The Piedras Blancas Motel is a 1950’s era roadside motel comprised of 11 lodging units, plus a cafe, laundry room, manager’s apartment, and adjacent storage area. It is located seven miles north of San Simeon and nine miles south of the San Luis Obispo/Monterey County line. In 2005, the property was purchased using State, Federal, and private funds, and then transferred to the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks). Although it has been closed to the public since 2005, the Site offers day-use parking and convenient beach access. This professional project, under contract with the California Coastal Conservancy, provides information necessary for the future redevelopment of the Piedras Blancas Motel. It demonstrates the feasibility of a preferred development alternative through several analyses including: a structural analysis of the existing building(s), a constraints analysis, an evaluation of regulatory requirements, and an assessment of redevelopment options based on preliminary market research and financial analysis. The primary objective of the Coastal Conservancy and State Parks is to provide low-cost overnight lodging and visitor services along the Big Sur Coast. The Motel would serve as an alternative to existing expensive lodges or resorts as well as existing tent or RV camping that may not serve as an option for some visitors.

The European Central Bank defines virtual currencies as ”unregulated, digital money, which is issued and usually controlled by its developers, and used and accepted among the members of a specific virtual community.” (European Central Bank, 2012, p. 5) The interest in virtual currencies has increased immensely over the last few years as they become increasingly prevalent in our society across many different industries. Up until now, the field of virtual currencies has been mainly uncharted land and despite interest in specific currencies, few attempts have been made at understanding or structuring the entire landscape The main research question in this thesis is related to the previously mentioned dilemma: understanding and structuring the virtual currency ecosystem, today and in the future. How can the virtual currency landscape currently be analyzed in a structured manner and what framework can be used to reflect and make predictions on the future development? The thesis is based on four different sources of information: a literature study of existing material, corporate interviews with companies dealing with virtual currencies and consumer interviews with potential early adopters, an online survey and a case study performed at Ericsson M-Commerce. The case study of Ericsson M-Commerce has provided valuable insight into understanding how companies reason when considering adopting virtual currencies into their product portfolio and greatly helped the process of structuring the virtual currency market in a comprehensive manner. In return, the thesis has also provided decision material for the department concerning virtual currencies. This thesis divides virtual currencies into five groups: Prepaid Value, Loyalty Points, Monetization Currencies, Gaming Currencies and Value Encoded Currencies. This model has been developed as a framework for the analysis of the current situation in this thesis. However, the analysis in the thesis has shown that as virtual currencies evolve, it will probably become more relevant to instead consider their functions. It is likely that virtual currencies will consolidate into three distinct functional types: virtual currency as a unit of account, virtual currency as a business model for monetization, and virtual currencies as a product that can be sold. As virtual currencies evolve, the future is not only filled with many challenges, but also many new opportunities. In this thesis, an attempt to gain an abstract understanding of how the field is developing has been made, but it remains to be seen what the real impacts of virtual currencies will be as they continue to gain traction.

The combination of artificial intelligence (AI) with microwave heating technology is offering a unique and specialized potential, leading to significant transformations across numerous sectors. This novel device integrates artificial intelligence technology with environmentally sustainable microwave heating, offering the potential to decrease human labour, improve precision, minimize expenses, and promote efficiency. Furthermore, it makes a substantial contribution towards achieving environmental objectives via the reduction of carbon emissions and the conservation of energy. This research investigates the economic viability of an innovative microwave heating system that utilizes artificial intelligence technology. Additionally, it evaluates the system's competitive strengths when compared to established industrial heating systems. Key insights are identified via the use of qualitative research methods, namely through the implementation of semi-structured interviews with a sample size of six industry specialists. Thematic analysis is employed to analyse the collected data. The VRIO framework is used to identify the competitive advantages of the decentralized AI microwave heating system. The results of the study demonstrate that this technological innovation not only effectively mitigates carbon emissions but also resonates with environmentally aware individuals, hence fostering the principles of sustainability. Furthermore, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) not only improves the overall user experience but also provides autonomous monitoring capabilities, hence significantly increasing energy efficiency. From an economic standpoint, the implementation of decentralized AI microwave entities results in a reduction of transportation costs, hence enhancing their economic viability. Nevertheless, the achievement of effective commercialization requires meticulous examination of market dynamics, consumer trends, operational capabilities, supply chain optimization, and maintenance preparedness.

This study aims to provide a complete overview of intermodal rail connections in Germany and identify the market players involved in their operation. The lack of a comprehensive overview is attributed to the difficulty of summarizing empirical data of intermodal rail transport, combined with the many rapid changes in the dynamic open market. The study uses a dataset compiled through online research and interviews with market players. The identified market players include intermodal operators, railway carriers, terminals, and ports.

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When examining data and statistics one thing is very clear. Smoking tobacco is causing a lot of different problems both in an individual’s health and in the society. Even though there is abundant evidence regarding its hazardous consequences, tobacco holds still a lot of users under its influence. Most of tobacco users do want to quit but they cannot make it last and relapse on their old habits. Tobacco is consumed everywhere in the world but effective products for quitting it, are still not that many available. Thus, it is made clear that there is a need for a product that will help counterattack this addiction. Deversify is an Uppsala-based start-up that wants to introduce to the market a tool for facilitating permanent smoking cessation. Their solution is a product called Aspirable. Aspirable is a breathalyzer that records the level of carbon monoxide (CO) in the exhaled breath, and it is accompanied with an app that will make use not only the recordings of the CO levels for a factual check but also help the user identify their habits to facilitate quitting. Regardless of the size of ones’ business, one thing is the same; it is better to first analyse if an idea is an endeavor worth trying. This project has utilized a case study for Aspirable, in order to explore in depth, the product and most importantly its market. Information available on the web was used to construct a picture on the smoking cessation market. Different aspects were examined inside theoretical frameworks such as the 7 dimensions of Aaker and Porter’s 5 forces. We made comparisons between Greece and Sweden to explore if another geographical market would be a better start for launching the product. In addition, we looked into what kind of consumer would be the best. Among those options, were governments, businesses, and individuals. The recommendation would be to aim at entering the Swedish market by approaching clinical trials so as to gain more scientific proof for the effectiveness of the product and also help indirectly another research be more reliable. Meanwhile, it would be best to avoid the public health system due to complicated regulations, segmented market due to each county having its own budget and decision-making processes.

I detta arbete har optimeringsmöjligheterna för solpaneler undersökt, utifrån parametern energiproduktion beräknad med hjälp av infallen solstrålning. Detta genomfördes genom en modell där panelen kan simuleras mer eller mindre solföljande. Utöver denna optimering har även effekten av molnighet undersökts genom att jämföra direkt- och diffus solstrålning med olika metoder av solföljning. Arbete är gjort för institutionen för Energiteknik på KTH med anledning av deras intresse av att införskaffa en solpanel för experimentella syften. För att möta detta intresse har även en marknadsundersökning på rådande teknik genomförts med mål att rekommendera en solpanel till institutionen. Resultatet för optimeringen togs teoretiskt fram genom en modell som konstruerades i MATLAB. Marknadsundersökningens resultat togs fram genom mailkontakt med ett antal leverantörer och en litteraturstudie. Simuleringarna visade på att tvådimensionell solföljning var lika effektiv som endimensionell under året 2019 och att dessa var 13% effektivare än det stationära alternativet. Vidare visade resultaten från simuleringarna att det finns en marginell vinning i att optimera panelerna vid molniga förhållande. Dels genom ett konstruerat scenario där timmarna valdes till en period då den direkta solstrålningen var 0 W/m­2, vid detta scenario visade optimeringen att det finns 15% energi att hämta. För hela året användes flera scenarion vid optimeringen och det resultatet blev cirka 1,7% mer energi med hjälp av optimeringen. Som resultat av marknadsundersökningen valdes en solföljare från företaget HelioZenit AB som främsta rekommendation för installation på KTH-campus. De beräkningar som ligger till grund för resultatet i studien är svåra att verifiera  då det på grund av tidsbrist inte fanns tid att genomföra praktiska mätningar för jämförelse med simuleringarna. Även faktumet att modellen enbar prövas över ett år att slutsatser blir svåra att dra. En möjlig vidareutveckling skulle vara att testa modellen över ett decennium för tillförlitligare svar. Dock kan vissa slutsatser om vädrets påverkan på producerad effekt dras då hög molnighet kan negera de fördelar solföljning ger. Resultatet av marknadsundersökningen innebar val av solpanel för installation på KTH-campus. Tvådimensionell solföljning anses inte vara relevant för konsumenter i dagsläget då det finns ett smalt utbud och den ökade produktionen inte överväger de nackdelar som de mer avancerade systemen ger. Optimeringsmodellen är konstruerad utifrån att skillnaden i solstrålning är känd vilket kan göra programmerings lösningen svår att implementera i realtid. / This paper studies the optimization possibilities for solar panels from the parameter of energy production calculated based on solar radiation hitting the panel. This has been done through a model where the panels can be simulated more or less suntracking. Beyond this optimization the paper also studies the effects clouds have on the energy production by comparing the differences of beam and diffuse radiation to the different sun tracking scenarios. The paper is produced for the Energy Technology department at KTH with cause of their interest of  investing in a solar panel for experimental purposes. With the purpose of meeting this interest we performed a market analysis on the current technology with the goal of recommending a solar panel to the department. The results from the optimization were produced theoretically through a model that was constructed in MATLAB. Results from the market analysis came from mail contact with a number of suppliers and through a literature study. The simulations showed that two dimensional sun tracking was as effective as one dimensional tracking during 2019 and that they were 13 % more efficient than a stationary panel. Furthermore the results from the simulations showed a marginal gain in optimizing the panels during cloudy weather. These results were produced by first constructing a scenario during a portion of the year where the beam radiation was 0 W//m­2. During this scenario the result was a gain of 15%. When implemented during the whole year more criterias where tested and the result was around 1,7% gain. As a result of the market analysis a solar panel from the company HelioZenit AB was chosen as the primary recommendation for installation at KTH-campus. The calculations the results are based on in the paper are difficult to verify due to limited time to perform real time measurements for comparison. Furthermore the fact that the model only utilizes data from a single year makes it hard to draw conclusions. A possible development could be to test the model over a decade for more reliable results. Though some conclusions about the weather's effect on the produced energy can be drawn since cloudiness can negate the benefits of sun tracking. The results from the market analysis were used for deciding what solar tracker to recommend for installation on KTH-campus. Two-dimensional solar tracking are not viable for the consumer in the current time due to the low supply on the market and small return in relation to higher costs. The optimization model is constructed on known differences in magnitude of solar radiation, this means that the solution that was used in the programing might be hard to implement in real time.

The following report details research and analysis in order to assess the background market and market-based feasibility of the development of efficiency apartment units in the central Austin Area. It explores the potential and opportunities of reducing the size of apartments and promoting efficiency apartment unit development as a strategy to improve housing affordability for the Generation Y (Gen Y) population while taking advantage of urban redevelopment investments near Austin’s main TODs. The body of this study will discuss: (1) Generation Y and its impact on Austin’s housing market; (2) concepts and facts related to housing affordability; (3) strategies used by the city of Austin to promote infill development and existing transit oriented development sites; and (4) an overview of key housing development strategies and the real estate development process, including market analysis and absorption forecast under current housing market conditions. The study evaluates the implications of a significant demand for less expensive and smaller alternative housing products for a growing population group near downtown Austin. This report may contributes to the policy discussion about different approaches to housing affordability and offers an assessment guide for new housing development opportunities for a diverse range of city residents. / text

The first part of this diploma thesis focuses on theoretical basis, which means definitions of basic terms related to real estates and valuation, cadastre of real estates, definitions of price and value, activity of valuers and real estate experts and two approaches to valuation, so called administrative and market valuation. The practical part begins with the apartment market analysis in the Czech republic in 2010 followed by the valuation of apartment. For the possibility of further comparison, both administrative and market valuation were used.

The thesis provides financial and strategic analysis of the brewery Pivovar Svijany a.s. as a basis for subsequent valuation of the company. It provides a basis for choosing appropriate valuation methods and data for their subsequent application. The thesis is divided into four parts; the first part provides basic information about the company, its history and its activities. The second part analyses the financial health of the company by financial statement analysis and ratios analysis. The results of the company are then compared with competitors in the same industry. The third part is devoted to strategic analysis; it defines the relevant market in terms of volume and values. It provides alternative forecast scenarios of market development. It arrives to the projections of revenues of Svijany by synthesis and analysis of market forecasts and forecasts of competitive power. The final section summarizes the results of financial and strategic analysis.