En presencia de la evolución constante y los cambios de las tendencias del mercado, es necesario buscar formas de adaptarse a las necesidades de los clientes, siendo el comercio electrónico una forma de revolucionar el sector retail, el cual se considera relativamente estable, a pesar de los momentos difíciles que ha experimentado el país. El sector minorista no escapa a la realidad de que el mercado se considera altamente volátil, por lo que el interés en torno a este estudio se centra en profundizar en el conocimiento de la intervención del comercio electrónico en el proceso de internacionalización. El objetivo principal de la investigación fue conocer y comprender cómo interviene el e-commerce en el proceso de internacionalización de las tiendas por conveniencia del sector retail en Lima Metropolitana en los años 2017-2019. Desde el punto de vista metodológico, se tuvo un enfoque cualitativo, fue de tipo exploratoria y se utilizó la entrevista semi-estructurada como instrumento de recolección de datos, cuya muestra fueron seis expertos en el área del e-commerce y la gerencia de dos cadenas de tienda de conveniencia importantes como lo son Oxxo y Repsol Sprint. Dentro de sus resultados se encontró que el e-commerce, aunque no es necesario para el proceso de internacionalización, sí puede representar un ingreso extra o incluso un factor de éxito para empresas que inician actividades en un país nuevo. / In the presence of constant evolution and changes in market trends, it is necessary to seek ways to adapt to customer needs, with e-commerce being a way to revolutionize the retail sector, which is considered relatively stable, despite the difficult times the country has experienced. The retail sector does not escape the reality that the market is considered highly volatile, so the interest around this study focuses on deepening the knowledge of the intervention of electronic commerce in the internationalization process. The main objective of the research was to know and understand how e-commerce intervenes in the internationalization process of convenience stores in the retail sector in Metropolitan Lima in the years 2017-2019. From the methodological point of view, it had a qualitative approach, it was exploratory and it used the semi-structured interview as a data collection instrument, whose sample was six experts in the area of e-commerce and the management of two important chains such as Oxxo and Repsol Sprint. Among its results, it was found that e-commerce, although not necessary for the internationalization process, can represent an extra income or even a success factor for companies that start activities in a new country. / Tesis

Este estudio tiene como principal objetivo examinar la relación entre la proximidad, la confianza y lealtad de los clientes hacia las tiendas de conveniencia. Según lo investigado, se pudo evidenciar un efecto positivo con las dimensiones de proximidad como access, functional, relational y social, tanto en la confianza como en la lealtad del cliente. Estas relaciones se probarán mediante un cuestionario y serán medidas por medio de la escala de Likert de 1-5 puntos. Por último, para el análisis de los resultados se utilizará la técnica de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM) basado en la variancia (PLS). / The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between proximity, trust and customer loyalty towards convenience stores. As investigated, a positive effect could be evidenced with the proximity dimensions such as access, functional, relational and social, both in trust and customer loyalty. These relationships will be tested by means of a questionnaire and will be measured using the 1-5 point Likert scale. Finally, for the analysis of the results, the technique of structural equations (SEM) based on variance (PLS) will be used. / Trabajo de investigación

[pt] Investidores aceitam retornos inferiores em ativos que ofereçam liquidez e segurança, sendo tal desconto conhecido como taxa de conveniência. Este estudo utiliza a diferença entre a taxa fixa do swap de juros e a taxa de juros dos títulos do tesouro como medida da taxa de conveniência. Enquanto a literatura comumente foca na análise do referido prêmio especificamente para os Estados Unidos, construo uma estratégica de swap spread para quatro países: Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Brasil e Polônia, sendo os dois primeiros desenvolvidos e os demais emergentes. Os resultados mostram que a taxa de conveniência dos países desenvolvidos analisados é, em média, positiva e atinge valores extremos durante crise financeira, em linha com os demais artigos sobre o assunto. Diferentemente, a taxa dos países emergentes é, na maior parte do período, negativa e assume montantes ainda menores em momentos de estresse, comportando-se, portanto, de forma oposta. Empiricamente, essa diferença entre a taxa de conveniência calculada para os Estados Unidos e para o Brasil é relacionada a medidas de liquidez e de risco, levando à compreensão de que em momentos de estresse financeiro, o tesouro americano sustenta uma taxa de conveniência ainda maior do que a do tesouro brasileiro. / [en] Investors are willing to accept lower returns when investing in assets that provide liquidity and safety. This discount is acknowledged as convenience yield. This study considers the difference between the fixed leg of an interest rate swap and the treasury bond yield as a measure of the convenience yield. While the literature commonly focuses on the analysis of this referred premium for the United States, I construct a swap spread strategy for four countries: United States, United Kingdom, Brazil and Poland. The former two are developed countries while the latter are emerging countries. The results show that the convenience yield for the developed countries analyzed is, on average, positive and hits extreme values during financial crisis, in accordance with other papers on this issue. Distinctly, the yield for emerging countries is mostly negative and incurs in even lower amounts at moments of distress, behaving in the opposite way. Empirically, this difference between the convenience yield calculated for the United States and for Brazil is related to measures of liquidity and safety premium, entailing to the understanding that at moments of financial stress, the American treasury sustains an even larger convenience yield when compared to the Brazilian treasury.

The risk management within a bank is an important part given its status as a pivotal component within the capital adequency framwork stipluated in the Basel Accords. To proficiently be assessing, monitoring and managing market risk that the bank undertakes is therefore a part of the daily activities at Swedbank. For the majority of the measures and models, the bank is employing a full revaluation approach, implying a revaluation of each position under diverse market conditions specified across various scenarios to estimate risk. Prior to this thesis, Swedbank has been missing the full revaluation approach for the product commodity futures in their portfolio. The commodity futures needs to be treated differently from other futures due to their underlying being a physical product being produced, stored and transported. To help Swedbank being able to calculate and measure a diversified set of risk measures for commodity futures with high accuracy and according to market practise and implement the valuation model with results closest to market practise into their risk system, various valuation models have been replicated and compared in Python. The focus has been on investigating different variations of a model derived from the theory of storage and no arbitrage (Cost of Carry model) as well as a more advanced model developed from a belief of mean reverting short-term prices and an uncertain long-term equilibrium price (Schwartz and Smith Two Factor model). These models were replicated on three different commodity types in Swedbanks portfolio, Wheat, Rapeseed and Gasoil, to determine which valuation model that could estimate prices closest to the real prices on the market. The findings revealed that one variation of the Cost of Carry model could be matched exactly to the mark-to-market price due to the real price being known. The Schwartz and Smith Two Factor model was clearly the second best model, estimating prices very well but not always exactly. The most suited model that could match the price exactly, was chosen to be implemented into the risk system of Swedbank and had identified risk factors as interest rate, exchange rate and underlying spot price. With VaR simulations shifting the chosen risk factors, it could be proved that the commodity futures are traded back-to-back since all positions were offsetting each other. Since Swedbank is an intermediary and the business is about providing access to the market for Swedbanks customers, the back-to-back trading was something that Swedbank assumed but earlier not could prove. Furthermore, the back testing revealed that the special characteristic convenience yield could potentially be considered a risk factor in the future and that it would be relevant if the business model of commodity futures at Swedbank would change. / Riskhanteringen inom en bank är en viktig del med tanke på dess roll som en avgörande komponent inom kapitaltäckningsramverket som föreskrivs i Basel-avtalen. Att noggrant bedöma, övervaka och hantera den marknadsrisk som banken åtar sig är därför en del av de dagliga aktiviteterna på Swedbank. För de flesta åtgärder och modeller använder banken en fullständig omvärderingsmetod, vilket innebär en omvärdering av varje position under olika marknadsförhållanden specificerade över olika scenarier för att uppskatta risken. Innan det här projektet har Swedbank saknat den fullständiga omvärderingsmetoden för produkten råvaruterminer i sin portfölj. Råvaruterminer måste behandlas annorlunda än andra terminer på grund av att deras underliggande är en fysisk produkt som produceras, lagras och transporteras. För att hjälpa Swedbank att kunna beräkna och mäta en diversifierad uppsättning riskmått för råvaruterminer med hög noggrannhet och enligt marknadspraxis samt implementera värderingsmodellen med resultat som ligger närmast marknadspraxis i deras risksystem har olika värderingsmodeller replikerats och jämförts i Python. Fokuset har legat på att undersöka olika variationer av en modell som härstammar från teorin om lagring och inget arbitrage (Cost of Carry-modell) samt en mer avancerad modell som utvecklats från en tro om ett genomsnittligt återgående kortsiktigt pris och ett osäkert långsiktigt jämviktspris (Schwartz och Smith Two Factor-modell). Dessa modeller replikerades för tre olika typer av råvaror i Swedbanks portfölj: Vete, Raps och Gasol, för att avgöra vilken värderingsmodell som kunde uppskatta priser närmast de verkliga priserna på marknaden. Resultaten visade att en variation av Cost of Carry-modellen kunde matchas exakt med marknadsvärdet eftersom det verkliga priset var känt. Schwartz och Smith Two Factor-modellen var tydligt den näst bästa modellen, vilket uppskattade priserna mycket bra men inte alltid exakt. Den mest lämpade modellen som kunde matcha priset exakt valdes för att implementeras i Swedbanks risksystem och hade identifierade riskfaktorer som ränta, växelkurs och underliggande spotpris. Genom VaR-simuleringar som skiftade de valda riskfaktorerna kunde det bevisas att råvaruterminerna handlas back-to-back eftersom alla positioner neutraliserade varandra. Eftersom Swedbank är en mellanhand och affärsmodellen handlar om att ge Swedbanks kunder tillgång till marknaden, var back-to-back-handel något som Swedbank antog men tidigare inte kunde bevisa.  Vidare visade backtestingen att den särskilda karaktären convenience yield eventuellt skulle kunna betraktas som en riskfaktor i framtiden och att detta skulle vara aktuellt om affärsmodellen för råvaruterminer på Swedbank skulle förändras.

本論文探討台北市連鎖式便利商店的市場進入決策。研究發現在便利商店的產業裡，相較於多重市場接觸(亦即是否已同時出現在其他市場)的考量，與競爭對手門市的距離對廠商的進入決策有較大的影響。此外，上期競爭對手存在與否，也是廠商是否進入該市場的重要衡量依據。大型連鎖店會進入前一期競爭較激烈的市場，這些市場競爭對手的門市已有一家以上；而小型連鎖店通常不會依據對手的門市數目來決定其進入的決策。最後，利用不同的落後期變數設定，本文發現廠商的進入決策具有一致性。這表示在台北市，便利商店已經是相當成熟的產業了。 / In this paper we study entry decisions of the convenience store chains in Taipei. We find that the distance between store pairs is more relevant to firms' entry decisions than the multimarket contact (i.e., firms encounter each other in multiple markets) in this industry. In addition, the presence of a firm's rivals in the previous period plays an important role in the entry decision. The large convenience store chains are more likely to enter more competitive markets, such as markets consisting of more than one rivals' store. On the other hand, the small chains are indifferent to their rivals' presence when making their entry decisions. Lastly, firms' entry decisions are consistent when different measurements of lagged variables are used. We interpret that the convenience store industry may have reached a stable state in Taipei.

日常在消費與飲食之前，檢視有效日期成為一種習慣性的社會行為，習以為常但並非理所當然，乃至於矛盾。基於此，本研究好奇有效日期這項制度於社會的現況為何？如何被實踐？試以眾人熟悉且店家數分布最密集的連鎖加盟便利商店—「7-Eleven統一超商」為代表性研究場域，其門市職員為面訪對象來源。研究發現到有效日期的實施與「食物浪費」之間的強烈關聯性，換言之，以「食物安全」為目的的有效日期，與「食物浪費」產生的對立、衝突，成為不可被忽略的事實。現代社會中，一方面面對著不時被討論、關懷的糧食危機議題，食物浪費的嚴重化成為最大的諷刺；另一方面食品危機層出不窮、屢見不鮮，對於食物安全的重視度成了最沉重的難題。 本研究試圖釐清「在有效日期制度存在之下，對於食物究竟可食與否，產生的兩難困境」：若不依據有效日期而食，「食物安全」令人堪憂疑慮；反之，「食物浪費」成了不得不的後果。本研究依序從制度、理性、價值面向來對此困境進行歸納與分析，最終歸結為下列五點：一、近年來，頻繁的食安風暴造成食物安全的要求加重，而易將仍可食用的食物拋棄；二、有效日期的氾濫使用致使消費者僅在意食物「過期與否」而非「可食與否」；三、越謹守有效日期所帶來的新鮮品質與安全保障，越能為業者製造更多正面名聲與商業價值；四、個人原本對於食物應負起的責任，因有效日期而轉移到整體社會來承擔，使得人們對於「食物浪費」顯得無感與忽視；五、買賣雙方對有效日期的意義認知有一定差異，前者視為「預期性安全」，後者作為「必然性浪費」。 時至今日，有效日期這項制度在社會建構下的結果，改變了社會與食物之間的關係，冀望此研究作為現代社會的反思基礎，並共同致力於未來出路。 / Checking for the expiry date before buying or eating anything, has to be one of the habitual behaviors in our daily life. This act seems usual, but actually is not necessary at all and is even a contradiction. Based on this reasoning, this research is about how the system of expiration date is being used nowadays and how it is being implemented. Through participant observation and in-depth interviews, collecting view points and experience from staff members in 7-ELEVEN President Chain Store, which is known for the most branches of convenience retailer in Taiwan. The research found that there is a robust relation between the implementation of expiration date and serious “food waste”. It means that the system of expiration date, which is for the purpose of ensuring “food safety”, will also come about vast amounts of “food waste”. Comparing with the global food crisis, “food waste” is not only a great irony but also conflicts with the maintenance of “food safety”. In view of this, the objective of this research lies in clarifying that food is edible or not will be a dilemmatic situation under the system of expiration date. If people don’t follow the expiration date it compromises “food safety”, otherwise “food waste” will be the consequence without choice. Whereas this dilemma, the research is going to integrate and analyze it sequentially via three dimensions, including system, rationality, and value. There are five following conclusions: (1) Recently, the frequent food safety issues raise the demand of safety, so it’s easier to abandon edible food. (2) Overusing the expiration date makes the consumer only focus on if food is “overdue or not” but not “edible or not”. (3) For businessmen, adhering to the expiration date more results in having more positive prestige and benefits. (4) Because of the expiration date, the responsibility of food for the individual shifts onto the whole society. (5) The understanding of expiration date between buyer and seller are different. The former views it as “Precautionary safety”, while the latter is to regard it as “Inevitable Waste”. Hopefully this research will provide reference for reflecting on the relation between society and food, and aid in finding a solution in the future.

by Kwan Kwok Yiu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-155). / Acknowledgment --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / List of Tables --- p.vii / List of Figures --- p.x / List of Abbreviations --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Literature review / Chapter 1.1 --- Historical background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Chemistry of trans and cis fatty acids --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Dietary source of trans fatty acids --- p.6 / Chapter 1.4 --- Consumption of trans fatty acids among Western countries --- p.9 / Chapter 1.5 --- Current health concern for excessive intake of trans fatty acids --- p.10 / Chapter 1.6 --- Metabolism of trans fatty acids --- p.13 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Absorption --- p.15 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Oxidation --- p.15 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Incorporation --- p.16 / Chapter 1.6.4 --- Selectivity --- p.17 / Chapter 1.7 --- Impact of trans fatty acids on essential fatty acid metabolism --- p.19 / Chapter 1.8 --- Desaturation and elongation of trans fatty acids --- p.21 / Chapter 1.9 --- Trans fatty acids and neonatal growth --- p.23 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Amount of trans fatty acids in Hong Kong fast foods / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.25 / Chapter 2.2 --- Objective --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results --- p.27 / Chapter 2.5 --- Discussion --- p.31 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Cross-cultural study of trans fatty acids in human milk / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2 --- Objective --- p.35 / Chapter 3.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.36 / Chapter 3.4 --- Results / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Dietary information --- p.38 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Fatty acid composition of Chinese and Canadian human milk --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Difference between Chinese and Canadian human milk --- p.40 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Difference between Hong Kong and Chongqing Chinese human milk --- p.43 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- The change in milk fat and LCPUFA as lactation progresses --- p.43 / Chapter 3.5 --- Discussion / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Trans fatty acids in human milk --- p.46 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Content of LCPUFA in human milk --- p.47 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Content of 18:2n-6 in human milk --- p.48 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Fat content in Hong Kong and Chongqing Chinese human milk --- p.49 / Chapter 3.6 --- Conclusion --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Trans fatty acids and maternal and neonatal essential fatty acid metabolism / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.51 / Chapter 4.2 --- Objectives --- p.53 / Chapter 4.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.53 / Chapter 4.4 --- Results / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Experiment1 / Chapter 4.4.1.1 --- Relationship between the trans fatty acids in maternal diet and those in milk --- p.64 / Chapter 4.4.1.2 --- Relationship between the trans fatty acids in maternal diet and those in neonatal liver --- p.64 / Chapter 4.4.1.3 --- Content of 20:4n-6 in milk and in neonatal liver relative to that in maternal diet --- p.72 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Experiment2 / Chapter 4.4.2.1 --- Amount of trans fatty acids in rat milk --- p.75 / Chapter 4.4.2.2 --- Trans fatty acids in rat liver phospholipids --- p.75 / Chapter 4.4.2.3 --- Linoleic acid (18:2n-6) content in rat and its relation to maternal diets --- p.86 / Chapter 4.4.2.4 --- Content of 20:4n-6 in rat milk --- p.86 / Chapter 4.4.2.5 --- Content of20:4n-6 in rat liver --- p.89 / Chapter 4.4.2.6 --- Suppression of the synthesis of 20:4t isomers in maternal and neonatal liver --- p.89 / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussion / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Relationship between fatty acid composition of diet and that of milk --- p.93 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- 20:4n-6 in rat milk --- p.95 / Chapter 4.5.3 --- Transfer of trans fatty acids from maternal diet to neonatal liver phospholipids --- p.98 / Chapter 4.5.4 --- The inhibitory effect of trans fatty acids on synthesis of 20:4n-6 in neonatal liver --- p.99 / Chapter 4.5.5 --- Effect of 18:2n-6 supplement on 20:4n-6 level of neonatal liver --- p.101 / Chapter 4.5.6 --- Suppression of 18:2n-6 supplement on synthesis of 20:4t isomers --- p.101 / Chapter 4.6 --- Conclusion --- p.104 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Accumulation and turnover of trans fatty acids / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.105 / Chapter 5.2 --- Objective --- p.105 / Chapter 5.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.106 / Chapter 5.4 --- Results / Chapter 5.4.1 --- Accumulation of trans fatty acids in liver and adipose tissue --- p.108 / Chapter 5.4.2 --- Selectivity of individual 18:2 trans isomersin liver and adipose tissue --- p.112 / Chapter 5.4.3 --- Turnover of trans fatty acids --- p.112 / Chapter 5.4.4 --- Accumulation and turnover of 18:lt in brain --- p.115 / Chapter 5.5 --- Discussion / Chapter 5.5.1 --- Accumulation of trans fatty acids in liver and adipose tissue --- p.120 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- Turnover of trans fatty acids --- p.122 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Accumulation and turnover of trans fatty acidsin brain --- p.124 / Chapter 5.6 --- Conclusion --- p.125 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- In vivo Oxidation of trans fatty acids in rat / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.126 / Chapter 6.2 --- Objective --- p.127 / Chapter 6.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.127 / Chapter 6.4 --- Results --- p.129 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Apparent oxidation of saturated fatty acids --- p.136 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Apparent oxidation of 18:lt relative to 18:ln-9 --- p.136 / Chapter 6.4.3 --- Oxidation of 18:2t isomers relative to 18:2n-6 --- p.137 / Chapter 6.4.4 --- Effect of 18:2n-6 supplement in PHCO diet on oxidation per se --- p.137 / Chapter 6.5 --- Discussion --- p.138 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Oxidation of 18:lt and 18:2t isomers --- p.139 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Effect of 18:2n-6 supplement on oxidation per se --- p.140 / Chapter 6.6 --- Conclusion --- p.141 / General conclusion --- p.142 / References --- p.145

Migration offers a spectrum of illegal channels through which migrants enter their target countries. Marriages of convenience are one of these ways. Specifically this means marrying a foreigner who has no residence status or has a lower one than their partner they are marrying. Their partner may be the citizen of their target country or also a foreigner, however, having a higher residence status. People entering such marriages misuse the marriage institute in order to obtain a legal residence in the given country. The objective of the diploma thesis is thus illegal migration through marriages between nationals coming from third countries of the Muslim world and people living in the area of the Czech Republic. Subsequently, foreigners obtain the status of a family member, of an EU citizen, and together with that the right of a free residence and movement within the EU. The general aim of the research was to compare two categories of these foreigners who were looking for the entry into the Czech Republic based on a short-term visa. One category consisted of visa applicants who succeeded in their applications, and those whose applications were refused due to a detected circumvention of the immigration law in the form of a marriages of convenience. Both groups were compared based on chosen indicators...

近年來由於網際網路的發達，帶動電子商務的興起、活絡，消費者消費型態的改變直接的衝擊到各個零售通路的經營，台灣地區便利商店的發展更是快速，密集度位居全球之冠。 未來，如何在有限的實體空間下，充分發揮連鎖型便利商店據點多、分佈廣、以及全天候營業的特性，運用虛擬化的模式擴大經營服務的範圍。 本研究是以便利商店業就其在代收服務、電子商務服務、預購服務、以及物流服務導入虛擬化經營模式的作業架構及作業流程一一探討，在其演進的過程中都是以如何提供消費者更便利的服務為前提。 / In recent years, eBusiness has grown enormously due to the popularity of the Internet. This change in consumers' buying habits has a direct impact on the management of retail businesses, including convenience stores. The density of these stores in Taiwan ranks among the highest in the world, and their numbers are rapidly increasing. In the future, with limited available space, how shall we use the virtual business operation model to expand the scope of the management and service using benefits of convenience stores, such as multiple locations, wide distribution and 24/7 availability? In this research, we discuss methods to provide better service to consumers, by using the virtual business operation flowchart along with services provided by convenience stores, such as bill payment, eBusiness, pre-sale and logistics services.

Our society changed, but the urban water and sanitation system of today is roughly the same as it was 100 years ago. The system is designed for, developed from and sustained by human activities, and has since its introduction affected household patterns of routine activities. The urban water and sanitation system is now being criticised for not being sustainable due to excessive material, energy and chemical use, and failure to recycle and reuse resources. Altering household practices is perceived as one important step towards improved sustainability. In this study, two changes in water and sanitation arrangements at the household level are analysed: individual meters for volumetric billing of hot and cold water, and dry toilets with separate collection of urine and faeces. These arrangements increase system transparency, and their proponents believe that the arrangements enhance resource recycling and/or rsource savings. However, success in this regard can only be achieved if accompanied by appropriate household routines. The extent to which such appropriate routines come about and why (not) is the focus of attention in this study; the aim is to describe and analyse the interaction between householder routines and changes in water and sanitation arrangements. This study takes as its starting point household everyday life. A methodological combination of time-diaries, interviews, physical measurements and simple observations is developed and implemented in two cases; the housing area Ringdansen with flats (volumetric billing) and the collective Gebers based on an ecological way of life (dry toilets). The theoretical approach is developed from time-geography and culture analysis. The methodological and theoretical approaches have proven useful and can be developed further. Household responded differently to the volumetric billing in Ringdansen, but in general, no sweeping routine changes took place in the households. A comparison of average total water usage per household (at an aggregated level) between the two cases, showed no significant difference. Water-use routines are also similar in the two areas, even though variations appear between households. There seems to be a socio-culturally defined lower limit for water use, regarded as necessary for maintaining sufficient standards of cleanliness and comfort, irrespective of the influence of ecological or economic incentives. Differences in household composition, built-in technical arrangements and existence of a garden (Gebers) explain the differences in hot and cold water usage between the two areas. The dry toilet was shown to have a decisive impact on toilet disposal routines; only biodegradable waste products are thrown into it and the cleaning agents are environmentally friendly toilet disposal routines that reach beyond the 'good' routines evolving from environmental concern. The relationship between changes in water and sanitation arrangements and householder routines may be expressed as follows: an extensive change in arrangements, either technical/physical, organisational and/or economical, results in more radical routine changes, and more so if combined. However, the improvement as regard ecological sustainability is conditional on what is socio-culturally accepted - social sustainability.