Background Today, collaboration between actors in a supply chain is often a necessity if a business wants to remain competitive. Moreover, efficient sharing of information is vital for success in this collaboration. One way of sharing demand and inventory information between the customer and supplier in a supply chain is by utilizing vendor managed inventory, VMI. The recent focus on VMI has produced a great number of articles on this subject, however, few of them give the whole picture of the VMI relationship. The VMI literature tends to have its focal point on the large customers in a supply chain, failing to cover the effects of VMI for the small and medium-sized (SME) supplier. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to study VMI and its effects on the small and medium-sized supplier. The thesis will look at VMI from an electronic information sharing perspective. Realisation The study has a qualitative approach and is based on qualitative interviews conducted with representatives from three SME suppliers and one of their largest customers. In addition, interviews were conducted with VMI experts. Results The study shows that the prime motive for SME suppliers to enter into a VMI partnership is the demands of the customer. The fact that the SME supplier gains competitive advantage and gets access to information when joining a VMI collaboration are further reasons. For a successful implementation, the SME supplier must know his prerequisites, understand the goal and vision of the collaboration, participate in the design phase of the collaboration, and use the VMI information efficiently. In the long run, VMI normally leads to reductions in inventory, production, transportation and administrative costs for the SME supplier. Any absence of benefits can be due to the logistical knowledge being isolated to a few individuals. The VMI collaboration must bee seen as a strategic matter and a long term investment.

Bakgrund: Under slutet av 1900-talet uppstod ett intresse bland svenska företag att redovisa miljöinformation. I dag finns endast lagstadgade krav på att företag som bedriver tillstånds- eller anmälningspliktig verksamhet enligt miljöbalken skall ange detta samt ett antal andra relaterade uppgifter i årsredovisningens förvaltningsberättelse. Miljöredovisning är annars inte reglerat enligt svensk lag och det finns inte inom området någon enhetlig praxis. Hur redovisar de börsnoterad företagen miljöinformation? Följer de lagens krav? Använder sig företagen av de riktlinjer och standarder som finns, vid utformningen av sin miljöinformation? Syfte: är att undersöka hur svenska börsföretag 2004 har redovisat miljöinformation i sina årsrapporter, samt eventuella separata miljö- eller hållbarhetsredovisningar. Genomförande: Kvantitativ undersökning (dokumentundersökning) av 270 svenska börsföretags årsredovisningar Resultat: De lagstadgade kraven som ställs på redovisning av miljöinformation följs illa, 69 procent bryter på något sätt mot kraven. Inte i något fall har detta kommenterats av revisorn i revisionsberättelsen. På grund av bristen av enhetliga riktlinjer redovisas miljöinformation på varierande sätt i företagen, vilket försvårar jämförbarheten företagen emellan. Den miljöinformation som redovisas håller generellt, med några undantag, hög kvalitet och är relevant i sin karaktär. / Background: During the late 20th century an interest for environmental accounting arose among the Swedish companies. Today there only exist legislated demands for companies that run businesses that require a permit, or require a report, according to the Swedish environmental Act. There is no other legislation or regulation in the field of environmental accounting. How do the listed companies in Sweden design their environmental accounting? Do they follow the law? To what extent do they use the guidelines and standards available when they put their environmental information together? Aim: The aim of this thesis is to investigate how Swedish companies declares environmental information in their annual reports, and if any, in their environmental or sustainability reports. Completion: A quantitative survey of annual reports from 270 Swedish listed companies. Results: The legislated demands are scarcely followed, 69 per cent of the companies have broken against at least one of the demands. Due to the lack of uniformed guidelines, there is a remarkable difference in the information provided and therefore the comparability decreases. The environmental information provided is, in most cases, of high quality and is relevant as well.

<p>Background:</p><p>Companies of today commonly search to gain competitive advantages throughout different forms of co-operation, one of which is referred to as Supply Chain Management. Although little research has been assigned to the topic of how to manage and control this type of relation, lately a growing number of academics has been arguing that ABC is an appropriate mean of controlling this type of relationships.</p><p>Purpose:</p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to investigate to what degree the ongoing debate on the use of ABC as a mean of control within SCM correspond to the present theories related to ABC and SCM respectively.</p><p>Research method:</p><p>The thesis takes it’s starting point within the literature, meaning that the empirical information consists of published articles in the ongoing debate. This information is put in relation to the original theories concerning both topics.</p><p>Conclusions:</p><p>The results shown in the thesis in some content agrees with the ongoing debate referring to the positive aspects that could result from using ABC as a mean of control within SCM. However the main result of the study is the discovery of a lack of discussion concerning the problems that implementing ABC within SCM might implicate, a fact that we believe contributes to the mainly positive view on using ABC within Supply Chain Management.</p> / <p>Bakgrund</p><p>Företag av idag ingår i allt större utsträckning i någon form av samarbete för att på så vis skapa sig konkurrensfördelar på marknaden, en av dessa samarbetsformer går under beteckningen Supply Chain Management. Hur styrningen i denna typ av relation bör se ut är ett relativt outforskat ämne, dock finns det i dagens forskningsdebatt flera forskare som förespråkar ABC-kalkylering som ett lämpligt styrinstrument för denna typ av relationer.</p><p>Syfte</p><p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur väl den pågående forskningsdebatten gällande användandet av ABC som styrverktyg inom SCM överensstämmer med befintlig teoribildning inom de respektive forskningsområdena.</p><p>Genomförande</p><p>Studien tar sin utgångspunkt i litteraturen, med detta avses att den empiri som studeras består av publicerade artiklar i den aktuella debatten. Informationen ställs sedan i relation till den existerande teoribildningen inom ABC respektive SCM.</p><p>Slutsats</p><p>De resultat som framkommer ur studien visar på att den aktuella debatten i vissa avseenden har rätt i de positiva effekter ett ABC-system skulle kunna generera inom SCM. Men vad studien huvudsakligen kommer fram till är att det i forskningsdebatten saknas en ordentlig problematisering av ämnet, vilket enligt oss också förklarar den övervägande positiva syn som föreligger till användandet av ABC inom SCM.</p>

<p>Background: It has been shown that EDI can yield positive effects within companies. Which effects are possible for a company to direct assign to the introduction of EDI and is it possible to estimate the total effect.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this study is to estimate and analyze the effects of using EDI in electronic business. We also want to contribute with a model for measure and estimate the effects of EDI.</p><p>Accomplishment: We have studied literature concering EDI and realized a preliminary studie in form of interviews with experts to establish deeper knowledge of EDI. We have also tried to estimate the effects obtained in companies in three different businesses, power, government and transport industry.</p><p>Result: To obtain as good effects as possible it is important that the co- oporation is built on trust and engagement. Before implementing the EDI-system a thorough overhaul of the processes in the company should be done, involving both the top managers and the staff. Internet can be used to achieve minimal cost and it is important to limit the information sent by EDI to only send the information demanded. Finally companies also should mediate the advantages of EDI inside the organisation to make the co-operators realize the good effects obtained by EDI.</p>

Background: It has been shown that EDI can yield positive effects within companies. Which effects are possible for a company to direct assign to the introduction of EDI and is it possible to estimate the total effect. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to estimate and analyze the effects of using EDI in electronic business. We also want to contribute with a model for measure and estimate the effects of EDI. Accomplishment: We have studied literature concering EDI and realized a preliminary studie in form of interviews with experts to establish deeper knowledge of EDI. We have also tried to estimate the effects obtained in companies in three different businesses, power, government and transport industry. Result: To obtain as good effects as possible it is important that the co- oporation is built on trust and engagement. Before implementing the EDI-system a thorough overhaul of the processes in the company should be done, involving both the top managers and the staff. Internet can be used to achieve minimal cost and it is important to limit the information sent by EDI to only send the information demanded. Finally companies also should mediate the advantages of EDI inside the organisation to make the co-operators realize the good effects obtained by EDI.

Background: From the beginning of the 60´s until the beginning of the 80´s the swedish local government has expand enourmously. The expansion didn´t lead to any discussions about how the local government should be controlled or organized. The local government should instead be organized and controlled as administrations. Lately it has became more usual to have these discussions about how local government should be controlled and organized. Nowadys it´s not unusual that local governments imitate private companies. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to analyze how local governments have had the possibility to use Balanced Scorecard. Limitations: We have only analyzed how local governments have had the opportunity to use Kaplan&amp;Nortons original model about Balanced Scorecard. Method: We have performed a case study, where we have carried out eight interviews with a total of ten respondents from four local governments and Svenska Kommunförbundet. We have also used internal documents, Internet and already written literature concerning Balanced Scorecard. We have also used local governments respective private companies characteristics. Results: Local governments characteristics result in that the original model about Balanced Scorecard, can´t be used in local governments as it is performed by Kaplan&amp;Norton. It´s still possible to use the basic idea of the model, but it has to be adapted to local governments conditions.

Bakgrund: Svenska banker och försäkringsbolag spenderar stora summor och resurser på sina IT-system, vilka oftast sköts internt. IT-kostnaderna utgör för banker den näst största kostnadsposten i resultaträkningen och därmed utgör över 20 procent av den totala kostnadsmassan. Marginalerna inom bank och försäkringsbolag minskar i Sverige samtidigt som ITs komplexitet ökar med krav på integrering medgamla bank- och försäkringssystem. IT-outsourcing och joint venture med ett IT-företag är vanliga organiserings former och inget nytt fenomen i Finland inom bank och försäkringsbolag. IT-outsourcing har både för- och nackdelar. Syfte: Att beskriva och analysera begreppet outsourcing kopplat till hur aktörerna på den finansiella marknaden i Sverige hanterar och bör hantera sin IT-verksamhet. Metod: Vi har använt oss av en tvärsnittstudie och intervjuat de högsta ansvariga för IT inom bank och försäkring i Sverige och Finland. Vi har även intervjuat divisionschefer och IT-leverantörer på den nordiska marknaden. Resultat: IT är inte för banker och försäkringsbolag någon kärnkompetens och utgör heller ingen hög specifik tillgång och är därför lämplig för en viss sorts outsourcing. De flesta svenska banker har uppnått skalfördelar inom IT- drift, men försäkringsbolagen är inte lika kostnadseffektiva och har inte uppnått skalfördelar i samma utsträckning som bankerna. IT-driften är en standard tjänst som är lättare att specificera i kontrakt och därmed är en god kandidat för outsourcing. IT-förvaltning och utveckling ligger närmare bankernas och försäkringsbolagens kärnkompetens och bör inte outsourcas. Däremot utgör vissa delar inom IT-utveckling och förvaltning inget unikt värde och är i princip en standard för alla aktörer och kan därmed outsourcas. Detta förutsätter att företaget bygger en professionell inköpsorganisation som kan hantera problemet. Genom att IT-utvecklingen blir mer komplex är ett joint venture förhållande med ett IT-företag en bra lösning. Den finska IT- outsourcing marknaden skiljer sig från den svenska på grund av att svenska banker och försäkringsbolag är större än de finska motsvarigheterna och de svenska aktörerna tappade förtroendet för IT-outsourcing på grund av dåliga avtal under början av 90-talet. / Background: Swedish banks and insurance companies have spent considerable amounts of money and resourceson their IT-systems. IT-costs constitute the second largest cost after personal costs for banks, which mean over 20 percent of the total costs. The margins in banking and insurance industry are diminishing in Sweden, and at the same time they are facing more complex applications that have to be integrated into 30 years old IT-systems. IT- outsourcing and joint ventures are common in Finland, whereas Swedish banks and insurance companies have the IT-function in- house. IT-outsourcing is not a new phenomenon, and it has both advantages and disadvantages. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate if IT-outsourcing is suitable for banks and insurance companies with a focus on the Swedish and Finnish market. Furthermore, analyses on which part of the IT-function is core and strategically important for banks and insurance companies, and which part of the IT-function is a standard procedure that does not create value. Method: The paper has been carried out as a survey and interviews with the IT- responsible and divisional heads from the biggest Swedish and Finnish banks and insurance companies. Results: IT-production is not a core competence nor high asset specificity for banks and insurance companies. Swedish banks have reached economic of scale in their IT-production, but insurance companies do not possess the high cost effectiveness that banks have in their IT-production. IT-production is a standard service and easy to specify in contracts, which have an effect on outsourcing decisions. Application management and development is near the core business and should not be outsourced. However, some parts in development are standard and could be outsourced if the company can build a good and competitive purchase organisation. Application development is such a complex matter and that is why joint venture with an IT-supplier will be preferred in the future. The Finnish IT-outsourcing market differs from the Swedish, because the Swedish companies have bigger IT-organisations, furthermore the Swedish IT- outsourcing market was destroyed in the beginning in the 90s. The bad experience in Sweden has led to loss of faith in IT-suppliers on the market, this has a large influence on outsourcing decisions.

<p>Background: From the beginning of the 60´s until the beginning of the 80´s the swedish local government has expand enourmously. The expansion didn´t lead to any discussions about how the local government should be controlled or organized. The local government should instead be organized and controlled as administrations. Lately it has became more usual to have these discussions about how local government should be controlled and organized. Nowadys it´s not unusual that local governments imitate private companies. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to analyze how local governments have had the possibility to use Balanced Scorecard. </p><p>Limitations: We have only analyzed how local governments have had the opportunity to use Kaplan&Nortons original model about Balanced Scorecard. </p><p>Method: We have performed a case study, where we have carried out eight interviews with a total of ten respondents from four local governments and Svenska Kommunförbundet. We have also used internal documents, Internet and already written literature concerning Balanced Scorecard. We have also used local governments respective private companies characteristics. </p><p>Results: Local governments characteristics result in that the original model about Balanced Scorecard, can´t be used in local governments as it is performed by Kaplan&Norton. It´s still possible to use the basic idea of the model, but it has to be adapted to local governments conditions.</p>

<p>Bakgrund: Svenska banker och försäkringsbolag spenderar stora summor och resurser på sina IT-system, vilka oftast sköts internt. IT-kostnaderna utgör för banker den näst största kostnadsposten i resultaträkningen och därmed utgör över 20 procent av den totala kostnadsmassan. Marginalerna inom bank och försäkringsbolag minskar i Sverige samtidigt som ITs komplexitet ökar med krav på integrering medgamla bank- och försäkringssystem. IT-outsourcing och joint venture med ett IT-företag är vanliga organiserings former och inget nytt fenomen i Finland inom bank och försäkringsbolag. IT-outsourcing har både för- och nackdelar. </p><p>Syfte: Att beskriva och analysera begreppet outsourcing kopplat till hur aktörerna på den finansiella marknaden i Sverige hanterar och bör hantera sin IT-verksamhet. </p><p>Metod: Vi har använt oss av en tvärsnittstudie och intervjuat de högsta ansvariga för IT inom bank och försäkring i Sverige och Finland. Vi har även intervjuat divisionschefer och IT-leverantörer på den nordiska marknaden. </p><p>Resultat: IT är inte för banker och försäkringsbolag någon kärnkompetens och utgör heller ingen hög specifik tillgång och är därför lämplig för en viss sorts outsourcing. De flesta svenska banker har uppnått skalfördelar inom IT- drift, men försäkringsbolagen är inte lika kostnadseffektiva och har inte uppnått skalfördelar i samma utsträckning som bankerna. IT-driften är en standard tjänst som är lättare att specificera i kontrakt och därmed är en god kandidat för outsourcing. IT-förvaltning och utveckling ligger närmare bankernas och försäkringsbolagens kärnkompetens och bör inte outsourcas. Däremot utgör vissa delar inom IT-utveckling och förvaltning inget unikt värde och är i princip en standard för alla aktörer och kan därmed outsourcas. Detta förutsätter att företaget bygger en professionell inköpsorganisation som kan hantera problemet. Genom att IT-utvecklingen blir mer komplex är ett joint venture förhållande med ett IT-företag en bra lösning. Den finska IT- outsourcing marknaden skiljer sig från den svenska på grund av att svenska banker och försäkringsbolag är större än de finska motsvarigheterna och de svenska aktörerna tappade förtroendet för IT-outsourcing på grund av dåliga avtal under början av 90-talet.</p> / <p>Background: Swedish banks and insurance companies have spent considerable amounts of money and resourceson their IT-systems. IT-costs constitute the second largest cost after personal costs for banks, which mean over 20 percent of the total costs. The margins in banking and insurance industry are diminishing in Sweden, and at the same time they are facing more complex applications that have to be integrated into 30 years old IT-systems. IT- outsourcing and joint ventures are common in Finland, whereas Swedish banks and insurance companies have the IT-function in- house. IT-outsourcing is not a new phenomenon, and it has both advantages and disadvantages. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate if IT-outsourcing is suitable for banks and insurance companies with a focus on the Swedish and Finnish market. Furthermore, analyses on which part of the IT-function is core and strategically important for banks and insurance companies, and which part of the IT-function is a standard procedure that does not create value. </p><p>Method: The paper has been carried out as a survey and interviews with the IT- responsible and divisional heads from the biggest Swedish and Finnish banks and insurance companies. </p><p>Results: IT-production is not a core competence nor high asset specificity for banks and insurance companies. Swedish banks have reached economic of scale in their IT-production, but insurance companies do not possess the high cost effectiveness that banks have in their IT-production. IT-production is a standard service and easy to specify in contracts, which have an effect on outsourcing decisions. Application management and development is near the core business and should not be outsourced. However, some parts in development are standard and could be outsourced if the company can build a good and competitive purchase organisation. Application development is such a complex matter and that is why joint venture with an IT-supplier will be preferred in the future. The Finnish IT-outsourcing market differs from the Swedish, because the Swedish companies have bigger IT-organisations, furthermore the Swedish IT- outsourcing market was destroyed in the beginning in the 90s. The bad experience in Sweden has led to loss of faith in IT-suppliers on the market, this has a large influence on outsourcing decisions.</p>

Background: Companies of today commonly search to gain competitive advantages throughout different forms of co-operation, one of which is referred to as Supply Chain Management. Although little research has been assigned to the topic of how to manage and control this type of relation, lately a growing number of academics has been arguing that ABC is an appropriate mean of controlling this type of relationships. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate to what degree the ongoing debate on the use of ABC as a mean of control within SCM correspond to the present theories related to ABC and SCM respectively. Research method: The thesis takes it’s starting point within the literature, meaning that the empirical information consists of published articles in the ongoing debate. This information is put in relation to the original theories concerning both topics. Conclusions: The results shown in the thesis in some content agrees with the ongoing debate referring to the positive aspects that could result from using ABC as a mean of control within SCM. However the main result of the study is the discovery of a lack of discussion concerning the problems that implementing ABC within SCM might implicate, a fact that we believe contributes to the mainly positive view on using ABC within Supply Chain Management. / Bakgrund Företag av idag ingår i allt större utsträckning i någon form av samarbete för att på så vis skapa sig konkurrensfördelar på marknaden, en av dessa samarbetsformer går under beteckningen Supply Chain Management. Hur styrningen i denna typ av relation bör se ut är ett relativt outforskat ämne, dock finns det i dagens forskningsdebatt flera forskare som förespråkar ABC-kalkylering som ett lämpligt styrinstrument för denna typ av relationer. Syfte Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur väl den pågående forskningsdebatten gällande användandet av ABC som styrverktyg inom SCM överensstämmer med befintlig teoribildning inom de respektive forskningsområdena. Genomförande Studien tar sin utgångspunkt i litteraturen, med detta avses att den empiri som studeras består av publicerade artiklar i den aktuella debatten. Informationen ställs sedan i relation till den existerande teoribildningen inom ABC respektive SCM. Slutsats De resultat som framkommer ur studien visar på att den aktuella debatten i vissa avseenden har rätt i de positiva effekter ett ABC-system skulle kunna generera inom SCM. Men vad studien huvudsakligen kommer fram till är att det i forskningsdebatten saknas en ordentlig problematisering av ämnet, vilket enligt oss också förklarar den övervägande positiva syn som föreligger till användandet av ABC inom SCM.