Background: Since the coining of the phrase lean production by Womack, Jones and Roos in 1990, this mass production system of Japanese origin has been implemented in a multitude of organizations throughout the world, the results being predominantly positive from a financial point of view. The possibly negative effects of mass production on worker motivation have been discussed since quality of work life became an important political issue in Sweden in the 1970’s. As the popularity of lean service is now increasing, there are still unresolved issues regarding the transferability of a mass production system to the service industry, particularly with regards to the motivation of service employees. Purpose: The purpose of our thesis is to study the lean system of a Swedish bank, SEB Way, from a management- as well as an employee perspective in order to describe how lean may affect the work motivation of service employees. Research procedure: The study is empirically based on observations and interviews on multiple hierarchical levels at SEB. We have conducted a total of 13 interviews with front line employees at SEB, with the central SEB Way team as well as two external lean specialists. Results: The study indicates that SEB Way has little direct influence on the intrinsic work motivation of the SEB front line employees, as work motivation was present prior to the implementation of lean. However, there are some areas of indirect overlaps between SEB Way and employee motivation, mainly in terms of tools which encourage improved employee performance. This is in line with the short-term result orientation which characterizes SEB’s organizational culture. Furthermore, the study indicates that lean production may possibly exert more extensive direct influence on employee motivation than SEB Way.

Är de svenska storbankernas presentation av finansiella nyckeltal jämförbara? Det är frågan jag ställt mig i syfte att skapa förståelse för omfattningen av skillnaden mellan bankernas jämförande information via finansiella nyckeltal. Analysen har utförts genom en fallstudie, där ett systemsynsätt tillämpats, och har visat att vare sig bankernas presentation av finansiella nyckeltal, eller teorier kring nyckeltal, kan anses vara jämförbara. Stora skillnader existerar, både kring vilka nyckeltal som presenteras, vad de kallas och hur de beräknas. Finansiella nyckeltal kan således inte anses vara användbara som analysverktyg, eller bidra till den inre marknadens funktion. Resultatet av studien baserar sig på analyser av bankernas presenterade finansiella nyckeltal, resultat- och balansräkningar, ägarstrukturer och börskurser. Grunddata har hämtats från bankernas årsredovisningar under perioden 2004 – 2008, från Finansinspektionen och Stockholmsbörsen. Jag har även intervjuat representanter från bankerna och Finansinspektionen, en analytiker och en ekonomijournalist. Den övergripande bilden och djupa förståelsen har jag fått av Jacob Palmstierna, som haft godheten att dela med sig av sin fyrtioåriga erfarenhet och ovärderliga kunskap om den svenska bankbranschen. Uppsatsen innefattar även metodutveckling i form av en konceptuell omvärldsmodell.

Under de senaste två årtionden har det blivit en drastisk ökning av privat ägda laptops. Detta har öppnat för nya möjligheter som bring your own device (BYOD) digitala prov i skolan. Men med detta blir nedlåsning av datorn inför digitalt prov ännu viktigare. Undersökningar har gjorts gällande elevernas uppfattning kring digitala provsystem samt deras åsikter om digitala prov i allmänhet. Andra arbeten har gjorts gällande hur digitala provsystem fungerar tekniskt men samtidigt finns det artiklar som visar hur viktig lärarnas åsikter är. Därför kommer detta arbete definiera kraven som de krav som lärare har för att undersöka deras perspektiv, inte på det digitala prov eller provsystem som andra arbeten utan på nedlåsningsprogrammet för datorn vilket bidrar med information i ett nytt perspektiv. Detta görs genom insamling av enkäter från lärarna på en gymnasieskola för att definiera krav. Dessa krav ställs sedan mot vanligt använda nedlåsningsprogram för att svara på hur de klarar av de krav som lärare har. Resultatet av detta visar att nedlåsningsprogrammen inte uppfyller alla krav som lärarna ställer. Dock vid undersökning av de krav som underkändes bedöms nedlåsningsprogrammen leva upp till en majoritet av lärarnas krav då anpassade lösningar och vikten av olika krav disskuteras. Detta ger ett positivt betyg för nedlåsningsprogrammen och ger uppmaning till lärare att gå över till digitala prov utan att oroa sig för nedlåsningen av datorerna.

Background: The demand for ESG reporting has increased significantly in recent years. Simultaneously, in 2016, ESG reporting was implemented in the annual accounts act as a mandatory part. Consequently, ESG reporting has increased and gained focus from larger organizations. Stakeholder and shareholder theory are two main theoretical concepts that can explain and help portray the reporting of ESG. Recent developments have raised questions regarding how the information should be reported and targeted to whom. Purpose: This thesis aims to investigate how the top four banks in Sweden are portraying their ESG reporting. The study will analyze if the portrayal of ESG is biased toward any specific stakeholders. Method: The method used in this thesis combines quantitative and qualitative methods, as the authors found it most suitable to achieve the most thorough results. Interviews represents the qualitative method, and the coding of annual reports represents the quantitative method. Additionally, the thesis is built upon an abductive approach that enables the authors to alter between theory and empery, allowing the understanding to emerge along with the thesis. Ultimately, the mixed method and abductive approach produced the best conditions to fulfill the purpose. Findings: Even though theory suggests that the leading banks in Sweden should be able to achieve maximal satisfaction among all stakeholders simultaneously, it seems unrealistic to do so in reality. However, reaching maximal satisfaction is still the main goal for the banks, as stakeholder theory also suggests. The second finding is the presence of stakeholder pressure when portraying ESG reporting among the leading banks in Sweden. The report shows that the banks will act in stakeholders' interests when exposed to pressure from internal and external stakeholders. A more general finding is the dominance of stakeholder theory in ESG reporting amongst the leading banks in Sweden. Over the last years, the reporting towards stakeholders has increased significantly, while shareholder-targeted reporting has remained stable. However, it is still worth mentioning that the assumption of shareholder theory still somewhat holds.

Galactic-cosmic-rays (GCR) exist in space from unknown origins. A cosmic ray is a very high energy electron, proton, or heavy ion. As a GCR transverses a power semiconductor device, electron-hole-pairs (ehps) are generated along the ion track. Effects from this are referred to as single-event-effects (SEEs). A subset of a SEE is single-event burnout (SEB) which occurs when the parasitic bipolar junction transistor is triggered leading to thermal runaway. The failure mechanism is a complicated mix of photo-generated current, avalanche generated current, and activation of the inherent parasitic bipolar transistor. Current space-borne power systems lack the utility and advantages of terrestrial power systems. Vertical-double-diffused MOSFETs (VDMOS) is by far the most common power semiconductor device and are very susceptible to SEEs by their vertical structure. Modern space power switches typically require system designers to de-rate the power semiconductor switching device to account for this. Consequently, the power system suffers from increased size, cost, and decreased performance. Their switching speed is limited due to their vertical structure and cannot be used for MHz frequency applications limiting the use of modern digital electronics for space missions. Thus, the Power Semiconductor Research Laboratory at the University of Central Florida in conjunction with Sandia National Laboratories is developing a rad-hard by design lateral-double-diffused MOSFET (LDMOS). The study provides a novel in-depth physical analysis of the mechanisms that cause the LDMOS to burnout during an SEE and provides guidelines for making the LDMOS rad-hard to SEB. Total dose radiation, another important radiation effect, can cause threshold voltage shifts but is beyond the scope of this study. The devices presented have been fabricated with a known total dose radiation hard CMOS process. Single-event burnout data from simulations and experiments are presented in the study to prove the viability of using the LDMOS to replace the VDMOS for space power systems. The LDMOS is capable of higher switching speeds due to a reduced drain-gate feedback capacitance (Miller Capacitor). Since the device is lateral it is compatible with complimentary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes, lowering developing time and fabrication costs. High switching frequencies permit the use of high density point-of-load conversion and provide a fast dynamic response.

Ces travaux contribuent à définir une nouvelle méthodologie de caractérisation et de prévision de la sensibilité des composants de puissance de type VDMOS vis à vis de l'environnement radiatif naturel. Cette méthodologie est basée sur le test laser d'une part et sur le développement d'un logiciel de prédiction nommé MC DASIE d'autre part. La méthode de caractérisation par laser de MOS de puissance est validée à partir de la comparaison des résultats obtenus avec des accélérateurs de particules. En outre, des cartographies laser de sensibilités sont présentées et l'intérêt du laser comme outil complémentaire des accélérateurs est mis en lumière. Le développement d'une extension du logiciel de prédiction MC DASIE aux MOS de puissance permet de prédire leur sensibilité dans un environnement atmosphérique. A cette fin, des simulations TCAD sont réalisées ; elles permettent une meilleure compréhension du phénomène de Burnout ainsi que la définition de critères de déclenchement et du volume d'interaction.

Detta är en kvalitativ flerfallsstudie som undersökt hur distansarbetet påverkat organisationskulturen hos företag inom IT-branschen. Detta har gjorts på ett abduktivt arbetssätt där teorin har grundat sig Edgar H. Scheins tre nivåer av organisationskultur samt en samling av för- och nackdelar med distansarbete. Empirin har samlats in via sex stycken semistrukturerade intervjuer där intervjuobjekten arbetat på sex olika IT-fokuserade företag. Genom det abduktiva arbetssättet identifierades fem stycken begrepp som vardera beskrev en egenskap inom distansarbetet. Dessutom hittades samband mellan dessa fem begrepp och hur de påverkade de tre nivåerna av organisationskultur. Detta samband kom att illustreras i en egen analysmodell.

Ce travail traite de la fiabilité des composants électroniques de puissance comme les MOSFET et les IGBT affectés par l'Environnement Radiatif Naturel dans lequel ils évoluent. Cette problématique fait, de nos jours, partie intégrante de la fiabilité des composants. Alors qu'elle concernait initialement les composants destinés à travailler en environnement radiatif sévère du type spatial ou aéronautique, l'évolution et la complexité de l'électronique embarquée, qui peut interagir avec ce type d'environnement et avoir des effets potentiellement dommageables, nous amène à prendre en compte ces contraintes radiatives comme le cas d'ion lourd. C'est dans ce cadre que nous avons effectué les travaux présentés dans ce mémoire. Des simulations utilisant les outils Synopsys TCAD ont été menées afin de mieux comprendre les mécanismes de défaillances comme le Single Event Burn-out (SEB) et le Single Event Latch-up (SEL) ainsi que la définition de critères de déclenchement, de comportement et de la sensibilité de différents composants (VDMOS, SJ-MOSFET, IGBT planar et IGBT trench). Ces études nous ont permis de proposer et d'évaluer des solutions de durcissement au niveau de design permettant la désensibilisation contre les phénomènes de déclenchement liés aux structures parasites.

Les vaccins à base de cellules dendritiques (DCs) constituent une avenue très populaire en immunothérapie du cancer. Alors que ces cellules peuvent présenter des peptides exogènes ajoutés au milieu, l’efficacité de chargement de ces peptides au le complexe majeur d'histocompatibilité (CMH) de classe II est limitée. En effet, la majorité des molécules du CMH II à la surface des DCs sont très stable et l’échange de peptide spontané est minime. Confinée aux vésicules endosomales, HLA-DM (DM) retire les peptides des molécules du CMH II en plus de leur accorder une conformation réceptive au chargement de peptides. Il est possible, cependant, de muter le signal de rétention de DM de façon à ce que la protéine s’accumule en surface. Nous avons émis l’hypothèse que ce mutant de DM (DMY) sera aussi fonctionnel à la surface que dans la voie endosomale et qu’il favorisera le chargement de peptides exogènes aux DCs. Nous avons utilisé un vecteur adénoviral pour exprimer DMY dans des DCs et avons montrer que la molécule augmente le chargement de peptides. L’augmentation du chargement peptidique par DMY est autant qualitatif que quantitatif. DMY améliore la réponse T auxiliaire (Th) du coté Th1, ce qui favorise l’immunité anti-cancer. Du côté qualitatif, le chargement de peptides résulte en des complexes peptide-CMHII (pCMH) d’une conformation supérieure (conformère). Ce conformère (Type A) est le préféré pour la vaccination et DMY édite avec succès les complexes pCMH à la surface en éliminant ceux de type B, lesquels sont indésirables. La fonction de DM est régulée par HLA-DO (DO). Ce dernier inhibe l’habilité de DM à échanger le peptide CLIP (peptide dérivée de la chaîne invariante) en fonction du pH, donc dans les endosomes tardifs. Mes résultats indiquent que la surexpression de DO influence la présentation des superantigènes (SAgs) dépendants de la nature du peptide. Il est probable que DO améliore indirectement la liaison de ces SAgs au pCMH dû à l’accumulation de complexe CLIP-CMH, d’autant plus qu’il neutralise la polarisation Th2 normalement observée par CLIP. Ensemble, ces résultats indiquent que DMY est un outil intéressant pour renforcer le chargement de peptides exogènes sur les DCs et ainsi générer des vaccins efficaces. Un effet inattendu de DO sur la présentation de certains SAgs a aussi été observé. Davantage de recherche est nécessaire afin de résoudre comment DMY et DO influence la polarisation des lymphocytes T auxiliaires. Cela conduira à une meilleure compréhension de la présentation antigénique et de son étroite collaboration avec le système immunitaire. / Dendritic cell peptide-based vaccines are the most common immunotherapy approach in cancer therapy. While, in principle, dendritic cells (DCs) could be loaded efficiently by exogenously added tumor peptides, their loading efficacy is severely reduced due to low number of peptide-receptive MHC II on cell surface. Most surface MHC II molecules are either occupied by endogenous peptides or are inactive due to a conformation that is not receptive for free peptides. In MHC II antigen presentation pathway, HLA-DM (DM) in acidic endosomal vesicles removes the self-peptides and grants a peptide receptive conformation to MHC II. Mutating of an intracellular sorting motif in DM, renders its accumulation on cell surface. We hypothesized that the mutant DM (DMY) is functional on cell surface and can generate peptide receptive MHC II on surface of DCs for exogenous peptide loading. By using an adenoviral vector that expresses DMY, we found that DMY is functional on surface of DCs. DMY supplied peptide receptive MHC II on surface of DCs and improved exogenous peptide loading. The improvement of peptide loading by DMY is both quantitative and qualitative. DMY improves helper T cell (Th) response in Th1 direction that favors anti-cancer immunity. The qualitative improvement of peptide loading extends to loading of superior conformational isomer (conformer) of peptide-MHC complexes. This superior conformer (type A) is the favourite type for vaccination approaches and DMY successfully edits peptide-MHC conformers on cell surface level by eliminating undesirable one (type B). Function of DM is regulated by HLA-DO (DO) and it is well accepted that in acidic pH of late endosomes, DO inhibits function of DM by preventing removal of class II associated invariant chain peptide (CLIP) from peptide binding groove of MHC II. My results indicate that DO overexpression, changes binding of peptide-dependent superantigens to MHC II molecules. Superantigens (SAgs) are small microbial proteins that bind out side peptide binding groove of MHC II. DO probably enhances binding of peptide-dependent SAgs by forcing the accumulation of CLIP on the cell surface of antigen presenting cells. DO also neutralizes Th2 polarization by CLIP. Collectively, these results indicate that DMY is a valuable tool for improvement of exogenous peptide loading in DCs vaccines. An unnoticed effect of DO on SAgs binding was also recognized. Further investigations are needed to clarify the mechanisms by which, DMY and DO influence Th polarization. This would provide a better understanding of antigen presentation pathway and its interaction with immune system.

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