The purpose with this essay is to enlighten the small business´ existence at times of expansion, identify threats and possibilities and also to try to find ways to encourage growth in the small business. To answer our purpose we carried out a literature study to later implement six interviews with small business leaders. We separated the companies into three categories; small business without employees, small business with 2-5 employees and small business with 6-10 employees. We confirm that the main reason why small business leaders think both once and twice before hireing new labour force are because of the high costs. The change in government has so far not given the small business what was promised, but there is still hope for improvement and simplification. The economic part of owning a company has been pointed out as the greatest threat in relation with expansion and the big responsibility in another persons possibilities to earn his/her living is also burdensome. The possibility to take on more work increases with the number of workers, which is positive.

Abstract Title: Network communication for equal opportunities (Nätverkskommunikation för jämställdhet) Number of pages: 47 (54 with enclosures) Author: Hillevi Good Tutor: Ylva Ekström Course: Media and Communication Studies D Period: Spring Semester 2007 University: Division of Media and Communication, Department of Information Science, Uppsala University Aim: The aim of this essay is to study the possibilities to bring about change by the means of communication in two networks, focusing on the implementation of the Swedish Equal Opportunities Act. Material and method: The study draws on data collected in an electronic survey among representatives of two networks consisting of representatives from trade unions and employer’s associations. The material is analyzed using descriptive tools, cross tables and correlation matrices in which general characteristics as well as individual understandings of the network communication are presented and discussed. Main results: The general results indicate that the network communication serves important purposes, such as providing support and motivation for the members and changing attitudes towards equal opportunities. The analysis suggests that the network members have good communicative possibilities to serve as agents of change within their organisations. Moreover, there is an observed relation between, on the one hand, organizational context and, on the other hand, the network members’ own communicational behaviour and their experienced possibility to influence their organizations. Keywords: network communication, diffusion of innovations, behaviour change, Equal Opportunities Act

This thesis is a part of a project, “Interactive Learning in Distance Education”, funded by The Swedish Research Council. The overall purpose was, from adult distance learners’ perspective, to describe, analyse and understand factors influencing studies and interactive learning in asynchronous computer-mediated learning environments. Da¬ta were collected in 2003; from 62 students (56 women and six men) attending an undergraduate and a supplementary distance cour¬se within the teacher training program. The study was based on questionnaires, diaries, portfolios, interviews and transcriptions of students’ postings to the computer conferences FirstClass and Web¬Board, respectively. The courses included campus meetings and individual studies accompanied by study guides containing reading instructions, timetables and individual as well as group-related assign¬ments. Asynchronous text-based, computer-mediated commu¬nication (CMC) was used for dialogue among the participants. The results indicate that difficulties to combine studies with commitments in the students’ everyday lives and lack of familiarity with higher education and computer mediated distance education constituted learning obstacles. Almost everyone emphasised the importance of communicaion with peer students for feeling satisfied in the study and learning situation. They appreciated the asynchronous text-based CMC because it increased the flexibility of the studies. The students´ online behaviour and statements also indicate feelings of social presence and solidarity with peer learners, despite using a medium with relatively low capacity to convey social cues. Female and male students described similar difficulties of combining family, work and study. Women sho¬wed lower self-esteem in terms of computer skills and coping with their studies. They highlighted the social importance of the studygroup to a higher extent than the men did. The ideal course design in terms of structure, dialogue and autonomy altered depending on students´ perceptions of benefits. They wanted flexibility and autonomy to be able to combine the studies with commitments in their everyday life, at the same time they appreciated elements of structure and governance in situations when these involved saving of time. The communication in the computer conferences was extensive but the analysis of the learners’ contributions provides little evidence of effective collaborative learning activities. Several reasons to this were discussed, e.g. students´ lack of time and knowledge to form functioning learning communities, as well as insufficient course design to promote and support collaborative distance learning. It was concluded that there is a gap between teachers' ambitions to create an interactive learning environment on the one hand, and students´ skills, attitudes to collaboration and need to share their time between studies and other commitments on the other. Also, teachers´ ambitions to develop distance education aiming at collaboration and interactive learning are often hampered by their limited skills and time frames to design and implement such courses. / Interactive Learning in Distance Education

Background: Globalisation and technology creates an impact in the business world an economy thus leadsmany countries, such as Sweden to encourage foreign investments in their nation by promotion and providing assistance. This phenomenon brings about not only a global market place for firms but also opportunities for individual entrepreneurs with wider business horizon. In this thesis, these individuals are defined as international entrepreneurs. Without prior resources and business networks as of established firms, it is undeniable that an international entrepreneur would face various difficulties when they start their businesses away from home. Networking can be an important tool in gaining opportunities and resources in starting a business abroad thus it may be essential for international entrepreneurs to play a leading role in accessing networks in the hosting country to gain resources. Networks contribute to the dynamism of market entry. Market entry is not just described as ways of entry but could be described as a process and it could be illustrated in three phases: “Opportunity-seeking phase”, “Establishment phase” and “Realized Process phase” Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation is to understand “how international entrepreneurs managed market entry process in network approach in Sweden”. Method: A qualitative method approach has been used to achieve the purpose of the thesis. For gaining a better understanding of the topic, authors chose case study and conducted semi-structured interviews to collect data and analyzed it to draw a conclusion. Conclusion: The case study led us to find out an inter relations in the growing number and changes of types of networks as the market entry process reached its point of realisation. Further to that, there are some similarities in foreign market entry process of an established firm as compared to an individual entrepreneur, the difference being the types of networks. Contribution: This thesis would create a better understanding on individual entrepreneurs venturing overseas in particular, the Swedish market. As the focus is on market entry process in networks perspective, this research could benefit potential entrepreneurs and business students.

Genom kontakt med studie och yrkesvägledare inom gymnasiesärskolan blev vi uppmärksammade på att de uppfattade arbetsmarknaden för gymnasiesärskolans elever som problematisk. Detta ledde till att vi ville undersöka hur andra aktörer i nätverket kring eleverna uppfattade utslussningen av eleverna till arbetslivet.   Syftet med studien var att undersöka nätverkets resurser kring utslussning av gymnasiesärskolans elever till/i arbetslivet. Vidare syftade studien till att undersöka hur nätverket kan bidra till ökad integration mellan elev/elever och arbetsmarknaden. Genom detta ville vi framhäva elevernas möjligheter till ett aktivt arbetsliv. Resultatet torde kunna användas som ett underlag i utvecklandet av samarbetet mellan involverade aktörer.   Utifrån 5 kvalitativa intervjuer kunde respektive aktörrepresentanterna uppfattning utskiljas och ett resultat formades. Det samlade resultatet påvisade en positiv inställning till samarbete med andra aktörer då respondenterna såg utvecklingsfrågan kring funktionshinder som ett måste. Vidare påpekade aktörerna en brist gällande resurser. De menade att det är resurserna som styr elevens/elevernas chanser till att få ett arbete. Avslutningsvis förs en diskussion kring hur samarbete mellan aktörerna kan utvecklas och förslag på fortsatt forskning ges.

Syftet med detta arbete var att kritiskt granska historieläromedel ur ett genusperspektiv.Arbetet belyser hur utvalda karaktärer såsom Gustav Vasa, Gustav II Adolf och drottningKristina framställs i text under en 20 års period, det vill säga från år 1980-2000. För attavgränsa mig valde jag att granska sju läroböcker i ämnet historia, som är eller har varitläromedel för årskurs 4-6. Avsikten med arbetet är att se vilka egenskaper som förmedlas omde ovanstående karaktärerna, och om läromedlen är förenliga med styrdokumentens krav omjämställdhet. Resultatet visade bland annat att de manliga karaktärerna utmärktes medegenskaper såsom: Ledarskap, aktiva, energiska och kloka. Samt att Kristinas egenskaperutmärktes såsom: Omogen, pojkaktig och känslosam. En av mina slutsatser i detta arbete varatt läromedlen visade tydliga exempel på traditionella stereotypa föreställningar. Samt visadearbetet tydliga mönster på att män utgör den typiska ledarskapsförmågan och beskrivs av envästerländsk manligt idealtyp. / The purpose of this essay was to critically research the historical teaching materials through agender perspective. The essay highlights how the chosen characters such as Gustav Wasa,Gustav II Adolf and Princess Christina are represented in the text during a period of 20 years,more specifically year 1980 until 2000. To be more explicit, I have chosen to analyze seventext books as study material that are currently utilized or have previously been in use, withinthe subject of history for 4 to 6 grade students. The main reason of this study was to determinewhether the quality of the message conveyed about the characters mentioned above matchwith the study materials on gender equality issue as of the steering documents’ requirements.The result stated amongst other, that the male characters had been distinguished as, leaders,active, energized and intelligence. Queen Kristina, the female character has beendistinguished as, immature, childish and sensitive. One of my conclusions was that the studymaterial displayed a very traditional and stereotype conception. The report also illustrate thatthe male had always constituted the ideal leadership and been portrayed in the literature assuch.

Fetma är ett ökande folkhälsoproblem runt om i världen. Sjuksköterskan har som uppgift att förebygga ohälsa hos patienter. Genom att veta patienternas svårigheter och möjligheter underlättar det mötet med sjuksköterskan. Men samtidigt måste sjuksköterskan vara medveten om sina attityder för att skapa en bra relation genom att samtala. Syftet är att beskriva svårigheter och möjligheter som kan påverka mötet mellan sjuksköterskor och patienter med övervikt eller fetma. Resultatet av litteraturöversikten bygger på 11 vetenskapliga artiklar. Dessa hittades både genom en systematisk sökning av databasen Cinahl och genom manuell sökning. Resultatet visar att sjuksköterskor har svårigheter att jobba med patienter med övervikt som inte har någon motivation. Sjuksköterskor bör också vara uppmärksamma på hur de uttrycker sig och bemöter patienter med övervikt. Sjuksköterskor och patienter har olika erfarenheter av varandra i mötet. Vilket kan ge en dålig start för en bra relation.

Background Social media have changed the way of communication and interaction between the organizations and the costumers. The huge merge of social media has led the companies to change their current marketing strategies into the use of social media marketing during the last years. An increasing number of companies adopt this kind of performance and there is a need to study this phenomenon more in depth and explore it through the perspective of strategic renewal. Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and explore to the phenomenon of strategic renewal through social media marketing. The authors will explore into the challenges and opportunities of strategic renewal through social media marketing in companies located in Swedish rural areas. Method Social media marketing is considered a new phenomenon. The studies held, do not examine social media marketing through a strategic renewal perspective and how rural area companies located in rural areas in Sweden face the challenges and opportunities occurred. Therefore, an abductive approach and case study method were chosen for this research. 7 companies were chosen as the interviewed companies. Within this research primary data were collected through semi- structured interviews with the investigated companies. Conclusion The authors have found that, the interviewed companies pursue strategic renewal through social media marketing, but they do not consider this strategy as the main one but as a complementary one. As a result, certain challenges are emerged, and the investigated companies should face and integrate them to the opportunities generated from this kind of strategic renewal. This will lead to a better performance of the companies since pursuing strategic renewal through social media marketing can help in every factor of the company making them competitive and able to stand out.

Som ett kostnadsreducerande verktyg har förpackningslogistiken synnerligen blivit ett attraktivt område inom den svenska detaljhandeln. Hur organisationer inom branschen sedan anpassar sig till förpackningslogistik blir i sig fundamentalt för utfallet. Med grund till detta har tre välkända aktörer inom den svenska detaljhandeln djupgående studerats. Dels för att belysa de möjligheter och svårigheter ett förpackningslogistiskt styre medför, men också för att klargöra om hur ett företag bör förbereda sig organisatoriskt för att implementera ett förpackningslogistiskt förhållningssätt. Det teoretiska forskningsbidraget från studien inkluderar ett förpackningslogistiskt hjälpmedel/analysverktyg för företag att förhålla sig till inför en eventuell implementation av den. Utifrån analysverktyget exemplifierades fem fundamentala steg som ett företag inom detaljhandeln bör ta i hänsyn för en lyckad förpackningslogistisk implementering och fortsatt styrning av den. / As a cost-cutting tool, packaging logistics particularly have become an attractive area within the Swedish retail and FMCG area. How organizations in the industry since adapt to packaging logistics is itself fundamental to the outcome. The basis for this study involves three well-known Swedish players in the retail and FMCG area. The study has highlighted opportunities and challenges that packaging logistics entails. It also clarifies how a company should prepare organizationally to implement a packaging logistics approach. The theoretical contribution of the research study includes an analysis tool for companies to relate to for a possible implementation of packaging logistics in the organisation. Based on the analysis tool, five fundamental steps exemplifies what companies in the retail and FMCG-area should take into consideration for a successful packaging logistical implementation and on-going management of it.

The world is changing and the business context is no exception. One of the clearest tendencies is a tougher business climate with harder competition due to increased international trade and the expansion of the e-business. At the same time the customers are becoming more sophisticated and demanding. The last decades have also meant that tougher and more frequent demands are being aimed at the businesses from a wider variety of stakeholders; demands regarding how environmental issues, social responsibilities and business ethics should be dealt with. All of the above have driven companies towards implementation of different management systems to be able to cope with the demands as well as to ensure that these issues are being dealt with in an efficient and effective manner. The result is that there might be quite a few management systems that have to be handled, usually a time consuming and bureaucratic task. Theory in the field suggests that an integration of the different management systems is logical and profitable as well as beneficial in many other aspects. Some of the benefits that could be gained due to the holistic approach that the integrated management system (IMS) provides are an alignment of goals and strategies as well as elimination of duplications and sub-optimizations. The IMS will also provide an opportunity for companies to strive towards sustainable development in a balanced manner. Despite this not many companies have intentionally sought to integrate their management systems. Researchers within the field note that there is a lack of empirical data to support the theories regarding how companies act when integrating their management systems, knowledge that might provide insights why integration and IMSs is not more widespread.Hence it is interesting as well as theoretical motivated to further study this area, especially as IMSs might be an aid on the companies’ journey towards sustainable development, a highly important issue. This qualitative multiple case study aims to contribute with knowledge regarding how Swedish companies have handled the issue of IMS, more specific, what driving forces, opportunities and hindrances they have experienced associated with IMS. This, as the knowledge about Swedish firms is limited. The research questions are answered through interviews with managers responsible for the management systems. The findings suggest that companies with more than one management system integrates them to some degree, however not always intentionally, and that it might be a lack of clear motives, driving forces and stakeholder demands that limits further or full integration. The outcome is that integration primarily becomes a coordination of existing management systems with purpose to reduce bureaucracy and redundancies. / Företagsklimatet har de senaste årtiondena genomgått stora förändringar, de tydligaste tendenserna är hur konkurrensen blivit hårdare på grund av utökad internationell och elektronisk handel, samtidigt som kunderna blivit mer kräsna och krävande. Parallellt med detta har vi sett hur allt fler och kraftfullare krav från olika intressenter riktas mot företagen; krav på hur miljö, socialt ansvarstagande och affärsetik bör hanteras. Detta har medfört att företagen implementerat olika ledningssystem för att effektivt hantera dessa frågor. Teorin föreslår att en integrering av ledningssystemen är både logisk och lönsam såväl som i övrigt fördelaktig. Detta då ett integrerat ledningssystem har fördelen av att kunna hantera samtliga frågor på ett holistiskt sätt, bland annat kan uppkomster av dubbelarbete, suboptimeringar och konflikter mellan olika strategier och mål undvikas. Dessutom erbjuder det integrerade ledningssystemet möjligheten att på ett balanserat och effektivt sätt närma sig hållbar utveckling. Trots detta är det relativt få organisationer som medvetet har sökt integrera sina olika ledningssystem för att bättre kunna hantera olika intressenters krav och önskemål. Författare inom området påtalar att det saknas empiriskt stöd för teori kring hur organisationer praktiskt gör när de integrerar, något som annars skulle kunna erbjuda förklaringar till varför integrering inte sker i större utsträckning.Det är alltså såväl intressant som teoretisk motiverat att undersöka detta, speciellt då integrerade ledningssystem kan vara ett hjälpmedel i företagens strävan mot hållbar utveckling. Denna kvalitativa studie syftar således till att bidra med kunskap kring hur svenska företag hanterar frågan om integrerade ledningssystem; vilka drivkrafter, möjligheter och hinder de upplever inom området. Detta då kunskapen om hur svenska företag agerar kring dessa frågor är begränsad. Frågorna besvaras genom tre fallstudier, där intervjuer med ansvariga för ledningssystemen har genomförts. Resultaten indikerar att företag, dock kanske inte alltid medvetet, integrerar sina ledningssystem till en viss grad men att en avsaknad av tydliga motiv, intressentkrav och drivkrafter förklarar varför ytterligare, eller full integrering, ej sker. Detta medför att integrering i första hand innebär att en samordning av befintliga ledningssystem sker i syfte att reducera byråkrati och dubbelarbete.