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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been widely talked about over decades. CSR is a concept proposed in Western Countries firstly and it asks for business to contribute sustainable economic development and to improve the quality of life by involving other stakeholders at the same time. The CSR among countries in Asia has beenspreadingin recent years. This thesis takes a closer comparison on the CSR between China and Sweden. As a case study with qualitative strategy, its main aims are to compare the driving forces, barriers, activities and deliverables in implementation of CSR in a Sweden-China context. Two Swedish enterprises and one Chinese enterprise are used as examples here in this study and both of their primary data by interview and secondary data by CSR or Sustainability Report are utilized. Theories refer to the implementation of CSR, the CSR in China and Sweden are used to establish the conceptual framework of this study. Empirical findings show that Chinese and Swedish enterprises both implement CSR in a similar way while the differences still exist. For instance, the Swedish enterprises stress the work on philanthropic responsibility to participate in local activities, while the Chinese enterprises contribute to the society by donation in natural disaster. Their activities, driving forces, barriers and deliverables are summarized in a model, respectively. Base on this fact, this thesis argues that the difference is due to the influence of cultural and political factors. Consequently, it leads to a situation that the Swedish enterprises have an advantage in implementation on caring of employees while the Chinese enterprises are good at making contributions to the larger society. This thesis can hopefully provide insightful comparison between the implementation of CSR in both Swedish and Chinese enterprises. As a conclusion, the study recommends that the future research should focus on CSR implementation of political influence.

Background: Currently, if traveling the posted speed limit, the typical commuter driver in the Toronto Metropolitan area will travel round trip upwards of 60 minutes a day to work (Heisz and LaRochelle-Cote, 2005). As urban congestion continues to rise, commuting distances and times will progressively increase, placing commuter drivers at increased risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (Porter and Gyi, 2002; Walsh et al., 1989; Chen et al., 2005; Sakakibara et al., 2006). As urban areas continue to expand, it is believed that a greater percentage of our urban populations will be defined as overweight or obese (Puska et al., 2003). To date the influence of body mass on driver posture, pressure distribution and discomfort during a prolonged driving situation has been left relatively untested. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the influence body mass has on driver posture, pressure distribution and discomfort during a prolonged driving situation. Methodology: Twelve male and 12 female participants, between 167 and 172 cm in stature were used in this investigation. Even numbers of males were assigned to either a light (51.3-57.7 kg), moderate (63.7-69.4 kg), or heavy (82.7-92.0 kg) body mass group. Participants were than placed in a 2 hour in lab driving simulation. During the simulation, lumbar flexion, pelvic angle, joint/segment angles, pressure distribution and discomfort were recorded. A three way mixed general linear model was used to determine if significant (α = 0.05) differences in discomfort, posture and/or interface pressure measurements existed over time. Results: Heavy drivers displayed increased total IT pressures and total seat pan/back pressures during driving. When normalizing these total pressures to area, differences in total IT pressure recorded from the seat pan, and total pressure recorded from the seat back were not significantly different (α = 0.05) across body mass groups. Due to the lack of seat pan accommodation with respect to surface area, the heavy body mass group’s total pressures per unit area for the seat pan was elevated relative to the lighter body mass groups. No differences in two-dimensional joint or segment kinematics and ratings of perceived discomfort were observed between body mass groups or between genders. Gender specific lumbo-pelvic postures and pressure distribution profiles were observed. Conclusion: With appropriate design of the seat pan to accommodate heavy body mass populations with respect to seat pan area, the influence of body mass as a potential risk factor in the development of discomfort would be reduced. With stature and body mass controlled between gender groups, biomechanical differences in both pressure distribution and lumbo-sacral postures were observed between males and females, verifying gender as a risk factor in the development of discomfort during prolonged driving. Recommendations to car seat manufacturers to recognize gender and body mass as important variables in the design of a car seat should be made.

Introduction: Driver perceptions may be a more important determinant of behaviour than one’s actual driving abilities. While there is evidence to support these associations, prior studies have relied on self-reports of driving behaviour. Purpose: The primary purposes of this study were to extend previous research by examining driver perceptions in relation to measures of actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Methods: A convenience sample of 61 older drivers (aged 67 to 92, 59% women) were recruited as either sole drivers (only driver in the household, n=39) or couples (both currently driving and sharing a vehicle, n=22). Two in-vehicle devices (one with a GPS unit) were installed in participant vehicles for one week. Participants completed trip logs, out-of-home activity diaries, questions on usual driving habits and ratings of situational driving frequency and avoidance. Perceptions were assessed using the Driving Comfort Scales (DCS Day and Night) and Perceived Driving Abilities (PDA) Scales. Couples were also asked to rate their comfort level in their partner’s driving using modified DCSs. Tools were administered at one of two home visits (during which vehicle devices were installed and removed) and an interview conducted at the end to ascertain whether the week’s driving was typical. Results: Driving comfort scores were significantly related to multiple indicators of actual driving behaviour, including: radius from home (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01), total distance overall (DCS-N, p<.001) and at night (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01). Perceived abilities, meanwhile, were related to distance driven (p<.01). Although sole drivers were significantly older, they drove more often, longer distances and for greater duration than couple drivers. Overall, men had higher DCS scores and, in couples, were more likely to rate themselves higher than their spouses. Partners’ comfort levels in their spouses’ driving were related to their spouses’ self-reported situational avoidance and amount of night driving over the study week. When couples drove together, traditional roles were evident (i.e., the husband often preferred to drive and the wife let him). Multivariate analyses showed that the square-root of distance (km) was most influenced by household status, location of residence, perceived abilities, and gender (R2 = .57), while the log of the average radius was influenced by location of residence and perceived comfort in night driving (R2 = .33). Conclusions: This was the first study to examine older drivers’ perceptions in relation to actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Study results supported prior associations (with self-reported driving) and extended our knowledge base by demonstrating that perceptions (both personal and those of others) are important to actual driving behaviour. The current findings also provide new insight into the importance of examining location of residence and household status.

The driving simulator is a vital tool for much of the research performed at theSwedish National Road and Transport Institute (VTI). Currently VTI posses three driving simulators, two high fidelity simulators developed and constructed by VTI, and a medium fidelity simulator from the German company Dr.-Ing. Reiner Foerst GmbH. The two high fidelity simulators run the same simulation software, developed at VTI. The medium fidelity simulator runs a proprietary simulation software. At VTI there is a wish to integrate the medium fidelity Foerst Trainer simulator hardware into the VTI simulation software environment. This would increase research, development and maintanance flexibility and simulator availability since development and research could be performed on one additional simulator. Anintegration would lead to a homogenous software environment that also decreasesdevelopment, maintanance and training costs.To integrate the Foerst Trainer simulator and the VTI simulation software to communicate a program that translates and relays input and output between the two was developed. An assessment of the hardware-software integration was performed through an experiment where the high fidelity Simulator 3 and the medium fidelity Foerst Trainer simulator were compared. The experiment was designed to measure the participants driving performances and the perceived realism of the simulator. The results of the experiment shows that there is suprisingly small differences between the simulators, but more research is needed for more conclusive results.

With limited road infrastructure and increasing number of vehicles on the road, an intelligent transport system is needed to increase the throughput in traffic and minimize traffic jams in highly populated areas. The purpose of this project is to design and implement a control system that is capable of driving and following the preceding vehicle autonomously in the longitude direction only. The vehicle is also equipped with a vehicle to vehicle communication unit. With this information, all vehicles on the road can communicate with each other and are able to achieve shorter distances between vehicles and damp any disturbance caused by upstream traffic. A general structure on Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control (CACC) is created by studying the research from The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). A string stability criterion is used to determine if the system is suitable of driving in a platoon, where a string of vehicles are following a lead vehicle. This system is then implemented in a Volvo S60 and has participated in the 2011 Grand Cooperative Driving Challenge hosted in The Netherlands. The results show that the system has ability to increase throughput and damp disturbance on the upstream traffic by communicating with the other vehicles ahead. The system is also robust and simple enough to earn the 2nd place in the competition. / Grand Cooperative Driving Challenge

The judicious use of energy by industries is a key lever for ensuring a sustainable industrial development. The cost effective application of energy management and energy efficiency measures offers industries with an effective means of gaining both economic and social dividend, also reducing the negative environmental effects of energy use. Unfortunately, industries in developing countries are lagging behind in the adoption of energy efficiency and management measures; as such missing the benefits of implementation. This study is aims at enhance the knowledge of industrial energy efficiency and management strategies in Ghana, by investigating the present level of energy (and efficiency) management practices in Ghana largest industrial park (i.e. Tema industrial area). The study also incorporates the investigation of also investigation of barriers to and driving forces for the implementation of energy efficiency measure; to shed light on the rationale for both the adoption and non-adoption of cost effective industrial energy efficient technologies in Ghana. This study was carried out using a semi-structure interview due to the explorative nature of the study. The interviews were conducted in sessions, in the first session respondents were asked describe the energy management strategies in used in the respective companies. In the second session, respondents were asked to fill a structured questionnaire covering the various aspects of the study. The results reveal that energy is poorly managed in the industrial area and there is an energy efficiency gap resulting from the low implementation energy efficiency measures. In addition the reveals that the important barriers impeding the implementation of cost effective energy efficiency technologies or measures in the surveyed firms principally stems from rational behavior economic barriers, which are deeply linked to the lack of government frameworks for industrial energy efficiency. The study also finds that economic gains related to ‘cost reductions resulting from lowered energy use’ and ‘threats of rising energy prices’ are the most important drivers for implementing energy efficiency measures or technologies.

Energy efficiency is important – but an energy saving potential has yet to reach its full range. Energy services are means to reach that potential and energy companies are stressed as important actors into creating an established market for energy services. Energy services are tools that include providing in-direct services such as energy statistics, audits, declarations, consultations and analysis. It also includes a number of more complex and direct services, for example energy efficiency measurements or service contracts. This report is a result of a study on Danish and Swedish energy companies offering energy services, based on the market they act upon. It aims to find their driving forces for providing energy services. It also looks closer into whether publically and privately owned energy companies differ and if there exist contradictions to both supply energy and energy services at the same time. It also looks into how energy companies are affected and feel about national regulatory instruments. Energy companies in both countries offering energy services are reaching a wide spectrum of client segments and energy services. They often have the possibility to combine and package energy supply with energy services and they can reduce many of the theoretical barriers to energy efficiency by offering energy services. They are driven by a client demand and a closer client relationship, both leading to a decreased supply client fluctuation. A new business opportunity and a green profile strategy are also driving factors. Energy services also help energy companies to decrease heavy investment on existing equipment by having more control over their clients’ energy use and reducing energy utilization tops. Danish energy companies are tied to an energy saving obligation scheme, providing them with conditions, which their market is based, whilst Swedish energy companies offering energy services act on a market that is created by them and their competitors derive from different business backgrounds. There exist an assertive regulatory instrument in Denmark affecting driving factors for public and private energy companies and clients. In Sweden regulatory instruments, such as energy efficiency programmes, subsidises for energy audits and voluntary agreements for industries affect energy companies in a less way than in Denmark, mostly increasing a client demand for energy services. The regulatory instruments in Denmark increase a trust for energy companies as energy service providers as in Sweden they are trusted upon their existing substantial role on the energy market, a reputation of knowledge and experience and a strategy aiming towards visualisation, motivation and education for the clients. Public energy companies feel a responsibility towards their public owners to offer an efficient energy supply and by having a local connection to the municipality they are able to increase competiveness in the region by offering energy services. Private companies are substantially larger than public companies and have a great potential to reach out to a larger number of clients through their existing supply client stock. This is of substantial higher relevance in Sweden than Denmark.

Background: Currently, if traveling the posted speed limit, the typical commuter driver in the Toronto Metropolitan area will travel round trip upwards of 60 minutes a day to work (Heisz and LaRochelle-Cote, 2005). As urban congestion continues to rise, commuting distances and times will progressively increase, placing commuter drivers at increased risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (Porter and Gyi, 2002; Walsh et al., 1989; Chen et al., 2005; Sakakibara et al., 2006). As urban areas continue to expand, it is believed that a greater percentage of our urban populations will be defined as overweight or obese (Puska et al., 2003). To date the influence of body mass on driver posture, pressure distribution and discomfort during a prolonged driving situation has been left relatively untested. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the influence body mass has on driver posture, pressure distribution and discomfort during a prolonged driving situation. Methodology: Twelve male and 12 female participants, between 167 and 172 cm in stature were used in this investigation. Even numbers of males were assigned to either a light (51.3-57.7 kg), moderate (63.7-69.4 kg), or heavy (82.7-92.0 kg) body mass group. Participants were than placed in a 2 hour in lab driving simulation. During the simulation, lumbar flexion, pelvic angle, joint/segment angles, pressure distribution and discomfort were recorded. A three way mixed general linear model was used to determine if significant (α = 0.05) differences in discomfort, posture and/or interface pressure measurements existed over time. Results: Heavy drivers displayed increased total IT pressures and total seat pan/back pressures during driving. When normalizing these total pressures to area, differences in total IT pressure recorded from the seat pan, and total pressure recorded from the seat back were not significantly different (α = 0.05) across body mass groups. Due to the lack of seat pan accommodation with respect to surface area, the heavy body mass group’s total pressures per unit area for the seat pan was elevated relative to the lighter body mass groups. No differences in two-dimensional joint or segment kinematics and ratings of perceived discomfort were observed between body mass groups or between genders. Gender specific lumbo-pelvic postures and pressure distribution profiles were observed. Conclusion: With appropriate design of the seat pan to accommodate heavy body mass populations with respect to seat pan area, the influence of body mass as a potential risk factor in the development of discomfort would be reduced. With stature and body mass controlled between gender groups, biomechanical differences in both pressure distribution and lumbo-sacral postures were observed between males and females, verifying gender as a risk factor in the development of discomfort during prolonged driving. Recommendations to car seat manufacturers to recognize gender and body mass as important variables in the design of a car seat should be made.

Introduction: Driver perceptions may be a more important determinant of behaviour than one’s actual driving abilities. While there is evidence to support these associations, prior studies have relied on self-reports of driving behaviour. Purpose: The primary purposes of this study were to extend previous research by examining driver perceptions in relation to measures of actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Methods: A convenience sample of 61 older drivers (aged 67 to 92, 59% women) were recruited as either sole drivers (only driver in the household, n=39) or couples (both currently driving and sharing a vehicle, n=22). Two in-vehicle devices (one with a GPS unit) were installed in participant vehicles for one week. Participants completed trip logs, out-of-home activity diaries, questions on usual driving habits and ratings of situational driving frequency and avoidance. Perceptions were assessed using the Driving Comfort Scales (DCS Day and Night) and Perceived Driving Abilities (PDA) Scales. Couples were also asked to rate their comfort level in their partner’s driving using modified DCSs. Tools were administered at one of two home visits (during which vehicle devices were installed and removed) and an interview conducted at the end to ascertain whether the week’s driving was typical. Results: Driving comfort scores were significantly related to multiple indicators of actual driving behaviour, including: radius from home (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01), total distance overall (DCS-N, p<.001) and at night (DCS-D, p<.05; DCS-N, p<.01). Perceived abilities, meanwhile, were related to distance driven (p<.01). Although sole drivers were significantly older, they drove more often, longer distances and for greater duration than couple drivers. Overall, men had higher DCS scores and, in couples, were more likely to rate themselves higher than their spouses. Partners’ comfort levels in their spouses’ driving were related to their spouses’ self-reported situational avoidance and amount of night driving over the study week. When couples drove together, traditional roles were evident (i.e., the husband often preferred to drive and the wife let him). Multivariate analyses showed that the square-root of distance (km) was most influenced by household status, location of residence, perceived abilities, and gender (R2 = .57), while the log of the average radius was influenced by location of residence and perceived comfort in night driving (R2 = .33). Conclusions: This was the first study to examine older drivers’ perceptions in relation to actual driving behaviour and to compare the perceptions and behaviour of sole versus couple drivers. Study results supported prior associations (with self-reported driving) and extended our knowledge base by demonstrating that perceptions (both personal and those of others) are important to actual driving behaviour. The current findings also provide new insight into the importance of examining location of residence and household status.