Abstract This thesis project features an energy survey at Vallbacksskolan, a multipurpose educational facility comprised of two joint buildings located in the city of Gävle, in eastern Sweden. This kind of research has gained remarkable interest during the last decade given the continuously increasing energy prices and the global need of turning to a more sustainable energy model. The study at Vallbacksskolan was particularly interesting given the existing prompt refurbishment plans for the building, from which a more efficient construction that is more respectful towards the environment is to be obtained. The first part of the research has focused on portraying the actual state of thermal energy at the facilities by establishing an energy balance and quantifying the different input and output flows via various calculation methods inside the energy transmission area of knowledge. Such study has shown that energy purchased from the local district heating grid, of around 1085 MWh/year, represents around 50% of the total input to Vallbacksskolan, while free heating sources like solar radiation through the windows and internal generation mechanisms are responsible for the remaining half. Regarding the outputs, transmission losses have resulted to be the highest contributors with 1323 MWh per year that represent 63% of the total. Amongst such losses, walls have been spotted to have the highest outward flow with annually 555 MWh; however, windows have been concluded to be the weakest link given their highest heat flow density of more than 0,31 MWh/m2, so it has been stated that they should be one of the pivotal points of any future refurbishment. As far as the remaining output mechanisms are concerned, mechanical ventilation has resulted to contribute with more than 600 MWh for 29% of the total losses, while natural ventilation and hot tap water sum up for the remaining 8%. The second part of the thesis work has dealt with providing different ways of improving system efficiency at Vallbacksskolan, along with a feasibility and economic effect analysis for each of them. It has been concluded that the most effective measure decreasing indoor temperature settings in order to reduce transmission and ventilation heat losses, which would save the building an estimate annual 96 MWh and 75.000 SEK at no significant investment. The installation of additional glazing in the windows has been considered as the second best option, saving nearly 75 MWh every year with an economic positive effect of more than 4000 SEK/year, given the required investment. The design of a solar collector system for covering hot tap water needs has been given third degree priority, helping prevent the expense of more than 3.500 SEK every year. Finally, a full window renewal has also been proposed but it has turned out to be unprofitable, mainly due to the fact of dealing with a protected heritage building that must preserve its original aspect; the previously mentioned additional glazing has proved to be the right choice for this kind of constructions. If all the affordable efficiency measures were to be implemented, over 200 MWh would be saved every year at Vallbacksskolan, resulting in a reduction of the annual energy expense of over 80.000 SEK. However, it has been stated that further technical analysis is recommended before any final decisions are made in this matter given the approximate nature of the study.

Packing plants (n = 23), were audited for producer-related defects found in cull cows and bulls. Interviews, live animal and carcass evaluations, and subprimal evaluations were conducted during each audit. A drastic reduction in downer incidence was found between 1999 and 2007. All loads met the AMI guidelines for spacing. Excessive use of electric prods must be addressed by packers and transporters alike. Fewer cattle had mud/manure contamination on hides, horns, and brands than in 1999. Predominant hide color for beef cattle was black, while the predominant dairy color was the Holstein (black and white) pattern. Fewer cattle displayed evidence of bovine ocular neoplasia than in 1994 and 1999. Knots present on live cattle were less in the round and more in the shoulder region than in 1999. Dairy cows were more frequently lame in 2007 than 1999, while beef cows were less lame. Carcass bruising was less evident during the 2007 audit than in previous audits. Fewer cattle had arthritic joints in 2007 than in 1999. An increase in liver, tripe, heart, head, and tongue condemnation was witnessed in 2007 than in 1999. Carcass weights increased since 1999, as well as having less fat, indicating heavier muscled animals being slaughtered. The average fat color score was higher for beef cows (3.14) than dairy cows (2.42). Fabrication trends are similar to data collected in 1999 as almost half of cull cow fabrication yields are primal and subprimal type products. The majority of all cattle (64%) were able to be traced back to their original owner. End-user audits revealed a higher incidence of injection site lesions in dairy rounds (48%) than in beef rounds (12%). Lastly, the incidence of dairy round injection site lesions has increased since 1999 (35%), while beef round lesions were fewer since 1999 (20%).

Abstract Smaller companies have less manpower then larger companies to manage administrative tasks. EU has made it possible for member states to reduce the accounting and audit requirements for small companies and Sweden introduced the option of voluntary audit from the fiscal year of 2011 for micro-entities that do not exceed the threshold values of 3 employees, 3 MSEK turnover and 1.5 MSEK balance sheet total. The values are lower than in other countries with voluntary audit. Due to this, previous research on voluntary audit was conducted on larger companies than Swedish micro-entities. The determinant factors for voluntary audit are therefore different in these micro-entities than in SMEs. The purpose of our study is to find what the decision-makers in micro-entities perceive as their reason to retain or dismiss their auditor as it became voluntary.As a starting point, we theorize that some of the relevant factors in previous studies on voluntary audit in SMEs can also have significance for micro-entities. Furthermore, that the relationships between the auditor and client can affect the decision whether to keep the auditor or not, especially as the companies are small enough for the decision-maker to have regular contact with the auditor and the small size of Skellefteå where we conduct the interview study. Our sample is eleven micro-entities in Skellefteå, out of which three have retained their auditor and intend to keep them in the company, four who are registered with an auditor but will not have an auditor next year, three who dismissed their auditor as soon as possible and one who was started after the law came into action and had never had auditor nor accountant. The determining factor for voluntary audit is in all but one case the advice of the auditor or accountant. No other factor was found to have any effect of magnitude.Previous research in the area have found connections between factors such as debt level, firm size, separation of ownership and management, non-audit services, external demand for audited financial statements and net benefits of audit. As the micro-entities in our sample have little or no debt and no separation of ownership and management we found that these factors are irrelevant to the choice of voluntary audit in our sample. Most of the companies perceive these as factors that would be relevant in a larger company, however. It is the largest firms (by turnover) that have kept their auditor, but do not mention this as a determining factor. Almost all companies have non-audit services from the audit firm, which do not seem to affect the voluntary audit decision. Those who had or will dismiss their auditor see no additional benefits by having an auditor than by having an accountant, which is also supported by the fact that only two companies could mention any benefit with audit aside from external demands from the government or tax authority. All companies believe that there are external demands for audited financial statements, but this was not found to be a determining factor.Relationship factors such as trust, interdependence and service quality do not determine the choice for voluntary audit, but do determine if the companies asked the auditor or accountant for advice on retaining or dismissing their auditor. We found that the decision-makers in the micro-entities all asked the professional they have the best and closest relationship with if they should have voluntary audits, and as all auditors replied to continue with the audit whereas all accountants did not consider it as necessary, relationships can definitely be seen as a contributing, but not determining, factor for voluntary audit.

No description available.

Revisionsplikten i Sverige avskaffades för några år sedan för de minsta aktiebolagen och idag är det ett omdiskuterat ämne. Det är dock först nu som effekterna börjar visa sig. Idag är det cirka 80 procent av de minsta bolagen som inte anlitar en revisor. Studien har utförts ur företagens perspektiv och syftet med vår studie har varit att undersöka om bolag som inte anlitar en revisor har fattat ett ekonomiskt rationellt beslut. För att genomföra studien har vi använt oss av kvantitativ metod med deduktiv ansats som utgått från positivistisk kunskapssyn.   Vi har bland annat undersökt om ett antal nyckeltal skiljer sig mellan reviderade och oreviderade bolag. Nyckeltalen som vi har undersökt är “avkastning på eget kapital”, skuldsättningsgrad samt två olika nyckeltal för räntenivåer. Det kan finnas många skäl till varför nyckeltalen skiljer sig åt mellan grupperna därför har vi även tagit ett antal förklaringsvariabler i beaktande. Exempel på sådana förklaringsvariabler är omsättning och bransch. Till vår hjälp har vi laddat ner data från företagens årsredovisningar från cirka 70 000 bolag genom en databas.   Vi har även undersökt om företagsägarna anser att nyttan med revision överväger kostnaderna samt om utbildningsnivån inom redovisning skiljer sig mellan bolag som anlitar och inte anlitar revisor. Vi undersökte också hur rationellt företagsägarna agerar samt ett av studiens delsyften var att undersöka om oreviderade bolag köper mer hjälp med bokföringen än reviderade bolag. Urvalsramen bestod av företag som inte omfattas av revisionsplikt. För att genomföra studien har vi skickat ut en enkät via sms till 2 000 små onoterade aktiebolag.   Totalt formades sju nollhypoteser varav fyra fick förkastas. Slutsatserna av studien visade att bolag inte fattar ett ekonomiskt rationellt beslut med att inte anlita en revisor om de är i stort behov av extern finansiering. Anledningen är att dessa bolag betalar högre räntor som vid en hög belåning kan skillnaden i ränta mellan reviderade o oreviderade företag vara högre än revisionsarvodet. För övriga bolag som inte har stora skulder finner studien bevis för att företagsägarna fattar ett ekonomiskt rationellt beslut med att inte anlita en revisor eftersom de inte påverkas av räntenivåerna. Studien visade också att bolag utan revisor har lägre omsättning och lönsamhet samt har en lägre skuldsättningsgrad. Från enkäten kom vi fram till att företagsägare som inte anlitar en revisor har en högre utbildningsnivå inom redovisning/bokföring. Vi fann däremot inga bevis för att oreviderade företag köper mer konsultation inom redovisning än reviderade bolag.

This study investigates the factors affecting the level of audit fees paid by companies to their auditors. Firstly, all the likely factors thought to be affecting the level of audit fees were identified through a literature survey. These factors were classified into three groups i.e., size, complexity, and others. The relative importance of these factors was determined empirically and statistically. The empirical study was undertaken by mailing two questionnaires to samples of 100 companies, and 100 audit firms. Preliminary interviews were carried out in order to identify if the most important factors collected through the literature should be considered suitable for further inclusion in the final questionnaire. The questionnaires were not used to collect data or to quantify the subjective factors. They were used to assess the degree to which the factors previously identified were important determinants of the audit fee, and whether other determinants should also be considered. The data for the statistical analysis was obtained from published data i.e., Data Stream, Companies' Annual Reports, and Who Owns Whom. In carrying out the statistical analysis, Multiple Regression arid Principal Component Techniques were used to assess the magnitude of the association between the size and complexity factors and audit fees. An audit fee regression model was developed which explains 90Y. of the variation in audit fees of the largest 65 manufacturing companies in the U.K. on the basis of their size and complexity. The results of both the empirical study, and the statistical analysis revealed that the company size (in terms of debtors, stocks work in progress, turnover, creditors, and total employment costs), and its complexity (in terms of number of subsidiaries, and number of countries in which the company operates) are the major objective determinants of audit fees. The empirical study also revealed that the quality of the company's internal control system, competition in the audit market, and the risk involved in the audit work are the major subjective determinants of audit fees. In addition, the statistical analysis revealed that the factors debtors, number of subsidiaries, and total employment costs are the most significant predictors of audit fees, and the audit fee model which involves these three factors explains 92Y. of the variation in audit fees.

No description available.

Thesis (M. P. H.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1969.

Thesis (D.N. Sc.)--Catholic University of America. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Bibliography: leaves 86-88.