The aim of this study was to examine the level of crisis readiness within the eldercare sector. Because of the worsened security landscape in the world, crisis readiness has become a focal point on the political agenda. The crisis we explore are the types of crisis that could follow a war or the grayzone between war and peace which in Swedish is called “skymningsläge”. The crisis we focus on in the study are power failure, crisis regarding water supply, food and medicin distribution and cyber-attacks. Our survey aimed to explore the new institutional theory to gain insights into the dynamics of social work within the context of crisis management,focusing on organizations' adaptability to new security challenges. By examining the responses of frontline managers, we sought to understand the impact the organizations have on the elder care facilities. Our findings showed discrepancies between municipal and private sectors with front line managers within the private sector demonstrating a culture of greater openness to make changes for improved crisis readiness. However, in terms of crisis readiness, no significant advantage was found for private facilities. By exploring the perspectives of the first line managers we could also understand what impact the organizations have on the managers situation. Our study also showed a correlation between training in crisis management and confidence in leading during crises. The survey also showed that the organizations has taken measures to develop crisis readiness after the pandemic to be more resilient.

Med anledning av att flera kriser av extraordinära slag har inträffat i fredstid har förmågan att hantera dessa fått stor uppmärksamhet. Ett exempel är stormen Gudrun som lamslog delar av Sverige i januari 2005. För att kunna hantera sådana kriser behövs en fungerande beredskap och här har kommunerna en viktig roll. Om kommunerna har en väl utvecklad krisberedskap kan samhället bättre klara av en kris. Genom utvärderingar och erfarenheter från kriser har det visat sig att samverkan mellan kommuner är av stor betydelse för en god krisberedskap. Därmed är det av intresse att studera hur en sådan kan utvecklas mellan kommuner. Vilka faktorer är viktiga för att samverkan ska utvecklas? Är ömsesidig förståelse mellan kommunerna av betydelse? Vilken vikt har förtroende och tillit för samverkan? Inverkar geografin och demografin på kommuners samverkan? Påverkas samverkan av resursberoende och ekonomiska faktorer? Vilken betydelse har politiska beslut för kommuners samverkan? Detta är uppsatsens fokus där samverkan mellan fem kommuner kring krisberedskap studeras med stöd av policynätverksteori med kollektiv handling. Studien visade bland annat att faktorer såsom geografisk närhet, demografi, ekonomi och resursutbyte var viktiga för samverkan och skapandet av policynätverk bland de fem kommunerna. Även en samstämmig problemdefinition, förtroende och en ömsesidig förståelse mellan aktörerna inbegreps som betydelsefulla liksom regelverk samt Krisberedskapsmyndigheten (KBM) och Länsstyrelsen i Östergötland. / Through several crises of extraordinary nature in peacetime the capacity of emergency management has been brought up on to the agenda. Recently, in year 2005, Sweden faced a big storm named Gudrun that caused total devastation. In order to cope with crises like Gudrun a proficient emergency management has shown to be essential in which municipalities have a fundamental function. With a well developed emergency management at the local level society is better equipped to manage crises. According to research on and experiences from crises, cooperation and networking among municipalities is crucial for an efficient emergency management. Consequently there is an interest in studying how cooperation between municipalities can develop within the area of emergency management. Which factors are important for the development of cooperation? Is mutual understanding among the actors important? Which implications do trust and confidence have upon cooperation? Are resource dependencies and economic factors central for the shaping of policy network? Do the geographic and the demographic characterise municipalities’ cooperation? Do political decisions have any significant role in the shaping of policy network? This is the focus of the essay where cooperation between five municipalities in emergency management is studied using policy network theory with collective action. The essay shows that geographical, demographically and economical factors as well as resource dependencies are important for cooperation and the development of policy networks among the five municipalities. Also important were a common foundation, trust and a mutual understanding between the actors. Additionally, new regulations and two authorities – Swedish Emergency Management Authority (SEMA) and the County administrative board of Östergötland – also influenced the cooperation in a positive way.

The purpose of this study is to identify similarities and differences in preparations by Sweden and Finland to ensure food supply in a crisis. Previous research consisting of separate studies have showed a decreased ability to ensure food supply in crisis in Sweden, and an increased ability in Finland. In a time of raising awareness, changing security concerns and political will, the contribution of this study is to simultaneously investigate the two countries and provide an understanding of the historical- and present approaches. By using comparative case study as method and applying International relations theory, a broader understanding of the different approaches by otherwise similar countries is achieved. The approaches of Sweden can be explained by using realist, neorealist, liberal and neoliberal theories while Finland’s approach best can be explained by realist and neorealist theories. The study is relevant for the field of humanitarian action and conflict since it provides an understanding of the countries contingency plans regarding food. Threat assessments from both countries identifies man-made conflicts such as terrorism, cyber-attacks, use of military force and war to have the possibility to create disruptions in the normal cycles of the society and those of surrounding countries. If these threats were to occur, basic needs must be met, one being food supply.

Den här uppsatsen avser undersöka hur Försvarsmaktens roll inom den civila krisberedskapen uppfattas av de civila aktörerna som ingår i krisberedskapsorganisationen (kommuner, landsting, bevakningsansvariga myndigheter, samt länsstyrelser) samt vilken formell roll Försvarsmakten ska spela, utifrån hur myndigheten styrts politiskt genom undersökning av Försvarsbeslutet 2015 samt efterföljande regleringsbrev och direktiv, under perioden 2015 - 2017. Uppsatsen avser endast undersöka Försvarsmaktens stöd till civila (icke-beväpnade) insatser, och således är ex. stöd till Polisen i samband med terrorismbekämpning inte undersökt. / This bachelor thesis examines the role of the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) in civilian crisis management. The Swedish crisis management system is based upon the principle of responsibility (Ansvarsprincipen), which means that an actor responsible for a certain function of society during a normal state also is responsible for maintaining this function during disturbance or crisis. This gives each actor a clear role to plays in times of crisis. The SAF has no clear peacetime role within the frame of national defense except for maintaining readiness to face an armed assault or violation of Swedish territory by foreign powers. The SAF is also supposed to give support to other parts of society when needed, but this support is to be given within already existing abilities and resources. The task is also non-dimensional, which means the SAF is not expected to organize itself primarily for this task.  The analysis will focus only on the role of the SAF, and not on the roles of other actors within civilian crisis management, and only on unarmed operations. A consequence of this demarcation is that the SAF's role within anti-terrorist operations will be left out. Demarcation in time is the period of 2015 - 2017.