This diploma thesis, The phenomenon of digital labor and its diverse practice in use of blogs in the Czech Republic, aims to bring the current definition of the concept of digital labor and its applicability into the Czech blogosphere. The theoretical part of this work focuses on the demarcation, definition of, and perception of the concept of digital labor, and the blogosphere, which is mainly based on theoretical concepts of Christian Fuchs, Sebastian Sevignani, Ursula Huws, Trebor Scholz, that proceeded the political economic theory of Karl Marx. The analytical part of the thesis presents the environment of the Czech blogosphere, which is based on the interpretation of the data of quantitative research conducted in the Czech Republic as part of a wider project IPREX BLOGBAROMETERM in 2014 and 2015 and secondly on qualitative research, which aims to answer the research question, if Czech bloggers perceive their creative activity as work and leisure activities, or merge their very different activities in one. Keywords Digital labor, digital work, blog, blogosphere, playbour, prosumption, Fuchs

To achieve a sustainable future fossil electricity is being replaced with renewable, leading to higher uncertainties in electricity production. This has resulted in an incentive for consumers to produce, sell, and store their own electricity, hence becoming prosumers. Austerland Skags is a Swedish project that explores the possibility to convert a small society into a prosumption system. The system includes solar and wind power as electricity producers and hydrogen-fueled vehicles for commodity transport. To capitalize the most on their produced electricity they want to store excess electricity. This master thesis uses Austerland Skags as a case study to develop a stochastic linear optimization model to determine the optimal energy storage solution for an energy prosumption system with both electricity and hydrogen demand. The method used in this thesis was the sample average approximation (SAA) algorithm. The results from the SAA were compared to the expected results from the expected value problem (EEV) to show the difference between a stochastic and deterministic solution. The results from the SAA turned out to consistently outperform the EEV for the samples created. Since hydrogen demand could only be sourced in-house, the model was forced to use an electrolyzer and hydrogen tank. The final result from the SAA showed that both a battery and fuel cell was used in addition to the electrolyzer and hydrogen tank in the optimal solution. All capacities stayed within reasonable levels showing the possibility of realizing a cost-effective prosumption system. / För att uppnå en hållbar framtid byts fossila bränslen ut mot förnyelsebara energikällor, vilket leder till högre osäkerheter i elproduktionen. Detta har skapat ett initiativ för konsumenter att börja producera, sälja, och lagra sin egen elektricitet och därav bli prosumenter. Austerland Skags är ett svenskt projektsom undersöker möjligheten att konvertera ett litet samhälle till ett prosumentsystem. Systemet är uppbyggt med sol och vindkraft för produktion av elektricitet och planerar att använda vätgasdrivna fordon för transport av råvror. För att utnyttja så mycket som möjligt av den producerade elektriciteten vill de kunna lagra överskotts elektricitet. Den här masteruppsatsen använder Austerland Skag som en fallstudie för att utveckla en stokastisk linjär optimeringsmodell för att avgöra den optimala energilagringslösningen för ett energiprosumentsystem med både el och vätgasbehov. Metodvalet i denna uppsats var sample average approximation (SAA) algoritmen. Resultatet från SAA jämfördes med det förväntade resultatet från förväntade värdeproblemet (EEV) för att visa skillnaden mellan stokastiska och deterministiska lösningar. Resultatet från SAA visade sig ständigt ge bättre resultat än EEV för undersökta stickprov. Eftersom vätgasbehovet endast kunde förses in-house i modellen var den tvingad att dimensionera upp ett elektrolysör och vätgaslager. Slutresultatet av SAA visade att både batterier och bränsleceller var aktuellt tillsammans med elektrolysör och vätgaslager i den optimala lösningen. Alla kapaciteter förhöll sig inom rimliga nivåer vilket påvisar möjligheten att realisera ett kostnadseffektivt prosumentsystem. / Austerland Skags

This thesis focuses on the role of nonhumans in the process of value production on social media platforms. In particular, we investigate the relation between algorithm based sorting mechanisms and human work, here exemplified by the role of a hashtag in social media users’ production of identity. Previous research has shown that social media users produce identity by organising web material into coherent narratives. As suggested by Marxist media scholars (Fuchs, 2014; Bolin, 2011), such organising of material can be perceived as a value generating work process. However, little research has explored how hashtags, and other digital nonhuman actors, are involved in this process. The ambition of this study is therefore to enable a closer understanding of hastags’ relation to value producing organisational work. To do this we have selected a specific case to analyse; the hashtag rockasockorna – a Swedish version of the American hashtag rockthesocks. Our empirical material consists of a quantitative data set, collected with aid of a statistical analysis software (hashtracking.com), as well as two qualitative ethnographic case studies on the two statistically most influential users. To analyse the material we use a methodological approach based on Bruno Latour’s (2005) Actor Network Theory. Primarily, the approach is inspired by Latour’s concept of the circulating reference (1999), meaning that relations described in the qualitative material are gradually reduced into a generalised model. The model suggests that the hashtag takes a position of what we refer to as a “quasi consumer”, an imitator of human organisational work. In the paper’s final section the results are brought into dialogue with contemporary Marxist value theory. We argue that existing literature tends to neglect the aspect of nonhumans as consumers, and thus further research should investigate the implications of nonhuman consumption.

This PhD by publication draws on a range of publications from the last five years. These books, papers and chapters explore tourist motivation and experiences in a range of contemporary contexts. The body of work moves from mainstream discussion around sustainability and slow tourism in the tourist decision making process to the use of visual media to explore, understand and co-create tourist spaces, investigating related tourist subcultures and counter-cultural destinations. In particular the work focuses on Urban Exploration and, later, on cold war sites. My papers consider both tourist decision making in relation to planned visits, and the subsequent publication of images of places which have been visited. The work considers authenticity and visuality as components of the dissatisfaction with modern tourism, and the experiences it offers, I argue that this dissatisfaction is driving tourists to understand, engage with and experience tourist sites in new ways, seeking liminality and embodiment within the tourist experience. The study will develop this analysis through four key areas:  A clarification of the role of tourism within advanced societies and as a multidisciplinary field of research.  An evaluation of authenticity, visuality and urban exploration  A critical review of tourist consumption, prosumption and co-creation  A review of the methodologies adopted through the papers submitted for this PhD by publication to explore the mixed-method approaches to data collection and the centrality of visual methodologies and discourses in understanding tourism and tourism geography. An exploration of the role of real and virtual experiences in deconstructing and reconstructing urban tourist experiences to evaluate the factors which influence and inform tourist decision making.

This single-case study examines the influence of social media practices on tennis players’ physical behaviours in the context of Swedish tennis club. Through semi-structured interviews with tennis club members, the research aims to understand how social media practices impact tennis players’ physical behaviours. The study draws on theoretical frameworks that highlight social media’s influence on both the production and consumption of content, which can shape tennis players’ physical behaviours. The findings reveal that social media practices affect tennis players’ physical behaviours. Firstly, these practices can lead to changes in coaching approaches as coaches adapt their strategies and techniques based on social media trends and feedback. Tennis players may develop new habits influenced by what they observe and engage with on social media platforms. Additionally, social media practices can impact tennis players’ societal position, influencing their interactions with others and potentially affecting their social dynamics within the sports community. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of considering social media practices beyond online engagement and their impact on physical behaviours. The findings provide valuable insights for sports organizations aiming to develop strategies that promote positive social media practices among tennis players while mitigating negative influences. Moreover, the study contributes to the research field by exploring the influence of social media practices on tennis players’ physical behaviours in offline settings. Researchers interested in further investigating this topic can draw upon the methodology and findings of this study as a guide for their own investigations.

This master thesis aims to identify the production processes within the contemporary creative industries, and in particular one field of culture and media production called transmedia. This thesis focuses on one particular aspect of transmedia – interactivity and participation. The questions that are investigated are: How does transmedia producers use interactivity? Does transmedia and interactivity change the production conditions for producers, and if so, how and why? The aim of this thesis is to get an understanding of the working conditions within the context of transmedia for producers and in extension for the consumers. Through this, the intention is also to create a better understanding of the role of transmedia within the contemporary creative industries.The methods used to examine this are based on qualitative research interviews with six transmedia producers and participatory observations of the documentary film project Ghost Rockets. By using a theoretical framework based on interactivity, participation, Marxist theories and Critical Theory this thesis comes to the conclusion that transmedia producers strive for interactivity but that full interactivity rarely is achieved. The use ofinteractivity and transmedia also leads to changing working conditions for both producers and consumers. These changes include a blurring of the roles of producers and consumers and that both producers and consumers are working for free.

Background: Ever since the Brundtland Commission stressed that Social Sustainability (SS) issues are often ignored, there has been mounting research on social sustainability (Boström, Vifell, Klintman, Soneryd, Hallström & Thedvall, 2015). Companies are now addressing sustainability concerns more broadly because of the increasing demand and pressure from society demanding they deal with the negative social impacts associated with their products and activities. This study is delimited to SMEs. While individual SMEs are naturally smaller and have less impact on sustainability than larger businesses, their involvement is important in achieving national SS targets (Weingaertner & Moberg, 2011). Sustainability is often regarded as the privilege of large corporations since they have sufficient funds to improve their carbon footprint (Rodgers, 2010). The activities of SMEs are not well understood and documented, including their entrepreneurial start-ups within communities, of which some are entirely based on sustainable principles (Rodgers, 2010). Given that SMEs play an important role towards sustainable development, understanding the underlying mechanisms of why SMEs are committed to SS within communities is an important research topic. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how SMEs facilitate the ability of communities to develop socially sustainable practices that not only satisfy the requirements of current members but also support the ability of future generations to maintain sustainable communities. Method: Due to the limited literature in social sustainability in the context of SMEs embedded in diverse communities, this thesis employs an exploratory research design together with qualitative and abductive approaches. Qualitative content analysis is used in coding and analysing the empirical findings, and the abductive approach is used in developing an extended framework of social sustainability. Conclusion: The aim of this study was to gain insight into the initiatives implemented by SMEs towards socially sustainable communities and the obstacles they face. Through qualitative research in different sectors of the economy (agriculture, construction, service, retail, manufacturing) and different countries, an empirical understanding of how SMEs engage in social sustainability initiatives was derived. The empirical findings resulted in the extension of a social sustainability framework proposed by Eizenberg and Jabareen (2017). In the extended framework, community social capital was added as the fifth concept of SS and its main components include human capital, social capital, social cohesion, social inclusion, natural capital and philanthropic capital. The variety of sectors and countries enabled us to take into account contextual differences and develop an international view of social sustainability concepts relevant for communities. / Bakgrund: Ända sedan Brundtland kommissionen betonade att SS-frågor ofta ignorerades, har det förekommit forskning om social hållbarhet (Boström, Vifell, Klintman, Soneryd, Hallström & Thedvall, 2015). Företagen är nu pressade att ta itu med sociala hållbarhetsfrågor och denna studie fokuserar på små och medelstora företag. Medan enskilda små och medelstora företag är naturligt mindre och har mindre inverkan på hållbarhetsarbetet än de större företagen, är deras engagemang viktigt för att uppnå nationella SS mål (Weingaertner & Moberg, 2011). Hållbarhet betraktas ofta som ett privilegium för stora företag eftersom de har tillräckliga medel för att förbättra sitt koldioxidavtryck (Rodgers, 2010). De små och medelstora företagens verksamhet är inte väl förstådd och dokumenterad, inklusive företagsetableringar inom samhällen, av vilka vissa är helt baserade på hållbara principer (Rodgers, 2010). Med tanke på att små och medelstora företag spelar en viktig roll för en hållbar utveckling är det viktigt att förstå de bakomliggande mekanismerna bakom varför små och medelstora företag är engagerade i SS inom samhällen. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur små och medelstora företag kan främja en samhällelig förmåga att utveckla socialt hållbara metoder som inte bara tillfredsställer de nuvarande medlemmarnas behov utan också stöder framtida generationers förmåga att bibehålla en hållbar samhällen. Metod: På grund av den begränsade litteraturen om social hållbarhet inom ramen för små och medelstora företag i samhället, använder denna avhandling en explorativ forsknings design tillsammans med kvalitativa och abduktiva metoder. Den kvalitativa innehållsanalysen används vid kodning och analys av empiriska fynd, och den abduktiva metoden används för att utveckla en utvidgad ram för social hållbarhet inom samhällen. Slutsats: Syftet med denna studie var att få insikt i de initiativ som små och medelstora företag genomför för socialt hållbara samhällen och de hinder de står inför. Genom kvalitativ forskning inom olika sektorer av ekonomin (jordbruk, byggande, service, detaljhandel, tillverkning) och olika länder, har en empirisk förståelse för hur små och medelstora företag engagerar sig i sociala hållbarhets initiativ härletts. De empiriska rönen resulterade i en utvidgning av en social hållbarhetsram som föreslogs av Eizenberg och Jabareen (2017). I den utvidgade ramen infördes samhälleligt kapital som det femte konceptet för SS och dess huvudkomponenter är humankapital, socialt kapital, social sammanhållning, social integration, naturkapital och filantropiska kapital. Mångfalden av sektorer och länder gjorde det möjligt för oss att ta hänsyn till kontextuella skillnader och utveckla en internationell syn på sociala hållbarhets begrepp som är relevanta för samhällen.

Bakgrund: Digitalisering är ett aktuellt ämne som ofta uppmärksammas i svensk media. Medfokus på digital utveckling har bankers kundrelationer skiftat från fysiska möten till att i dagbli mer av en digital relation.Syfte: Studien har som syfte att fördjupa diskussionen kring digitala kundrelationer inom densvenska banksektorn.Design/metod: I studien har en abduktiv ansats använts för att kunna anpassa teori efterempiri och vice versa. En kvalitativ metod har använts och empiri har samlats in genom semistruktureradeintervjuer. Till följd av syftet att fördjupa förståelsen för hur bankerskundrelationer förändrats genom digital utveckling, utformades en fallstudie. Tio intervjuergenomfördes, där samtliga respondenter är anställda hos en av Sveriges storbanker.Resultat: Resultatet av studien påvisar att kundrelationer har förändrats mycket under en korttidsperiod. Framförallt tenderar kunder idag att allt oftare interagera i digitala kanaler än attfysiskt besöka ett bankkontor. Implementering av digitala tjänster har skapat flertaletutmaningar för bankerna, främst gällande säkerhet, tillgänglighet, användarvänlighet ochpersoner i digitalt utanförskap. Dock kan banken genom de digitala kanalerna interagera medkunder på en mer daglig basis, vilket enligt banken själva definierar en starkare och stabilarerelation. Dock infann sig meningsskiljaktigheter mellan studiens strateger ochkontorsanställda, då de möter olika kunder i sitt vardagliga arbete.Originalitet/ Värde: Det finns få studier som behandlar ämnet digitalisering inom den svenskabanksektorn. Uppsatsen bidrar därav med kunskap inom ämnet, vilket kan användas i vidareforskning. / Background: Digitalization is a current topic that is often observed in Swedish media.Through a focus on digital development, banks' customer relations nowadays have shiftedfrom physical interactions to be more of a digital relationship.Purpose: The study aims to deepen the discussion on digital customer relationships within theSwedish banking sector.Design/methodology/approach: The study has used an abductive approach to be able tocustomize theory after empiricism and vice versa. Using a qualitative method, empiricism wasgathered through semi-structured interviews. As a result of the purpose, a case study weredesigned. The intention was to deepen the understanding as to how the banks' customerrelationships have changed through the digital development. Ten interviews were carried out,in which all respondents were employees of one of Sweden's major banks.Findings: The study indicates that customer relationships have changed a lot during a shortperiod of time. Customers tend to more often interact in digital channels than visiting aphysical bank branch. Implementation of digital services has created several challenges forthe banks, mainly regarding security, availability, ease of use, and people in digital exclusion.However, digital channels have enabled the Bank to meet customers on a more regular basis,which according to the Bank itself creates a stronger and more stable relationship. However,turned up differeces between the study strategists and office workers, as they encounterdifferent types of customers in their everyday work.Originality/value: There is a lack of Swedish studies that discuss the topic of digitalizationwithin the Swedish banking sector. The essay therefore presents knowledge within thesubject, which can be used in further research.

The popularity of Taylor Swift has been growing rapidly on social media after the release of her ‘Midnights’ album on 21 October 2022. The lead single of the album, ‘Anti- Hero’ and the ‘Anti-Hero Challenge’ initiated by the singer inspired 17 thousand fans (Swifties) to share their own anti-heroic stories inspired by the song. The aim of the study is to examine the contribution of the Swifties online fan community to the ‘Anti-Hero Challenge’ on YouTube Shorts. The research interests revolve around Swifties’ prosumption practices in a dialogical relationship with the original music media material, the fan community, the platform, and the artist. The goal of the analysis is to demonstrate how Swifties use YouTube Shorts for both personal and communal expression by means of prosumption. Prosumption refers to the synchronous production and consumption of media content in the field of Media and Communication Studies (Zajc 2015:29). The thesis illustrates how online performances, interactions, and discussions nurtured by prosumption practices shape and maintain the Swifties fan community on YouTube Shorts. The study applies the Uses and Gratifications Theory and Netnography to scrutinize how Swifties reuse Taylor Swift’s song ‘Anti-Hero’ to make their own media products, and give each other feedback. The findings indicate that online fan prosumption and discussion practices not only foster entertaining, humorous, creative, and challenging self-expression but also provide pathways for communal exchange.  Swifties fan community members play a dual role in not only being active audiences and critics of ‘Anti-Hero’ but also of fellow fan prosumers. Swiftie prosumers and commenters of the ‘Anti-Hero Challenge’ videos also draw attention to controversial societal problems and call for change. The findings indicate the beginning of an era where the boundaries between music production and consumption dissolve. The thesis calls for further scientific inquiry into music fan communities’ prosumption practices online and offline.

The thesis examines the subcultural activities and online fan community of Drainers (fans of the music collective Drain Gang) through TikTok. A netnographic analysis of fans’ engagement and community cultivation through prosumption is done through participation observation.  Samples taken using a non-probability purposive sampling method are analyzed, categorized, and coded. By using theories of prosumption, uses and gratifications and a contemporary online take on subcultural theory from Bennet (2004) as well as Genova et al. (2022), the samples provide an insight into Drainers and their subculture.  Results from the study suggest that community within TikTok is easy to find, yet difficult to regulate. It can thus be both a space for creative participation and opportunity for exploring identity as much as it can be for receiving negative comments and further stigmatization. Regardless of the app’s implications and limitations, it does successfully provide a platform for fans to connect, bond, share ideas and create authentic identity and a subcultural status.  While plenty of previous research concerning fans and their communities exist, this study is through researcher’s immersion opening up a discussion about Drain Gang’s subculture and fans, which is essentially an untouched area of research. Although limitations are present such as lack of possibility to pick samples on TikTok based on publication date, as well as bias while collecting samples, it provides an insight into the online community and subculture which can be used to further explore the topic.