This study aimed to explore the perceived role and mandate of civil servants employed in municipalities in Kronoberg county. The study aimed to answer the question whether civil servants engaged in municipal economics have different perspectives on their mandate and role based on how said civil servants implement and manage policy tools available in Swedish municipalities. The study aimed to through policy tools theory explain how civil servants through four categories view the policy tools employed in the municipality. The study is based on the reasoning that policy tools influences exercise of authority that in turn influences view on policy tools. In order to study civil servants perspective on perceived mandate and role interviews were conducted with a sample of civil servants from each of the eight municipalities in Kronoberg county. The results shows that out of eight civil servants, each representing one municipality six civil servants see their perceived mandate as free and their role as to create conditions for local economic development. Two out of eight civil servants perceive their role and mandate as limited in creating conditions for local economic development.

The aim of this essay is to examine how the swedish municipality of Botkyrka hasendeavoured to meet the legal obligations prescribed by the General Data ProtectionRegulation (GDPR) and what impact this legislation is expected to have on the informationmanagement-structures currently in use within the municipality itself. Research has beenperformed through a case study consisting of semi-structured interviews. The study showsthat several important measures has been taken in order to meet the demands set by theregulation, but that the absence of a conclusive swedish legislation on the matter is keepingthe municipality from knowing what exactly is expected of them.

In September 2015, all member states of the United Nations signed upon the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), constituting the core of the 2030 Agenda. The 2030 Agenda form an integrated policy agenda, with the SDGs characterised as inherently interlinked. Policy integration and coordination across customary boundaries are assumed as fundamental when attempting to implement the indivisible and interlinked objectives. The public sector has, however, shown insufficient capabilities of such, characterised by increasing specialisation and fragmentation following from unforeseen effects of New Public Management (NPM) reforms. To facilitate necessary policy integration and coordination, significant alterations to policies and institutions are assumed to be necessary, and post-NPM approaches that seeks to join up the governmental apparatus have surfaced as counter-movements.  Building on the above, the thesis set out to examine policy integration and coordination as cornerstones when attempting to implement the 2030 Agenda, as well as organisational key capabilities and/or barriers for such. The thesis’ theoretical point of departure builds on the fields of organisation theory and public administration, and the longstanding deliberation between the two dichotomies specialisation and coordination. Such dichotomy is elaborated on through the NPM perspective contrasted against the post-NPM perspective. The thesis’ central theoretical concepts are policy integration, coordination and specialisation. The thesis was carried out as a qualitative case study, researching the experiences and opinions of 16 civil servants, from 14 Swedish municipalities, operating strategically within sustainable development on the municipal level, through semi-structured interviews.  Research findings indicate deficient policy integration in the majority of municipalities, with the 2030 Agenda being treated in separate programmes for social, environmental and economic sustainability respectively. Further, is vertical coordination, within the organisation as well as between governmental levels, appearing as insufficient. Identified organisational key factors include: the role of organisation; the role of the budget; the role of the ordinary municipal structure; the role of the leaders; the role of the center; the role of the individual civil servant; and, the role of communication. Many of the organisational key factors are described as capabilities as well as at the same time being barriers, and, hence, constituting contradictory practices for the civil servants and the organisations. The budgetary process especially stands out as one such contradiction. Similarly, are signs of the NPM perspective and the post-NPM perspective surfacing as simultaneous logics, practices and contradictions the civil servants must relate to. To strengthen policy integration and coordination, as well as the advancements of the 2030 Agenda, some practices may have to be modified.

Utgångspunkten för studien var att forskning om deltagande i kvalitetsutmärkelser och utmärkelsemodeller inom privat sektor, har visat på potentiella fördelar för deltagande organisationer. Forskning har samtidigt pekat på utmaningar och viktiga förutsättningar för att deltagandet ska bli fruktsamt och positivt. I en svensk kontext är effekterna för organisationer i offentlig sektor av att delta i en utmärkelseprocess, relativt outforskade. Studien ämnade fylla en del av den kunskapsluckan. Syftet med denna studie var därför att förstå vilken betydelse utmärkelsen Sveriges Kvalitetskommun har haft för kommuner som har tilldelats den. Frågeställningarna fokuserade på vilka motiv de fyra senaste vinnarna av Sveriges Kvalitetskommun har haft med sitt deltagande, hur arbetet inom ramen för utmärkelsen har organiserats, vilken betydelse granskningsverktyget Kommunkompassen har haft för kommunerna samt vilka effekter utmärkelseprocess och vinst har genererat.   Studien genomfördes genom en kvalitativ enfallsstudie med flera analysenheter. Datainsamlingen skedde genom dokumentstudier och fokuserade intervjuer av öppen karaktär med kommunrepresentanter samt representanter rörande själva utmärkelsen. Intervjudatan analyserades med Creswell och Creswells (2018) fem steg för analys av kvalitativ data samt mönsterjämförelser utifrån Yin (2018).   Studien visar att utmärkelsen Sveriges Kvalitetskommun har haft betydelse för kommunerna ur fem  aspekter. Den har haft en enande påverkan, en pådrivande påverkan, en bekräftande påverkan, en lärande påverkan och en mättnadspåverkan. / The starting point for this study was that studies on participation in quality awards and award models  within the private sector have shown potential benefits for participating organisations. At the same time, research has pointed to challenges and important conditions for participation to be fruitful and positive. In a Swedish context, the effects of participating in an award process within the public sector is an area that is relatively unexplored. The study intended to fill part of that knowledge gap. The purpose of this study was therefore to understand what Sveriges Kvalitetskommun has meant for municipalities that have won the award. The research questions focused on the last four winners and their motives for participation, how the work within the framework of the award has been organized, the role that the measurement tool Kommunkompassen has played for the municipalities and what effects the award process and the win itself have generated.   The study was conducted through a qualitative single-case study with several analysis units. The data  collection was carried out through document studies and focused interviews of an open nature with municipal representatives and representatives regarding the award itself. The interview data were analyzed using Creswell and Creswell's (2018) five steps for analyzing qualitative data as well as pattern matching according to Yin (2018).   Based on the results the conclusion shows that the award Sveriges Kvalitetskommun has had an impact on municipalities that have won in five aspects. It has had a unifying impact, a propulsive  impact, a confirmatory impact, a learning impact and finally a saturative impact. / <p>2021-06-06</p>

Bakgrund: Klimatfrågan är ständigt aktuell och något som berör oss alla. Sverige har åtagit sig att genomföra Agenda 2030 och de 17 globala målen för hållbar utveckling men har i dagsläget svårigheter att uppfylla flertalet mål inom den utsatta tiden. Mål som Sveriges invånare många gånger har stor möjlighet att påverka. Kommuner är viktiga aktörer i genomförandet av Agenda 2030 då det många gånger är på lokal nivå som arbetet ska omsättas i praktiken. De anses ha ett stort ansvar vad gäller att främja hållbar utveckling i den egna verksamheten såväl som för kommunen som geografiskt område. Att förmå kommuninvånare att delta i hållbarhetsarbetet är därför viktigt.Syfte: Syftet med studien är att bidra med en ökad förståelse för hur svenska kommuner som har ett framgångsrikt miljöarbete använder hållbarhetsredovisning och hållbarhetssektion på hemsida för att engagera kommuninvånarna i arbetet med hållbar utveckling. Studien belyser hur fyra sådana kommuner väljer att utforma kommunikationen i syfte att engagera intressentgruppen invånare i organisationens hållbarhetsarbete genom dessa kanaler. Studien kan främst vara av intresse för kommuner som har för avsikt att engagera sina intressenter i hållbarhetsarbetet.Metod: Genom dokumentstudier undersöktes uppmaningar till engagemang riktade till invånare i de fyra deltagande kommunernas hållbarhetsredovisning samt hållbarhetssektion på hemsida. För att få förståelse för hur invånarna engageras har även intervjuer genomförts. Morsing och Schultz (2006) kommunikationsstrategier för hållbarhet har använts för att undersöka vilken strategi kommunerna tillämpar.Slutsats: Studien visar att när kommunerna uppmanar invånare att engagera sig i hållbarhetsarbetet handlar det i huvudsak om att informera snarare än att uppmana till respons- eller dialog. På hållbarhetssektionen informeras invånare om hur de själva kan bidra till en hållbar utveckling men studiens resultat indikerar att kommuner som önskar engagera invånare i hållbarhetsarbetet bör föra dialog med invånare i de kanaler som invånarna föredrar exempelvis sociala medier, då det skapar större engagemang. / Background: Climate change is something that affects us all and climate action is urgent. The Swedish government has committed to Agenda 2030 and the 17 goals for sustainable development (SDGs) but faces difficulties in achieving several of these goals in time. Municipalities are important in the implementation of the SDGs and its citizens have a great impact on the country's possibility to reach the SDGs. Municipalities answer for the sustainable development within their own organization as well as for the municipality as a geographical region. It is therefore important that the citizens are encouraged by itsmunicipality to engage in the work towards a sustainable development.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute with further understanding of how Swedish municipalities with successful environmental work, use their sustainability report and sustainability section on their website to engage their citizens to participate in the municipalities work towards a sustainable development. The study can be of interest for municipalities that intend to engage their citizens in this work.Method: Content analysis of the sustainability reports and sustainability sections on the municipalities websites were conducted in order to study how these channels were used for different types of citizen engagement. Additionally, interviews have been conducted to gain a deeper understanding of how the municipalities in this study engage their citizens through these channels. Morsing and Schultz (2006) model of CSR communication strategies has been used as a framework to understand and describe which strategy the municipalities employ in these channels.Conclusion: When the municipalities encourage citizens to engage in the work towards a sustainable development, they primarily inform rather than ask citizens to provide feedback or engage in dialog. The municipalities use the sustainability section to inform citizens on how they can contribute to a sustainable development, however, the study indicates that municipalities who want to engage citizens trough two-way communication should focus on channels that citizens prefer, such as social media, as it creates more engagement.

Den svenska välfärden står inför utmaningar att vidareutveckla verksamhetsprocesser och tjänster för att kunna möta samhällets krav på tillgänglighet och effektivitet. Som en följd av detta genomgår svenska kommuner en digital transformationsresa som förändrar både interna arbetssätt men även tjänsteleveransen mot kommuninvånarna. Tidigare undersökningar visar att digitaliseringsprojekt är komplexa att genomföra och förankra inom organisationen. Studien utgår från ett teoretiskt ramverk med fokus på förändringsledarens förmåga att möjliggöra för meningsskapande. Det teoretiska ramverket används för att undersöka och analysera förändringsledarens roll och vilka framgångsfaktorer som råder i svenska kommuners digitala transformationsprojekt. Studien har en kvalitativ forskningsstrategi och den empiriska datan har samlats in genom åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer med medarbetare från tre svenska kommuner. Studiens resultat visar att både interna och externa faktorer står som grund för kommunernas transformationsresa. Resultaten visar även att både ledare och medarbetare berörs och behöver vara medvetna kring den digitala transformationen där en viktig framgångsfaktor är att skapa en gemensam grund och samverkan mellan verksamheter och förvaltningar, övriga medarbetare och ledare. Förändringsledarens roll är dock inte hugget i sten, utan den förändras och delas mellan de medarbetare som är involverade i förändringsarbetet. Studien resulterar i en vidareutvecklad konceptuell modell vilket kan användas som ett analysverktyg för att hjälpa svenska kommuner att förstå, identifiera och prioritera förändringsarbetet i relation till den digitala transformationen. / The Swedish welfare is facing challenges in further developing business processes and services in order to meet society's demands for accessibility and efficiency. As a result, Swedish municipalities are undergoing a digital transformation journey that is changing both internal working methods and the delivery of services to citizens. Previous studies show that digitalization projects are complex to implement and anchor within the organization. Hence, this study is based on a theoretical framework focusing on the change leader's ability to enable sensemaking. The theoretical framework is used to study and analyze the role of the change leader and the success factors that prevail in Swedish municipalities' digital transformation projects. The study has a qualitative research strategy, and the empirical data has been collected through eight semi-structured interviews with employees from three Swedish municipalities. This study shows that both internal and external factors form the basis for the municipalities' transformation journey. The results also show that both managers and employees are affected and need to be aware of the digital transformation. Important success factors are to create a common foundation and collaboration between business units, employees, and leaders. However, the role of the change leader is not set in stone, instead it is changed and shared between the employees who become involved in the change process. The study results in a conceptual model that can function as an analysis tool that helps municipalities to understand, identify and prioritize change management in relation to the digital transformation.

Gröna obligationer har fått växande uppmärksamhet på marknaden för hållbara investeringar under de senaste decennierna. Finansieringsformen blir alltmer utbredd världen över och användningen förväntas öka ytterligare. I dagens läge har användningen av gröna obligationer i större utsträckning gått till att finansiera mitigering av växthusgasutsläpp snarare än klimatanpassning av samhällen. Med det som bakgrund fokuserar studien på att undersöka förutsättningar för användning av gröna obligationer som finansieringsform för klimatanpassning i Sverige. Vidare kommer studien utifrån ett kommun- och investerarperspektiv att undersöka erfarenheter, för- och nackdelar med gröna obligationer jämfört med andra finansieringsformer samt framtidens finansieringsverktyg för klimatanpassning. Genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer har empiri samlats in från sex aktörer; Göteborg Stad, Örebro kommun, Kristianstad kommun, SEB, Kommuninvest och SMHI. En induktiv kodning av intervjuerna identifierade sex teman som presenteras under följande rubriker i resultatdelen; Komplex ansvarsfördelning och låg prioritet av klimatanpassningsprojekt, Kommunernas finansiering av klimatanpassning, För- och nackdelar med gröna obligationer, Ramverk för rapportering och effektredovisning av gröna obligationer, Möjliga finansieringsformer för klimatanpassning och Framtida användning av obligationer för klimatanpassning. Diskussionen lyfter relevanta delar från resultatet och förankrar dem i de teoretiska utgångspunkterna för att fördjupa förståelsen. Den första slutsatsen från studien visar att det inte är tillgång på extern finansiering som är anledningen till varför få klimatanpassningsåtgärder har genomförts. Det beror istället på att arbetet främst varit i uppstartsfas hos svenska kommuner och prioritering har varit på mitigerande åtgärder. Även lågt samhällsengagemang kan vara bidragande till den låga prioriteringen. Den andra slutsatsen berör utformningen av gröna obligationer; tidsramen, rapporteringen och prestandaindikatorer hade kunnat utvecklas för att öka möjligheterna att använda finansieringsformen för klimatanpassning. Den tredje slutsatsen är att klimatanpassning i svenska kommuner i nuläget finansieras främst internt, men även möjligheter till extern finansiering finns. Framtidens finansiering av klimatanpassning kommer troligtvis utgöras av både interna och externa medel. För den externa finansieringen är gröna obligationer ett troligt alternativ, men även andra obligationsformer uppkommer på marknaden, varav en är hållbarhetslänkade obligationer. / During the last decades green bonds have gained increased interest in the market for sustainable investments. Green bonds is a funding tool that is becoming more widely used around the world and it can be expected to grow further. Historically this funding tool has to a greater extent been used to fund mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, rather than to adapt societies to climate change. Hence this study aims to investigate the conditions for using green bonds as a funding tool for climate adaptation in Sweden. Further, the study investigates how players from the municipality and investor sectors experience green bonds, pros and cons compared to other funding tools and future funding methods for climate adaptation. To fulfill the aim of this study empiri has been collected through qualitative semi structured interviews with six organizations; Municipality of Gothenburg, Municipality of Örebro, Municipality of Kristianstad, SEB, Kommuninvest and SMHI. The interviews were coded with an inductive approach and six themes were identified, which are presented below the following headlines in the result: Complex distribution of responsibility and low priority of adaptation projects, The municipalities’ funding of climate adaptation, Pros and cons of green bonds, Framework for reporting and presentation of the green bonds’ effects, Possible funding tools for climate adaptation and Future use of bonds for climate adaptation. The discussion highlights relevant parts from the result and anchors them to the theoretical framework to deepen the understanding. A first conclusion is that the reason why few climate adaptation projects have been implemented is not lack of funding but the fact that many Swedish municipalities are in a starting phase of climate adaptation projects. Other contributing factors are that mitigation measures have been prioritized more and there is a lack of involvement from citizens. Another conclusion concerns the design of green bonds; the time frame, reporting and performance indicators could be developed to increase the opportunities for using this funding tool for climate adaptation. A final conclusion is that climate adaptation in Swedish municipalities currently is funded mostly through internal capital but it is also possible to use external capital. Climate adaptation will most likely be funded through both internal and external resources in the future. Green bonds will probably be an important part of the external funding, but it is also likely that other types of bonds which are emerging on the market will be used, for example sustainability-linked bonds.

Public Service Motivation is a concept of a rather short history. It refers to an altruistic form of motivation to serve the interests of a broader community and appears in the way individuals react towards motives grounded mainly within public institutions. Public administration literature claims that some people have a set of attributes making them more predisposed to positively react towards the special calling of contributing to the community. Although Public Service Motivation has received increased interest from researchers, there is lack of research about the concept within Swedish context.   Understanding the concept of Public Service Motivation and its underlying antecedents can contribute with solutions to problems faced by public institutions. Previous research suggests antecedents of three main categories: individual, socio-historical and organizational. The individuals are motivated by their unique norms and emotions, events and experiences that shape their beliefs and organizational codes of conduct that emphasize or constrain individuals’ behavior. This study aims to fill the gap of lacking research about Public Service motivation within the Swedish context by examining the impact of potential antecedents concerning all three categories.   The data necessary to conduct this study was gathered by an online survey distributed among all Swedish municipalities, addressing managers and employees mainly with an administrative role. The study provided some interesting results which can possibly bring theoretical and practical contributions for the future. It has been demonstrated that individuals’ openness and perseverance, along with positive parental socialization, religiousness and political ideology affects Public Service Motivation. The study also showed that individuals that feel satisfied with their job and individuals who achieved managerial position have a higher Public Service Motivation.    Public Service Motivation is a topic that is increasingly recognized and debated. However, there is still room for future studies, especially within Swedish context. This study provided research about antecedents of Public Service Motivation and a study of effects could serve as a fine complement.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how children are affected by eviction and structural homelessness in Sweden, and also to investigate what rights children have towards the Swedish state and Swedish municipalities under the Convention on the Right of the Child. To achieve the purpose, the author has used rapports of evicted and homeless children in Sweden, and analyzed the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The author did this to see what obligations the Swedish state and the Swedish municipalities have towards the children. Documents from Malmo and Gothenburg municipality are also used to see how the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child looks like at the local level. A comparison between the municipalities was made to see if there are similarities or differences between the municipalities implementation of the convention. An investigation was also done to see whether the municipalities comply the claims of the convention.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) localization is a growing concept in environmentalgovernance, with a focus on transferring global goals to local governments. A process underlyinga decentralized and multi-governance approach by involving local stakeholders in the policycycle. According to recent studies, localization has the potential of accelerating Agenda 2030 inthree steps; awareness-raising, implementation, and monitoring. Yet, after more than two years ofliving in a global Covid-19 pandemic, societies have changed, and foremost politics. New policyinstruments (lockdowns, masks, social distancing), economic decline, and new political prioritieshave all emerged from the pandemic. The question remaining is: How has the pandemic affectedlocalization and ultimately Agenda 2030? What are the institutional changes deriving fromCovid-19? And is it a positive or negative development for achieving Agenda 2030?On the 9th of February, 2022, the national Covid-19 restrictions in Sweden were uplifted and theaim of this research is to analyze the research puzzle of localization and the pandemic byconducting ten in-depth interviews with policy-practitioners in Swedish municipalities. Theresearch will derive from a critical fantasy theory encapturing rule-following and social practicesamong the practitioners, the forces and factors contributing to the maintainence, reformation, andcontestation of political discourses. The “inside perspective” of SDG localization offered aglimpse of routinized social pracitices and political discourses characterized by politicaltraditionalism, departmental silos, and “island solutions”. New emerging governance innovationsshowcase a step towards E-governance and centralized models for cross-municipal cooperation.Ultimately, offering a glimpse of what the future of SDG localization in Sweden could look like