The theoretical part of the master thesis focuses on a detailed description of all issues related to the given subject. The practical part shows an analysis of the current situation in the field of employee motivation and appraisal at Zebra Technologies. The aim of the thesis is to propose appropriate changes based on the theoretical knowledge and the survey results. These changes shall lead to increasing employee motivation and shall help improve non-financial employee appraisal system. The thesis was processed for the local HR department and will be used as a groundwork for possible changes at the branch in the Czech Republic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on companies' way of working. It has become crucial for companies to transition into working remotely due to the societal restrictions in order to maintain business. New ways of communicating and collaborating have been necessary for the development which have had an impact on the motivation which this study will focus on. Companies have limited insights on how remote work affects a complex phenomenon as motivation. The purpose of this study is therefore to analyse important changes in motivation due to the transition into working remotely in an agile organization. Research shows that working remotely changes several influential factors related to motivation, forming our first research question. Additionally, the agile practice shows proof of enhancing several of these factors when working remotely thus forming the second research question. This study relies on its theoretical framework using the MOCC model for categorizing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for software developers in relation to external changes such as characteristics and changes in the working environment. In addition, the study uses an earlier framework of changes in motivation in relation to the agile practices. The objective for this study is to help agile organizations analyse and draw conclusions from this study on how to motivate software developers in a remote agile context. The importance of motivation for software developers are emphasized in several studies. However, a lack of studies has been made in recent years, especially with regards to motivation in a remote workplace, additionally little to no studies have been made on this topic since the start of the pandemic. Many answers from our empirical analysis give a polarized view of different perspectives which makes it a complex phenomenon. The result from this study shows that a lot of the software developers have a strong intrinsic motivation due to the agile methodology. The intrinsic motivation in terms of developing software has not changed, however, many other intrinsic motivators related to the organization have been challenged. Also, our results show that external motivation has changed due to changes in both communication and collaboration.

Background: Environmental sustainability and climate change are of increasing concern. The agriculture and food sector generate a large negative impact on the environment, and whilst the awareness is increasing, limited change in behaviour is visible. This resulted in the exploration of opportunities in relation to this topic, where meat consumption, meat substitutes and reactions to messaging are the main focus.  Purpose: From an environmentally sustainable perspective, to understand how European Millennial and Gen Z consumers react to message appeals on the packaging of meat substitutes, by using the PMT.  Method: A qualitative approach was followed to understand the reactions from European Millennial and Gen Z consumers when showing different message appeals on the packaging of meat substitutes. To explore their feelings, attitudes and perception towards these message appeals, and how this could influence their reaction, semi-structured interviews were conducted.  Conclusion: The results show that message appeals are effective when applying PMT to explore the reaction to reduce meat consumption. The emotional appeal was found to be the most effective. The informational appeal is moderately effective as the effectiveness depends on presentation and communication, and reduce appeal is found ineffective.

Att ha god säkerhetskultur inom högriskindustrier har pekats ut som viktigt för att undvika storskaliga industriella olyckor. En bristande säkerhetskultur är även ett av skälen till flera av de största storskaliga industriella olyckorna som skett de senaste decennierna. Denna studies syfte är att undersöka vad som påverkar säkerhetskulturen på Lantmännen Agroetanol. Detta för att öka förståelsen om dessa faktorer för att skapa en möjlighet för branschen att utvecklas och bli säkrare.   Metoden som har använts i studien är en enkätundersökning, som till största delen är kvantitativ, men som även samlat in kvalitativdata. Det har samlats in data från 50 respondenter, vilket samlats in via verktygen Survey & Report. Resultatet har sedan analyserats med deskriptiv statistik och innehållsanalys. Det har även analyserats tillsammans med vägberoendeteorin och protection motivation teorin. Resultatet visar att öppen kommunikation genom hela säkerhetskedjan är något som har stort inflytande på hur god säkerhetskulturen blir. Om kommunikationen inte är bra nog genom hela cykeln kommer individer tappa motivationen att arbeta för en säkrare arbetsplats. Resultatet visar även på att konsekvenserna av att fastna i ett vägberoende kan leda till en negativ spiral, där det med tiden skapas följdeffekter som leder organisationen allt längre ifrån en god säkerhetskultur. Individer inom en organisation har olika motivation till skyddsåtgärder och därför behövs utbildning och regler.

After the hit of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel industry's efforts need to focus on recovering travelers' confidence by introducing new safe and clean programs or seals. However, there is a lack of guidelines regarding which hotel safety/cleaning programs and what communication strategies are more effective when approaching guests. This study aims to address this gap by using a 2 (COVID-19 Message Type: Fear Appeals vs. Hope Appeals) × 2 (Hotel Safety/Cleaning Program Type: Internal vs. Third-Party) between-subject experiment design. Specifically, it applies the protection motivation theory in investigating the effects of different messages (hope vs. fear) along with different types of hotel safety/cleaning programs (internal vs. third-party) on guests' booking intentions. The moderating role of risk propensity was also explored. The data were collected in a public university located south of the U.S. Different ANOVA and MANOVA tests were conducted. The results suggest that hope appeal messages and hotel internal cleaning programs arouse higher booking intentions. When presenting COVID-19 related information provided by hotels, hope appeals represent a better communication strategy. In addition, the coping and threat appraisals showed to be correlated with hotel guests' booking intentions. Moreover, response efficacy was the strongest predictor with a positive correlation, whereas perceived severity was the second strongest predictor with a negative correlation. Last, risk propensity was found a significant moderator between guests' response efficacy and booking intentions. Participants under the risk-taker category reported higher booking intentions even when their self-efficacy perceptions were low.

Individuals are considered the weakest link when it comes to securing a personal computer system. All the technological solutions can be in place, but if individuals do not make appropriate security protection decisions they introduce holes that technological solutions cannot protect. This study investigates what personal characteristics influence differences in individual security behaviors, defined as behaviors to protect against security threats, by adapting Protection Motivation Theory into an information security context. This study developed and validated an instrument to measure individual security behaviors. It then tested the differences in these behaviors using the security research model, which built from Protection Motivation Theory, and consisted of perceived security vulnerability, perceived security threat, security self-efficacy, response efficacy, and protection cost. Participants, representing a sample population of home computer users with ages ranging from 20 to 83, provided 279 valid responses to surveys. The behaviors studied include using anti-virus software, utilizing access controls, backing up data, changing passwords frequently, securing access to personal computers, running software updates, securing wireless networks, using care when storing credit card information, educating others in one's house about security behaviors, using caution when following links in emails, running spyware software, updating a computer's operating system, using firewalls, and using pop-up blocking software. Testing the security research model found different characteristics had different impacts depending on the behavior studied. Implications for information security researchers and practitioners are provided, along with ideas for future research. / Ph. D.

I den nuvarande Big data-eran där stora mängder information samlas och bearbetas för att användas i kommersiellt syfte har den digitala integritetens betydelse ökat. Oro kring hur information samlas in och används har blivit mer aktuellt de senaste åren. Facebook-Cambridge Analytica-skandalen är ett exempel på hur information har använts utan användares samtycke med allvarliga konsekvenser. Detta har ökat den oro många känner kring sin personliga integritet. I Europa har General Data Protection Regulation haft en viktig roll i att skydda användares digitala integritet. Tidigare studier visar att oro kring den digitala integriteten har ökat bland vissa grupper i Sverige. En av dessa grupper är universitetsstudenter som är fokus för denna undersökning. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka oron för den digitala integriteten som finns i samhället utifrån studenters perspektiv. Den metod som har använts är semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Undersökningens resultat visar att studenter känner trygghet när de använder informationsteknologi. Resultatet tyder på att de faktorer som påverkar studenters oro, eller brist på den, för sin digitala integritet är kopplat till tillit och kontext. Resultatet visar att orsaken till detta är tillit till GDPR, tillit till att företag kommer att följa de lagar som finns, tron att viss personlig information inte anses ha högt värde samt tillit till den egna förmågan att kunna skydda sig själva. Resultatet visar också att studenter är villiga att ge tillgång till personlig informationen om de anser att det är nödvändigt eller gynnar dem på något sätt. / In the current Big data era, where large amounts of information is collected and processed for commercial use, the importance of digital integrity has become more evident. The Facebook-Cambdrige analytica scandal is an example on how information has been used without consent. This has increased the concerns about users personal information. In Europe the General Data Protection Regulation has been an important part of protecting users digital integrity.  Previous studies show that concerns about digital integrity have increased among certain groups in Sweden. One of these groups are university graduates which are the focus of this study. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the concern for digital integrity that exists in society from the students perspective. The method that has been used in this study has been individual semi-structured interviews.  The results of the study shows that students feel secure when they use information technology. The results suggest that the factors that affect students' concerns, or lack thereof, of their digital integrity are linked to trust and context. The results shows that the reason for this is trust in GDPR, trust that companies will follow the law, belief that some personal information isn't of a high value and belief in their own ability to protect themself. The results of the study also shows that the informants were willing to let websites get access to certain personal information when they trusted the website and when they found it beneficial to them.

Ransomware-attacker har blivit ett allt större hot i och med samhällets ständigt pågående digitalisering. Denna studie undersöker vilka faktorer som är viktiga för att förhindra ransomware-attacker mot mindre svenska kommuner. För att åstadkomma detta genomfördes semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex olika respondenter. De som intervjuades arbetade alla i mindre svenska kommuner och hade god insyn och kunskap kring kommunens IT- och informationssäkerhetsarbete. Materialet analyserades sedan utifrån Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). Studien diskuterar både kommunernas attityd till informationssäkerhet samt konstaterar vilka säkerhetsåtgärder som utmärker sig som viktigast. Dessa var skyddade säkerhetskopior, utbildning samt kontinuitetsplaner kopplade till just IT-attacker. / Ransomware attacks have become an increasing threat with the ongoing digitalization of society. This study investigates what factors are important to prevent ransomware attacks against smaller Swedish municipalities. To accomplish this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six different respondents. The interviewees all worked in smaller Swedish municipalities and had good insight and knowledge of the municipality's IT and information security work. The material was then analyzed using Protection Motivation Theory (PMT). The study discusses both the municipalities' attitude to information security and notes which security measures stand out as most important. These were protected backups, education and continuity plans linked to IT attacks. The paper then concludes with suggestions for further research.

Syftet med föreliggande uppsats är att undersöka närbyråkraters upplevelser av sin roll somoffentligt anställd, och sitt handlingsutrymme i en post-NPM era av styrningsidéer. Dettainnebär att kartlägga hur de upplever den komplexa rollen som närbyråkrat och dehandlingsutrymme som det innebär i en politiskt föränderlig miljö. Studien, som är avkvalitativ sort, genomfördes hos Socialtjänsten i Malmö. Alla tjänstemän i offentlig verksamhet behöver förhålla sig till de krav samhället ställer pådem, det offentliga etoset. Närbyråkrater har ytterligare en utmaning i att hanterahandlingsutrymmet som innebär en balans mellan rättssäkerhet och etik ochsituationsanpassat beslutsfattande i mötet med medborgare. De senaste decennierna harpräglats av ett antal styrreformer som har kommit att påverka hur offentlig verksamhetutformas och bedrivs. Många forskare är eniga om att styrreformer med inspiration frånnäringslivet har haft negativ inverkan på den offentliga sektorn, och i förlängningensamhället i stort. Studier visar också att idéer från styrreformer sällan byts ut, utan iställetkompletteras till nuvarande och skapar komplexa hybridsystem som ofta gör organisationenineffektiv och svårstyrd. Resultatet speglar närbråkraternas egna upplevelser och visar ett komplext samband därmotstridiga styrlogiker styr inom organisationen, där både styridéer från begreppet NPM ochpost-NPM identifieras. Resultatet visar också komplexiteten i samlevande styrlogiker ochstyrsystem låter närbyråkrater befinna sig i ett spänningsfält mellan sig själv ochbeslutsfattare, där handlingsutrymme att situationsanpassa bedömningar är fritt, menresurserna tillhanda kontrolleras av en organisation i politisk föränderlig miljö. Vidare verkardet finnas ett unikt handlingsutrymme inom handlingsutrymmet i socialarbetarrollen,bestående av hur man förhåller sig till det frihet under ansvar som rollen innebär. Slutligendiskuteras delar av empirin i relation till en ännu inte etablerad teori kring motivation tilloffentligt arbete där intressanta fynd görs. / The purpose of this essay is to investigate local bureaucrats' experiences of their role aspublic employees, and their discretion in a post-NPM era of governance ideas. This meanscharting how they experience the complex role of street-level bureaucracy and discretion thatthis entails in a politically changing environment. The study, which is of a qualitative nature,was carried out at the Social Services in Malmö. All civil servants in public organizationsneed to consider the demands society places on them, the public ethos. Street-levelbureaucrats have another challenge in managing the room for action, which involves abalance between the rule of law and public ethics and situationally adapted decision-makingwhen in contact with citizens. The last few decades have been characterized by a number ofgovernance reforms that have come to influence how public organizations are designed andfunction. Many researchers agree that governance reforms inspired by business have had anegative impact on the public sector, and by extension also the society at large. Studies alsoshow that ideas from management reforms are rarely replaced, but instead supplemented tocurrent ones and create complex hybrid systems that often make the organization inefficientand difficult to manage. The result reflects the street-level bureaucrats’ own experiences andshows a complex relationship where conflicting management logics rule within theorganization, where both management ideas from the concept of NPM and post-NPM areidentified. The result also shows the complexity of coexisting management logics andmanagement systems when bureaucrats find themselves in a tension field between themselvesand decision-makers, where discretion to adapt assessments to the situation is current, but theresources at hand are controlled by an organization in a politically changing environment.Furthermore, there seems to be a unique discretion within the street-level bureaucratsdiscretion in the social worker role, consisting of how one relates to the role of freedom underresponsibility that the social worker role entails. Finally, parts of the empirical evidence arediscussed in relation to a not yet established theory about motivation for public work whereinteresting findings are made.

Forskningsproblem          Under 2006 infördes en lagändring kring att ersättning till VD måste specificeras i tilläggsupplysningar i årsredovisningen. Reglerna infördes från politikernas håll för att se en mer återhållsam ersättning till VD och återupprätta de senaste årens minskade förtroende för näringslivet. Dock har åsikter riktats mot lagändringen som menar att den har motverkat sitt syfte och istället trissat upp ersättningen till VD. Syfte                                   Syftet med studien är att förklara om det finns ett samband mellan utvecklingen av ersättningen till VD och kravet på tilläggsupplysningar. Metod                                Studien har en kvantitativ utgångspunkt och en poolad ansats. Två hypoteser har härletts ifrån befintlig teori och tidigare forskning. Hypoteserna testades gentemot data inhämtad ifrån 573 årsredovisningar utspritt över tre år. Slutsats                              Ett signifikant samband har identifierats som säger att ersättningen till VD har ökat sedan 2006. Resultatet styrks av tidigare forskning och de teorier som studien bygger på. Målet med lagändringen har således misslyckats. / Problem                             In 2006, a change in the law was introduced regarding disclosure about CEO compensation. The CEO compensation now had to be specified in the disclosure. The law was introduced by politicians who wanted to restrain the CEO compensation, which had affected the business community negative. However, opinions made against the change in the law claim that it is counterproductive and instead of decreasing the compensation, the law has increased the CEO compensation. Purpose                              The purpose of the study is to explain if there is a connection between the development of the CEO compensation and the requirement of disclosures. Method                              The study is based on a quantitative method and a pooled approach. Two hypotheses were derived from existing theory and previous research. The hypotheses were tested against data collected from 573 annual reports, spread over three years. Conclusion                         A significant connection was found and it says that the CEO compensation has increased since 2006. The result is supported by previous research and theories that the study is based on. The aim of the legislative change has therefore failed.