Firm growth can be seen as a driving and determinant factor for economical development and employment in Sweden and other counties. SMEs plays an important role and are bearing most of the economical growth and employment on their shoulders and represent 99,4 percent of all the firms registered in Sweden, which in return makes it important that they grow and develop. Every fifth firm established today is run by an immigrant entrepreneur and so far the immigrant entrepreneurs represent 14 percent of the firms in Sweden and most of these firms are considered as SMEs. The interest of immigrant entrepreneurship within academic research and media has increased during the last years and different studies have shown what impact immigrant entrepreneurs have on the Swedish society and how much they contribute to the Swedish economical growth and employment. A study done by Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (2010a) showed that immigrant entrepreneurs tend to have a more positive attitude towards firm growth than native entrepreneurs. Although immigrant entrepreneurs have a positive attitude towards firm growth there are some barriers to firm growth that they face which in return can prevent or slow down the firm growth. Strategies are important since they allow firms to achieve firm growth and business goals.    The aim of our study is to increase the understanding of strategies that immigrant entrepreneurs’ develop in order to achieve firm growth. Based on one previous study conducted by SCB (Efendic et al., 2012) studying firm growth and immigrant entrepreneurship, we have managed to identify a research gap that needs to be fulfilled. This thesis will contribute will relevant knowledge and data for entrepreneurs as well as individuals to get a deeper understanding of how immigrant entrepreneurs work in order to reach firm growth. The data collection and analysis of the research allowed us to be able to answer the research question; “How do immigrant entrepreneurs in Sweden develop strategies in order to reach firm growth in their business?” To carry on with the study and collect relevant data for the research, we took the direction of abductive approach with a qualitative research strategy.   The interviews and empirical findings consist of six different immigrant entrepreneurs based in Sweden. From the findings, the authors came across different strategies that are commonly used by immigrant entrepreneurs. Furthermore, internal and external factors and barriers provided in the literature also influenced the firm growth. It was really interesting to see that many of the most common prejudices that exist within immigrant entrepreneurship were false in this study. This is proved since none of the immigrant entrepreneurs limit their markets to the ethnical groups and most of the firms did not use the personal network in terms of family and friends when building up the staff base. Outsourcing was a strategy that used within many of the firms in order to continuously to reach firm growth. It was also interesting to see that the personal history of the entrepreneur had a huge impact on the firm growth and the business goals.

La rigidesa de la teoria econòmica, especialment en l'assumpció de la racionalitat dels agents econòmics i en el tractament objectiu de la informació ha dificultat encabir l'emprenedor en els seus models. La tesi aprofundeix en l'estudi de l'aprenentatge emprenedor com a mitjà per a superar aquest problema. A partir de la informació obtinguda mitjançant l'observació directa, les entrevistes en profunditat i l'examen de documents, es descriuen 3 casos que permeten analitzar com els emprenedors donen sentit a les seves accions i utilitzen les narratives i la retòrica. Els resultats ens mostren diferents tipologies d'emprenedors, vocacionals i oportunistes en la fase prèvia a la constitució de la societat i aventurers i creadors en la posterior. Els vocacionals entenen la creació d'una empresa pròpia com un projecte vital. Els oportunistes actuen perquè creuen que una determinada idea de negoci representa una oportunitat que cal aprofitar. Els aventurers posen èmfasi en l'empresa com a font d'experiències i reptes i els creadors viuen l'empresa com una creació personal. Pel que fa a les narratives, en tots els casos observats els emprenedors relaten una narrativa èpica del seu procés, en el que van superant els diferents reptes. Utilitzen dos tipus fonamentals de micro-narratives: les motivacionals, en les que realcen aquells valors que donen sentit a les seves accions i les d'assoliment, en les que destaquen els valors que consideren fonamentals per a que funcioni la seva empresa. També s'observa com utilitzen la retòrica per a persuadir i persuadir-se a ells mateixos i que no prenen decisions racionals, sinó que a partir d'una intuïció heurística van configurant una idea plausible - molts cops en forma de narrativa - construïda a partir d'arguments que els porta a prendre decisions raonables. Els arguments d'ethos i per exemples són les principals fonts que els persuadeixen que cal realitzar una acció, mentre que els arguments de logos resulten decisius per a descartar-la. Els resultats ens permeten destacar el rol persuasiu dels emprenedors, tant en la seva activitat quotidiana com en la seva funció social i econòmica. La idea d'un emprenedor persuasiu permet comprendre millor el seu comportament, ofereix eines per a millorar la seva tasca, reforça la idea del llenguatge i especialment dels arguments com a creadors de valor econòmic i facilita encabir l'emprenedor en la teoria econòmica. / La rigidez de la teoría económica, especialmente en su asunción de la racionalidad de los agentes económicos i en el trato objetivo de la información han dificultado introducir el emprendedor en sus modelos. La tesis profundiza en el estudio del aprendizaje emprendedor como medio para superar éste problema. A partir de la información obtenida a través de la observación directa, las entrevistas en profundidad i el examen de documentos, se describen 3 casos para analizar como los emprendedores dan sentido a sus acciones y utilizan las narrativas y la retórica. Los resultados nos muestran diferentes topologías de emprendedores, vocacionales y oportunistas en la fase previa a la constitución de la sociedad y aventureros y creadores en la posterior. Los vocacionales entienden la creación de una empresa propia como un proyecto vital. Los oportunistas actúan porque creen que una determinada idea de negocio representa una oportunidad que hay que aprovechar. Los aventureros ponen énfasis en la empresa como fuente de experiencias y retos, y los creadores viven la empresa como una creación personal. En referencia a las narrativas, en todos los casos observados, los emprendedores relatan una narrativa épica de su proceso, en el que van superando los distintos retos. Utilizan dos tipos de micro-narrativas: las motivacionales, en las que subrayan los valores que dan sentido a sus acciones y las de logro, en las que destacan los valores que consideran fundamentales para el buen funcionamiento de su empresa. También se observa como utilizan la retórica para persuadir y persuadirse a si mismos y que no toman decisiones racionales, si no que a partir de una intuición heurística van configurando una idea plausible - muchas veces en forma de narrativa - construida a partir de argumentos que les lleva a tomar decisiones razonables. Los argumentos de ethos y por ejemplos son las principales fuentes que los persuaden para que realicen una determinada acción, mientras que los de logos resultan decisivos para descartarlas. Los resultados nos permiten destacar el rol persuasivo del emprendedor, tanto en su actividad cuotidiana como en su función social y económica. La idea de un emprendedor persuasivo permite comprender mejor su comportamiento, ofrece herramientas para mejorar sus labores, refuerza la idea del lenguaje y especialmente de los argumentos como creadores de valor económico y facilita incorporar el emprendedor en la teoría económica. / Stiffness of economic theory, when it assumes economic agents' rationality and objective information, has obstructed to fit entrepreneurs in its models. This thesis extends the study of entrepreneurial learning as a way to solve the indicated problems. It describes three case studies built on gathered information from direct observation, deep-interviews and documents examination. They allow us to analyze how entrepreneurs give meaning to their actions and how they use narratives and rhetoric. Results show different typologies of entrepreneurs, vocational and opportunists in the stage prior to the creation of the company and adventurers and creators in the subsequent one. Vocational entrepreneurs understand the creation of a company as a vital project. Opportunists try to take profit of what they believe is a good idea. The adventurers emphasize the idea of the company as a source of experiences and challenges, while creators conceive it as a personal creation. Referring to narratives, in all the observed cases, respondents expounded an epic narrative of their process, where they overcome challenges. They use two kinds of micro-narratives: motivational narratives, where they highlight values let them give sense to their actions and achievement narratives, where they emphasize values that consider essential for the proper performance of their company. We also observe that entrepreneurs use rhetoric to convince others and persuade themselves. They do not take rational decisions, but starting form a heuristic intuition, they build with arguments a plausible idea - usually in a narrative way - that leads them to take reasonable decisions. Ethos and arguments by examples usually convince them to act in a certain way, while they generally use logos arguments to refuse some action. Results allow us to highlight the persuasive role of entrepreneurs, both in their daily activity and in their social and economic function. The idea of a persuasive entrepreneur brings us a better understanding of their behavior, offers us tools to improve their performance, enhances the idea of language and arguments as economic value creators and facilitates to fit entrepreneurs in the economic theory.

Ce travail se veut une analyse critique de l'évolution du paradigme gestionnaire et de ses modes au sein de la sphère du travail. Pour ce faire, afin de situer et historiciser notre objet de recherche, nous exposerons dans un premier temps une genèse sociohistorique de l'évolution du paradigme gestionnaire en nous basant sur les travaux des principaux "pères fondateurs", tells F. W. Taylor (1856-1915), H. Fayol (1841-1925), M. P. Follett (1868-1933) ou encore G. E. Mayo (1880-1949). Puis, à dessein de rendre compte du rôle joué par différentes institutions de même que celui que seraient amenés à jouer les principaux acteurs à l'origine de la production, de la transmission, de l'implantation et de l'extension des modes gestionnaires, nous exposerons de manière succincte trois études de cas relatant le procès d'institutionnalisation ainsi que les principaux modes de diffusion des discours et pratiques gestionnaires. Ensuite, nous présenterons brièvement la position théorique de l'économiste J. A. Schumpeter afin de rendre compte des transformations du capitalisme et de l'évolution de l'économie durant la première partie du XXe siècle, en mettant plus particulièrement l'accent sur l'événement clé que représente le moment entre le déclin de l'entrepreneur-propriétaire et l'émergence de ce nouvel acteur socioéconomique que serait le gestionnaire. Finalement, dans un souci de rendre compte de l'évolution des modes gestionnaires à partir de la seconde moitié du XXe siècle, nous analyserons les propos tenus au sein de quelques-uns des principaux ouvrages de deux des plus influents théoriciens du management que sont de Peter F. Drucker et Thomas Peters, et ce à la lumière de notre cadre théorique qui reposera sur l'ouvrage de Luc Boltanski et Ève Chiapello Le nouvel esprit du capitalisme (1999). Ouvrage dont l'objectif principal est d'analyser les changements idéologiques accompagnant les différentes transformations du capitalisme et dans lequel les auteurs soutiennent la thèse, à propos de l'évolution du paradigme gestionnaire, de l'émergence dans les années 1990 d'une nouvelle configuration idéologique en rupture avec le discours managérial des années 1960 qui reposait notamment sur une planification rationnelle et un respect certain de la hiérarchie. Ce nouveau paradigme -que les auteurs qualifient de «néomanagement »-au sein duquel les individus sont appelés à s'autogérer nous est alors présenté comme étant "plus humain" attendu qu'il respecterait mieux la subjectivité des travailleurs. Or, Boltanski et Chiapello, feront le constat que les nouvelles normes de régulations imposées par ce modèle de gestion seraient susceptibles de faire naître en retour de nouveaux risques d'exploitation considérant que les dispositifs de contrôles mis de l'avant auraient tendance, par le fait qu'ils reposent sur un engagement accru et plus complet des individus, à pénétrer plus profondément dans l'intériorité même des individus, ce qui rendrait possible une plus grande instrumentalisation des travailleurs. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Paradigme gestionnaire, Néomanagement, Esprit du capitalisme, Entrepreneur, Cadre, Manager, Processus d'entrepreneurisation.

Background: Starting up a business is not an easy task; it requires the translation of an idea into reality and requires discipline and a clear goal setting. Moreover with the increasing need of professionalism for outstanding web development and information technology, the plan of an enterprise with high end development and low cost is generated. Purpose: This thesis has a dual purpose; firstly it sets the basis of understanding the terms of entrepreneurship and the environment where a business is created; moreover it explains the acquirement of resources and the structure of the business plan. The second objective is to develop a path for creating a web related business. This document will help to establish the goals and objectives for the performance of the company. Method: The theory presents the relevant information that has to be considered inside the firm. After the theory a business plan was created with the objective of setting the direction of the company over the next years. It is important to mention that business plans are evolving documents that have to be updated according to changes in the environment or changes in the objectives.

Den Entreprenöriella Filosofin är en studie av ideologi, kunskapssyn, betydelse och tendens i de nya kunskapskriterierna i gymnasieämnet filosofi sett i ljuset av Gymnasieskola 2011 (GY11). Uppsatsen inleds med en kort presentation av ämnet för att sedan redogöra för olika lingvistiska och semantiska tolkningsmodeller hämtade hos filosofer som Saussure, Russell och Wittgenstein vilka kommer att användas i själva analysen av de nya kunskapskriterierna. I syfte att sätta in undersökningen i en historisk kontext ges även en presentation av olika epistemologiska skolor och hur synen på kunskap i skolan har skiftat genom åren. Den efterföljande komparativa läsningen av de nya kunskapskriterierna gentemot de gamla betygskriterierna, där en rad nyintroducerade begrepp såsom entreprenör och entreprenöriellt lärande dessutom tolkas utifrån sin nya kontext visar att det har skett en förskjutning av vilka förmågor eller kunskaper som nu skall bedömas i gymnasieämnet filosofi. Textanalysen visar även att det har skett en förskjutning vad gäller kunskapssyn mot ett mer instrumentellt förhållningssätt och att detta bygger på ideologisk tendens snarare än vetenskaplig övertygelse. / Den Entreprenöriella Filosofin (The Entrepreneurial Philosophy) is a study of ideology, epistemology, meaning and tendency in the new knowledge criteria in upper secondary school subject philosophy in light of Gymnasieskola 2011 (GY11). The thesis begins with a brief presentation of the subject and then describes different linguistic and semantic interpretation models retrieved by philosophers such as Saussure, Russell and Wittgenstein, which will be used in the analysis of the knowledge criteria. In order to put the study in a historical context a presentation of the different epistemological beliefs and how the view of knowledge in the Swedish school system has shifted over the years is given. The subsequent comparative reading of the new knowledge-based criteria against the old criteria’s, with a range of newly introduced concepts such as entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial learning is also interpreted from its new context, shows that there has been a shift in the skills or knowledge that will now be assessed in philosophy. Text analysis also shows that there has been a shift in terms of knowledge towards a more instrumental approach and that this is based on ideological tendency rather than scientific beliefs.

Overall aim of this master’s thesis is to describe and identify perceived barriers in Swedish businesses within solar energy field and analyze, based on four theoretical viewpoints, how these barriers can be handled. In other words how can the barriers be overcome or eliminated to better succeed in the commercialization process? The method applied is qualitative in which data has been collected through phone interviews originated from seven Cleantech businesses which operate within solar energy. Furthermore this thesis has a descriptive- and an explorative purpose. Empirical findings have showed that barriers depend upon the company itself, but also the community, academic- and governmental institutions. Some businesses do not have an international point of view, instead they have costs aspects in mind. Priorities seem to be a crucial factor when it comes to commercialization. The Swedish government does not contribute enough support to solar energy sector. There is lack of combination in commercialization and technical aspects within the educational system.

The last century has witnessed blooming achievements of females as rising workforce in modern society. With their active participation in business world recently, female entrepreneurship research has caught extensive attention globally, not only from academic field, but also from market entities, policy makers, social activists, as well as broad masses, concerning the social and economic contribution of female-started entreprises. Current studies within this topic concentrate on two issues: the difference between male and female entrepreneurs; demographic research for certain countries, regions, or industries. Following a qualitative research approach, this thesis applies implementations of actors view and grounded theory. With the purpose to create in-depth business knowledge, a well-structured empirical exploration is conducted mainly through theoretical sensibility acquisition, secondary data collection and face-to-face dialogues focusing on the issue of conditions for female entrepreneurs to start up and to develop a business.The researchers share their comprehensive (from both micro and macro perspective) understanding about this subject: There is no such a formula of necessary conditions existing. Female entrepreneurs need to define them according to the type of the ventures they establish and the demand for their projected growth, pursue them by taking actions instead of waiting for all conditions to be ready. The forthcoming female economy brings millions of opportunities that favor female entrepreneurs to start up enterprises, despite the current situation where they have not received effective supports that they deserve. In the end, the researchers create a new term „femesh‟ to conclude their findings and their anticipation for the future blossom of female entrepreneurs. Especially, the academic research process is described as an exploration adventure for searching orchids in the forest, together with the romantic writing style of the authors, bringing enjoyable readability without losing its preciseness, accuracy and logic as an academic research.

Sweden has since the membership of the European Union established a new Discrimination act and this thesis aim is to discuss if the EU could be a factor that influenced Sweden to that change. This is done through a discussion of how the EU is mentioned in the preparatory works. Preparatory works are used by the Swedish government in policy making before deciding on a new law and is to give a better understanding to the theoretical background and how the policy-making process deals with the effects of the EU policy at national level. To help explain how the EU could be an influential factor the theory of Europeanization and State-feminist theory are applied. These theories are also discussed further on the role norm entrepreneurs’ play and how they use the EU as an opportunity structure. Through the theory of Europeanization it is explained how the he EU directives have been implemented without any adoptational problems and with Sweden meeting the goals of the directives, national legislation has been developed further. Through the governmental bills, signs show that the EU can be a factor of influence in national legislation in Sweden. It has not, however, been stated that the changes of the acts to the current Discrimination act is done by effects of the European Union.

Abstract Facing the trend of globalization and new era of regional economy, corporations in the economical fact of ECFA are standing to embrace a whole new beginning for new economy age! The researcher currently works at VATM International Business Managerial Consulting Co., Ltd. and the company¡¦s major services are to provide consultation for financial and tax affairs, and operational management for executive officers. In her own professional development, from offering consultation as an accountant to executive management, operational strategies, and innovative concept, she realized that within the whole process of operational service, the use of time for decision making and abilities for information interpretation become the greatest operational issue that corporations need to face when tackling competition. It is also the most neglected ability that entrepreneurs must cultivate. A consultant from one perspective is to provide major resources for corporation operators¡¦ decision making and from another angle is to sustain the quality of information of corporations. The importance of a consultant is undeniable.In other words, the role of a consultant is not as the doctor of a corporation from the traditional viewpoint, but as the invisible chief staff and external inspector and mentor. The researcher believes that a consultant should take Entrepreneur-Schweitzer¡¦s perspective and face the problems of corporations from a humanist standpoint. The present study focuses on the psychological journey of launching a new business and self-reflection of an individual consultant. The study offers appropriate roles and positions a competent consultant should take. From the whole process of self-reflection and launch for an enterprise, the researcher suggests ¡§ManageAccountanize¡¨(business management accountanize)for consultation field as a concept for problem solving but not the idea of Balanced scored which the consultants use in general. In addition, this study also investigates the consulting industry value chain and knowledge value chain so as to approve the value of professional consultants. The researcher provides insights of the necessities of consultants including academic theoretical applications and establishment of consultation authority.

In 1719, Daniel Defoe wrote his first fiction The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe without knowing that the protagonist of the novel, Robinson Crusoe, would be liberated from his cultural matrix and deployed as a dominant economic metaphor with the advent of the so-called marginalist revolution in the second half of the nineteenth century. This thesis intends to: i) with reference to an habits of thought approach, unearth the institutional nature of the metamorphosis of Crusoe from a figure of the literary realm to the economic man of neoclassical economics, and ii) based on a rereading of Defoe&rsquo / s original text, offer an alternative reinterpretation which would turn upside down the prevalent presuppositions of neoclassical economics portraying an isolated, universal and axiomatically rational Crusoe. Accordingly, in this study, Crusoe is presented as a specific time- and space-bound human being preserving and perpetuating his institutionally forged character traits even during his sojourn on the &lsquo / institution-free&rsquo / uninhabited island / a methodological and expeditious man, whose rationality was based not on the fulfillment of axioms but on reasoning / and an entrepreneur aiming at economic development through innovation.