de travail, (3) l’ambiance de travail, (4) la reconnaissance au travail, (5) la bienveillance de l’entreprise et (6) l’épanouissement au travail. La validité de contenu de la structure qui le sous-tend a, par la suite, été étudiée au moyen de la méthode de tri de cartes – plus communément connue sous le nom de card-sorting. Cette démarche exploratoire, qui a permis de proposer un modèle conceptuel qui met en exergue les six dimensions du BET présentées ci-dessus, a été suivie par une étude quantitative. Celle-ci a consisté en la proposition et le test d’une échelle de mesure métrique du BET. Les analyses, exploratoire et confirmatoire, de la structure factorielle de ladite échelle permettent de confirmer la structure à six dimensions du BET. De même, les tests de fiabilité, de validité convergente, discriminante et nomologique menées au moyen de la méthode des équations structurelles attestent des propriétés psychométriques de l’échelle de BET. Les résultats de cette échelle de mesure sont par la suite discutés, ceci, au vu des dires de la littérature sur les dimensions mobilisées et des recommandations managériales qu’elle implique. De même, les limites de cette échelle de mesure ainsi que des pistes de perfectionnement (voies de recherche) sont présentées et discutées. / This research proposes to study the dimensions that compose the wellbeing at work from the worker perspective. It aims also to propose a measure scale of wellbeing at work specific to the French context. For this purpose, an analysis of the literature related to the concepts of wellbeing in general and wellbeing at work specifically is carried out. It allowed to identify the variables considered by researchers as antecedents or consequences of wellbeing at work. Also, an analysis of the measures of wellbeing at work proposed by academics and professionals in HR consulting is realized. It put forwards two main established measure scales of wellbeing at work, those of Dagenais-Desmarais (2010) and Bietry & Creusier (2013). This theoretical work is followed by an empirical study that consisted in a qualitative and a quantitative researches. The qualitative study, which is part of an exploratory approach, consisted of 29 individual interviews and 5 focus groups conducted within the same service company. This study brings out the representations of well-being at work among employees that are summarized in six main dimensions : (1) the role clarity, (2) the working environment, (3) the working atmosphere, (4) the recognition at work, (5) the corporate benevolence and (6) the professional fulfilment. The validity of content of the resulting conceptualizations of wellbeing at work is tested using the method of card-sorting. This exploratory approach, which allowed to propose a conceptual model that highlights the six dimensions of BET presented above, is followed by a quantitative study. This study consisted in the proposal and the testing of a measure scale of wellbeing at work. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the structure of the measure scale is done. Their results confirm the reliability of the considered six-dimensions of wellbeing at work. Also, the analysis of the reliability and the different aspects of validity - convergent, discriminant and nomological - of the scale using the method of structural equations modeling asserts the satisfying psychometric properties of the proposed scale of wellbeing at work. The results of the test of the scale are then discussed in regard to the literature background related to the considered dimensions. Their managerial implications are also presented, their limits as well as the opportunities of improvement presented and discussed.

Vi har under året fått larmrapporter om att Sveriges matematikundervisning är undermålig. Enligt Skolverkets statistik får vi också detta bekräftat. Undersökningen avser att ta reda på hur lärare uttrycker sig kring undervisning, elevens självbild och kunskapsbedömning när det gäller att minimera antalet elever som lämnar grundskolan utan betyg i matematik. I denna kvalitativa studie har vi valt att intervjua sex matematiklärare i grundskolans senare år. Med dessa intervjuer vill vi synliggöra tänkbara orsaker till att svenska elever tappar mark när det gäller matematikkunskaper. Vi har valt att fokusera på hur undervisning och kunskapsbedömning ser ut på skolor med högt respektive lågt antal elever som ej uppnått målen för matematik i grundskolan. Vi har dessutom valt att lägga fokus på hur elevens självbild påverkar förmågan att tillägna sig matematikkunskaper. I vårt resultat visar det sig att våra sex respondenter inte skiljer sig anmärkningsvärt i hur de undervisar och kunskapsbedömer sina elever utifrån högt eller lågt antal elever som ej uppnått målen för grundskolan i matematik. Vad vi däremot kan se är att matematiklärarna är kritiska till hur undervisningen fungerar i de tidigare åldrarna. Respondenterna ger också en tydlig bild av att vår samhällsstruktur har förändrats vilket ger dem elever med skiftande social och kulturell bakgrund. Vi har behandlat dessa iakttagelser i vår diskussionsdel där vi med stöd från olika litteratur och styrdokument ger tänkbara orsaker om hur vi kan åtgärda resultatet utifrån frågor som var ansvaret ligger men också påvisa olika faktorers samspel i den komplexa verklighet vår skola befinner sig. / We have during the year received alarming reports concerning the inferior state of the Swedish mathematics teaching. According to the statistics from the Department of Education we also get this confirmed. The survey intends to find out how teachers express themselves about teaching, the pupil's self-image, and judging of knowledge when it comes to minimizing the number of pupil's who leave elementary school without any grades in mathematics. In this qualitative study we have chosen to interview six teachers of mathematics from the later years of the elementary school. With these interviews we would like to make visible possible causes why Swedish pupils are falling behind when it comes to knowledge in mathematics. We have chosen to focus on how teaching and judging of knowledge look like at schools with a high respectively low number of pupils who haven't reached the goals set up for mathematics in elementary school. We have also chosen to focus on how the self-image of the pupil affects the ability to acquire knowledge in mathematics. Our results show that our six respondents do not in a considerable way differ in the way they teach and judge the knowledge from a point of view where a high or low number of pupils that have not reached the goals set for the elementary school is concerned. What we can see on the other hand is that the teachers of mathematics are critical about the way the teaching works in the earlier years. The respondents also provide a clear picture that the structure of our society has changed which gives them pupils of shifting social and cultural background. We have treated these observations in our discussion section where we with support from different literature and steering documents present thinkable causes about how we can take measures from questions concerning where the responsibility lies but also show the interplay between different factors in the complex reality where our school is.