Sweden has a long history of non-belligerency and neutrality in world affairs. However, with the political landscape changing across the world Sweden may have made it possible to break this trend by joining the NATO organization.  Following an analysis of Sweden’s actions towards NATO in two fields. The first being the institutional theory which organizations like NATO represents, the other being the direct participation and collaboration Sweden has made in NATO operations and organizations. The conclusion was reached that Sweden has made concessions towards and approached the organization in both fields yet currently remains a non-member. The potential future outcome is tied to the sociopolitical perspectives within liberalism, realism and ultimately path dependency.

After decades in which NATO epitomized the central forum towards the pursuit of European defense, a progressing integration and enlargement process of the European Union’s defense sector has catalyzed a debate about the future of the European defense and security architecture. The implementation of collective EU defense structures like the Permanent Structured Cooperation in 2017 aggravated concerns about a duplication of needs for military and defense capabilities and consequently a diminishing role of NATO, particularly among non-EU NATO states. Taking this background into account, the study aimed to elaborate the influence of both NATO and EU – as institutions commissioned with defense and security endeavors - on their member states’ military sectors. In particular, how member states aligned their military sectors with institutional expectations towards members’ commitment and how these developments could be explained in course of a historical institutionalist approach, in particular by the concept of path dependency. For this matter, the study revisited developments in member states’ military sectors from 1996 – when the European Defense and Security Identity was agreed on – until today in a first step, connected to an analysis on the extent to which the identified developments could be traced back to the states’ membership in both NATO and EU as driving factors. By using path dependency as explanatory variable, the study ultimately aimed to identify dimensions in which a member’s commitment to EU and NATO constituted a “path” that would shape decision-making towards domestic military sectors - e.g. in form of member states’ compliance with norms and guidelines or engagement in institutions’ operations - for years to come. The cases selected for the study were France, Germany and the United Kingdom which after the Brexit is still committed to EU defense structures in course of 3rd state participation.

Legalization of Abortion in Argentina: A Path-Dependency Reading of the Influence of the Catholic Church and the Contrast with the Uruguayan Experience Alexa Elleny Quiles Hernández Abstract Argentina's abortion laws only allow women to access a lawful procedure in cases of rape and health or life threat, and this has been driving women who do not wish to continue a pregnancy into criminal considerations and, in many cases, dangerous and unhygienic environments. The aim of this work is to delineate part of the historical path that has forged the strong relations between the Argentinean State and the Catholic Church since the colonial period and the influence this has had on restrictive abortion rights for women today despite the growing number of demands to legalize voluntary termination. To highlight this influence, this study contrasts the Argentinean experience with that of neighboring Uruguay, a country that successfully legalized abortion in 2012 and which drew an effective division between the Church and the State at an early stage, furnishing a more autonomous environment for the government to respond to citizens' needs. For this, this work takes on Paul Pierson's approach to increasing returns and path- dependency theory and researches and analyzes events, dynamics and factors that have paved...

Entering a new market is one of the most important strategic decisions a company makes, and being an external player can make it possible to reveal opportunities not apparent to the industry players. The key is to not take industry structures for granted, but to think outside the box when formulating the entering strategy. This study rests on the assumption that there are factors in industries that are more path dependent than others, hence they are rigid and difficult to change. These factors could eventually prevent the industry from evolving even though new technology and processes are available. By first identifying factors strongly governed by path dependency and then delving deeper to understand the reason why they have not changed, this study argue that new business opportunities can evolve. The approach developed in this paper is particularly beneficial when the product or service is not yet developed and the company has many different resources, enabling a more diversified product portfolio, in which opportunities can be prioritized against the company resources. This enables matching a product or service to the industry rather than pushing it out on the market. In this report the path dependency approach is applied on the banana market, which has features governed by path dependency, and the entering company is a subsidiary to an established company and thereby has multiple resources as well as products and services. Since the subsidiary chose to proceed with the strategy formulated by using the path dependency approach the findings from the case study show that the approach can be useful when entering a new market. The report concludes that the concept of path dependency is ambiguous and subjective but could be useful when formulating an entry strategy into a new market. However, further research is needed to evaluate the application of the approach and the path dependency approach should primarily be seen as a complement to existing market entry strategies.

The aim with this study is to evaluate if standardization of sustainable housing is a practical solution to address the objectives/reach the goals of sustainable housing. The point of departure is that eco-labelling of houses is a way to put sustainable housing into practice. The Nordic Swan criteria for small houses and the UK Code for Sustainable Homes are two recently developed schemes for sustainable construction and design. These two labelling systems are chosen as case studies in order to compare and examine the practice of sustainable housing. How can the goals of sustainable housing be met in the form of eco- labelling? What are the benefits and obstacles/limitations for the cases to be effective and sustainable?  What can explain differences between the two cases? And is the function and organisation of the cases best explained by sustainable development ideas or ecological modernization?  It is suggested in the view of path dependency theory that the UK’s and Sweden’s decisions based on their expectations concerning development of the EU flower has made their respective eco-labelling of houses to have different organisational structure. The Code as a sector-specific label has the advantage, compared to the Swan, of being able to change its structure depending on the needs of pressure in the network of government, business and consumers.  The Code has several criteria concerning sustainable living besides criteria concerning environmental construction of the house and can therefore be considered as part of the sustainable development discourse.

A significant proportion of construction and demolition (C&D) waste is encompassed within the broader category of global waste. The handling of C&D waste is subject to the influence of a tripartite of environmental, social, and economic factors. An extensive comprehension of C&D waste management can be attained by examining the construction industry, waste management, transportation, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The escalating aggregate demand and landfill practices significantly threaten developing nations' natural resources, despite the national government's regulatory measures. The present study employed a qualitative research approach and a multi-level perspective (MLP) framework to investigate the various actors, factors, and levels that impact the management of C&D waste. The present analysis relates independently to investigating lock-in determinants, encompassing exogenous and endogenous pressures and socio-technical transitions. Bengaluru's management of C&D waste encompasses a diverse array of stakeholders, including real estate organizations, urban development agencies, construction firms, both formal and informal markets, a solitary C&D processing plant situated at the periphery of the city, unapproved landfills located in abandoned stone quarries, local transportation providers, governance bodies, and low-carbon building methodologies. Furthermore, it is imperative to note that there exist significant deficiencies in the execution of C&D waste management by established protocols, as well as their enforcement. This is compounded by an acute shortage of facilities for the collection and disposal of such waste, insufficient vehicular resources at the disposal of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), limited participation from stakeholders, negative attitudes towards the effective use of recycled materials and the repurposing of building components, a lack of incentivisation and punitive measures, inadequate awareness among proprietors and constructors of private edifices, and the indiscriminate dumping of C&D waste, which has led to the obstruction of commuting and communal well being. The effects of landfills on wildlife, such as avian migration and urban inundation, have prompted a transition towards more ecologically sound management of C&D waste in Bengaluru. Formulating sustainable strategies for managing C&D waste in Bengaluru is encouraged to incorporate socio-economic and environmental factors, business models, and governmental cooperation. The importance of sharing information, the power of nudging people to alter their habits, and the value of considering new approaches to building are also highlighted.

When it comes to climate change, one of the most pressing challenges is energy production and consumption in society, from individuals to markets. From economic incentives, path dependence and risk perceptions of our society, actions and strategise need to become more adaptable towards change. The actions and strategise need to be impactful on behaviour and attitudes on such subject, and the authority responsible in this regard is the Swedish Energy Agency in Eskilstuna, Sweden. The purpose of this thesis is to understand the complicated transformation towards sustainable energy production and consumption in society, through the experience and knowledge of the Swedish Energy Agency. Economic growth desires, path dependence (in both societal behaviour and attitudes, as well as economic theorems) and risk perceptions are the subjects in discussion as they relate to the transformation.  The findings revealed that the Swedish Energy Agency is aware of societal behaviour and attitudes toward change to some extent; nonetheless, they must enhance the information provided to society. To have a greater impact on the majority of society, their action plans and strategies must become more adaptive to particular identities. Most policymaking in our culture is driven by economic incentives, but the Swedish Energy Agency believes that if they could raise knowledge, behaviour, and attitudes toward long-term change, the government (who is responsible for the agency's missions) would change. Because our government is a democracy, it reflects what our society desires.

The world’s demand for energy has steadily increased in recent years, driven by economic and population growth, coupled with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, using fossil fuels to meet the energy demand has led to various environmental and social problems, including air pollution, climate change, and geopolitical conflicts. As a result, there has been a growing interest in shifting from fossil energy to green energy sources, which offer a cleaner, and often more cost-effective alternative. This essay will explore the opportunities and challenges of transitioning from fossil energy to renewable energy, with a focus on the economic, environmental, and social implications of this shift, throughout the current state of renewable energy technologies and their potential for widespread adoption, as well as the political and regulatory frameworks that facilitate or hinder this transition. The essay also provides an empirical literature overview of the costs and benefits of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, including the impact on the environment and employment. I argue that while the transition to renewable energy will not be easy, it is necessary to ensure a sustainable future for our planet and future generations

This study aims to look at the processes used when creating wellbeing economic projects to further understand what key themes there are. It applies Path-Dependency theory, consisting of Path-Dependence and Path-Creation to see if the chosen aspects are relevant to creating wellbeing projects and altering the path from the Anthropocene. Analysis is conducted on 45 implemented wellbeing economic projects from the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. After formulating questions based on this, interviews are carried out with ten experienced wellbeing leaders to gain a deeper understanding of what could be learned from their experiences of success and failure within wellbeing projects. The main findings of the study show that to effectively alter the path, power should be dispersed between as many people as possible, people are driven by a larger vision than specifics and it is essential for governments and the private sector to communicate with people to understand what they value in regards to wellbeing.

Inom EU finns en sammanhållningspolitik som går ut på att minska klyftorna mellan regioner i unionen. I Sverige finns en regional utvecklingspolitik där man vill jämna ut olikheterna mellan stad och landsbygd och bland annat besöksnäringen har pekats ut som en viktig motor för tillväxt. Även evenemang nämns allt oftare i strategier för regional utveckling och det är något som har blivit en allt vanligare reseanledning. Den här studien syftar till att undersöka vilken roll evenemang har i de regionala utvecklingsstrategierna i Jämtland Härjedalen och om det även speglas i hur evenemang finansieras med offentliga medel från regionen och EU. För att undersöka detta utgår studien från teorier om hållbar utveckling, lokaliseringsfaktorer och path dependency.  Innehållsanalyser av både kvalitativ och kvantitativ karaktär har genomförts av dels de strategiska dokumenten och dels de evenemangsprojekt som registrerats i Tillväxtverkets Projektbank mellan åren 2011 och 2020. Studien visar att efter år 2014 har evenemang fått en väldigt stor plats i strategierna. Resultaten tyder också på att de evenemangsprojekt som fått offentliga medel har en tydlig koppling till utvecklingsmålen i regionen och att majoriteten av pengarna gått till stora idrottsevenemang i kommunerna Östersund och Åre. / <p>2022-06-01</p>