The business climate of today, with increasing globalization, has resulted in structural changes in the commercial and industrial sectors. As a result, many large companies have moved their production abroad. Therefore the smaller companies have become increasingly important for growth and employment nationally. Small businesses are a significant contributor to the well-being of nations and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play an important role for Sweden, both in terms of economic contribution and employment. Success has been discussed and investigated for a long period of time and the question is how it should be defined and measured. Many theories have been produced including different definitions and research methods. For this thesis, however, success is defined as the growth and financial performance of a firm measured in volume growth, relative change in net turnover, and value growth, relative change in equity. As a side condition, profit margins must be positive for a company to be classified as successful. This thesis hence aims to determine which factors influence the success of small and medium-sized enterprises in Sweden and how they influence the success of these enterprises. Eleven manufacturing SMEs, seven successful and four unsuccessful, were investigated and analyzed separately and then compared with one another in an attempt to determine which specific factors contributed to their respective performance. The four unsuccessful companies were included in the investigation for comparison to be able to identify the specific factors for successful companies. The analyses resulted in the following areas: Organization, Vision and Strategy, Characteristics of the CEO, Core Competences, Recruiting, Product Development and Innovations and Market. Among these factors Vision and Strategy, Core Competences and Customer Interaction were identified as the factors that have the greatest impact on success. Additionally, two clear relations between factors could be determined, i.e. between Clear vision and strategy and Defined culture as well as a relation between Flexibility and Customer Interaction. The conclusions are generalizable to all manufacturing SMEs in Sweden since the sample selection is representative for the target population. Furthermore, the success factors could be applied to companies abroad as well if the business climate and the conditions are similar. Whether the factors can be applied to firms that act within different SNI-codes (Swedish Standard Industrial Classification) besides manufacturing is yet to be proved. For further research we suggest a deeper investigation, where the information is obtained from more than one sources within the company. Also, the external networks of the company could be of interest to interview. Other aspects to investigate further would be potential differences between small and medium-sized firms and whether or not the results are applicable for other industries.

This Senior Thesis is intended to provide a new perspective about New Media as its own medium and discuss the implications of having one world-wide medium by which to communicate with others.

SMEs are established as an important cornerstone for the Swedish economy, due to the amount of people they employ and the economic activity they present. Due to a changing world SMEs are faced with new competition from foreign firms. In order to counter the new environment, an option for the firms is to move abroad, to internationalize. Furthermore China is established as an attractive country for SMEs to expand into, due to the major economic growth. During internationalization the Swedish agency for regional and economic growth identified SMEs to experience a lack of knowledge and capital, which hinders them in their expansion. The paper observes how four different Swedish SMEs, with activity in China moved abroad and how the mentioned lack of capital and knowledge was bridged. A theoretical framework is acquired through established research questions which are meant to analyze the problem description. The firms are identified as Swedish SMEs. In order to acquire empirical data, face to face interviews are conducted with the identified Swedish SMEs. Through the interview the empirical data is gathered, at which point, the paper analyzes the empirical data using the problem statement and the theories previously derived. The paper establishes that the experiential knowledge is the major influence on the resources committed by the firm. The amount of resources committed influences the type of entry mode as well as the accompanied advantages. In affect all firms have limited knowledge and ergo their resources committed are limited. This paper draws the conclusion that due to this, the firms were all able to finance their internationalization and no capital gap was experienced. The firms which were interviewed held experiential knowledge within the firm except one case where it was bridged with the assistance of a consultant. The experiential knowledge is held by individuals and has had a deep impact on the manner of the internationalization. It is identified that the personal relationships between individuals is shown to be of great importance to the firm. The knowledge constraints were bridged by the individuals’ experiential knowledge.

Purification of metallurgical grade silicon (MG- Si) by a combination of solvent refining and physical separation has been studied. MG-Si was alloyed with iron and solidified under different cooling rates to grow pure Si dendrites from the alloy. The Si dendrites and FeSi2 that were formed after solidification were then separated by a gravity-based method. The separation method relies on significantly different densities of Si and FeSi2, and uses a heavy liquid with specific gravity between the two phases to float the former on the surface of a heavy liquid, while the latter sinks to the bottom. The effect of particle size and cooling rate on the Si yield and separation efficiency of the Si phase was investigated. The floated Si particles were further purified by removing the physically adherent Fe-Si phase, using an acid leaching method. Analysis of the produced silicon indicates that several impurity elements including P and B can be efficiently removed using this simple and low-cost technique.

Background: The Swedish food industry has changed dramatically during the last decades and to become and remain as a player has become a demanding task for several of the small and medium sized enterprises (SME). The trading blocs have increased the development of their own brand (DOB) and this has given the SME new competition but also the possibility to produce these products for the trading blocs. In addition to this the trading blocs have be-come more and more centralized and to strengthen their position in nego-tiations and other aspects which are important for the trading blocs. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of how the trad-ing blocs, with their development of their own brand, affect the Swedish small and medium sized producers in the food industry. It is also to look into what kinds of strategies that are used by the SME in order to tackle the competition from the distributors own brands. Method: To fulfill our purpose a qualitative approach has been used for this thesis. Seven different interviews have been done, either by phone or face to face, with the three largest trading blocs and with four the SME in Sweden, three producing and one distributing company. Conclusion: The focus on low prices and the trading blocs’ stronger, central position on the market have made the competition more intense. To be or remain as a player on the market it is important for the SME to be a supplier to the trading blocs. However, since there are many players striving to become a supplier it is a tough situation and the price becomes an important factor. The trading blocs want low prices and keep pushing the suppliers to keep them low, or even lower them. This price focus is a major issue for the SME, and the DOB have become an important mean for the trading blocs to keep prices low. Due to scenarios like this it is very important for the SME to have strategies in place and the most common and most efficient is the bypass and flanking attack strategies. These two strategies are intense and keep the SME alert when it comes to product development and new innovations.

Purification of metallurgical grade silicon (MG- Si) by a combination of solvent refining and physical separation has been studied. MG-Si was alloyed with iron and solidified under different cooling rates to grow pure Si dendrites from the alloy. The Si dendrites and FeSi2 that were formed after solidification were then separated by a gravity-based method. The separation method relies on significantly different densities of Si and FeSi2, and uses a heavy liquid with specific gravity between the two phases to float the former on the surface of a heavy liquid, while the latter sinks to the bottom. The effect of particle size and cooling rate on the Si yield and separation efficiency of the Si phase was investigated. The floated Si particles were further purified by removing the physically adherent Fe-Si phase, using an acid leaching method. Analysis of the produced silicon indicates that several impurity elements including P and B can be efficiently removed using this simple and low-cost technique.

This thesis presents the potential of integrating chemical and biological treatment technologies for the removal of high concentrations of phenol in a bioremediation medium. High concentrations of phenol in wastewater are difficult to remove by purely biological methods. Chemical oxidation is one way to treat high concentrations of phenol but complete oxidation is not always possible or will make the treatment process uneconomical. An experimental design approach, based on central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to evaluate the effects of process parameters on phenol oxidation by Fentons reagent and chlorine dioxide. Performance of the chemical oxidation was evaluated by determining the percentage of phenol oxidized at equilibrium. The reaction mechanism for the oxidation of phenol by Fentons reagent was proposed based on identification of the intermediate compounds.<p> The effects of H₂O₂ concentration (2000 to 5000 mg L^-1) and FeSO₄.7H₂O concentration (500 to 2000 mg L^-1) were investigated on phenol oxidation and optimal concentrations of H₂O₂ and FeSO₄.7H₂O for complete oxidation of 2000 mg L^-1 phenol in medium were found to be 4340 mg L^-1 and 1616 mg L^-1, respectively, at 25°C and pH 3. The main oxidation products were identified as catechol, hydroquinone and maleic acid.<p> In the case of phenol oxidation by chlorine dioxide, the effects of chlorine dioxide concentration (500 to 2000 mg L^-1), temperature (10 to 40°C) and pH (3 to 7) on the oxidation of 2000 mg L^-1 of phenol were determined. The optimal concentration of chlorine dioxide to completely oxidize 2000 mg L^-1 of phenol was 2000 mg L^-1. The other parameters did not significantly affect the oxidation over the ranges studied. The main oxidation products were identified as 1,4-benzoquinone and 2-chloro-1,4-benzoquinone.<p> Finally, the biodegradation of 1,4-benzoquinone, the main oxidation product of phenol oxidation by chlorine dioxide, was studied in batch and continuous systems using Pseudomonas putida 17484 in two dose McKinneys medium. The effects of 1,4-benzoquinone concentration and temperature were studied on biodegradation of 1,4-benzoquinone in batch reactors. Under optimal conditions, it was found that 150 mg L^-1 1,4-benzoquinone could be successfully biodegraded at 15°C. In a continuous reactor operating at 15°C the highest removal rate with 500 mg L^-1 of 1,4-benzoquinone was found to be 246 mg L^-1 h^-1. The values of µmax, Ks and yield were also determined as 0.74±0.03 h^-1 and 14.17±3.21 mg L^-1 and 2x10¹³ cell mg^-1, respectively.

In our study the purpose was to examine the influence of Continuing Professional Education on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. The study also aims to analyze possible similarities and differences in how small and medium sized auditing and accounting practices are affected of the requirements regarding Continuing Professional Education. In order to fulfill our purpose in the study we conducted interviews with auditors and accounting consultants on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. Totally did we conduct seven interviews with four auditors and three accounting consultants. The majority of auditors and accounting consultants we interviewed are satisfied with the current requirements on Continuing Professional Education and think they contribute to the increase of quality and status of the work tasks performed by auditors and accounting consultants. Respondents also stressed the importance of Continuing Professional Education to maintain and develop the skills among employees. Our respondents prefer two forms of Continuing Professional Education, namely intensive seminars and topical courses. Demand for intensive seminars and topical courses will probably continue to increase, given that these two forms makes it possible for small and medium sized practices to keep current in a time efficient and economical way. Our findings also show that auditors prefer a training where they start out as beginners and end as an expert. On the other hand accounting consultants focus on training that is practical and provides direct benefit to the everyday work.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important subject in business administration, and has been for many years. Over the past few years it has been become an increasingly debated topic. The CSR subject mainly focuses on multinational enterprises (MNEs), resulting in a research gap concerning CSR in small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). SMEs outline the majority of all companies on the European market; therefore, it is empirically interesting to further investigate how SMEs perceive CSR commitment. The purpose of this dissertation is to explain how CSR commitment of internal and external stakeholders influences CSR commitment in SMEs. The research was conducted with a quantitative survey. The data collected with the survey was tested and analyzed with both an explanatory and exploratory research strategy. Explanatory research was performed in order to test the derived hypotheses and explain the research question. Exploratory research was then performed in order to provide a further understanding of how SMEs view stakeholders and their CSR commitment. These two research strategies revealed that internal and external stakeholders influence CSR commitment in SMEs. However, SMEs perceive some stakeholders similarly because of their relationship with the company. There are three main concepts of CSR commitment: environmental, social and financial responsibility. Results showed that financial CSR is considered distinctly different from the two other measured CSR concepts. The theoretical contributions may be of importance to owners of SMEs and MNEs in order to gain a deeper understanding of CSR as a subject. Also, findings can help scholars interested in further researching CSR commitment in SMEs. The methodological contributions of this dissertation are of relevance for future research on the subject, since the developed instrument for measuring CSR commitment was successful. Without an established measure for this area, this instrument enables further development and thereby more valid research regarding CSR commitment and SMEs.

The Antennae (22 Mpc) is one of the most well-known mergers in the nearby Universe. Its distance allow us to observe and study the gas at the scales of stellar cluster formation. It is an ideal source to understand how the galaxy dynamics in mergers trigger the formation of stars. Most of the stars in the Antennae are formed in compact and massive stellar clusters, dubbed super-star clusters (SSCs). The most massive (>106 M⊙) and youngest (<6 Myr) SSCs are located in the overlap region, where the two galaxies collide, and are associated with massive (several 108 M⊙) and super-giant (few hundred of pc) molecular complexes (SGMCs). The formation of SSCs must involve a complex interplay of merger-driven gas dynamics, turbulence fed by the galaxy interaction, and dissipation of the kinetic energy of the gas. Within SGMCs, a hierarchy of structures must be produced, including dense and compact concentrations of molecular gas massive enough to form SSCs, pre-cluster clouds (PCCs). For star formation to occur, the mechanical energy of PCCs must be radiated away to allow their self-gravity to locally win over their turbulent gas pressure. Specific tracers of turbulent dissipation are therefore key inputs to test the validity of this theoretical scenario. In my thesis, I studied the Antennae overlap region. My work is based on observations with the SINFONI spectro-imager at the VLT, which includes H2 rovibrational and Brγ line emission, and with ALMA, which includes the CO(3-2) line and dust continuum emission. Both data-sets have the needed sub-arcsecond angular resolution to resolve the scales of SSC formation. The spectral resolutions are enough to resolve motions within SGMCs. Combining CO and H2 line emission is key in my PhD work. I use CO as a tracer of the distribution and kinematics of the molecular gas, and H2 as a tracer of the rate at which the gas mechanical energy is dissipated.My thesis focuses on diverse sources in the Antennae overlap region which trace different stages of star formation: the gathering of mass necessary to form SGMCs, the formation of PCCs within SGMCs and the disruption of a parent cloud by a newly formed SSC. I show that at each stage turbulence plays a key role. I found that the kinetic energy of the galaxies is not thermalized in large scale shocks, it drives the turbulence in the molecular ISM at a much higher level than what is observed in the Milky Way. Near-IR spectral diagnostics show that, outside of SSCs embedded in their parent clouds, the H2 line emission is powered by shocks and traces the dissipation of the gas turbulent kinetic energy. I relate the H2 emission to the loss of kinetic energy required to form gravitationally bound clouds. This interpretation is supported by the discovery of a compact, bright H2 source not associated with any known SSC. It has the largest H2/CO emission ratio and is located where the data show the largest velocity gradient in the interaction region. To our knowledge, this is the first time that an extragalactic source with such characteristics is identified. We would be witnessing the formation of a cloud massive enough to form a SSC. The data also allow us to study the disruption of a parent molecular cloud by an embedded SSC. Its matter is loosely bound and its gravity would be supported by turbulence, which makes it easier for feedback to disrupt the parent cloud. I end my manuscript presenting two projects. I propose to establish additional energy dissipation tracers observable with ALMA, which gives us the high spatial and spectral resolution needed to isolate scales at which clusters form. This is a Cycle 1 proposal accepted in first priority. I also plan to expand my work to other nearby extragalactic sources by investigating the turbulence-driven formation of stars in different extragalactic sources by combining near-IR and submillimeter observations.