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The purpose of this thesis is to study how two small and medium sized Swedish apparel firms internationalize their business activities.The international business activities are more frequent now than ever because cross border trade barriers are much less today. The companies internationalize their business operations for several reasons. High saturation in the local market, cheap supply line, hunting for resources and potential opportunities in the international market are the driving factors for internationalization. The small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have no exception from such motives. Generally (SMEs) have fewer resources than big multinationals therefore internationalization is more difficult and challenging for (SMEs). The existing internationalization theories highlight several ways for internationalization. The internationalization process model depicts that companies extend their business activities from less to far psychic distance countries and gradually increase their commitment in the international market based on experiential knowledge i.e. knowledge learned by doing. The revised model argued that companies involve in internationalization by utilizing domestic or international network. The psychic distance concept argued that companies face two types psychic distance i.e. inter – country and inter – firm psychic distance. We developed our interaction process model for internationalization. According to the interaction process model when firms start interaction within network these have higher psychic distance level and lower trust and commitment because firms initially interact occasionally. With the passage of time as the interaction of firms within network gains some pace the psychic distance level started to reduce and trust and commitment builds upward. Finally a stag arrives when psychic distance level reached at least stage and inversely trust and commitment at higher level and this result into international opportunity. Thus firms by hunting international opportunity gets involve in internationalization. Inversely, international opportunity can also be developed at initial or middle stage and interaction process start at later stages. But in such situation psychic distance level is comparatively high and trust and commitment will be low because there is no or lesser interaction among firms. The internationalization in such a way will be more risky.

Introduction: The Roles of women in family businesses and the challenges and opportuni- ties they face in relations to these roles in the family businesses will be explored in this re- search. Although women are accepted very important players, yet the roles of women are not frequently well-defined. The thesis will explore roles of women who play an important role in family firms and challenges and opportunities they have within the Family Business- es in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore what roles women in family business in Bangladesh and Pakistan have, and challenges and the opportunities they face in relation to these roles. Method: A qualitative approach was used to accomplish the purpose of this thesis. E-mail interview questionnaires from the participants were filled to gather information regarding the roles they play in the family business and the challenges and opportunities they have in the family business. Conclusion: Gender and the succession issue have a central role to play in the women par- ticipation in the family business. These factors along with invisibility issue are viewed as main challenges faced by women in the family businesses. Some of the results lead us to conclude that women situation in both countries is not so bad rather they have good posi- tions in the family businesses. So it was not in conformity with the literature written on women invisibility.

Background: The need for palliative care at home hasincreased in recent years as more people wish to die in their own homes. Toperform good palliative care by addressing patients' needs and desires of lifecare requires a better understanding of how nurses experience palliative careat home.   Aim: The aim of the study was todescribe nurses experiences of caring for patients in palliative care in homecare.   Method: The method was asystematic literature review and the article search resulted in elevenqualitative articles. An inductive qualitative approach was used where nursesdifferent experiences was identified.   Results: Our results are reportedunder two themes:Opportunities and Barriers. Palliative carein home care experiencedby nurses in variousways in which personalgrowth, experience, guidance,trustful communication, cooperation and self-knowledgewas opportunies thatemerged. Barriers experienced by nurseswas ineffective communication,lack of time and abuseof power in palliative care at home. A trusting relationship betweennurses, patients andrelatives, continuous mentoring and reflectionwas considered by nurses to be equippedto carry out worthy of-life care.   Conclusion: This literature review shows the need for knowledgeabout how societynurses perceive opportunitiesand barriers inpalliative care in order toeventually be able to develop and assure the quality of care.

The low birth rate is a global trend Taiwan has entered the low birth rate society! The low birth rate have a deep impact not only on individuals, families, society, nation, or even a whole industry. According to the Ministry of the Interior (2010) data show that the total fertility rate of women in our country from 1960 to 1965 of 4.825, down to 0.895 in 2000-2010, fertility rates highest in the world of the reciprocal of the first, even more than the aging neighbor country Japan is even lower. Estimated to 105 years of the Republic of Taiwan's population will probably enter "zero growth"! Today's changing social structures, not married and no children of the proportion continues to increase, the motives of the pet is not just for economic or practical purposes, but accompanied by the emotional pets and owners to produce a interdependent relationship. Their beloved pet is willing to increase spending, thus creating a huge consumer market. Expected in the future, the fertility rate continued low standard of people keeping pets will be more market demand for more vigorous, it is bound to create more pet business opportunities. The purpose of this study is to investigate the low birth rate to bring the pet business opportunities, "the case of its competitors, strengths and weaknesses and its opportunities and threats SWOT analysis to understand the circumstances of its comparative advantage. Furthermore, the use of the SWOT matrix analysis graph matching, correlation analysis of the pet industry, summed up the advantages and disadvantages of the pet industry, combined with the related policy analysis theory. Finally, conclusions and provide recommendations in the strategy of the industry. This study eventually granted to the following six factors suggested that the industry reference in the business: (¤@) management style (¤G) market segment (¤T) education and training (¥|) strategic alliance (¤­) Promotion (¤») pet related systems and laws Keywords: low birth rate, fertility, pet, business opportunities, the SWOT, the pet industry

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Entrepreneurship is a booming phenomenon in Taiwan and there are quite many research focusing on this domain continually. This research¡¦s aim is that entrepreneurship not only can create economical profits, but also is a link between social networks and interpersonal relationships. Emergence of entrepreneurial opportunities, change of social environment, establishment and maintenance of interpersonal and organization¡¦s network, knowledge learning and accumulation, are some of the indispensable factors for a successful entrepreneurship. In addition to the above, Taiwan depends heavily on its foreign trade; trade related industry holds quite a big contribution to the Taiwan economic growth. Therefore, this research adopts a trading company in gardening industry for case study, so as to know the problems and solutions, also to find out if there are any hidden implications from the story. This research is written in a narrative analysis method just to reorganize and annotate the hidden context throughout the presentation of episodes in one¡¦s life story. It is a story of an entrepreneur that grows out of nothing. Key words: Entrepreneurship, emergence of opportunities, interpersonal network, learning, gardening, narrative analysis method.

<p>The research in the field of biotechnology is rapidly developing all over the world. Modern biotechnology offers unique opportunities, simultaneously as it gives rise to a number of ethical issues. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), PGD/HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigen) and germline gene therapy (GLGT) are controversial techniques. PGD gives a possibility to identify a genetic disease prior to the embryo’s implantation in the uterus. PGD/HLA involves selecting an embryo with genes coding for a specific tissue type, so that the child to be born can act as a donor to an existing sibling who requires a stem cell transplant. GLGT seeks to eliminate or change “bad” genes.</p><p>The purpose of this study is to investigate student’s ethical attitude concerning PGD, PGD/HLA and GLGT.</p><p>The empirical study was based on focus group discussions. Four group interviews were made, with 15 participants in all. The students are taking courses in biology or religion.</p><p>The result from the interviews shows that the ethical issues are difficult to have a definite opinion in, because there are possibilities and risks involved in all these techniques, according to the students. A central part of the discussion was devoted to human dignity and the moral status of the embryo. They also see risks such as bioterrorism, designing the perfect humans, economic interests, medical risks, among many other risks.</p> / <p>Forskningen på det bioteknologiska området utvecklas snabbt över hela världen. Den moderna bioteknologin erbjuder unika möjligheter, samtidigt som den ger upphov till en rad frågor av etiskt slag. Preimplantatorisk genetisk diagnostik (PGD), PGD/HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigen) och zygotisk genterapi är kontroversiella tekniker. PGD ger en möjlighet att identifiera genetiska sjukdomar före embryots implantering i livmodern. Med hjälp av PGD/HLA väljs ett embryo ut vars gener kodar för en specifik vävnadstyp, vilket gör att barnet som föds kan fungera som donator till ett existerande syskon som är i behov av en stamcells transplantation. Med zygotisk genterapi kan man ta bort eller byta ut ”dåliga” gener.</p><p>Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka studenters etiska värderingar rörande PGD, PGD/HLA och zygotisk genterapi.</p><p>Den empiriska studien baserades på fokusgrupp diskussioner. Fyra gruppintervjuer gjordes, med sammanlagt 15 deltagare. Studenterna studerar på programutbildningar i biologi eller religion.</p><p>Resultatet från intervjuerna visar att de etiska frågeställningarna är svåra att ha en klar uppfattning om, eftersom det finns möjligheter och risker med alla dessa tekniker, enligt studenterna. En central del av diskussionen ägnades åt människovärdet och embryots moraliska status. De ser också risker som bioterrorism, designa perfekta människor, ekonomiska intressen, medicinska risker, bland många andra risker.</p>

The aim of the study is to learn more about the way preschool teachers work with Information and Communication Technology(ICT). More specifically, this study aims to explore how preschool teachers describe their experience of ICT, the conditions and opportunities to work with ICT, and their own knowledge and competence in the use of digital tools with preschool children. The research method consists of interviews with preschool teachers and observations at five municipal preschools in Stockholm as well as an analysis of the relevant passages in the Curriculum for the Preschool and the Curriculum of Stockholm city. This study shows that there seems to be great variation in the amount of ICT tools present in preschools. Preschool teachers expect a lot from ICT, and the improvements that it can make on their work. They express that the preschool has to meet the demands of an ever-developing society with respect to information and technology. They also recognize the importance of letting children use ICT tools, which are already familiar in the home environment. In the preschool, ICT is used as a part of the teacher-led activities and in theme work with the child group. Experience-based activities are also created with ICT tools. The rules and norms regulating ICT at the preschools include how the new devices, especially the tablets, should be used in preschool activities and what the mutual approaches at the preschools should be. These discussions are still active in this study and the preschool teachers seem to be looking for a quick fix, a simple manual that can lead them forward in their work with ICT.

Retention of key employees is becoming an increasingly important challenge faced by many organisations. With every employee that leaves the company, cost of recruitment and appointment, as well as training and development cost subsequent to that, are lost. The situation is aggravated by the fact that it is usually the higher performing employee who is more mobile from a career point of view, or the employee who has completed his/her training and who is more marketable, that is lost to the organisation. To effectively retain workers, employers must know which factors motivate their employees to stay on and which factors cause them to leave. The general research objective was to determine variables that influence the retention of designated employees within a platinum mine. A qualitative research design was used. Twenty four designated employees were selected randomly from the following occupations in the mining career path, namely Crew Captain in training, Crew Captain, Learner Official and Shift Supervisor. A qualitative measuring instrument, based on the phenomenological paradigm, was used to determine employees' perceptions of retention of designated employees. Content analysis was used to analyse, quantify, and interpret the research data. The results indicated that designated employees are poached by competitor companies; that designated employees leave for better payment or benefits; that they value opportunities for growth and development; that the Crew Captain title, job content and job category cause employees to be unhappy; that designated employees leave after receiving training and development; that they do not feel valued or listened to; that they are unhappy with accommodation benefits and the bonus system; that they are managed by fear; that job security makes designated employees to stay; that they leave due to poor benefits; that they are in general dissatisfied with the company; that work and safety conditions are good; that designated employees experience a lot of work pressure; that they value family responsibility; that designated employees with limited education stay; and that they experience racial discrimination. Recommendations for future research are also made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.