Recommender systems are programs that aim to present items like songs or books that are likely to be interesting for a user. These systems have become increasingly popular and are intensively studied by research groups all over the world. In web systems, like e-shops or community servers there are usually multiple data sources we can use for recommending, as user and item attributes, user-item rating or implicit feedback from user behaviour. In the thesis, we present a concept of a Universal Recommender System (Unresyst) that can use these data sources and is domain-independent at the same time. We propose how Unresyst can be used. From the contemporary methods of recommending, we choose a knowledge based algorithm combined with collaborative filtering as the most appropriate algorithm for Unresyst. We analyze data sources in various systems and generalize them to be domain-independent. We design the architecture of Unresyst, describe its interfaces and methods for processing the data sources. We adapt Unresyst to three real-world data sets, evaluate the recommendation accuracy results and compare them to a contemporary collaborative filtering recommender. The comparison shows that combining multiple data sources can improve the accuracy of collaborative filtering algorithms and can be used in systems where...

Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan intellektuellt kapital och finansiell prestation. Ett delsyfte är att undersöka om det finns någon skillnad i andelen intellektuellt kapital hos företag i kunskapsbaserade branscher jämfört med företag i icke kunskapsbaserade branscher. Metod: Detta är en kvantitativ studie på företag som är börsnoterade på Nasdaq OMX Stockholm. Studien genomförs på totalt 307 företag, efter bortfall. Datan samlas in från företagens årsredovisningar från 2017 med hjälp av Thomson Reuters Datastream. I studien utförs en korrelationsanalys, multipel regressionsanalys och ett oberoende t-test. Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat visar att det finns ett svagt positivt samband mellan intellektuellt kapital och finansiell prestation som är icke signifikant och därför kan bero på slumpen. Resultatet visar också att företag i icke kunskapsbaserade branscher besitter en större andel intellektuellt kapital än företag i kunskapsbaserade branscher. Uppsatsens bidrag: Studiens bidrag är att det finns ett svagt positivt samband mellan intellektuellt kapital och finansiell prestation som dock inte är signifikant. Vidare är bidraget att företag i icke kunskapsbaserade branscher besitter mer intellektuellt kapital än företag i kunskapsbaserade branscher. Förslag till vidare forskning: Vårt förslag till vidare forskning är att använda en annan indelning av kunskapsbaserade och icke kunskapsbaserade branscher. Med tanke på svårigheterna att mäta intellektuellt kapital kan också ett annat mått på intellektuellt kapital användas i vidare forskning. / Aim: The aim of the study is to investigate whether there is a relation between intellectual capital and corporate performance or not. Another aim of the study is to investigate if there is any difference in the portion of intellectual capital between companies belonging to knowledge based industries and companies belonging to non knowledge based industries. Method: This is a quantitative study on companies listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm. Data from 307 companies were used in this study, and the data were collected from the companies annual reports from 2017 using Thomson Reuters Datastream. This study applies a correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis and an independent t-test. Result and conclusion: The study shows a weak positive relationship between intellectual capital and corporate performance which is not significant which means it could depend on coincidences. The result also shows that companies in non knowledge based industries possess more intellectual capital than companies in knowledge based industries. Suggestions for further research: Our suggestion for further research is to use a different classification of knowledge based and non knowledge based industries. Due to the difficulties of measuring intellectual capital a different measure of intellectual capital can be used in further research. Contribution of the thesis: The contribution of the study is that there is a weak positive relation between intellectual capital and corporate performance which is not significant. Furthermore, companies in non knowledge based industries possess more intellectual capital than companies in knowledge based industries.

The major difference between venture capital-firms and other financiers is that their business idea is not only providing capital but also knowledge in business development. The ownership structure of an venture capital-firm can be private as well as public. The Swedish government is today one of the major actors in the Swedish venture capital-industry. The purpose of this study is to shed light on how venture capital-firms involve itself in its portfolio firm and if this contributes to an increased value of the portfolio firm. We also try to shed light on differences in how a public and a private venture capital-firm gets involved in its portfolio firm and if there is any difference in how they can contribute to added value. We have chosen to interview two public and two private venture capital-firms and one of their portfolio firms. To answer the essay’s purpose we used qualitative case studies with semi-structured interviews. The theoretical framework consists of principal-agent theory, knowledge-based view of the firm and social capital and previous studies of venture capital-firms involvement and value-added in their portfolio firms. This essay is limited only to venture capital-firms and portfolio firms located in Stockholm. It is the perceptions of the Venture capital-firm and the portfolio firm we are interested in, regarding the venture capital-firms involvement and value-added. Our study shows that venture capital-firm’s level of involvement in their portfolio firms varies depending on the development stage in the portfolio firm. The portfolio firm’s network increases with the venture capital firm’s entry and it also provides knowledge in business development. The study did not find any difference in the way which the public or private venture capital-firm involve itself in its portfolio firm. Nor is there any difference in how they contribute to value-added in their portfolio firm. / Skillnaden mellan venture capital-företagen och andra finansiärer är att de har som affärsidé att förutom tillförandet av kapital även tillföra kunskaper i affärsutveckling till de företag de investerar i. Venture capital-företag investerar i onoterade företag som befinner sig i ett tidigt utvecklingsskede med tillväxtpotential. Venture capital-företagens ägarstruktur kan vara såväl privat som statlig. I dagsläget är den svenska staten en stor aktör på den svenska venture capital-marknaden. Syftet med uppsatsen är att belysa hur venture capital-företag involverar sig samt hur det kan bidra till ett ökat värde i sitt portföljföretag. Vi försöker även belysa om det finns skillnad i hur ett statligt och ett privat venture capital-företag involverar sig i sitt portföljföretag samt om det finns en skillnad i hur de kan bidra till ett ökat värde i sitt portföljföretag. Undersökningsobjekten för vår studie är två privata och två statliga VC-företag och ett av deras respektive portföljföretag. Vi har använt oss av kvalitativa fallstudier med semistrukturerade intervjuer för att kunna besvara våra frågeställningar. Den teoretiska referensramen består av principal-agent teorin, ”knowledge-based view of the firm” och socialt kapital, samt tidigare studier om venture capital-företagens involvering och värdetillförsel. Vi har avgränsat oss till venture capital-företag och dess respektive portföljföretag belägna i Stockholm. Uppsatsen har sin utgångpunkt i venture capital-företagets och portföljföretagets uppfattningar avseende involvering och värdetillförsel. Vår studie visar att venture capital-företagens involveringsgrad i sina portföljföretag varierar beroende av portföljföretagets utvecklingsfas. Portföljföretagets nätverk ökar i samband med venture capital-företagets inträde och de tillför även deras kunskap i affärsutveckling. Studien visar också att det inte finns en skillnad i hur det statliga och det privata venture capital-företaget involverar sig i sitt portföljföretag. Det finns inte heller någon skillnad i hur de bidrar till ett ökat värde i sitt portföljföretag.

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In diesem Beitrag wird am Beispiel von Flanschverbindungen dargestellt, wie Simulations- und Berechnungsmodelle wissensbasiert aufgebaut und verknüpft werden können. Dies führt zu einer teilautomatisierten Auslegung. In einem weiteren Schritt wird eine Methode zur Optimierung der Flanschverbindung vorgestellt. Hierbei wurden Parameter identifiziert, die zur Optimierung geeignet sind. Die prototypische Implementierung der beiden Methoden erfolgte im CAD-System Siemens NX10 (Siemens PLM Software).

Strategies in games have since long been of interestto humans, mainly to beat our friends in games such as Chessor Monopoly, but also to model real world scenarios. Thesestrategies are often difficult to find, even more so if the playerslack important information about the current state of the game.Pursuit-Evasion games are a type of games that can be usedto model police chasing criminals, autonomous car collisionavoidance systems and many other scenarios. It is therefore ofinterest to find effective strategies in these scenarios.This bachelor thesis project examined Pursuit-Evasion gamesof imperfect information on grids where a number of pursuerswork together to capture a number of evaders whose locationsare unknown. A set of knowledge-based strategies, one of theminspired by the Knowledge Based Subset Construction, wereexplored and analyzed. The strategies were compared againsteach other and against both an optimal strategy where thepursuers always were aware of the evaders whereabouts anda reference strategy where the pursuers moved randomly.The constructed strategies proved to be efficient in comparisonto the reference and in cases even close to the optimal strategyin efficiency. / Strategier i spel har sedan länge varit avintresse för oss människor, framförallt för att vinna mot vårakompisar i spel som Schack eller Monopol, men också för attmodellera verkliga scenarion. Dessa strategier är ofta svåra attlista ut, och ännu svårare då spelarna saknar viktig informationom spelets nuvarande läge. Pursuit-Evasion är en klass av spelsom kan användas för att modellera polisjakter eller kollisionsundvikandesystem i autonoma bilar för att nämna några. Detligger därför i vårt intresse att finna effektiva strategier i dessascenarion.Detta kandidatsexamensarbete studerade Pursuit-Evasion spelav imperfekt information på rutnät där ett antal så kallade pursuerssamarbetade för att fånga ett antal så kallade evaders varspostioner var okända. En kunskaps-representation utformadesoch en mängd kunskaps-baserade strategier, en inspirerad avmetoden Knowledge Based Subset Construction, utforskades ochtestades. De olika strategierna jämfördes mot varandra och motbåde en optimal strategi då pursuers hade all kunskap om varalla evaders befann sig och en referensstrategi då pursuers rördesig slumpmässigt.De utformade strategierna visade sig vara effektiva i jämförelsemed referensen och i vissa fall till och med nära den optimalastrategin i effektivitet. / Kandidatexjobb i elektroteknik 2021, KTH, Stockholm

The Swedish fashion industry is one of the fastest growing export industries and in recent years the Swedish fashion companies have been praised for their international expansion. For companies with niche products in smaller markets like Sweden internationalization is important but since the industry is constantly changing the internationalization process is quite challenging. Previous studies show that internationalization can be profitable for fashion companies but there is no unified view among researchers as to which way is the right way for the companies to internationalize. Most studies come to the general conclusion that companies seem to follow different paths. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the knowledge development of internationalization for small and medium-sized Swedish fashion companies based on established theories of internationalization. A qualitative study has been conducted based on a multiple case study design with 12 participating Swedish fashion companies. The study has a deductive approach since it has its starting point is from a well-established theoretical model: The Business Network Internationalization Process Model which has also worked as a foundation for the study’s analytical model. The analysis is however partly inductive since findings in the result have been fed back into a modified theoretical model, suitable and applicable for Swedish fashion companies’ internationalization processes. In conclusion the findings indicate that there are several important knowledge-bases for the fashion companies that motivate them to start an internationalization process, mainly their design-driven vision of becoming an international brand and the management’s risk-taking business mindset, founded in their entrepreneurial skills and previous knowledge. The result also shows that relationships with different industry actors are of high importance for the companies and in many cases the only way to internationalize. In addition the results show not only that the established theoretical model on internationalization is applicable to Swedish fashion companies but that there also are tendencies that show that the Swedish companies follow a more chronological path in their processes.

Geographical regions as diverse as Silicon Valley, California and Linköping, Sweden have been the sources of new technology and endogenously created innovations. Scholars and policymakers recognise that specific regions or clusters of businesses have the capability to engage in more innovative activities and new business formation and to experience higher employment growth than others. This dissertation uses qualitative methods to study various aspects of regional development and innovation. It is based on five papers by the author and colleagues with levels of analysis ranging from regional to firms’ first sales in order to capture the dynamics of both the top and bottom levels of regional development. It then uses these papers’ empirical material to address the research questions of (a) how a new scientific knowledge base becomes established and exploited in a spatial context, and (b) how people create and diffuse innovations in a social and spatial context. This dissertation’s main findings are that (a) regional leadership involving the building of alliances with triple-helix actors is crucial for initiating a knowledge-based regional development process, (b) a consensus space is a catalytic mechanism for ensuring the speed and effectiveness of regional development, (c) lowering the barriers for the actors involved boosts participation and the rate of innovation, and (d) users’ perspectives are essential for social, institutional and commercial innovation. This dissertation’s main implications are that knowledge-based regional development’s initial stages require leadership that (a) builds alliances and establish an arena for the triple-helix actors, (b) analyses the regional barriers to the commercialisation of knowledge, and (c) utilises both endogenous and exogenous resources. / Kännetecknande för regioner som Silicon Valley, och även Linköping, medstark närvaro av kunskapsproducerande aktörer, som ett universitet, är att det frekventoch kontinuerligt genereras nya teknologier som utgör grunden för innovationer ochaffärsmöjligheter. Under de senaste tjugo åren har det från policysynpunkt funnits ettstort intresse hur vida man kan stimulera kunskapsbaserad regional utveckling i formav exempelvis nya universitetssatsningar, riskkapitalinitiativ ochentreprenörskapsprogram. I den här avhandlingen studeras dynamiken i kunskapsbaserad regionalutveckling och innovation. Av särskilt intresse är framväxten av en ny kunskapsbas ien region och dess möjlighet att generera innovationer. Där av avhandlingens tvåfrågeställningar: (a) Hur etableras en ny kunskapsbas sett ur en regional kontext? (b)Hur skapas och sprids innovationer inom en social och spatial kontext? Avhandlingen har en kvalitativ ansats med fallstudier som metod. Fem bidragutgör basen för själva avhandlingen. I huvudsak genereras följande slutsatser vilka ärcentrala för att förstå själva problematiken i kunskapsbaserad regional utveckling: (a)Närvaro av regionalt ledarskap med en triple helix orientering är centralt förkunskapsbaserad regional utveckling. (b) En arena för samförstånd bidrar till snabbareoch mer effektiv utveckling. (c) Det finns barriärer i kommersialiseringsprocessen avden nya kunskapen, exempelvis svårigheter för aktörer med ett problem och aktörermed lösningar att finna varandra, som hindrar utvecklingen. (d) Användarperspektivetfinns i alla typer av innovationer; kommersiella, institutionella, och sociala. De främsta implikationer för praktiker baserat på den här avhandlingen är attför att etablera en kunskapsbaserad regional utvecklingsprocess krävs ett ledarskapsom (a) kan bygga allianser med andra triple helix aktörer och skapa en arena församstånd, (b) kan förstå vilka barriärer för kommersialisering som finns och (c) kananvända sig av både endogena och exogena resurser.

This thesis work is mainly focused on the processes involved in manufacturing of aircraft engine components. The processes are especially about welding and welding methods. The basics of welding and the thesis support has been taken from the GKN Aerospace Sweden AB, a global aerospace product supplier.  The basic objective of this thesis work is to improve the usability of an automation system which is developed for evaluating the weldability of a part. A long run maintainability aspect of this automation system has been considered. The thesis work addresses the problems arising during the usage of a computerised automated system such as process transparency, recognisability, details traceability and other maintenance aspects such as maintainability and upgradability of the system in the course of time. The action research methodology has been used to address these problems.  Different approaches have been tried to finding the solution to those problems. A rule based manufacturability analysis system has been attempted to analyse the weldability of a component in terms of different welding technics. The software “Howtomation” has been used to improve the transparency of this analysis system. User recognisability and details tractability have been taken into account during the usage of a ruled based analysis system. The system attributes such as maintainability, upgradability, adaptiveness to modern welding methods has been addressed. The system suitability for large scale analysis has been considered.

<p>The role of web 2.0 technologies has become windfall for knowledge building in higher education in the entire modern world. Web 2.0 technologies (Podcasts, Wikis, and Blogs) are being explored for collaboration, innovation, and creative purposes in digital literacy. The ICT based system (Learning Management System, Student Portal, Web mail) of Växjö University lacks web 2.0 technologies (Podcasts, Blogs, and Wikis) that are important for classroom learning for knowledge building. This research intends to investigate and describe the educational importance of web 2.0 (Podcasts, Wikis, and Blogs) as a possible source to facilitate class room learning in higher education in Sweden. In this regard, role of web 2.0 in its current usage in the teaching and learning have been identified and, thereby, possible measures for more improvements have been suggested in this research. Keeping in view the potential of web 2.0 as content development and management technologies and incorporating their role in formative evaluation of students, peer assessment, collaborative content creation, and individual as well as group reflection on learning experiences, the researcher conducted a survey by asking very simple and short questions as to how far has this potential been exploited in Sweden. Based on the findings and the empirical evidences thereof a model has been proposed for maximum utility of web 2.0 technologies.</p>