The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of school policies aimed to reduce adolescent alcohol and marijuana use. More specifically, the study investigated whether more severe school policy measures are related to the increased or decreased instances of overall alcohol and marijuana use on and beyond school grounds among grade 10 and 12 students. I used data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS). After controlling for a number of prior measures of environmental and demographic factors that are significant predictors of adolescent alcohol and marijuana use, the school policy measures showed no impact on either alcohol or marijuana use at any level of its consumption. This was true for both grade 10 and grade 12 students. The study’s findings suggest that instead of constructing punitive policy measure, policymakers should develop prevention and intervention programs that more specifically target the needs of adolescents, peers, parents, and teachers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of school policies aimed to reduce adolescent alcohol and marijuana use. More specifically, the study investigated whether more severe school policy measures are related to the increased or decreased instances of overall alcohol and marijuana use on and beyond school grounds among grade 10 and 12 students. I used data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS). After controlling for a number of prior measures of environmental and demographic factors that are significant predictors of adolescent alcohol and marijuana use, the school policy measures showed no impact on either alcohol or marijuana use at any level of its consumption. This was true for both grade 10 and grade 12 students. The study’s findings suggest that instead of constructing punitive policy measure, policymakers should develop prevention and intervention programs that more specifically target the needs of adolescents, peers, parents, and teachers.

The stock market returns are the readily available tool for the investor to make investment decision and stock market return are affected by many accounting variables. Dividend policy measures and stock return relationship has been examined from decades but result is still a dilemma. This study is a step forward to solve this dilemma by considering Karachi stock exchange, Pakistan and Nordic stock markets and conducting a comparative study to also provide a knowledge base to readers. Dividend yield ratio, dividend payout ratio and other accounting variables are examined to find their effect on stock return. Pooled least square regression has been used on the data ranging from 2005-2008 and findings are different in different markets. Dividend policy measures (dividend yield ratio and dividend payout ratio) have significant effect on the stock return and in most countries there is significant negative relationship.

The objective of this study is to examine the dividend policy measures effect on the stock prices. A sample of 171 listed companies from Karachi Stock Exchange, Pakistan is examined for a period from 1998 to 2006. The dependent variable stock price volatility is regressed against the dividend policy measures (independent variables) e.g., dividend yield, dividend payout ratio, actual cash dividends and dividend to total assets of the firm, after controlling for firms’ profitability, liquidity, gearing, size and growth. This study finds that, dividend policy measures have strong effect on the stock market prices but results are contradictory to earlier research in Pakistan. Dividend payout and actual cash dividends have negative, significant relationship with stock prices and dividend yield have significant positive relationship with stock market prices.

This diploma thesis deals with alcohol policy in relation to risk group of youth. The aim of the thesis is to identify the development and setting of this policy in the Czech Republic. Another objective is to identify strengths and deficits of alcohol policy and to suggest possible improvements based on good example of foreign practice and interviews with experts. The theoretical background is the concept of risk behaviour, the life course perspective and the concept of public health. The methods of desk research and expert survey are used to fulfil the objectives of the thesis. This was realized in the form of semi-structured interviews, which were subsequently analyzed by thematic content analysis. The thesis reveals the failures of alcohol policy at various levels. In the thesis are identified functioning and failing institutions and (based on a good example of foreign practices and experts) a new necessary institution is proposed. There are also shown the causes of alcoholism which has proven to be essential in policy-making proces for youth. In the last part of thesis, experts evaluate nine policy measures, the most suitable of them are the regulation of advertisement, availability and price of alcohol. At the same time, practice of some measures is also shown on specific examples of...

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur arbetsmarknadssekreterare och socialsekreterare inom socialtjänsten Väster i Malmö upplever pilotprojektet Tidig inskrivning samt hur deras handlingsutrymme och inbördes samverkan förändrats i projektet. Syftet med projektet är att förkorta vägen mot självförsörjning och skapa en tidig planering för klienten. Projektet riktas mot de klienter som erhåller ekonomiskt bistånd. Pilotprojektet implementerades den åttonde januari 2018 och skall avslutas den 30 juni 2018. Vi undersöker således hur projektet erfars av arbetsmarknadssekreterare och socialsekreterare angående projektet och dess implementering samt hur informanterna upplever att pilotprojektet påverkat deras handlingsutrymme och inbördes samverkan. De teoretiska utgångspunkterna för uppsatsens är ett instrumentellt organisationsteoretiskt perspektiv samt Michael Lipskys teori angående street-level bureaucracy. Använd metod för denna uppsats är en kvalitativ metod med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Vi har intervjuat tre arbetsmarknadssekreterare och tre socialsekreterare som arbetar med projektet. Vi fann i det empiriska materialet att informanterna upplevde implementeringen som vag och ytterst lite information gavs till arbetsmarknadssekreterarna och socialsekreterarna angående hur projektet skulle förändra deras arbetsgång. Informanterna upplevde även en frustration både hos kollegor, de själva och klienten i ärendegången i projektet. Informanternas handlingsutrymme och inbördes samverkan har förändrats i projektet då resurs-och tidsbrist skapat förändringar i både samverkan och handlingsutrymme för de båda professionerna. / The aim of this bachelor essay is to examine the experience of the social workers in the project pilot called the “Tidig inskrivning”, meaning early enrollment. The aim of this project is to plan the enrolment towars the regular labour market. The project pilot launched in 8th of January and ended in 30th of June in 2018. The involved professions in the project on a daily basis is labour secretaries and social secretaries. The issues concerning our essay is: How does the labour secretaries and social secretaries experience the project pilot and how do the informants experience that the Early Enrollment pilot project has influenced their leeway and mutual cooperation?The theoretical premise for this essay is an instrumental organization theory and Michael Lipsky’s theory concerning street-level-bureaucracy. The method used in this essay was a qualitive method using a semi structured interview. The project pilot is directed to all clients that applies for a social assistance. These clients are the called to a meeting with the labour secretaries to a survey including the clients past work experiences and education. The client is then to have a meeting to review the conditions of the social assistance. We found that the labour secretaries did not experience the project as useful, they found the project as time consuming and unnecessary for both the client and to them as labour secretaries. The social secretaries experienced the project and unnecessary and informed us that the client found the project as time consuming and frustrating. The leeway for the labour secretaries and the social secretaries has changed within the project pilot. The cooperation between the two professions is affected by the project in the sense that it is greatly time consuming for the labour secretaries and the social secretaries have no chance to a cooperation with the labour secretaries as they did before. The changes made to the leeway and cooperation between the two professions have changed because of lack of resources and time.

The EU has embarked on a resource efficiency trajectory in order to solve resource scarcity and general sustainability issues. The conversion of food waste into fuel is considered resource efficient as it makes use of resources that would otherwise be discarded. On the other hand, the food sector affects the environment substantially as it is inherently resource intensive and excessive. The purpose of the study was to assess how resource efficient the food waste substrate (feedstock for energy production) is from a life-cycle perspective. The study also aimed to determine if associated Swedish incentives and current market signals promote resource efficiency in Sweden. The food waste substrate has a complex life-cycle and current analyses neglect crucial life-cycle impacts. This makes resource efficiency difficult to determine in absolute terms. The first resource efficiency principle, that promotes the use of fewer inputs, becomes questionable as the food waste substrate has twice as many input stages in comparison to the food crop substrate. The second principle, stating that the food waste substrate should contribute to a low-carbon economy, also falls short due to a calculation method that neglects crucial emission stages. Due to the absent life-cycle perspective, crucial environmental impacts associated with food production are neglected. This affects the achievement of the Swedish Generation Goal and environmental quality objectives. The study concludes that the food waste substrate should undergo a thorough life-cycle analysis. Furthermore, it should be compared to other biofuel options in order to determine degree of resource efficiency. Only then can an appropriate set of EU and national policy measures be instated to safeguard scarce resources and promote a sustainable agriculture and energy sector.

”Nu är goda råd dyra”, heter det sedan gammalt i en svensk krissituation. I denna licentiatavhandling, vars rubrik kopplar till talesättet, behandlas svensk energirådgivnings utveckling och framtid. Forskning visar att i ett alltmer digitaliserat samhälle behöver energirådgivningen utvecklas för att bättre nå målgrupperna - hushåll, småföretag och organisationer. Digitala tjänster ger många möjligheter, men den viktiga personliga kontakten med energirådgivaren går inte att ersätta fullt ut. Med hjälp av fokusgrupper, intervjuer och samtal med energirådgivare, villaägare och enskilda experter har kunnat konstateras att den personligt genomförda rådgivningstjänsten är efterfrågad, angelägen och framgångsrik när byte av värmesystem, större ombyggnationer eller nybyggnationer är aktuellt. Att pröva idéer och lösningar, helst i hemmamiljön inför en ombyggnad, är uppskattad rådgivning. I samtalet, där inte enbart tekniska detaljer och lönsamhet diskuteras, kan alla i hushållet engageras. Energirådgivningen kan bli mer framgångsrik, men då krävs ett större kommunalt engagemang och en tydligare samverkan med andra statliga styrmedel. Hållbara råd kan alla få i Sverige idag och de goda råden är gratis! Med hjälp av dessa kan kanske kriser undvikas… / Att använda energin effektivare än vad som görs idag inom både industri, transporter och byggnader är en väg till ett mer hållbart samhälle. Den rika delen av världen har här ett speciellt ansvar. I Sverige har den kommunala energirådgivningen under närmare fyrtio år varit ett av statens styrmedel för att på olika sätt bistå lokala beslutsfattare att effektivisera energianvändningen, men också öka andelen förnybar energi i systemet. Denna licentiatavhandling har studerat energirådgivningen under tidsperioden, men också dokumenterat och analyserat rådgivningen ur ett samhällsperspektiv. Forskning visar att i ett alltmer digitaliserat samhälle behöver energirådgivningen utvecklas för att bättre nå målgrupperna - hushåll, småföretag och organisationer. Internet är idag den vanligaste sökvägen för de som önskar information kring energirelaterade frågor. Digitala tjänster ger många möjligheter, men den viktiga personliga kontakten med energirådgivare går inte att ersätta fullt ut. I studien har fokusgrupper, intervjuer och samtal med energirådgivare, villaägare och enskilda experter genomförts och analyserats. Resultat visar att den personligt genomförda rådgivningstjänsten är efterfrågad, angelägen och framgångsrik när byte av värmesystem, större ombyggnationer eller nybyggnationer är aktuellt. Studien visar också att personliga samtal med energirådgivare är värdefullt för att pröva idéer och lösningar som är hämtade från internet samt att hemmet är den lämpligaste platsen för framgångsrik rådgivning. I denna situation är rådgivarens sociala kompetens central. Kvinnors synpunkter och erfarenheter har ofta gått förlorade. Vidare har ett för stort fokus lagts på tekniska detaljer och lönsamhet, medan många beslut tas av miljöskäl eller sociala orsaker som upplevd ökad komfort. Energirådgivningen kan bli mer framgångsrik, men då krävs ett större kommunalt engagemang och en tydligare samverkan med andra statliga styrmedel. / Improving the efficiency of energy use across all the sectors – industrial, transport and households – is one of the many necessary approaches to be adopted to ensure sustainable development. The countries of the developing world have to play a key role in such a transition. In Sweden, for close to half a century now, the municipal energy-advising function has been a governmental instrument to support decision-makers in bringing about systemic changes to improve energy efficiency on the one hand and the share of renewable energy in the mix, on the other.  This licentiate thesis has its focus on this function over the said time-period. It has also documented and analysed the energy-advising function from a social perspective. The research shows that in an increasingly-digitalised society, energy-advising must be developed further to be able to reach and impact different categories of energy users – households, small and medium scale enterprises and organisations – more effectively. The Internet happens to be the first resort of most people seeking information on energy-related issues, these days. Digital services do offer a range of possibilities but cannot substitute for the much-needed personal contact, which is provided by the energy-advising function. In this thesis, focus groups, interviews and conversations with energy advisers, homeowners and experts have been availed of, and subsequently analysed. The results also show that personal energy advice is actually popular, indispensable and effective, where replacement of interior heating systems, refurbishment or new building constructions are concerned. This research also shows that interactions with energy advisers are useful to test and verify the suitability of ideas and solutions obtained from the Internet. Besides, the home in which these solutions may eventually be tried out, is the perfect place for having such conversations. In this context, the social skills of the energy adviser assume paramount importance. It has been noticed that the viewpoints and experiences of women in households have often been ignored.  Further, the focus on finding solutions has sometimes been narrowed down to the technical and economic aspects, while at other times, decisions have been based on environmental or social factors like maintenance of comfort levels. In order to make the energy advising function more effective and avail of what it has to offer for the journey towards greater sustainability, it needs to be given the importance it deserves by the municipalities and there is also a need of stronger interplay among the other governmental instruments. / Bo och leva energieffektivt. Kommunal energirådgivning som medspelare i människors vardag

In view of the potential threat climate change poses around the globe, countries are pledging to emission reductions to alleviate its consequences. As part of the Paris Agreement, Indonesia set sustainability targets for the energy sector, where one of the biggest emitters is the national power system. Although the country set an ambitious strategy for reducing emissions from electricity generation, it is still dominated by coal consumption and is currently not on track towards meeting its sustainability targets. Policy measures and financial schemes stand as one of the most powerful ways to rapidly reduce emissions in the power system. This paper aims to propose policy measures and financial schemes for the Indonesian decarbonisation scene by analysing its key inefficiencies, the available international policy options and the national power system’s future projections.International examples prove to be useful implementations of the myriad of options when it comes to measures for the power sector. In terms of policy measures, Indonesia could make use of a liberalisation process to induce more competitiveness in the sector and drive down prices, while allowing easier access for private entities to enter the market. A CO2 tax or cap-and-trade system stand as the most effective standalone way to rapidly reduce emissions in the country, as it targets the most emitting sectors of the power system. Incentivising schemes like Feed-in-Tariff or net-metering foster generation technologies which may not be cost-competitive yet and do not have a sizeable role in the power mix now, but could play a big role in lowering emissions in the power system. These measures, however, pose the threat of raising the retail electricity price and ultimately hinder Indonesia’s ability to further develop economically.Financial schemes have the ultimate goal of facilitating access to finance for sustainable generation technologies and lowering risk for project developers. Attracting private and foreign investment is critical for the development of the power system in Indonesia. Using forms of lending like on-lending structure or loan syndication would promote larger spending in the industry while minimising risk. Further use of guarantees would attract a wider range of investments into generation technologies, as they would protect lending entities from potential risks when partaking in projects of this nature. Finally, the country would benefit greatly from the introduction of innovative financial schemes and business plans for the domestic solar energy industry, allowing Indonesia to tap into the great potential it has to disrupt the current state of affairs of the power system. / Med tanke på det potentiella hot som klimatförändringen utgör runt om i världen, lovar länder att minska utsläppen för att mildra konsekvenserna. Som en del av Parisavtalet satte Indonesien upp hållbarhetsmål för energisektorn, där en av de största utsläpparna är det nationella kraftsystemet. Trots att landet satte upp en ambitiös strategi för att minska utsläppen från elproduktion domineras det fortfarande av kolkonsumtion och är för närvarande inte på väg att nå sina hållbarhetsmål. Politiska åtgärder och finansiella system är ett av de mest kraftfulla sätten att snabbt minska utsläppen i kraftsystemet. Det här dokumentet syftar till att föreslå politiska åtgärder och finansiella system för den indonesiska avkarboniseringsscenen genom att analysera dess viktigaste ineffektivitet, de tillgängliga internationella politiska alternativen och det nationella kraftsystemets framtida prognoser.Internationella exempel visar sig vara användbara implementeringar av de otaliga alternativen när det gäller åtgärder för kraftsektorn. När det gäller politiska åtgärder skulle Indonesien kunna använda sig av en liberaliseringsprocess för att skapa mer konkurrenskraft inom sektorn och pressa ner priserna, samtidigt som privata enheter lättare kan komma in på marknaden. En CO2-skatt eller ’cap-and-trade’-system är det mest effektiva fristående sättet att snabbt minska utsläppen i landet, eftersom det är inriktat på de mest utsläppande sektorerna i kraftsystemet. Incitamentsystem som ’Feed-in-Tariff’ eller ’net-metering’ främja generationstekniker som kanske inte är kostnadskonkurrenskraftiga ännu och som inte spelar en betydande roll i kraftmixen nu, men som kan spela en stor roll för att minska utsläppen i kraftsystemet. Dessa åtgärder utgör dock ett hot om att höja detaljhandelns elpris och i slutändan hindra Indonesiens förmåga att utvecklas ekonomiskt.Finansiella system har det yttersta målet att underlätta tillgången till finansiering för hållbara generationsteknologier och minska risken för projektutvecklare. Att locka till sig privata och utländska investeringar är avgörande för utvecklingen av kraftsystemet i Indonesien. Att använda former av utlåning som ’on-lending’-struktur eller lånesyndikering skulle främja större utgifter i branschen samtidigt som risken minimeras. Ytterligare användning av garantier skulle locka till sig ett bredare utbud av investeringar i produktionsteknik, eftersom de skulle skydda långivande enheter från potentiella risker när de deltar i projekt av denna karaktär. Slutligen skulle landet dra stor nytta av införandet av innovativa finansiella system och affärsplaner för den inhemska solenergiindustrin, vilket gör att Indonesien kan utnyttja den stora potential det har att störa det nuvarande tillståndet i kraftsystemet.

Darbas yra orientuojamas į opios šiandieninei Lietuvos visuomenei problemos sprendimą — alkoholio suvartojimo mastų ir su tuo susijusių pasekmių mažinimą Lietuvoje. Tuo tikslu darbe siekiama išanalizuoti Lietuvos alkoholio kontrolės politikos įgyvendinimo problematiką įrodymais grįstos politikos perspektyvoje. Viešųjų problemų efektyviam sprendimui didelę reikšmę turi moksliškai patvirtintos žinios, todėl pirmas ir antras darbo skyriai susiję su detalesne įrodymais grįstos politikos analize tiek tiriant bendrą jos reikšmę viešojoje politikoje, tiek ir jos reikšmę alkoholio kontrolės politikoje. Analizė grindžiama anglosaksų ir Skandinavijos šalių mokslininkų darbais, kadangi šiose šalyse mokslo naudojimas viešųjų problemų sprendimui, įskaitant ir didelio alkoholio suvartojimo visuomenėje problemos, gana paplitęs, akcentuojant, jog įrodymų naudojimas viešojoje politikoje, labai svarbus, siekiant suprasti politinę aplinką ir jos pokyčius, adekvačiai pažinti probleminę situaciją, tinkamai pasirinkti ir įgyvendinti geriausias politikos priemones, lemiančias efektyvius pasirinktos politikos rezultatus. Remiantis Lietuvos teisės aktų analize ir Lietuvos mokslininkų darbais, trečiajame skyriuje nagrinėjama Lietuvos alkoholio kontrolės politikos sistema, siekiant įvertinti, kiek LR alkoholio kontrolės politikoje pritaikytinas įrodymais grįstos alkoholio kontrolės politikos priemonių vystymas, įvertinant ir pagrindines vyraujančias problemas, neleidžiančias alkoholio kontrolės... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This study is about one of the most serious problems in Lithuania — reduction of huge alcohol consumption and related consequenses in Lithuania’s civil society. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to analyze the problematic implementation of alcohol control policy in Lithuania in accordance with the perspective of evidence-based policy. The public policy to be effective, it’s very important to use knowledge based on researches, so in the first and the second chapter this evidence-based perspective is analyzed, respectively, to examine its general importance to public policy itself and to alcohol control policy. This analysis is based on the studies of Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian scientists, because in these countries researches in public policy is used broadly, including alcohol control policy, emphasizing on the use of evidence to be very important in understanding the political environment and its changes, an adequate understanding of the problematic situation, the right choice, and the best practices of that policy, which all determine effective outcomes of that policy. According to Lithuanian legislation and the analyses of the studies, in the third chapter it is examining the system of alcohol control policy in Lithuania, to seek evaluate the problems, which occur in adopting evidence-based alcohol policy to Lithuania’s alcohol control policy. As it turned out, in Lithuania, the development of alcohol control policy infrastructure is adequately formulated (for example... [to full text]