Industry documents and anecdotal evidence suggest that cigarette packaging can target women by enhancing brand appeal and influencing important beliefs about smoking. Little research has been conducted on how cigarette pack design might contribute to young women's faulty beliefs about smoking. This study sought to identify package designs that promote misleading beliefs about the health effects of smoking and the relationship between smoking and weight control, and that increase brand appeal among young women; as well as the extent to which plain packaging reduces these beliefs. A between-subjects experiment was conducted in which 512 participants between the ages of 18-25 years viewed cigarette packs using a computerized survey in one of four conditions: female-oriented (n = 141); female-oriented with descriptors (i.e., slims) removed (n = 125); female-oriented without brand imagery or descriptors (“plain”; n = 122); and standard non-female oriented (n = 124). Participants rated 8 cigarette packs on perceptions of appeal, taste, tar, and health risks; and answered questions about smoking and weight control and attitudes towards smoking. Results of the study indicated that women found the female-oriented packs most appealing. Participants also believed that the female-oriented packs had fewer health risks than the same packs with descriptors removed. Women who viewed the plain packs were less likely to believe that smoking helps people control their appetites compared to women who viewed the female-oriented and non-female oriented packs. Women with more weight concerns were more likely to believe in a relationship between smoking and weight control. Overall, this study demonstrates that as packages become “plainer” they become less appealing. Women viewing plain packs were less likely to endorse the belief that smoking can be used for appetite control, and that smoking helps people stay slim; and as descriptors were removed, packs were perceived to have more health risks. Results of the study extend the evidence base on the impact of cigarette packaging on women, and provide support for the implementation of plain packaging to reduce package appeal and faulty beliefs about smoking.

The complex and challenging process of construction supply chain management can involve tens of thousands of engineered components, systems, and subsystems, all of which must be designed in a multi-party and collaborative environment, the complexity of which is vastly increased in the case of megaprojects. A comprehensive Advanced Construction Supply Nexus Model (ACSNM) was developed as a computational and process-oriented environment to help project managers deal efficiently and effectively with supply chain issues: fragmentation, resource shortages, design delays, and planning and scheduling deficiencies, all of which result in decreased productivity, cost and time overruns, conflicts, and time-consuming legal disputes. To mitigate the effects of these difficulties, four new prototype systems are created: a front-end planning tool (FEPT), a construction value packaging system (CVPS), an integrated construction materials management (ICMM) system, and an ACSNM database. Because these components are closely interdependent elements of construction supply nexus management, the successfully developed model incorporates cross-functional integration. This research therefore effectively addresses process management, process integration, and document management, features not included in previous implementations of similar models for construction-related applications. This study also introduces new concepts and definitions, such as construction value packages comprised of value units that form the scope of value-added work defined by type, stage in the value chain, and other elements such as drawings and specifications. The application of the new technologies and methods reveals that the ACSNM has the potential to improve the performance and management of the enterprise-wide supply chain. Through opportunities provided by our industry partners, Coreworx Inc. and Aecon Group Inc., the elements of the developed model have been validated with respect to implementation using data from several construction megaprojects. The model is intended to govern current supply nexus processes associated with such megaprojects but may be general enough for eventual application in other construction sectors, such as multi-unit housing and infrastructure.

When the producers’ responsibility for packaging was introduced in Sweden in 1994 the industry set up public recycling stations to facilitate the collection of the waste material. In order to establish recycling stations at suitable locations the municipalities assist the industry’s service organization for operation of the recycling stations, the Package and Newspaper Collection Service (Förpacknings- och tidningsinsamlingen, FTI). The objectives of this thesis are to improve the service of the public recycling stations within Lidingö town and to increase the accessibility to these stations for the inhabitants of Lidingö. The Municipal authority of Lidingö in consultations with the FTI will use the collected information on the attitudes of the inhabitants in order to bring the recycling system into line with the opinions of the inhabitants. The information on the attitudes of the inhabitants towards the public recycling stations has been collected through an opinion poll. About half of those asked are living in blocks of flats while half are living in self-contained houses. In order to secure the differences in attitudes between different forms of living, sex, and age, hypotheses tests were conducted on selected parts of the collected material. New locations for public recycling stations have been suggested and assessed on the basis of accessibility, the risk of littering, the level of noise, the traffic situation, existing hard surfaces and property ownership. The inhabitants of Lidingö want the public recycling stations to be located near their homes, near main roads or near shops in order to be accessible. Car is the main means of transport to the recycling stations. Women and people living in blocks of flats walk to the recycling station to a greater extent than men and those living in self-contained houses. The recycling stations ought to be asphalted and well-lit in order to decrease the risk of littering. Many inhabitants of Lidingö, living in areas where the population density is high, lack access to public recycling stations within walking distance. New recycling stations should preferably be located in these housing areas. Ten new suggested locations will, if they are adopted, increase the number of inhabitants living within walking distance of a recycling station. / Då producentansvaret för förpackningar infördes 1994 valde näringslivet att lösa insamlingen av förpackningar genom att sätta upp återvinningsstationer till vilka hushållen kan lämna det utsorterade materialet. För att göra det möjligt att placera ut återvinningsstationer på lämpliga platser bistår kommunerna näringslivets serviceorganisation, Förpacknings- och tidningsinsamlingen, med lokaliseringsförslag. För att anpassa insamlingssystemet till lokala förhållanden är Förpacknings- och tidningsinsamlingen ålagd att samråda med kommunerna. Examensarbetet syftar till att förbättra servicen på återvinningsstationerna på Lidingö och öka tillgängligheten för kommuninvånarna. Informationen om lidingöbornas attityder ska användas vid samråd mellan kommunen och Förpacknings- och tidningsinsamlingen för att anpassa insamlingssystemet efter kommuninvånarnas önskemål. Genom en postal enkätundersökning har lidingöbornas attityder till återvinningsstationerna´utretts. Hälften av de tillfrågade bodde i flerfamiljshus medan den andra hälften bodde i småhus. För att säkerställa skillnader i attityder mellan olika boendeformer, kön och åldrar utfördes hypotesprövningar på utvalda delar av materialet. Platser för nya återvinningsstationer har tagits fram och bedömts utifrån tillgänglighet, risk för nedskräpning, bullerstörning, trafiksituation, markägarförhållanden samt befintliga hårdytor och tillfartsvägar. Lidingöborna vill att återvinningsstationer ska placeras i närheten av hemmet, större bilvägar eller i anslutning till affärer för att vara lättillgängliga. Det huvudsakliga transportmedlet till återvinningsstationen är bil. Kvinnor och boende i flerbostadshus tar sig i större utsträckning till fots till återvinningsstationen samt anser i högre grad att återvinningsstationerna ska ligga i närheten av hemmet än vad män och boende i småhus gör. Återvinningsstationerna bör vara asfalterade och välupplysta för att minska risken för nedskräpning. Stora områden på Lidingö med hög befolkningstäthet saknar helt tillgång till återvinningsstationer inom gångavstånd. I dessa bostadsområden bör nya återvinningsstationer prioriteras. Tio lämpliga platser för nya återvinningsstationer har lokaliserats vilka, om de upprättas, ökar andelen lidingöbor som har möjlighet att ta sig till fots till återvinningsstationen.

Denna uppsats behandlar förändring av förpackning som en möjlig utökning av produktkategorin i Kotler & Kellers utvidgade marknadsmix. I marknadsmixen behandlas förpackningen som statisk under en varas livstid och studiens syfte var att se om förpackningsförändringar istället bör ske vid flertalet tillfällen. Genom existerande litteratur identifierades tre centrala begrepp som ansågs betydelsefulla för studien; förpackning, förändring av förpackning och differentiering. Fem olika företag med snabbrörliga konsumentvaror inom livsmedelsbranschen intervjuades om varför förändringarna sker. Företagen valdes efter ett antal grundkriterier och ett av dessa var att de skulle ha genomfört förändring av förpackning under de senaste fem åren. VD:n för en designbyrå intervjuades även som komplement. Intervjuerna sammankopplades sedan med de tre centrala begreppen för att få en förståelse för varför förpackningsförändringar genomförs. I analysen framkommer det både positiva och negativa aspekter med förpackningsförändringar. Det konstateras att en förpackningsförändring sker på grund utav den hårdnade konkurrensen för snabbrörliga konsumentvaror, den höga andelen beslut som tas vid köptillfället samt den minskade betydelsen av traditionell reklam. Avslutningsvis konstateras det att förändring av förpackning skulle kunna ses som en utökning av produktkategorin i Kotler & Kellers utvidgade marknadsmix. Det är dock viktigt att förändringarna sker med ett tidsintervall som tillåter konsumenterna att vänja sig vid förändringen innan nästa genomförs. / This paper deals with change in packaging as a possible extension of the product category in the extended marketing mix by Kotler & Keller. The purpose of the study was to see if package change should be an ongoing process rather than static within the product category in the extended marketing mix. Through existing literature we identified three key concepts that were considered important for the study; packaging, package change and differentiation. Five different companies with fast-moving consumer goods in the food industry were interviewed about why package change occurs. The companies were selected through a number of criterions; one of them was that they should have repackaged some of their products within the last five years. As a complement, a CEO of a design agency was interviewed. The results of the interviews were later on associated with the three key concepts to gain an understanding of why package changes are implemented. The analysis shows that both positive and negative aspects of package change exist. Our findings show that package change occurs due to the intensified competition of fast moving consumer goods, the high percentage of decisions made at the time of purchase, and the reduced importance of traditional advertising. Finally, we found that package change could be seen as an extension of the product category in Kotler & Keller's extended marketing mix. However, we found that it is important that changes occur at a time interval that allow consumers to get used to the change before the next is made.

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are nanodevices usually made from thin niobium nitride (NbN) films. Operated at liquid helium temperature, they can exhibit high detection efficiency with low dark-counts associated with a fast response time and a low timing jitter. Covering a broad detection range from ultraviolet to mid-infrared, SNSPDs are a very attractive alternative to silicon or gallium arsenide based semiconductor detectors for fiber based telecommunication when single-photon sensitivity and high counting rates are necessary. Efficient packaging and fiber coupling of a SNSPD is in itself a real challenge and is often a limiting factor in reaching high system quantum efficiency. Our approach makes use of a controlled expansion alloy which has been adequately heat treated to enhance its characteristics for cryogenic operation. This insures the integrity of the optical coupling at cryogenic temperatures while done at room temperature. It also provides a good attenuation for electromagnetic interference due to the high relative permeability of the nickel-iron alloy. The small form factor of this pigtailed optical fiber package makes it versatile and could be easily integrated with a commercial cryogen-free system or simply dipped into a standard helium transport Dewar. We report on our theoretical and experimental methodology to evaluate the optical coupling quality and present the optoelectronic characterization of two devices packaged in this way. Electrical simulation is studied to understand the speed limitation factor inherent to these devices and preliminary speed and jitter measurements are reported.

Industry documents and anecdotal evidence suggest that cigarette packaging can target women by enhancing brand appeal and influencing important beliefs about smoking. Little research has been conducted on how cigarette pack design might contribute to young women's faulty beliefs about smoking. This study sought to identify package designs that promote misleading beliefs about the health effects of smoking and the relationship between smoking and weight control, and that increase brand appeal among young women; as well as the extent to which plain packaging reduces these beliefs. A between-subjects experiment was conducted in which 512 participants between the ages of 18-25 years viewed cigarette packs using a computerized survey in one of four conditions: female-oriented (n = 141); female-oriented with descriptors (i.e., slims) removed (n = 125); female-oriented without brand imagery or descriptors (“plain”; n = 122); and standard non-female oriented (n = 124). Participants rated 8 cigarette packs on perceptions of appeal, taste, tar, and health risks; and answered questions about smoking and weight control and attitudes towards smoking. Results of the study indicated that women found the female-oriented packs most appealing. Participants also believed that the female-oriented packs had fewer health risks than the same packs with descriptors removed. Women who viewed the plain packs were less likely to believe that smoking helps people control their appetites compared to women who viewed the female-oriented and non-female oriented packs. Women with more weight concerns were more likely to believe in a relationship between smoking and weight control. Overall, this study demonstrates that as packages become “plainer” they become less appealing. Women viewing plain packs were less likely to endorse the belief that smoking can be used for appetite control, and that smoking helps people stay slim; and as descriptors were removed, packs were perceived to have more health risks. Results of the study extend the evidence base on the impact of cigarette packaging on women, and provide support for the implementation of plain packaging to reduce package appeal and faulty beliefs about smoking.

Childhood obesity is a major public health issue. Canada has one of the highest childhood obesity rates in the world. Food advertising and marketing have contributed to the rapid rise in childhood obesity. High energy and low nutrient foods have been promoted directly to children through attractive imagery on packages, including the use of popular cartoon characters. Children’s food packaging also features a range of nutrition information targeted at parents, including nutrition claims; however, there is relatively little research on the impact of these nutrition claims and the extent to which they may interact with child-friendly imagery to influence parents’ perception of food quality. The current study used a 2 x 2 experimental design to examine the effect of four front-of-package (FOP) nutrition information and four cartoon characters on parental perceptions of children’s food products. Participants consisted of 897 parents recruited across Canada through GMI, a market research company. Participants were over 18, had at least one child between ages 4-10 and the primary shopper of their household. Participants completed an online survey in July 2011. Participants were shown images of food products with or without cartoon characters and with or without FOP nutrition information and were asked to rate the food product on appeal, nutritional quality, intention to buy and willingness to pay. Participants were also asked to rate the FOP nutrition information on believability, ease of understanding and perceived effectiveness. Linear mixed modelling examined the influence of cartoon characters, FOP nutrition information and socio-demographic factors on these outcomes. Results indicated that cartoon characters increased product appeal and FOP nutrition information increased the perceived nutritional quality of food products with low nutritional value. No significant differences were observed for intention to buy or willingness to pay. There was no consistent pattern between socio-demographic factors and product rating outcomes. For FOP nutrition information ratings, Health Check and Source of Fibre were rated more believable, easier to understand and more effective overall than Sensible Solution and Given the Thumbs Up by Kids. Overall, the findings indicate that cartoon characters can increase the perceived appeal and FOP nutrition information can increase the perceived nutritional quality of food products with low nutritional value.

Background: Material handling is a large part of a company´s internal work and represents between 15 % and 70 % of the total cost of a manufactured product. By improving the internal handling of material, more efficient distribution and manufacturing flows are possible. The material handling process is an input to the production and assembly process that has to be defined and mapped so that it can be improved. The material handling process studied at Volvo CE Braås includes goods receiving, storage, packaging as well as the order/delivery process to assembly, and will finish with the material transport to the assembly line. Research questions: How can the material handling process, from goods receiving to assembly line, at Volvo CE in Braås be described by using VSM? What kinds of waste can be identified? By proposing a future-state map, how can the identified problems and waste be reduced or eliminated? Methodology: This thesis is a descriptive case study and was conducted with a deductive approach. Data was collected by our own observations, personal interviews, statistics, benchmarking and questionnaire. The scientific credibility of this thesis was secured by for example using many sources, avoidance of assumptions, studying a common process and following standardized steps of the VSM tool. Conclusions: The material handling process was described in the separated areas of goods receiving, storage and assembly line. Visualization was given in a current-state map. Five different kinds of waste were identified. Finally, suggestions of improvements were presented along with a future-state map. Suggestions on future research: A more detailed VSM including information flow and lead times could be studied. Scenario simulations of critical areas within the material handling process could be preformed. Furthermore, an ABC classification of articles and storage locations can be done to optimize storage.

Today approximately 10 % of fermented milk products stick to the packaging material inner surface, and therefore it is not possible to pour all of the dairy product from the package. This is both an economical and environmental issue. The product loss is expensive for consumer and makes recycling of package less effective. As they do not yet exist the development of packaging materials to which fermented milk products stick less, it would make it possible to both save money and protect our environment. The aim of this work was to provide knowledge and understanding of the important factors involved in the phenomenon when fermented milk products adhere to the inner surface of a packaging material. Studies were done on materials having different surface properties, such as polarity and relative oxidation. They were incubated in fermented milk and other dairy products varying in fat concentration and protein type up to 168 h. The systems were investigated gravimetrically, with Fourier Transform Infra Red/Attenuated Total Reflectance Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Contact Angle measurements. Fermented milk contains amphiphilic components and therefore can interact both with polar and non-polar surfaces, such that the relative oxidation of the surface does not contribute to the adhesion. The adhesion of fermented milk is an equilibrium reaction, which depend on the fat concentration before equilibrium as well as the protein concentration after equilibrium. The adhesion seems to follows the Vroman effect, with smaller molecules associating faster and thereby adhering to the surface initially, but are displaced by larger molecules that associates slower as times passes.

It is the objective of this work to focus on heat dissipation in gallium nitride based solid-state logic devices as well as optoelectronic devices, a major technical challenge. With a direct band gap that is tunable through alloying between 0.7-3.8 eV, this material provides an enabling technology for power generation, telecommunications, power electronics, and advanced lighting sources. Previously, advances in these areas were limited by the availability of high quality material and growth methods, resulting in high dislocation densities and impurities. Within the last 40 years improvements in epitaxial growth methods such as lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO), hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), and metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), has enabled electron mobilities greater than 1600 cm2V/s, with dislocation densities less than 109/cm2. Increases in device performance with improved materials have now been associated with an increase in power dissipation (>1kW/cm2) that is limiting further development. In the following work thermophysical material of III-V semiconducting thin films and associated substrates are presented. Numerical modeling coupled with optical (micro-IR imaging and micro-Raman Spectroscopy) methods was utilized in order to study the heat carrier motion and the temperature distribution in an operating device. Results from temperature mapping experiments led to an analysis for design of next generation advancements in electronics packaging.