Thesis (Ph.D.)--The University of Iowa, 2002. / Supervisor: H. Shelton Stromquist. Includes bibliographical references.

The purpose of this paper was, on the basis of the association’s annual reports, to describe appropriate key performance indicators for non-profit associations. The purpose was furthermore to study how the associations show their goal-attainment.   The research was delimited to contain the second category of non profit associations, which include sports associations. The authors choose three non profit associations, which according to the law, shall draw up annual reports. The three ice hockey associations HV71, MODO Hockey and Frölunda Hockey Club, were thereafter chosen on the basis of those delimits. The research was furthermore delimited to include the parent associations only.     The authors obtained the basis of the paper through studies of literature and annual reports and via an interview. The authors described different key performance indicators based on these studies and analytical assumptions.   In the study it appeared that all of the three studied associations largely present their goal-attainment in the statement of activity, which is a part of the annual report. The financial key performance indicators that appeared were “the equity ratio” and “the gross profit margin”, which are considered to be appropriate for these three sport associations. It also appeared that the described appropriate non financial key performance indicators could be used as statistical measures to show the three studied association’s goal-attainments and with that consolidate the credibility in their annual reports.

AbstractThis thesis is based on two questions: What are the differences in the outcome of a sport event depending on the choice of method to be used for evaluation? And what method is the most appropriate one in terms of evaluation of the economic effects of sport events? There are two methods used: and the first one is the traditional multiplier analysis and the second method used is introduced by Braunerhielm and Andersson (2007). The economic results of the two different methods used in this thesis have been applied on a real life event, The European Championships in Figure Skating in Malmo City 2003. The two methods is of great importance and they provide us with two suggested results that are of interest, but what method to be used depends on who is making the evaluation and for what purpose. The suggested method by Braunerhielm and Andersson (2007) results in an outcome representing the economic effects of the event concerning all areas in the municipality involved both the private sector and the public sector. This method is of best use for athlete organizations that wants to keep a continuous record of their contribution towards the municipality through events and the positive result will help them promote their importance of existence to the municipality so that they can get public funding for arranging future events and gain more profit by increasing the interest of their association. Whereas,the multiplier analysis is appropriate to use for the municipality, as the results is the tax revenue gained from the event that is to be reinvested in e.g. new schools or roads the result will then help promoting the public funding of sport events to the public. The appropriate method to use is the multiplier analysis as it generates results that is of interest for the public as it calculates the effect for the municipality as a whole and not only the effects for the once directly involved in the sport event.

Le Monde a couvert un dossier sur la proximité d'un 'love-shop', "1969 Curiosités Désirables", à une école le printemps 2012. La Confédération nationale des associations familiales catholiques (CNAFC) et l’association CLER Amour et Famille avaient poursuivi le « love-shop » dans le 4e arrondissement à Paris, plaignant que la vente des sex-toys à 90 mètres d’un collège est une infraction de la loi de protection de l’enfance (2007) qui interdit à la vente des objets à caractère pornographique à moins de 200 mètres d’un ‘établissement d’enseignement'. Le dossier se concentrait sur la signification des termes qui définies les lois aussi que le genre des jouets : ce qui est pornographique, lubrique, etc. La défense, à travers un sexologue, une militante féministe, et le gérant, insiste sur la nature pragmatique et l’espèce créatif de leurs objets, insinuant que le public général et sain – les jeunes aux vieux – profite de leur industrie. « ‘Nous sommes dans une action idéologique’, a expliqué le défenseur, exprimant que « la définition de la pornographie faite par ces associations condamne en filigrane la masturbation ». Ce dossier a inspiré une enquête du plaisir de la vie privée qui, normalement clandestin, tient l’attention du public. Les sex-shops du monde ont subis une grande évolution au cours de la dernière décennie par l’obscène lubrique et vers le pudique, et même le chic. Les patrons ont changé leurs jouets, leur langage, leurs services supplémentaires, même l’emplacement de leurs magasins, tout en effet d’un nouveau sentiment de viabilité. Il semble – et ils disent – que leur but soit de recréer la sexualité féminine en haute voix de la révolution sexuelle et la libération des femmes en France. Et en réponse, ils ont gagné un fort soutient et une nouvelle clientèle par des femmes jeunes et âgées.

Understanding the ecology and epidemiology of tick-borne diseases requires detailed knowledge of the complex interactions among the tick vector, the microorganisms they carry and the vertebrate hosts used by ticks, as well as the environmental conditions experienced by all three groups of organisms in this triad. In this thesis, I addressed questions relating to the biology and vector ecology of the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) and the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis). Comparisons were made of the distribution of both tick species, the vertebrate hosts used by immature ticks, and the types and prevalence of bacteria in individual ticks from multiple localities near the northern extent of their geographic ranges in western Canada. The results revealed that the distributions of both D. andersoni and D. variabilis have expanded since the 1960s, and there is now a broad zone of sympatry in southern Saskatchewan. In this zone of sympatry, D. andersoni and D. variabilis immatures were found to use the same species of small mammals as hosts and, in some cases, the same host individuals. This provides for the possibility of cross-transmission of bacteria from one tick species to the other. Bacteria of several genera (e.g. Rickettsia, Francisella, Arsenophonus and Anaplasma) were detected in D. andersoni and/or D. variabilis, some of which represented new tick-bacteria associations. However, most bacterial species were highly host (tick)-specific, except for three examples of apparent host switching from one tick species to the other at localities where the two tick species occurred in sympatry. The findings of this thesis provide a basis for understanding microbial transmission, the structure of tick-borne microbial communities, the risk of tick-borne disease in humans and animals, and the vector potential of D. andersoni and D. variabilis in geographical areas where they have not been studied previously.

This thesis focuses on the Governor of Wisconsin’s Hmong Resettlement Taskforce that was charged in 2004 with making policy recommendations for the State about a large resettlement of Hmong refugees. Through participant-observation, interviews, and document analysis, the process of policy formation by the Taskforce is examined. This empirical, ethnographic study depicts this taskforce as a group of cultural agents and its work as a cultural process. Findings in this thesis center on the taskforce report and the constraints on the narrative that limited possible recommendations.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people participate in art and handicrafts study circles organized by educational associations, and thus receive an increased esthetic education. The degree of this increase in knowledge is dependent on the quality of the particular study circle, the extent to which they live up to the aims and conditions required for the receipt of state grants. There are some indications that educational associations sometimes close their eyes to these aims and conditions and neglect to provide information about them. An educational association is able to control the quality of art and handicrafts study circles—for example, through the selection of course leaders, and by providing course leaders with better information and in-house training. Educational associations also receive state grants for this type of activity. The grants are not specifically ear-marked for this purpose, and it is the educational association itself that decides how to use the grants received. Certain areas of activity can be given priority over others. It is therefore of interest to examine the official attitudes of the various aducational associations towards their activities within the area of arts and handicrafts. This study, which concentrates on the four major educational associations in Sweden- the Workers' Educational Association (ABF), the Adult Educational Association (Vuxenskolan), the Educational Association of the Citizens' School (Medborgarskolan), and the Salaried Employees' Educational Association (TBV)-is based on the following: - a direct method, involving an analysis of official publications, e.g. charter, programme, publications and journals - a questionnaire directed to the Directors of Studies at the various educational associations - an indirect method involving the analysis of the educational associations' reactions to the cultural policy introduced in the 1970s. The results of the study show that none of the educational associations give esthetic activities the highest priority, despite the fact that in the eases of Medborgarskolan and Vuxenskolan these activities are clearly dominant, and also constitute the major activity for TBV. There are many signs that instead indicate that the interest in esthetic activities is rather luke-warm. The associations also question the aims and conditions that the state has drawn up in order to maintain a certain standard in the content of study circles. TBV and Medborgarskolan consider these aims and conditions to be too demanding. Vuxenskolan does not appear to have any unified policy concerning these aims and conditions, and ABF appears to deny the very existence of fixed aims for study circle acitivites. / digitalisering@umu

Understanding the ecology and epidemiology of tick-borne diseases requires detailed knowledge of the complex interactions among the tick vector, the microorganisms they carry and the vertebrate hosts used by ticks, as well as the environmental conditions experienced by all three groups of organisms in this triad. In this thesis, I addressed questions relating to the biology and vector ecology of the Rocky Mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni) and the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis). Comparisons were made of the distribution of both tick species, the vertebrate hosts used by immature ticks, and the types and prevalence of bacteria in individual ticks from multiple localities near the northern extent of their geographic ranges in western Canada. The results revealed that the distributions of both D. andersoni and D. variabilis have expanded since the 1960s, and there is now a broad zone of sympatry in southern Saskatchewan. In this zone of sympatry, D. andersoni and D. variabilis immatures were found to use the same species of small mammals as hosts and, in some cases, the same host individuals. This provides for the possibility of cross-transmission of bacteria from one tick species to the other. Bacteria of several genera (e.g. Rickettsia, Francisella, Arsenophonus and Anaplasma) were detected in D. andersoni and/or D. variabilis, some of which represented new tick-bacteria associations. However, most bacterial species were highly host (tick)-specific, except for three examples of apparent host switching from one tick species to the other at localities where the two tick species occurred in sympatry. The findings of this thesis provide a basis for understanding microbial transmission, the structure of tick-borne microbial communities, the risk of tick-borne disease in humans and animals, and the vector potential of D. andersoni and D. variabilis in geographical areas where they have not been studied previously.

Many studies have been conducted of different types of business networks in recent years. Despite this, there is a lack of research concerning industry-transcending formal networks which are limited to a specific region. We have conducted a case study of Örebro Promotion, which is an industry-transcending network including over 500 members. Örebro is a medium-sized city in the middle of Sweden. The purpose with our study is to create an understanding of why enterprises choose to be a part of the network and what they feel is the gain of their membership. This study is exploratory and should be viewed as the start of this much-needed field of research. The case study is based on observations of the activities of this network and others of similar character. We have interviewed a number of network facilitators, current members and members that have decided to leave the network during the last year. The study includes a literature review of general network research with a particular focus on research of different types of formal networks. Based on the literature review we have found seven factors that come as a result of being a member in a network. These factors are information/knowledge sharing, new business opportunities, a broadened network, regional development, lobbying, reduced costs and resource expenditure. Our study indicates that reduced costs, knowledge sharing and regional development cannot be viewed as important factors in Örebro Promotion. Instead our data shows that marketing and legitimacy are two factors that do have an impact. However, the most important factors for business enterprises in this type of networks differ depending on the characteristics of each enterprise. For small businesses new business opportunities was the single most important factor concerning why these actors choose to be members in this network. For larger enterprises lobbying, in the sense that Örebro Promotion creates an arena for meeting politicians, were seen as the most important factor. A broadened network was generally viewed as a reason for a membership. Concerning what the enterprises gain from their membership, information was something all respondents mentioned as the most concrete factor. The opportunity to market the company towards other businesses was also seen as an important factor. A majority felt that the membership in Örebro Promotion did not create new business opportunities to extent they were hoping for. Since our study is one of the first concerning this form of network, we believe that further research is needed. A start could be similar studies of networks with similar characteristics in Sweden. This would be important to find out if the factors that have been found to be important in Örebro Promotion could be applied to other networks.

Abstract Title: Den mångtydiga svenskheten: En studie av det svensk-amerikanska föreningslivet i Kalifornien utifrån en etnisk aspekt 1910 & 1915. (The multiplicity of Swedishness: A study of the Swedish-American society’s associations in California from an ethnic point of wiew 1910 & 1915. Author: Joakim Fransson Master Thesis in History (10p) Växjö University The purpose of this thesis is to examine the Swedish-American associations in San Francisco and Los Angeles and how they withheld or/and formed a Swedish or American ethnic identity. The primary source for obtaining that objective is the newspapers Vestkusten and California Veckoblad were the announcements from the associations are analysed. The thesis main questions are as following: Which ethnic aspects appears in the announcements from the Swedish-American associations in the newspapers Vestkusten and California Veckoblad 1910 and 1915? And What similarities and differences in the ethnic expressions appears in the primary sources during these periods? The conclusions can be briefed as there was a great variety of Swedish-American associations during the examined periods, there was a frequent occurrence in both religious and secular movements. The activities arranged by the societies can in general be divided into groups, for example dance masquerades and theatre or literature and lectures. The purpose of these gatherings were mainly ethnic, the Swedish population were often gathered at these activates to take part of for example lectures of Swedish heroes, kings like Gustav II Adolf or when Sweden was a great power. Thus, there is evidence in the material that indicates that the Swedish associations also get hold of American influences which indicates that the formation of a Swedish-American identity was an integration of partly Swedish and partly American cultural heritage. There is also debated in the empirical study that an ethnic identity not necessarily have to be the main reason for attending to the Swedish-American association activates, there is argued for that the individual or the group in the first hand identify themselves on gender, working, age or class basis. There is also of importance that the primary sources, the Swedish newspapers was an ethnic institution in the Swedish-American society and had a great influence on the Swedish population.