This thesis examines the activities within the Swedish steering system concerning upper secondary school. Sweden has a long history of shared responsibility between the state level of government and the municipalities, dating back to federal decisions concerning the establishment of a compulsory school system. By the early 1990s two parallel changes were taking place within the Swedish educational sector, one concerning the steering system which evolved towards deregulation and decentralization, and the other an extension of the compulsory school. A consequence of the latter change was that in practice upper secondary education became mandatory. The political aim was to realize the vision of “one school for all”. In this study the political vision and the larger question of how to turn it into reality (the differentiation question) is used to show how activities at national as well as the local level of the steering system are formed.

Policies are shaped by social values and assumptions, and can significantly impact the delivery of health and social services. Marginalized groups are often disadvantaged in the political realm and reliant on publicly funded services and supports. The purpose of this research is to consider how public policies are constructed and implemented for marginalized groups and to increase understanding of the consequences of policy reform. It draws on a case study of the Ontario Disability Support Program, Employment Supports (ODSP-ES) and considers the impact of the policy revision that occurred in 2006 on employment support services for people living with mental illness. A constructivist grounded theory approach guided data collection and analysis. Key policy documents were analyzed and 25 key informant interviews were conducted with individuals who were involved in: the construction and/or implementation of the policy; developing and/or delivering employment services under the policy; or advocacy work related to the policy. The findings highlight the impact of outcome-based funding on employment services and practices, and provide lessons for the construction and implementation of public policy for marginalized groups. The new funding system has promoted a shift from a traditional social service model of employment supports towards a marketing model, wherein services focus on increasing job placement and short-term job retention rates. However, the introduction of market principles into employment services has had significant implications for people living with mental illness. Employment programs are required to absorb increased financial risk, thereby altering the way service providers work with clients to help them find and keep jobs; there is a heightened focus on the rapid placement of clients into available jobs and less attention to the quality of employment being achieved and to complex barriers that prevent individuals from succeeding with employment. Although ODSP-ES has been somewhat successful at connecting people with disabilities to competitive employment, it has led to secondary consequences that compromise its overall utility. The findings highlight the complexity of constructing and implementing public policy for marginalized groups and suggest that evaluating public policy is an interpretative exercise that should be explored from multiple perspectives beyond the stated objectives.

Policies are shaped by social values and assumptions, and can significantly impact the delivery of health and social services. Marginalized groups are often disadvantaged in the political realm and reliant on publicly funded services and supports. The purpose of this research is to consider how public policies are constructed and implemented for marginalized groups and to increase understanding of the consequences of policy reform. It draws on a case study of the Ontario Disability Support Program, Employment Supports (ODSP-ES) and considers the impact of the policy revision that occurred in 2006 on employment support services for people living with mental illness. A constructivist grounded theory approach guided data collection and analysis. Key policy documents were analyzed and 25 key informant interviews were conducted with individuals who were involved in: the construction and/or implementation of the policy; developing and/or delivering employment services under the policy; or advocacy work related to the policy. The findings highlight the impact of outcome-based funding on employment services and practices, and provide lessons for the construction and implementation of public policy for marginalized groups. The new funding system has promoted a shift from a traditional social service model of employment supports towards a marketing model, wherein services focus on increasing job placement and short-term job retention rates. However, the introduction of market principles into employment services has had significant implications for people living with mental illness. Employment programs are required to absorb increased financial risk, thereby altering the way service providers work with clients to help them find and keep jobs; there is a heightened focus on the rapid placement of clients into available jobs and less attention to the quality of employment being achieved and to complex barriers that prevent individuals from succeeding with employment. Although ODSP-ES has been somewhat successful at connecting people with disabilities to competitive employment, it has led to secondary consequences that compromise its overall utility. The findings highlight the complexity of constructing and implementing public policy for marginalized groups and suggest that evaluating public policy is an interpretative exercise that should be explored from multiple perspectives beyond the stated objectives.

過去臺灣對中小企業的輔導以製造業、出口業為主，但隨著服務業所佔比例提高，輔導措施也漸擴展，並逐漸以發展在地化特色為重心，希望各地都能以此提升經濟發展、增加就業率。經濟部中小企業處在地特色的輔導始於1989年，並於2002年以一鄉鎮一特產為目標、2009年轉以地方產業發展基金的模式運作。本文以地產基金為輔導個案，並以政策執行角度出發，以個別深度訪談法為主軸，針對專案辦公室、不同類型的地方政府、實際參與輔導工作的輔導團隊、以及接受輔導及未接受輔導的中小企業主進行訪談，透過不同互動參與者的實際經驗，將地產基金的執行過程加以描繪，同時也了解規劃、制度與執行之間的落差，以彌補過去文獻欠缺整體計畫角度的探討、並補強政策執行的運作過程，以期能提供實務的運作建議。 本文以經費及預算額度、規劃內容、在地資源的內容與多寡、執行者的價值觀等要素間關係作為研究架構。經本文發現，從OTOP轉為地產基金時將地方政府的角色納入，有效發揮地方政府所長並減少資源重複投入，但易發生雙頭馬車及執行方案的衝突；而地方政府及輔導團隊的角色更主動，如行銷、計畫後提供媒合等協助，但有商家類型上的限制；基金在運作上採用層層對口的模式，具明確溝通管道，但也造成中層的地方政府行政負擔大；最後規劃時各角色的需求不同，也會導致執行成效有落差。以上這些發現與問題，透過制度性的設計，都可望得到解決，將使未來地方產業的輔導政策更為完善。 搭配以上研究建議，本文也對應提出實務建議，並認為加強地方政府人員專業訓練、加強計畫願景、加強輔導團隊篩選機制、定期舉辦相關活動以做搭配等方式應可以使執行的過程更為順暢；同時，本文也認為後續可以針對規劃與執行落差、行銷及評估議題、電子化對執行過程產生的影響、比較地方政府自行執行基金的案例等角度切入研究，以俾能將政策執行前後的過程及地產基金的運作更為深入了解。

This compilation thesis investigates risk and safety management at the Swedish local governmentallevel. It sets special focus on municipal implementation of overall international and nationalstrategies and objectives regarding holistic, cross-sectorial and multi-strategic risk and safetywork, and the prevention of accidents and injuries. The overall aim for this thesis have been to empirically map and provide an overview of theadministrative structures for, and the prevailing management perspectives applied in the societalrisk and safety management in Sweden, as well as to study the diffusion of strategic intentions forthis area down to the municipal level. Three different sources constitute the thesis empirical base: two different set of official planningdocuments, written by Swedish municipal officials on commission of the local politiciansand one set of data from a survey investigation with municipal officials representing differentdepartments/functions. The documents were investigated using content analysis, while datafrom the survey were analyzed using statistical measures. This thesis provides through its empirical works an outlook on the general characteristics andarchetypical features of the Swedish local level’s administrative structures and managementperspective on risk and safety management; and proposes a municipal typology and a set of valuecharacters for allocation and institutionalization of risk and safety-tasks. This thesis also suggestsa conceptual framework for overviewing risk and safety management’s systemic steering elementsin its framework report. Based on the findings made, it seems as if the local level’s compliance tothe strategic level’s ambitions for the risk and safety area is hindered by practical implementationdifficulties and that much work remains in order to reach stated strategic objectives regardingholistic, inter-sectorial and multi-strategic management approaches, and preventive risk andsafety work. / Baksidestext The compilation thesis investigates Societal Risk and Safety Management (SRSM) at the Swedish local governmental level. It sets special focus on municipal implementation of overall international and national strategies and objectives regarding holistic, cross-sectorial and multi-strategic risk and safety work, and prevention of accidents/injuries and promotion of safety. Three different sources constitute the thesis empirical bases: two different sets of official governmental planning documents, written by Swedish municipal officials on commission of the local politicians and one set of data from a survey investigation with municipal officials (n=1283), representing different administrative departments/functions within different municipalities. The official documents were investigated using content analysis methodology, while data from the survey were analyzed using various statistical investigations. This thesis suggests a conceptual and systemic model for SRSM’s contextual and analytical elements, and provides through its empirical works an overview of management perspectives and administrative structures applied, and it proposes a municipal typology and a set of value characters for allocation and institutionalization of SRSM-tasks locally.

More than a decade has now passed since the concept of “gender mainstreaming” and polices addressing a gender perspective first appeared on the international agenda, yet evaluations on these policies’ implementation show that progress has been slow in the field of humanitarian assistance. As executive workers, the humanitarian field staff have in policy documents been identified as crucial actors in the “gender mainstreaming” work, however, no previous research have been found evaluating their achievements in the field. This study examines if formulated gender policies, within Swedish humanitarian organisations and agencies, are implemented and translated into action in the field. This was carried out by investigating Swedish humanitarian fieldworkers’ gender sensitiveness and experiences of working with a gender perspective in the field. The empirical material was collected from qualitative deep interviews with ten fieldworkers from four different humanitarian organisations/agencies. The interview data was then analysed by using a theoretical framework based on Gender theory, Postcolonial feminist theory and Policy implementation theory. The results show that even though most of the interviewed fieldworkers mean that they are aware of gender issues and the importance of using a gender perspective in the field, they have a general low understanding of the gender concept. An emerging “cultural sensitivity versus gender policy implementation” dilemma was valid and possibly affecting the informants’ attempts to act on formulated policies. Moreover, the method that the organisations/agencies use when educating staff on gender issues seem to have an impact on this dilemma. It became apparent that the fieldworkers underestimate their own responsibility in using a gender perspective in the field; at the same time the organisations/agencies overestimate their workers’ capacity to implement their gender policies. Much also indicate on how a still old-fashioned gender discourse is produced, and reproduced, in gender policy formulations and among the fieldworkers. In conclusion, it seems like a gap occur between the initial intention of a policy, its formulation, interpretation and the final intervention result. / Mer än ett decennium har passerat sedan begreppet "gender mainstreaming " och genus policys först dök upp på den internationella dagordningen. Trots detta visar utvärderingar att genomförandet av dessa policyer varit långsamt inom humanitärt- och katastrofbistånd. Som verkställande arbetare har personalen inom humanitär verksamhet i flera policydokument identifierats som viktiga aktörer för arbetet mot att implementera genus policys, dock har ingen tidigare forskning utvärderat deras faktiska utförande i fält. Studien undersöker huruvida svenska humanitära biståndsorganisationer- och myndigheters formulerade genuspolicys implementeras och omsätts till handling i fält. Detta görs genom att granska svenska humanitära fältarbetares genusmedvetenhet och erfarenheter av att arbeta med ett genusperspektiv i sina uppdrag. Det empiriska materialet samlades in från kvalitativa djupintervjuer med tio fältarbetare från fyra olika svenska organisationer/myndigheter. Materialet analyserades med hjälp av ett teoretiskt ramverk baserat på Genusteori, Postkolonial feministisk teori och teori kring policyimplementering. Resultaten visar att även om de flesta av de intervjuade fältarbetarna säger sig vara medvetna om begreppet genus, och vikten av att använda ett genusperspektiv i fält, har de en låg förståelse för innebörden av konceptet. Ett dilemma mellan ”kulturell känslighet” och ”implementering av genuspolicys” uppkom, där organisationernas/myndigheternas utbildningsmetod av ett genustänk möjligtvis har en förstärkande inverkan. Tydligt var att fältarbetarna verkar underskattar sitt eget ansvar i att använda ett genusperspektiv i fält, samtidigt som organisationerna/myndigheterna överskattar sina anställdas förmåga att arbeta efter de formulerade policyerna. Mycket tyder också på att en fortfarande ganska otidsenlig könsdiskurs produceras och reproduceras både i formulerade genuspolicys, och bland fältarbetarna. Sammanfattningsvis verkar det som att det uppstår en klyfta mellan den initiala intentionen av en policy, dess utformning, tolkningen av denna och interventionens slutresultat.

This research proposes a methodology to account for policy transaction costs and to assess how they condition the implementation of policy tasks. In light of an empirical analysis of the European Water Framework Directive implementation in 4 institutional contexts, this work (1) elaborates a typology of Policy Transaction Costs (PTC) determinants and (2) depicts stakeholders' strategies to cope with PTC ('arrangements'). We distinguish three main categories of arrangements: strategies to minimize either research and information collection costs, negotiation costs, or coordination costs. This research testifies that certain policy implementation decisions can be explained by the search for PTC minimization according to contextual determinants. Policy analysis shall thus consider PTC linked to policy implementation so as to anticipate (i) the constraints policy actors will face when implementing a given policy and (ii) how these actors are likely to respond to such constraints.

This thesis examines the activities within the Swedish steering system concerning upper secondary school. Sweden has a long history of shared responsibility between the state level of government and the municipalities, dating back to federal decisions concerning the establishment of a compulsory school system. By the early 1990s two parallel changes were taking place within the Swedish educational sector, one concerning the steering system which evolved towards deregulation and decentralization, and the other an extension of the compulsory school. A consequence of the latter change was that in practice upper secondary education became mandatory. The political aim was to realize the vision of “one school for all”. In this study the political vision and the larger question of how to turn it into reality (the differentiation question) is used to show how activities at national as well as the local level of the steering system are formed. / <p>Se även under Uppsala i DiVAportalen.</p>

<p style="text-align: justify / " class="Default">In developing economies and specifically Sub-Saharan Africa physical inactivity has been identified as a risk factor along with tobacco use, poor nutrition and poor diet as this has increasingly formed part of today&rsquo / s lifestyle. Physical activity declines with age this decline is more marked during the adolescent period. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of physical inactivity and factors associated with it among adolescents in <st1:place><st1:city>Nairobi</st1:city>, <st1:country-region>Kenya</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The overall aim of the study is to determine the factors influencing their levels of physical activity in relation to their socio-economic characteristics. <o:p></o:p></p>

A new challenge for organisations in the 21st century is how they should ensure information security in a time and environment where the widespread use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as smartphones, means that information has been made vulnerable in numerous new ways. Recent research on information security has focused on information security culture and how to successfully communicate security standards within an organisation. This study aims to examine how latent threats to information security are conceptualised and examined within an organisation in which information security is important. Since threats posed by ICTs are said to be latent, this study wishes to explore in what ways an inclusion of threat conceptualisation can have in understanding what constitutes an efficacious information security culture when the intention is to ensure information security. The study focuses on the Swedish armed forces, and compare how threats to information security posed by interaction with private ICTs are communicated in information security policies and how they are conceptualised by the members of the organisation. Through interviews conducted with service members, the findings of this study indicate that it is possible to successfully communicate the contents of information security policies without mandating the members of the organisation to read the sources themselves. Furthermore, the study identified a feature of information security culture, in this paper called supererogatory vigilance to threats to information security, which might be of interest for future studies in this area, since it offers adaptive protection to new threats to information security that goes beyond what the established sources protects against.