French SMEs within the medical technology industry follow an internationalization pattern which cannot completely be explained by traditional internationalization models. Going abroad is not a strategy to overcome challenges inherent to the medical technology industry. Instead, it is the positive consequence of their merge with internationalized firms, or an opportunity offered by their network.

This thesis applies the dynamic capabilities framework to identify and examine the dynamic capabilities creating sustainable competitive advantage in the context of a developing economy. The attempt to explain sustainable competitive advantage by reacting to environmental changes has at all times been a highly discussed topic for research. The globalized and unstable environment often found in developing areas increases the need for more dynamic models when analyzing how to gain competitive advantage. To meet this demand, the dynamic capability framework introduces a very promising effort to better understand superior enterprise performance over time.   This thesis intends to increase the understanding of the role of dynamic capabilities and analyze the knowledge of successful entrepreneurs in small and medium enterprises effectively can outperform competition in the unstable South African environment. More specific, the focus is mainly on strategic decisions and the empirical study consists of qualitative case studies of four successful entrepreneurs. This data is collected through semi-structured interviews in Cape Town. The strategic decisions are first analyzed within each case – applying selected parts of an existing framework – and thereafter a cross-sectional analysis is done in order to find both the similarities and differences between entrepreneurs. The findings suggest that all entrepreneurs in the analysis have the characteristics and skills to create dynamic capabilities within the process of sensing, seizing and reconfiguring opportunities. Furthermore, three main factors – maintaining a consistent long-term vision, placing the customer need in focus, and using the competence and resources wisely – are identified as features, which made these four entrepreneurs successful and helped them sustain the superior firm performance over time. In addition, these three factors must be adaptable to rapid and unexpected changes. Overall the findings suggest that when analyzing competitive advantage, the sensing, shaping and reconfiguration of opportunities must be seen as constant.  Lastly, the complete process containing different fundamental classes of dynamic capabilities should not be separated.   The study demonstrates the relevance of the dynamic capabilities approach in identifying competitive advantage, which is based on the firm’s dynamic capabilities. The fact that small and medium enterprises are important for the economic growth in developing countries makes this study an important field for research.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to find out the human resource managerial problems in medium and small companies. Finally, some suggestions will be given. Method: The case of Unique Clothing Company will be studied to analyse what are the problems in the medium and small companies. The information of Unique Clothing was collected by telephone interview. Results & Conclusion: Lacking of vocational training, low qualified employees and discretional decision making are considered as the three main human resource managerial problems in medium and small companies. Only efforts made by both companies and employees can solve the problems. Suggestions for future research: In this paper, we mainly discuss the human resource managerial problems in medium and small companies. So the specific reasons for the problems in the medium and small companies can be studied by future researchers. Contribution of the thesis: The paper states what are the problems exist in the medium and small companies via the case study of Unique, and some creative suggestions have been delivered. Key words: medium and small companies, vocational training, low qualified employees, decision making, Guanxi

The globalization of markets is hindering the competitive position of organizations throughout the world. On one hand, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) which have settled in a niche market face an escalating difficulty to defend their market share. On the other hand, increasing fragmentation of value chains throughout the world is turning many SMEs into powerless suppliers (Gammelgaard and Mathiasen, 2007). Consequently, SMEs are obliged to improve their competitiveness, and outsourcing is an effective tool to achieve that. However, its use is still not widespread throughout SMEs (Knowledge Wharton, 2004). In fact, SMEs are perceived to be stimulators of the local economies (Blackford as cited by Odaka and Hawai, 1999, p.58) and to be more attached to their local environment. The weight of emotional responses in decision making of outsourcing might be related to the low occurrence of it amongst SMEs. Hence, the aim of this study is to understand in which way the emotional factors affect the decision making of outsourcing in SMEs.The study follows a qualitative strategy with an explanatory research design. We did not only want to explore the impact of emotional factors, but understand the reasons behind it. Accordingly, we first identified the possible economic and emotional factor through the construction of the theoretical framework. This allowed us to know their individual relevance in the decision making, but unfortunately we could not obtain a coherent picture of their relationship. In order to accomplish these relations, the primary data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Six SMEs with headquarters in Umeå were interviewed and provided us with the necessary data. Consequently, our analysis unveiled the relationship between the factors that affect the decision of outsourcing - managing to fulfill the purpose of our study.Basically, our obtained results led us to the conclusion that the small or medium nature of the enterprise does not condition their emotional behavior. Therefore, we concluded that the fact that the enterprise being an SME does not imply that emotional factors have more weight in the decision making. In fact, we discovered that the emotional factor with the highest degree of influence in decision making of outsourcing in SMEs is the type of corporate culture of the business.The globalization of markets is hindering the competitive position of organizations throughout the world. On one hand, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) which have settled in a niche market face an escalating difficulty to defend their market share. On the other hand, increasing fragmentation of value chains throughout the world is turning many SMEs into powerless suppliers (Gammelgaard and Mathiasen, 2007). Consequently, SMEs are obliged to improve their competitiveness, and outsourcing is an effective tool to achieve that. However, its use is still not widespread throughout SMEs (Knowledge Wharton, 2004). In fact, SMEs are perceived to be stimulators of the local economies (Blackford as cited by Odaka and Hawai, 1999, p.58) and to be more attached to their local environment. The weight of emotional responses in decision making of outsourcing might be related to the low occurrence of it amongst SMEs. Hence, the aim of this study is to understand in which way the emotional factors affect the decision making of outsourcing in SMEs.The study follows a qualitative strategy with an explanatory research design. We did not only want to explore the impact of emotional factors, but understand the reasons behind it. Accordingly, we first identified the possible economic and emotional factor through the construction of the theoretical framework. This allowed us to know their individual relevance in the decision making, but unfortunately we could not obtain a coherent picture of their relationship. In order to accomplish these relations, the primary data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Six SMEs with headquarters in Umeå were interviewed and provided us with the necessary data. Consequently, our analysis unveiled the relationship between the factors that affect the decision of outsourcing - managing to fulfill the purpose of our study.Basically, our obtained results led us to the conclusion that the small or medium nature of the enterprise does not condition their emotional behavior. Therefore, we concluded that the fact that the enterprise being an SME does not imply that emotional factors have more weight in the decision making. In fact, we discovered that the emotional factor with the highest degree of influence in decision making of outsourcing in SMEs is the type of corporate culture of the business.

AbstractTitle: Onlinegaming – A qualitative study of young people's attitudes about online gaming(Onlinespel – En Kvalitativ undersökning av Ungdomars attityder om onlinespel)Number of pages: 34 (35 including enclosures)Author: Armin MoradiTutor: Else NygrenCourse: Media and Communication Studies CPeriod: Autumn 2009University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science,Uppsala UniversityPurpose/Aim: The purpose of my thesis is that from a social perspective to examine and discussyoung people aged 16-18 vision of online gaming. Why online games are so popular and to see ifthe stereotype is a reality among young people in their late teens ..I also have a secondary purpose where I want to explore the social function of online games have,and what or what needs it fills in young people's everyday lives.Material/Method: The main method used in this essay has been qualitative group interviewswith 17 high school students. The result from these interviews has then been analysed usingseveral theories, Uses and gratification theory, Socialinteraction theory, Interactivity theory andmedium theory.Main results: The compilation of collected my results have shown that young people makeextensive use of online gaming pastime and to socialize with each other both virtually andphysically. Online gambling has on young people an entirely different meaning than it does forolder generations.For young people online is as natural as watching TV is for the oldergenerations.There are gender differences in perception of online games but it is not at all in the same highdegree as can be expected, the differences were minimal. The participants in my interviews havealso made an association exercise in which I presented as the words of 15-20 seconds to describeother words. Most replied to the word "Homework" that it was "boring" and the word "computergames" was the most frequently used word "fun".Keywords: Uses and gratification theory, Socialinteraction theory, Interactivity theory , Mediumtheory, Online gaming,

SAMMANFATTNING Titel Dags att hålla för näsan? – en studie om doft som marknadsmedium Time to keep your nose shut? – a study about aroma as marketing medium. Seminariedatum veckodag den xx/1 2008 Författare Madelene Nordström Handledare Magnus Rodell Problem: Genom att problematisera begreppet ”medium” vill jag undersöka om doft är ett sådant. Jag studerar även på vilket sätt doft som ett medium kan påverka människans konsumtion? Syfte: Jag vill påvisa att stimuli där jag har ”doft” som exempel, används som ett medium för att locka till konsumtion. Därför vill jag på en kritisk basis ge förståelse och insikt i hur doft används som marknadsföringsmedel i Sverige då det inte är ett självklart marknadsföringsmedel. Jag vill även utröna hur marknadsförare kan använda sig av doft för att stimulera kunden till köp. Metod: Det teoretiska och metodologiska avsnittet bygger på tidigare forskning och verksamheter. Dels litteraturstudier som har ett naturvetenskapligt synsätt tillika ett humanistiskt synsätt för att få en stor omfångsapparat att arbeta med. Jag har även intervjuat via telefon och mejl samt gjort en egen undersökning i Norrköpings Centrum för att se om butiker använder sig av doft för att locka till konsumtion. Resultat: Vår hjärna är mottaglig för att ta emot doft på ett undermedvetet plan innan vi är medvetna om att vi har ”manipulerats”. Detta kan leda till att vi stannar kvar längre i en butik och i slutändan gör ett inköp som inte var planerat från början. Vårt luktsinne har en ”minnesbank” som gör att genom använda sig av doft i marknadsföring får våra sinnen att samarbeta och kalla fram minnen eller ge oss en upplevelsebaserad stund i butiken. Detta är något som går att utnyttja för att locka till konsumtion. I Sverige förekommer doft i marknadsföring än så länge inte på ett utbrett plan. Men doftkonsulten Christina Gotzel spår att det kommer att en större marknad i framtiden. Därmed kommer företagen att vilja patentsätta sina unika dofter vilket idag är svårt att genomföra.

Large parts of the cortex and the thalamus project into the striatum,which serves as the input stage of the basal ganglia. Information isintegrated in the striatal neural network and then passed on, via themedium spiny (MS) projection neurons, to the output stages of thebasal ganglia. In addition to the MS neurons there are also severaltypes of interneurons in the striatum, such as the fast spiking (FS)interneurons. I focused my research on the FS neurons, which formstrong inhibitory synapses onto the MS neurons. These striatal FSneurons are sparsely connected by electrical synapses (gap junctions),which are commonly presumed to synchronise their activity.Computational modelling with the GENESIS simulator was used toinvestigate the effect of gap junctions on a network of synapticallydriven striatal FS neurons. The simulations predicted a reduction infiring frequency dependent on the correlation between synaptic inputsto the neighbouring neurons, but only a slight synchronisation. Thegap junction effects on modelled FS neurons showing sub-thresholdoscillations and stuttering behaviour confirm these results andfurther indicate that hyperpolarising inputs might regulate the onsetof stuttering.The interactions between MS and FS neurons were investigated byincluding a computer model of the MS neuron. The hypothesis was thatdistal GABAergic input would lower the amplitude of back propagatingaction potentials, thereby reducing the calcium influx in thedendrites. The model verified this and further predicted that proximalGABAergic input controls spike timing, but not the amplitude ofdendritic calcium influx after initiation.Connecting models of neurons written in different simulators intonetworks raised technical problems which were resolved by integratingthe simulators within the MUSIC framework. This thesis discusses theissues encountered by using this implementation and gives instructionsfor modifying MOOSE scripts to use MUSIC and provides guidelines forachieving compatibility between MUSIC and other simulators.This work sheds light on the interactions between striatal FS and MSneurons. The quantitative results presented could be used to developa large scale striatal network model in the future, which would beapplicable to both the healthy and pathological striatum. / QC 20100720

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries are reported to encounter difficulties in accessing to formal external financing resource. Banking systems in this category of countries are either under-developed or newly reformed. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether SME financing in China, measured by SMEs per capita, is affected by local bank competition, measured by number of banks per capita or share of foreign banks. Control variables such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), level of infrastructure and geographic location are also included in the regression models. The main findings are that: when disregarding the ownership of banks, bank competition has positive impact on SME financing across Chinese provinces, although the relationship is non-linear; and foreign banks do not significantly influence SME bank financing in China. The first finding generally support the conventional theories of industrial organization and the second one offers the basis for further arguments about the role of foreign banks in financing SMEs in China.

Background & Problem discussion: Recently, there has been an increased interest in topics such as immigrant entrepreneurship. Considering that most of the research until now is done in America with American examples, it would be beneficial if such results are verified or refuted in other countries as well, such as Sweden (Brundin, Bögenhold and Sundin, 2001). Overall, businesses ran by immigrant entrepreneurs are creating job opportunities and encouraging Europe’s economy, even though exposed to limited immigration policies and unpleasant public opinion (Halkias et al., 2007). Immigrant entrepreneurs are not a new phenomenon in Sweden and according to Hammarstedt (2004) immigrant self-employment compared to native small-businesses has increased throughout the years, and therefore an important role in the integration of immigrants was made possible by the self-employment sector as a source of employment. Rather than that, most of the research done in this topic by many researchers has been focused in factors triggering immigrant entrepreneurs to start a business, but less researchers were focused in understanding the challenges they face and strategies they adopt in order to survive. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to identify challenges that immigrant entrepreneurs face while starting and running their businesses and analyze how they are interrelated and how do immigrant entrepreneurs cope with them in the setting of a medium-sized town in Sweden. Jönköping as a medium sized town in Sweden is our context. Theoretical framework: The literature used in this study covers studies conducted in different context such as: American, European and Swedish. The conducted studies involve case studies in different context done with immigrant entrepreneurs are mainly about the challenges they face and the strategies they adopt as solutions to those challenges. Such theory helped us identify common challenges among immigrant entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, considering that the existing literature does not explicitly discuss the role of the context (metropolitan, large city, medium-sized town, small (rural town), local community etc), we have to inquire especially into that and use our own data to build a supplementary theory. Method: The method used in this study is a qualitative approach but also with some minor elements of a quantitative approach (the use of the questionnaire during the interviews asked from the respondents to rank the challenges and therefore helped to find out the most significant challenge among them). Considering that generally our study followed a qualitative approach, we have conducted ‘face-to-face’ interviews. There were eight semi-structured interviews. All of the interviews were tape recorded. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that challenges faced by our respondents were: start-up finance, finance for growth, access to markets, lack of language skills, lack of marketing/sales skills, lack of management skills, access to technology, lack of education, lack of visitors to Jönköping, maintaining customers, Swede’s negative views on immigrant businesses, awareness of food among customers, and competition. However, the four most significant challenges among them were: access to markets, start-up finance, lack of language skills and finance for growth. Besides that the findings show that the strategies that are adopted by immigrant entrepreneurs that we interviewed include the following: use of personal savings, use of personal networks, bank loan, enter low market barriers, scanning the market beforehand, asking help from their customers about language barriers or taking a language course before starting, among others. The findings showed that the context is important to a great extent but besides context, in order for the immigrant venture to occur it matters to a great extent, who the individual entrepreneur is and what business idea he/she develops. In addition, they are key factors contributing not only to the immigrant venture occurrence, but also to the success of the business.

The aim of our research was to investigate if oat is capable of extracting cadmium to such extent that it is usable in decontaminating polluted soils. We grew oat in a hydroponic culture during 28 days in a controlled environment and a total of 30 plants were used. The nutrient solutions were contaminated with cadmium of ten different concentrations after seven days. After harvesting the plants, the roots were separated from the shoots, placed in separate containers and then turned to ashes. The cadmium content was measured three times per sample in an atomic absorption spectrometer. Our results indicate that the ability of oat to extract cadmium from a solution is linearly dependent of the cadmium concentration of the solution. We also noted that the resistivity to cadmium of oat is limited. When the concentration of accessible cadmium ions exceeded 0,06mM, a significant difference of the shoot growth appeared. The results we obtained from shoots and roots show cadmium amounts much higher in the roots than the shoots. Despite this difference there were sufficient amounts of cadmium in the shoots to call oat a hyper accumulator. This means that oat fulfills one of the criteria of a phytoextractor.