The diploma thesis deals with purchasing activities and fluency of information flow in the international company Zebra Technologies CZ s.r.o.. The aim is to create a methodology for indirect purchases of goods and services used by internal customers through catalog orders. The study includes a proposal for improving purchase activities efficiency, as well as the entire Procure-To-Pay cycle.

Sharing information at a workplace is important to keep the employees inthe loop. At workplaces where employees don’t have common work hoursconventional methods for sharing information are insufficient, making itchallenging to stay in the loop. Through participation and observation thisstudy has investigated how information is shared at Systembolaget in VästraHamnen in Malmö. Based on the findings, a design proposal is suggested and tested with the employees at the store.

De nos jours, les ordinateurs sont omniprésents. Tous ces ordinateurs stockent et manipulent de l'information, parfois sensible, d'où l'intérêt de protéger et de confiner la dissémination de cette information. Les mécanismes de contrôle de flux d'information permettent justement d'analyser des programmes manipulant de l'information sensible, afin de prévenir les fuites d'information. Les contributions de cette thèse incluent des techniques d'analyse de programmes pour le contrôle de flux d'information tant qualitatif que quantitatif. Les techniques d'analyse qualitatives permettent la détection et la prévention des fuites d'information. Les techniques quantitatives permettent d'estimer ces fuites afin de décider si elles sont négligeables. / Computers have become widespread nowadays. All these computers store and process information. Often, some of this information is sensitive; hence the need to confine and control its dissemination. An important field in computer science, that is concerned about analysing programs in order to confine and control the release of sensitive information, is the information flow control field. The contributions of this thesis include program analysis techniques for qualitative and quantitative information flow control. Qualitative techniques aim at detecting and preventing information leaks. Quantitative techniques go beyong the detection of information leaks, by estimating the leakage in order to decide whether it is negligeable.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Economics / Lance J. Bachmeier / Dong Li / For a unique sample of Israeli stocks that went public in the U.S. and then cross-listed in the home market, Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), this dissertation consists of three essays examining the dynamics of return spillovers and volume-return interactions across markets and the valuation effect around the event of cross-listing and delisting from the home market. In Chapter II, I investigate the role of trading volume in the information flow and return spillovers between the U.S. and Israeli markets. Findings suggest that the dynamics of volume-return interactions across markets can provide us with valuable information regarding future price movements, which can be a useful tool to predict future returns. I also find the home market to dominate the host market in pricing these stocks, which is consistent with the Home Bias hypothesis. In Chapter III, I analyze the impact of the event of cross-listing on stock returns and risk exposure. The behavior of abnormal returns around the cross-listing date implies that cross-listing in TASE is an effective mechanism in reducing market segmentation between the U.S. and the Israeli capital markets. Risk assessment following the cross-listing suggests a decline firms’ overall risk exposure, indicating a higher degree of integration between the two markets due to cross-listing. In Chapter IV, I evaluate changes in the cost-of-capital for Israeli firms after delisting voluntary from TASE, the home market, while maintaining their listing in the U.S., the host market. The results show a significant positive shift in U.S. and negative shift in Israeli market risk exposure after the delisting. These results indicate that firms delisting form their home market (TASE), face greater risk exposure, higher required returns on their stocks and, hence, higher cost-of-capital after delisting.

Modern web applications use several third-party JavaScript libraries to achieve higher levels of engagement. The third-party libraries range from utility libraries such as jQuery to libraries that provide services such as Google Analytics and context- sensitive advertisement. These third-party libraries have access to most (if not all) the elements of the displayed webpage. This allows malicious third-party libraries to perform attacks that steal information from the end-user or perform an action without the end-user consent. These types of attacks are the stealthiest and the hardest to defend against, because they are agnostic to the browser type and platform of the end-user and at the same time they rely on web standards when performing the attacks. Such kind of attacks can perform actions using the victim’s browser without her permission. The nature of such actions can range from posting an embarrassing message on the victim’s behalf over her social network account, to performing online biding using the victim’s account. This poses the need to develop effective mechanisms for protecting against client-side web attacks that mainly target the end-user. In the proposed research, we address the above challenges from information flow monitoring perspective by developing a framework that restricts the flow of information on the client-side to legitimate channels. The proposed model tracks sensitive information flow in the JavaScript code and prevents information leakage from happening. The main component of the framework is a hybrid flow-sensitive security monitor that controls, at runtime, the dissemination of information flow and its inlining. The security monitor is hybrid as it combines both static analysis and runtime monitoring of the running JavaScript program. We provide the soundness proof of the model with respect to termination-insensitive non-interference security policy and develop a new security benchmark to establish experimentally its effectiveness in detecting and preventing illicit information flow. When applied to the context of client-side web-based attacks, the proposed model provides a more secure browsing environment for the end-user. / Graduate

<p>In this age, too much information is provided to the users. So that they face information overload problem and spend more time in finding the right information according to their needs. The information available to the right person on the right time can make significant difference in the work tasks and business processes in an organisation.</p><p>This thesis work is on improving information flow within an organisation for a person having a certain role. The concentration of the work is on finding the factors (Qualifiers) which affect the information needs of the user and the actions which should be carried out to fulfil them, as well as suitable IT tools. All these have been presented as Final Result Table. This table shows the information needs, their qualifiers, and suggested actions that can be taken tocarry out a specific need. Besides, we found that there are some General Actions. These kinds of actions are not related to any specific need. Rather, while working to fulfil any of the needs, they can be taken for enhancing the work quality and speed. Further, these actions were classified into two groups: Information System Classification and Organisational Measures.</p>

Master of Science / Department of Computing and Information Sciences / John Hatcliff / With the increase in development of safety and security critical systems, it is important to have more sophisticated methods for engineering such systems. It can be difficult to understand and verify critical properties of these systems because of their ever growing size and complexity. Even a small error in a complex system may result in casualty or significant monetary loss. Consequently, there is a rise in the demand for scalable and accurate techniques to enable faster development and verification of high assurance systems. This thesis focuses on discovering dependencies between various parts of a system and leveraging that knowledge to infer information flow properties and to verify security policies specified for the system. The primary contribution of this thesis is a technique to build dependence graphs for languages which feature abstraction and refinement. Inter-procedural slicing and inter-procedural chopping are the techniques used to analyze the properties of the system statically. The approach outlined in this thesis provides a domain-specific language to query the information flow properties and to specify security policies for a critical system. The spec- ified policies can then be verified using existing static analysis techniques. All the above contributions are integrated with a development environment used to develop the critical system. The resulting software development tool helps programmers develop, infer, and verify safety and security systems in a single unified environment.

Byggbranschens största utmaning idag är strävan efter lägre kostnader, högre kapacitet, lägre slöserier och ökad effektivitet för att uppnå ett mer lönsamhet. För detta krävs det framförallt att slöseri och icke värdeskapande aktiviteter elimineras bort. Därmed är det viktigt att byggföretag börjar ta initiativ i att kartlägga det nuvarande informations- och materialflöden för att skapa sig en uppfattning om vilka möjligheter det finns för att hitta alternativa lösningar till effektivisering. Syftet med rapporten är att kartlägga informations-och materialflödet för att analysera och identifiera brister för att sedan effektivisera och minimera slöserierna som förekommer på byggarbetsplatsen. Utifrån kartläggning och analys skall resultatet av undersökningen vara till hjälp för att ta fram lämpliga förslag till framtida projekt. Vid början av examensarbetet gjordes en litteraturstudie av vetenskapliga rapporter, artiklar och facklitteratur för att kunna få en överblick och kunskap över ämnet. Resultatet av rapporten genomfördes av framförallt som mest fokus på fallstudier på byggarbetsplatsen, flertal besök på arbetsplatsen och strukturerade intervjuer. Datainsamlingen gjordes främst genom besök på byggarbetsplatsen för att kunna erhålla information genom observationer och intervjuerna som var till en stor hjälp. Författarna intervjuade projektchefen, arbetsledaren samt respondenter som arbetade kring projektet Hotell Victor. Dessutom gjordes fler intervjuer hos andra projekt och företag för att få förståelse över hur stort problem det är i allmänt egentligen. Ett flertal risker identifierades utifrån empirin, vilket lyfts upp och beskrivs likt troliga uppkomma risker, då det inte är sannolikt att dessa risker gäller inte enbart för AF Gruppen i Göteborg. ​ Resultatet från fallstudien tyder framförallt att kommunikationen mellan entreprenör och leverantör kräver en förbättring, det skulle bidra till kostnads- och tidsbesparingar. Aviseringen av material som anländer till byggarbetsplatsen är också ett problem , bristande avisering och kommunikation leder till att aktiviteter som omplanering, väntan och onödiga rörelser växer fram . / The construction industry's biggest challenge today is the quest for lower costs, higher capacity, lower waste levels and increased efficiency. For this, it is primarily necessary to eliminate waste and non-value-creating activities. Thus, it is important that construction companies begin to take the initiative in mapping current information and material flows to get an idea of ​​the possibilities for finding alternative solutions for efficiency.  The purpose of this thesis is to gain insight into what shortfalls as occurs in construction industry and to propose improvements. By analyzing the problems in the information and material flow that arises at the construction site with a focus on efficiency and minimizing waste.  At the beginning of the thesis, a literature study of scientific reports, articles and fiction in order to have an overview and knowledge of the subject. Results of the report were carried out by mainly most focus on case studies on the construction site, numerous workplace visits and structured interviews. The data was collected mainly through visits to the construction site in order to obtain information through observations and interviews which were a great help. The interviews were conducted at the project manager and supervisor of the project, Hotell Victor. Furthermore more interviews took place with other projects and companies to get understanding how big a problem it is in general.  Several risks were identified on the basis of empirical data, which is raised and described like probable risks occur, and then it is likely that these risks are not exclusive just for AF Gruppen in Gothenburg. The results from the case study indicate, above all that communication between the contractor and supplier could be improved, this would save construction companies time and money. Announcement of the material as arriving until the construction site are integrated for all good and require improvement. Reprogramming, wait and unnecessary movements are few activities that occur.

In this case study a partnership between a first-tier supplier and a focal company in a Supply Chain has been examined. The focal company has a function as a wholesaler in the mechanical industry. An issue with communication and obstructions in the information flow between the two partners had caused problems in the material flow, which encompasses late deliveries and problems with the distribution between both partners has been treated in this case. These observations have resulted in recommendations for how employees in the focal company can work proactively with these issues linked to the first-tier supplier. The suggestions include application of Vendor managed inventory VMI between the customer and supplier company, including introduction of Lean methods in the focal company's operational activities. This to implement standardized routines for cleaning with 5S and Kaizen, with the purpose to handle the problems with late deliveries and reduce the risks of intermediate storage outcome in the inventory. At last another proposal for supplementation of the supplier base is formed, regarding the specific product group of strategic items where an acquisition risk prevails. / I denna fallstudie har ett partnerskapsförhållande mellan en primärleverantör och en fokalfirma – med funktion som grossist inom maskinindustrin utvärderats. Problematik med kommunikation och bristande informationsflöde som förorsakat ett bristande materialflöde i form av sena leveranser i distributionen mellan parterna har behandlats. Dessa observationer har i senare led resulterat i rekommendationer och tillvägagångssätt för hur ansvariga i fokalfirman kan arbeta proaktivt kring detta och återkoppla till primärleverantören. Därefter har en rad förslag till förbättringsåtgärder framställts.Förslagen innefattar införande av VMI-styrning mellan kund- och leverantörsföretaget för att åstadkomma en starkare integration i informationsflödet mellan parterna. Detta i kombination med införande av Lean metoder i fokalfirmans operativa aktiviteter på lagret, för att introducera standardiserade rutiner kring städning med 5S och Kaizen-moral. På så sätt ska sena inleveranser på lagret effektivare kunna behandlas och risken för uppkomst av mellanlager på verkstadsgolv reduceras. Slutligen har ett ytterligare förslag tagits fram som en alternativ lösning och det är att uttöka leverantörsbasen. Genom uttökningen underbyggs anskaffningsrisken gällande en specifik produktgrupp med strategiska artiklar ur företagets produktsortiment.

Este trabalho apresenta uma proposta de método para a melhoria de fluxos de informação em ambientes administrativos usando princípios da mentalidade enxuta e da reengenharia de processos. O método foi criado através de características encontradas em duas metodologias existentes da mentalidade enxuta e de soluções desenhadas pela reengenharia de processos com este propósito. Estas características foram identificadas, selecionadas e adaptadas para uso no método seguindo um modelo de gestão de mudança. Em seguida, o método foi aplicado em um fluxo de informação em uma empresa do interior de São Paulo, seus resultados foram medidos apresentando boas melhorias em relação à maior velocidade de processamento de informações, redução da quantidade de pessoas necessárias e maior porcentagem de tempo de agregação de valor. Por último, foram apresentadas observações sobre as limitações do método e da generalização dos resultados da aplicação apresentada. / This work presents a proposal of method for the improvement of information flows using the principles of lean thinking and solutions from business process reengineering (BPR). The method was created using characteristics encountered on two existing lean office methodologies, and with the solutions presented by business reengineering. Those characteristics were identified, sorted and adapted to be used in the method based on a change management model. The proposed method was implemented in an information flow of a company in the brazilian state of São Paulo, and its results were measured, presenting significant reduction of the information flow lead time, reduction of people needed to process the information and a larger percentage of added-value time. Finally, limitations of the method and the application results were presented.