This essay conducts a Plausibility Probe Case Study focused on how the UN and the wider international community have approached the civil war in Ethiopia. Because the Ethiopian Government has been unable to protect its population, Ethiopia can be considered a typical case for the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). R2P was introduced in response to the genocides in Rwanda and Srebrenica and builds upon the idea of the international community having a responsibility to assist states to protect their populations. R2P’s normative status remains debated, however, due to criticism directed against R2P’s third pillar which prescribes the international community a responsibility to act when a state is unwilling or unable to protect its population. Therefore, scholars have started to analyse R2P’s status by the use of Finnemore & Sikkink’s Norm Life Cycle Theory, disagreeing about R2P’s normative strength and whether R2P will ever be able to enter the third stage of the Norm Life Cycle (NLC). This essay applies the same theory to the empirical findings from the Ethiopian case with the primary aim to contribute to the debate about R2P’s normative status. Findings show how R2P seems to be positioned at the second stage of the NLC. This does not necessarily mean that R2P should be considered a weak norm as the UN and the international community have indirectly complied with R2P when approaching the Ethiopian conflict. Yet, the fact that none of the relevant actors under study has mentioned R2P explicitly indicates how R2P still remains a controversial norm within international politics.

Municipal urban management and the democratic flexible guardian – a study concerning the officials’ changing work in the urban management process in the municipality of Norrköping. The purpose of this study is partly to analyse how implement measures in a change project (in the municipality of Norrköping) may impact the officials, linked to the urban management process, in their work practices. The study also aims to problematize a political science theory by Professor Lennart Lundquist (from 1998) that states how officials should relate to their office. The reason behind this problematizing stems from a shift in the municipalities’ responsibilities over the last 20 years. They have gone from having a more exclusively administrative responsibility to focus more on societal investment. The analysis of this study shows that a lot of the implement measures have a positive impact on the officials’ work practices, although some risks were found. The study also indicates that the imbalance between economical and democratic values (that is addressed in Lundquist’s theory) tend to even themselves out in order for a more sustainable development to be achieved.

This investigation represents an initial attempt toward the construction of a general life cycle theory of parent-child relations. Emphasis was placed on the parent-adult child relationship with the onset of a filial crisis, e.g., due to illness. After the theory was described, two of the five propositions comprising this orientation (i.e., propositions four and five) were analyzed through a series of twenty-five hypotheses. The objectives of these hypotheses were (a) to analyze the relationship between the length of time involved in various patterns of filial responsibility and the likelihood that these patterns will become institutionalized as obligatory roles and (b) to determine how factors associated with these emergnt role obligations contribute to the cost of caregiving. A probability sample of 180 caregivers was obtained from within the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Multiple and partial correlation analyses and the use of Student's t revealed that the length of time involved as a caregiver was significantly related to the number of informal caregiving roles performed by adult children. In addition, results indicated that the length of involvement in each caregiving role examined (i.e., household care, transportation service, personal care, medical attention, meal preparation, financial management and mobility assistance) was significantly related to (a) the frequency of providing these services to an aged parent and (b) the level of responsibility in each service area except financial management (which tended to remain constant over time)• An adult child s level of obligation to ensure that caregiving services were provided was also significantly associated with the length of caregiving involvement. Furthermore, this study found tentative support for the contention that the social-psychological cost of providing care for a dependent parent was associated with (a) the frequency of providing transportation services and medical attention, (b) the number of informal caregiving activities performed and (c) the length of caregiver involvement. A set of three control variables (i.e., the household living arrangements and both the aged parent s and adult child's physical health status) were identified as significant contributors to the cost of caregiving. Based on the empirical results of this investigation, propositions four and five of the theoretical perspective presented in this dissertation were supported.

FDI har sedan början på 80-talet växt sig allt större och blivit en av de viktigaste tillgångarna till finansiellt och fysiskt kapital i världen. FDI har enligt många studier en viktig funktion för ett lands ekonomiska utveckling, detta gäller främst för outvecklade länder men också utvecklade länder. Studiens mål var att hitta viktiga faktorer som påverkade FDI inflöde till Sub-Sahara regionen. Den empiriska analysen gjordes med hjälp av en OLS regressionsmodell och hade 42 observationer sammanlagt. Huvudvariabeln var FDI/BNP. Resultatet av den empiriska analysen visade att den viktigaste faktoren för FDI inflöde hos länder söder om Sahara är ett lands ekonomiska öppenhet. Öppenhet visade en positiv signifikans i alla regressioner som gjordes. BNP per capita hade en negativ signifikans i den första regressionen men visade ingen signifikans när kunskapskapital och språkskillnader testades i regressioner. Variabeln för naturtillgångar hade en positiv signifikans när en tredje regression gjordes där länder delades upp i två språkkategorier.

<p>Diss. Umeå : Umeå universitet, 1988</p> / digitalisering@umu

Payout policies is one of the most discussed topics in corporate finance. Since Miller &amp; Modigliani (1961) dividend irrelevance theory, which was based on perfect markets, many theories have been developed in order to incorporate market imperfections to payout decisions. Numerous scholars have been trying to explain why companies pay dividends, whether they should compensate investors with alternative methods such as share repurchases or not distribute cash at all. The theme has gained lots of attention during the 21-st century driven by the subprime financial crisis in 2008 and mostly recently, in 2020, due to economic impacts brought by the Covid 19 pandemic. Another important aspect that makes the study of payout policy relevant in the 21-st century is the unique impacts of unveiled trends such as globalization and volatile markets, increased importance of ecology and sustainability, emergency of fast growth firms (mainly in the Tech industry) and change characteristics of listed firms. Globally there is a tendency of reduction in the number of listed firms and also deterioration in the quality of earnings. Additionally, there is no consensus about which factors influence a firm propensity of distributing cash to shareholders, which makes the topic very intriguing. Previous research has been conducted mainly within US firms. Few studies have been conducted regarding payout policies in the Nordic countries and most of them give little attention to share repurchases and payout policy determinants. Therefore, we decided to conduct a study regarding the patterns and determinants of payout policy in the 21-st century with focus on the Nordic countries. The purposes of the study are: first, to understand the pattern of payout policies in the Nordic countries during the 21-st century and second determine if there is a relationship between a number of firm’s selected factors and firm’s payout policy. As a sub purpose we intend to examine whether the Covid 19 pandemic had any effect on Nordic firm’s payout policies. The factors investigated, namely: debt, profit, retained earnings, growth opportunities, cash holdings, size and age were identified through a detailed literature review. We collected data from Thomson Reuters DataStream Eikon covering the period between 2000 and 2020 for 1,153 firms from all Nordic countries: Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The study follows a quantitative research method with a deductive approach, and we have based the theoretical framework on the following theories: Miller-Modigliani dividend irrelevance theory, Signaling theory, Agency theory, Life-cycle theory and Substitution and Flexibility hypotheses. In order to determine whether there is a relationship between the companies selected factors and the payout ratios we conducted ordinary least square (OLS) correlation analysis. Additional regression analysis was conducted to verify possible impacts of Covid 19 on Nordic payout policies. Results indicate that some firms’ selected characteristics such as debt, size and age have an impact on Nordic firms’ payout policy during the 21-st century. Larger firms with lower debt are more willing to pay cash dividends, while older firms tend to present higher levels of share repurchase. Firms’ characteristics showed no impact on changes in payout ratios during the initial period of Covid 19.

The aim of this study is to assess whether there is a relationship between capital structure and financial performance among Swedish FinTech companies. Previous studies have examined this relationship in other industries and in other countries with mixed and sometimes contradictory results. The theoretical framework consists of theories such as trade-off theory, pecking-order theory and the life cycle theory. For the purpose of the study, a regression analysis of 204 Swedish FinTech companies was conducted between the years 2017-2019. The results show that FinTech companies are financed with approximately half of liabilities, most of which consist of current liabilities. Consistent with the pecking-order theory, the results of the current study indicate a negative and significant relationship between leverage and profitability measured as ROE. In addition, larger- and older companies seem to be more profitable. / Denna studie strävar efter att bedöma huruvida det finns ett samband mellan kapitalstruktur och finansiell prestation bland svenska FinTech-företag. Tidigare studier har undersökt detta förhållande på andra branscher och i andra länder med blandade och ibland motsägelsefulla resultat. Det teoretiska ramverket består av teorier som trade-off teorin, pecking-order teorin samt livscykelteorin. För studiens ändamål genomfördes en regressionsanalys på 204 svenska FinTech-företag mellan åren 2017-2019. Resultaten visar att FinTech-företagen är finansierade med ungefär hälften skulder, varav merparten består av kortfristiga skulder. Konsekvent med pecking-order teorin indikerar resultaten i den aktuella studien ett negativt och signifikant samband mellan skuldsättning och lönsamhet mätt som ROE. Dessutom verkar de större- och äldre företagen vara mer lönsamma.

進入Web2.0時代後，社群網站產業成長快速，從各大入口網站、部落格網站及社群網站業者所投入的程度來看，社群網站的確是目前極具發展前景的網路新興產業。但觀察目前現有的社群網站研究文獻，大多仍局限於探討社群網站使用者的使用動機、行為等等，對於社群網站的產業環境、廠商策略、行為與績效，以及服務機制的使用、應用創新程度缺乏有力的分析。故本研究藉由SCP產業分析模型來分析社群網站的產業狀況，以『結構—行為—績效』的架構來分析社群網站的產業結構、市場行為與經濟績效之間的關係，佐以產業五力分析理論及產業生命週期理論研究社群產業現況，據以歸納出社群產業的現況及社群網站廠商經營策略的關鍵成功因素，並對未來的社群網站提供建議。 本研究採質化及量化的研究方式。質化部份為分別對台灣主要的四家社群網站（Facebook、無名小站、痞客邦、優勢網）做個別研究，訪談相關資深人員，得出目前產業的現況及各家廠商的關鍵成功因素。量化部份則藉由蒐集問卷樣本資料，分析社群網站使用者的動機與行為、以及他們對於上述四家社群網站功能的偏好。 本研究結果發現，(1) 社群網站的經營模式多為建立一個網路平台，以網站的功能吸引使用者加入並增加黏著度，並以高流量吸引廣告收入，故社群網站一般不會對使用者收費。(2) 社群網站產業沒有傳統上所謂的供應商，與同業間也非傳統的競爭關係。因為使用者可同時使用多個社群網站，社群網站間的使用者也很有可能重複，所以社群網站間並非零和的競爭關係。現今多為互相串連合作，使更多使用者加入與增加停留時間，擴大產業的影響力。(3) 社群網站產業呈現大者通吃的現象，同一類型的社群網站只有前一兩家能夠生存。(4) 社群網站產業的進入門檻低，但新進入者必須有足夠的差異性與創新性才能成功。而現存的社群網站也必須不斷創新服務、提供新功能，才能保有領先地位不被淘汰。(5) 社群網站未來將持續著重於建立使用者之間的人際網路，讓彼此的訊息往來更加簡便迅速。 最後，本研究希望據以歸納出社群產業的環境狀況及各家具代表性的社群網站廠商的關鍵成功因素，並針對未來的社群網站廠商提供建議。 關鍵字：社群網站、SCP產業分析模型、Web2.0、產業五力分析、產業生命週期、關鍵成功因素 / In the Web2.0 era, the growth rate of social networking industry is so fast. The social networking sites are so potential businesses from the investments of major portals, blogs and social networking sites. Almost the thesis are studied the users’ behaviors and motivation’s factors. It’s so lack to study about the industry’s environment, the strategies, conducts, performances of social networking site business. So, this thesis wants to analysis the social networking industry by SCP model. And it wants to analysis the relationship of industry structure, conducts, and performances, and to study the industry status by five competitive force model and industry life cycle theory. It wants to summarize the status of social networking industry, the key successful factors, and the suggestions for future new entrants. This thesis is studied by qualitative research and quantitative research. The qualitative research is that I had a discussion with the senior managers of four famous social networking sites. It discussed the status of the industry and the key successful factors. And the quantitative research is by collecting questionnaire, analysis of community motivation and behavior of website users and their social networking site for the function of the four sites. This study summarized that (1) social networking business model is to build up a networking platform’s functions to attract users to this site, to increased degree of adhesion to earn more high advertising revenue. It can’t charge any fees from users. (2) There is no supplier that like as the tradition business. And the competition is not like as the traditional business due to users can simultaneously access multiple social networking sites. Each user has some different social networking site’s accounts. (3) Just one or two largest sites can survive in similar business model. (4) The entry barrier is so low, but the new entrants must have a sufficient difference and innovation to succeed. (5) the future of social networking sites will continue to focus on interpersonal networks between users, to let social information more easily and quickly. Keywords: social networking sites, SCP industry analysis model, Web2.0, five competitive forces analysis, industry life cycle, the key successful factors

<p>The primary aim of this thesis has been to analyse the transformation of the Swedish capital market from a household perspective. The investigation shows that the transition from a mostly private credit market to a more institutionalised credit market took place at the end of the nineteenth century. At this time there were several actors in the credit market that were able to fulfil the diverse needs of credit that different households might have. This need was very much correlated to the household’s particular stage in its life-cycle. In accordance with the life-cycle theory and the permanent income hypothesis, households displayed a savings and consumption pattern that was dependent on income and the burden of expenditure. Households also seemed to have particular difficulty meeting expenditures, so-called life-cycle squeezes, when the household was first started, when the household size was at its peak and when the head of family reached old age, which coincided with a declining capacity to work. The investigation also shows that household savings were meant for old age. Contrary to the assumption made in life-cycle theory, households seemed to intend to provide heirs with an inheritance. This finding is more in keeping with the permanent income hypothesis, which states that households were expected to maintain their assets intact over the course of a life-time.</p>

The primary aim of this thesis has been to analyse the transformation of the Swedish capital market from a household perspective. The investigation shows that the transition from a mostly private credit market to a more institutionalised credit market took place at the end of the nineteenth century. At this time there were several actors in the credit market that were able to fulfil the diverse needs of credit that different households might have. This need was very much correlated to the household’s particular stage in its life-cycle. In accordance with the life-cycle theory and the permanent income hypothesis, households displayed a savings and consumption pattern that was dependent on income and the burden of expenditure. Households also seemed to have particular difficulty meeting expenditures, so-called life-cycle squeezes, when the household was first started, when the household size was at its peak and when the head of family reached old age, which coincided with a declining capacity to work. The investigation also shows that household savings were meant for old age. Contrary to the assumption made in life-cycle theory, households seemed to intend to provide heirs with an inheritance. This finding is more in keeping with the permanent income hypothesis, which states that households were expected to maintain their assets intact over the course of a life-time.