ABSTRACT The purpose of this thesis is to analyze, describe, and explain how Swedish firms implement CSR in their Chinese supply chains. In order to reach the intention of the thesis a case study of four Swedish firms operating in China has been conducted which involved personal interviews in the field. The theoretical framework contains a description of the stakeholder theory, the legitimacy theory, the CSR pyramid, the ARA-analysis, and theory on business relations which all are relevant to the phenomenon studied and the research questions. The empirical findings include the case firms view on stakeholder pressure, their CSR related activities in their supply chains, and how supplier relations are managed. In the analysis the theoretical framework is connected to the empirical findings. The analysis consist of how the case firms deal with stakeholder pressure, to what extent they take social responsibility in their Chinese supply chains, and how their supplier relations are managed concerning CSR. Our analysis shows that the firms perceive their customers to be the main pressure to engage in CSR. However, the analysis further demonstrates that the case firms find it difficult to comply with the responsibilities demanded by their customers in the Chinese context. Moreover, the analysis will touch upon how supplier relations are managed when implementing CSR. The conclusion of the thesis shows that Swedish companies implement CSR in their Chinese supply chains by adding Chinese characteristics, meaning adapting the expected responsibilities to the Chinese context. The thesis will end with recommendations for further research in the field of CSR in firms’ supply chains in emerging economies.

With the rapid development of Information Technology, ¡§Cloud Computing¡¨ is becoming increasingly popular in the industry as it is accessible to various data processing services just by connecting to third-party cloud service providers via network. A new global technological trend has thus been ushered as a result of powerful processing, elastic usage and low cost of the cloud computing. Although ¡§Cloud Computing¡¨ provides a cloud which is more large-scaled, relevant and beneficial, most practical cloud patrons are aware that what matters is its corresponding security. Any who has ever used the Internet, whether an enterprise or an individual, will inevitably run the risks of information recorded, copied, leaked, deleted inappropriately or accidently or even used for inappropriate purposes by third-parties. The private data and business secrets of the stakeholders of an enterprise, including its customers, partners, employees or suppliers, will also suffer from the information vulnerability. Therefore, as for the cloud computing industry, what matters for the government, enterprise or individual is to provide an information security shelter rather than a network environment in which the personal data is highly exposed. Cavoukin (2010) argues that the issue of information security related to the cloud computing is one of issues in the public domain. The data generated from the digital cloud computing management and the people involved are so large that each citizen is drawn to be concerned with the government policies and laws (Lee, 2010). In this paper, we make a risk management for the cloud computing and discuss the risk management mechanisms for the cloud computing industry with the Freeman¡¦s stakeholder theory.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a subject long debated since the 1930s, but the premises of the topic in regards to the what, how, why, and to whom it should be remain in question. The relation between CSR and corporate financial performance (CFP) has emerged at the forefront of this debate, particularly within the last 30 years, yet no unified theory has been reached. Other scholars interested in CSR have criticized the emphasis on CFP as a means of economic justification for what they believe to be a broader social issue, and have attempted to redirect the focus in CSR research to include other motivations and outcomes associated with organizational stakeholders other than shareholders. Using a descriptive and instrumental stakeholder theory approach, the focus of the current study was to explore CSR practices in both a dependent and independent sense. These theoretical underpinnings reflect stakeholder management decisions based on organizational characteristics, and the strategic management of various organizational stakeholders, respectively. The study population consisted of a diverse array of 353 U.S.- based corporations, 80 percent from the Fortune 500. Data included eleven corporate classification variables that represented organizations’ geographical location, industry, executive leadership dimensions, and financial health. It also included six CFP variables that represented accounting and market-based measures, and seven CSR variables that represented the key organizational stakeholders of the local community and environment, employees, and customers. The corporate classification variables were utilized to assess CSR performances, while CFP was assessed by analyzing differences among levels of the CSR practices. These assessments were performed for organizations for the twelve years within 1991-2002. Several results that assisted in informing descriptive and instrumental stakeholder theory were produced through the examination of previously used and under-explored variables. Specifically, the study results included new insights regarding how several organizational characteristics related to their CSR practices. Study findings provided elaboration regarding how performance differences in seven key CSR categories affected six representative accounting and market-based measures of corporate financial performance. Implications for practice for organizational decision-makers are provided along with detailed information pertaining to how, with inferences as to why, firms engage in CSR. Additionally, associated financial outcomes from different levels of CSR implementation are reported. Key findings from the study were that the CSR practices regarding employees and the environment remained stable over the twelve-year time period. Additionally, organizations’ geographical location, financial health, and corporate leadership dimensions had an impact on CSR practices for various stakeholder groups, with the exception of employees. A high level of investment in CSR for certain stakeholder groups did not produce the best financial outcomes in all cases; however, organizations that emphasized CSR in the categories relative to the community and its employees outperformed others with respect to certain financial performance measures.

Bakgrund: De verksamheter som bedriver miljöfarlig verksamhet enligt miljöbalkenär anmälnings- eller tillståndspliktiga. Dessa företag ska lämnamiljöinformation i förvaltningsberättelsen. Tidigare studier visar attföretagen inte följer denna regel fullt ut. Som förklaring till företagensval av att miljöredovisa eller att inte redovisa sin miljöpåverkan användervi oss av legitimitetsteorin och intressentteorin.Syfte: Syftet med undersökningen är att för år 2013 se hur väl detillståndspliktiga företagen i Dalarna följer lagen om miljöredovisningoch vilka faktorer som kan förklara deras tillämpning av lagen.Metod: Studien bygger huvudsakligen på kvantitativ metod med inslag avkvalitativ metod. Vi använder en deduktiv ansats för att skapa fyrahypoteser om omsättning, branschtillhörighet, revisionsbyrå ochskuldsättningsgrad. Urvalet är de tillståndspliktiga företagen i Dalarna.Varje företag kan ha flera enheter som är tillståndspliktiga och vårt urval,Dalarna, blir 209 enheter varav 116 är stora enheter.Slutsats: Företagen i Dalarna uppfyller inte lagen om reglerad miljöredovisning tillfullo. Endast 18 av 116 stora enheter uppfyller alla fyra punkterna.Däremot är det 61,2 procent av de stora enheterna som får tre poäng.Som en jämförelse med Ljungdahls studie där nästan 27 procent når trepoäng ser vi en klar förbättring. De faktorer som kan förklara företagenstillämpning av lagen i vår undersökning är omsättning, de som anlitarrevisionsbyrån PwC samt branschtillhörighet avlopp och avfall. Av defyra hypoteser som vi använder är det en som stämmer, två som förkastasoch en som vi inte med säkerhet kan avgöra om den ska vara kvar ellerförkastas. / Background: Companies that require permits under the Environmental Code are forcedto provide environmental information in the annual report. Previousstudies show that companies do not follow this rule entirely. We uselegitimacy theory and stakeholder theory to explain companies’ choice toreport or not report the environmental impact.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine how well the permit businesses inDalarna, for the year 2013, follow the law of mandatory environmentaldisclosure and which factors influencing their applications of the law.Methods: The study is based mainly on quantitative method with elements ofqualitative method. We use a deductive approach to create fourhypotheses. They are revenue, industry, accounting firm and leverage.The selection is the licensed businesses in Dalarna. Each company canhave multiple units that require a license. Our sample, Dalarna, gets 209units of which 116 are units that belongs to large companies.Conclusion: Companies in Dalarna do not fulfill the law of mandatory environmentalreport entirely. Only 18 of the 116 large units meet all four points.However, it is 61.2 per cent of the large units who get three points. Wecan see a clear improvement in comparison with Ljungdahls study. In hisstudy there were almost 27 percent of the companies who reach threepoints. The factors that influence companies' application of the law in oursurvey is revenue, accountancy firm PwC and also industry affiliationsewage and waste. Of the four hypotheses we use there is one that's right,two that are rejected and one that we cannot with certainty determinewhether it should be retained or rejected.

Tidigare forskning diskuterar utvecklingen av hållbarhetsredovisningar och hur intressenter på olika sätt engageras i utvecklingen samt innehållet i redovisningen. Det diskuteras även kring betydelsen av intressenters påverkan. Freemans (1984) definition av intressentbegreppet ligger till grund för tidigare forsknings utveckling inom ämnet. Intressentbegreppet är brett och olika forskare har olika definitioner, detta har lett till att begreppet problematiserats.Syftet med studien är att lyfta fram hur hållbarhetsredovisningar förändrats över tid och hur företag engagerar sina intressenter i redovisningarna. Resultatet ska bidra till ökad kunskap om företags sätt att engagera sina intressenter i sina hållbarhetsredovisningar. För att besvara syftet och forskningsfrågorna har vi använt oss av en innehållsanalys där vi analyserat information från hållbarhetsredovisningar och hemsidor samt en ordanalys.Studien omfattar tre olika företags hållbarhetsredovisningar från 2008 och 2013 och information från deras hemsidor som behandlar intressenter och deras hållbarhetsarbete. Den innefattar även GRIs riktlinjer som ligger till grund till företagens hållbarhetsredovisningar. Resultatet visar att två av företagen som ingår i studien har utvecklat sin kommunikation med sina intressenter under de analyserade åren, detta blir tydligt genom antalet gånger deras olika intressentgrupper framkommer i ordanalysen i 2008 respektive 2013 års redovisningar. Företagen har identifierat sina intressenter i sina hållbarhetsredovisningar på olika sätt och även förklarat hur de engagerar dem i sitt hållbarhetsarbete. / Former research discusses the development of sustainability reporting and the way stakeholders are being engaged in the development and the content of the reports. The importance of stakeholders influence is also discussed. Freeman´s (1984) definition of the stakeholder concept sets the foundation for former research within the subject. The stakeholder concept is broad and different researchers define the concept differently, which results in a problematization of the concept.The purpose of this study is to enhance the development of sustainability reporting over time and how companies engage their stakeholders in the reports. The result will contribute to higher knowledge about the company’s ways to engage their stakeholders in their sustainability reports. To answer our purpose and research questions we´ve used a content analysis where we analyzed information from sustainability reports, websites and carried out a word analysis.The study includes three different companies’ sustainability reports from 2008 and 2013 and information from their websites which includes stakeholders and their sustainability work. The study also includes GRI´s guidelines which sets the foundation for the company’s sustainability reports. The result shows that two of the companies that are included in the study have developed their communication with their stakeholders during the years that were analyzed. This becomes clear by the amount of times their different stakeholder groups are mentioned through a word analysis in the reports from 2008 and 2013. The companies have identified their stakeholders in their sustainability reports in different ways and also described how they engage them in their sustainability work.

Intäkter är ett stort och viktigt område inom redovisning. Redovisningen av intäkter är imånga fall problematisk eftersom intäkterna behandlas annorlunda i olika standarder och iolika delar av världen. International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) och FinancialAccounting Standards Board (FASB) arbetar sedan 2002 med ett harmoniseringsprojekt somsyftar till att ta fram en heltäckande standard för intäkter som ska kunna applicerasinternationellt. Utkast till den nya standarden har presenterats av IASB, vilket har fått mångareaktioner från olika företag i olika branscher. Den del av standarden som fått mest kritik frånföretagen är den ökade mängden tilläggsupplysningar som kommer krävas i företagensfinansiella rapporter. Standarden kommer bli obligatorisk för företag inom EuropeiskaUnionen (EU) och dess införande planeras i dagsläget till 2015. Samtidigt som företagen måste följa lagar och standarder i sin redovisning måste de ocksåförhålla sig till sina intressenter och deras krav på företagen och de finansiella rapporterna.Det finns olika typer av intressenter och deras krav kan skilja sig beroende på vemintressenten är. Ett företags förmåga att tillmötesgå intressenterna och deras krav påverkarintressenternas syn på företaget och därmed företagets legitimitet. I uppsatsen undersöker vi vad företag anser om de ökade kraven på tilläggsupplysningar somden nya standarden för intäktsredovisning innebär och om detta kan komma att påverkaföretagens legitimitet. Resultatet av undersökningen visar att de representerade företagen anser att den nyastandarden för intäktsredovisning kommer att få en begränsad effekt på deras legitimitet.Företagen anser att de ökade krav på tilläggsupplysningar som standarden innebär är den delav standarden som skulle kunna påverka legitimiteten mest, bland annat på grund av desspåverkan på de finansiella rapporternas kvalitativa egenskaper. / Accounting for revenues is both a big and important issue. The procedure is often difficultbecause of the many different ways in which revenue can be treated in different accountingstandards and by different countries around the world. The International AccountingStandards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) have beenworking together since 2002 on harmonizing their accounting standards concerning revenues.Their ambition is one complete standard for revenues that could be applied by companies incountries worldwide. IASB has presented an exposure draft to the new standard whichreceived many reactions from different companies in different industries. Most of thecriticism has been directed to the increased amount of disclosures in the companies’ financialreports. The new standard for revenues will be mandatory for companies in the EuropeanUnion (EU) and is planned to be introduced in 2015. While companies need to adapt to accounting rules and standards they also have to relate totheir stakeholders and the stakeholders’ demands and expectations on the companies and theirfinancial reports. There are different types of stakeholders and their expectations can varydepending on who they are. A company’s ability to satisfy their stakeholders’ expectationsaffect the stakeholders’ view on the company and thereby the company’s legitimacy. In our essay we study companies’ opinions towards the increased amount of disclosures thatthe new standard for revenues requires and if this can affect the companies’ legitimacy. The result of the study shows that the opinion of the companies represented is that the newaccounting standard for revenues will have limited effect on their legitimacy. The companiesconsider the increased amount of disclosures that the new standard requires as the part of thestandard that could have the biggest effect on their legitimacy, for example through thedisclosures’ impact on their financial report’s qualitative characteristics.

Under de senare åren har fenomenet CSR blivit oerhört aktuellt bland både företag, intressenter och samhället i övrigt. Det har framställts att det numera berör hur utvecklingen av CSR påverkar företags beslutsfattande. Här finns två sidor som talar emot varandra, dels en där forskarna menar på att CSR har en påverkan på beslutsfattande medan den andra sidan anser att CSR inte påverkar beslutsfattandet i någon vidare utsträckning. Syftet med denna studie är att utforska kring hur CSR påverkar företags beslutsfattande. Koncernen som kommer att beaktas i studien är ICA-Gruppen. Med hjälp av en abduktiv metod jämför vi en tidigare teori och vårt empiriska insamlade material för att finna mönster och förståelse av verkligheten.  Genom studiens kvalitativa metod har fem semistrukturerade intervjuer genomförts hos olika ICA-handlare då vi eftersträvar en djupare förståelse av hur CSR integreras i beslut. Intervjuerna fortlöpte utefter en intervjuguide som i sin tur baserades på vår teoretiska referensram. Avslutningsvis analyserades empiriskt material mot utvalda begrepp. Vår slutsats kring studien är att främst fem faktorer avgör hur CSR integreras i beslut där beslutets storlek har en avgörande aspekt. Dessa faktorer observeras i en modell i analysen. Ett framtida forskningsförslag är hur CSR påverkar investeringsbeslut. Intressant hade även varit att se hur beslutsstorlekens inverkan på CSR.  Vårt bidrag med denna studie är att öka förståelsen kring hur beslutsfattare, i vårt fall ICA-handlare, tar hänsyn till CSR när beslut ska fattas. Vi anser att resultatet kan i viss mån vara överförbart till andra branscher och företag men man får ta viss faktorer i beaktande. / During these past years the phenomena CSR has become highly topical to companies, stakeholders as well as common society. It has been determined that development of CSR affects companies decision making. However, there are two sides to this. While some researchers claim that CSR affect the decision making, some also mean that CSR’s influence to decision making is not very strong. Our purpose with this study is to investigate, analyze and increase the comprehension of how CSR affect decision making among companies. The group that will be observed in the study is ICA- Gruppen. Using an abductive method we compare an earlier theory and our empirical collected material to find patterns and understanding of reality. In order to attain a deeper understanding of how CSR affect decisions, through the study’s qualitative method, five semi structured interviews was made with different ICA retailers. The interviews were conducted with help of an interview template which we based on our theoretical references. In conclusion, empirical material was analyzed to selected terms. Our conclusion of the study shows that mainly five factors determine how CSR will be integrated in decisions where the decision size has a crucial aspect. These factor are observed in the study. Future research proposals would be to understand how the decision size affect CSR. Our contribution with this study is to provide increased understanding of how decision makers, in this case ICA retailers, take CSR into account. We think the results could be implemented in other trades and organizations, however certain factors must be taken into account.

Sustainable development is one of the most frequently used expressions in the economic context. Its importance is emphasized not only at the national level but also at the corporate level. The purpose of this study is to find the influence of company´s age, size and type of industry on the level of sustainable development among Swedish companies. In order to accurately evaluate the level of sustainable development a comprehensive measurement scale is needed. We have recognized the research gap of lack of sustainability measurement methods. Thus, the second goal we have decided to achieve is to develop an extensive measurement scale for sustainability performance evaluation. The main contribution of the study lies in filling the research gap by providing a new measurement method that can be adopted in order to evaluate the sustainability performance and to find the effects of company age, size and type of industry on the level of CSR. The relationships in the study are hypothesized and summarized in the conceptual model and consequently tested. This study distinguishes five underlying perspectives of sustainability and several categories of company ages, size and types of industry. These aspects are in the focal point of the questionnaire sent to our sample of Swedish companies. The data collected from the survey were analyzed in SPSS statistics program using a variety of analytical methods. At first, each set of questions was analyzed separately. Thereafter, the findings regarding each determinant of CSR were thoroughly discussed. Based on the results from analytical tests a revised conceptual model is proposed. The new features added to the model should enhance its quality and explanatory value. The collected data reveal that the responding Swedish companies engage in the sustainability perspectives in a considerable extent. According to the results of the study there is no or minor effect of company age and type of industry on the level of CSR. Company size, however, is found to be a significant determinant of CSR causing an U-shaped effect. This U-shaped effect of company size implies that the level of CSR activities decreases as a company grows from small to middle-sized but increases from middle-sized to large company.

I början av 2014 infördes ett nytt regelverk för hur företag och ekonomiska föreningar ska avsluta sina räkenskapsår. Inte förrän media började rapportera om problemet tidigare i år har diskussionen satts igång och flera organisationer har gjort uttalande och förenklingar. De har visat sig vara svåra att tolka och implementera och för en del bostadsrättsföreningar kan tillämpningen vara ödesdiger. Valet står mellan två regelverk i det så kallade K-projektet. Syftet med studien är att utifrån bostadsrättsföreningarnas perspektiv utforska vilka faktorer som påverkar och hur de påverkas beroende av redovisningsvalet styrelsen gör. Detta kommer utföras genom att studera ekonomiska förvaltare som förser föreningarna med rekommendationer och information. Studiens problemformulering är därför vilka faktorer påverkar föreningarnas val av regelverk. Studien kommer utgå från ett abduktivt resonemang vilket är väsentligt för en explorativ studie. Tillsammans med teorier om rationella beslut, principal-agent förhållande, intressenter och risk, kommer vi att skapa en förståelse för hur föreningar fattar beslut. För att uppnå detta mål och få en bra helhetsbild kommer vi att utgå från kvalitativa undersökningar med semi-strukturerade intervjuer. För att styrka studiens tillförlitlighet utgick vi ifrån tillförlitliga metoder som är en central del för en god forskning. Vi har varit konsekventa och opartiska där vi utgick från samma material vid samtliga intervjuer för att forskningsfrågan ska anses korrekt framförd. Genom att analysera empirin har vi kunnat skapa exempel på möjliga scenario i resultaträkningar för att enklare kunna göra kopplingar till teorin. Resultatet av studien konstaterade att det är flera faktorer som påverkar valet som styrelsen gör. Det visade sig att styrelsen är beroende av information utifrån och att det finns flera intressenter som har ett egenintresse i valet. / In early 2014 introduced a new framework for how companies and economic associations must end their fiscal year. Not until the media began to report on the issue earlier this year, the debate has been launched and several organizations have made statements and simplifications. They have proven to be difficult to interpret and implement, and for some housing associations, the application may be fatal. The choice is between two sets of rules in the K-project. Depending on the choice that the Board make, the consequences of the different choices differ markedly. The purpose of the study is that the basis of condominium associations' perspective, exploring the factors that influence and how they are affected, depends on the accounting elections board does. This will be carried out by studying financial managers that provide boards with information and recommendations. The problem of the study is therefore what factors affect board election of the regulations. The study will be based on an abductive reasoning which is essential for an exploratory study. Along with theories of rational decisions, the principal- agent relationship, stakeholders and risk, we will create an understanding of how associations make decisions. To achieve this goal and get a good overall picture, we will start from qualitative research with semi-structured interviews. In order to prove the reliability of the study, we started from reliable methods that are a central part of good research. We have been consistent and impartial where we started from the same material at all interviews, to research the matter shall be correctly performed. By analyzing empirical data, we have been able to create examples of possible scenarios in the financial statements for easier linkage to theory. Results of the study found that there are several factors affecting the choice that the board does. It turned out that the Board is dependent on information from outside and that there are multiple stakeholders who have a vested interest in the election.

I början av 2014 infördes ett nytt regelverk för hur företag och ekonomiska föreningar ska avsluta sina räkenskapsår. Inte förrän media började rapportera om problemet tidigare i år har diskussionen satts igång och flera organisationer har gjort uttalande och förenklingar. De har visat sig vara svåra att tolka och implementera och för en del bostadsrättsföreningar kan tillämpningen vara ödesdiger. Valet står mellan två regelverk i det så kallade K-projektet.Syftet med studien är att utifrån bostadsrättsföreningarnas perspektiv utforska vilka faktorer som påverkar och hur de påverkas beroende av redovisningsvalet styrelsen gör. Detta kommer utföras genom att studera ekonomiska förvaltare som förser föreningarna med rekommendationer och information. Studiens problemformulering är därför vilka faktorer påverkar föreningarnas val av regelverk.Studien kommer utgå från ett abduktivt resonemang vilket är väsentligt för en explorativ studie. Tillsammans med teorier om rationella beslut, principal-agent förhållande, intressenter och risk, kommer vi att skapa en förståelse för hur föreningar fattar beslut. För att uppnå detta mål och få en bra helhetsbild kommer vi att utgå från kvalitativa undersökningar med semi-strukturerade intervjuer. För att styrka studiens tillförlitlighet utgick vi ifrån tillförlitliga metoder som är en central del för en god forskning. Vi har varit konsekventa och opartiska där vi utgick från samma material vid samtliga intervjuer för att forskningsfrågan ska anses korrekt framförd.Genom att analysera empirin har vi kunnat skapa exempel på möjliga scenario i resultaträkningar för att enklare kunna göra kopplingar till teorin. Resultatet av studien konstaterade att det är flera faktorer som påverkar valet som styrelsen gör. Det visade sig att styrelsen är beroende av information utifrån och att det finns flera intressenter som har ett egenintresse i valet. / In early 2014 introduced a new framework for how companies and economic associations must end their fiscal year. Not until the media began to report on the issue earlier this year, the debate has been launched and several organizations have made statements and simplifications. They have proven to be difficult to interpret and implement, and for some housing associations, the application may be fatal. The choice is between two sets of rules in the K-project. Depending on the choice that the Board make, the consequences of the different choices differ markedly.The purpose of the study is that the basis of condominium associations' perspective, exploring the factors that influence and how they are affected, depends on the accounting elections board does. This will be carried out by studying financial managers that provide boards with information and recommendations. The problem of the study is therefore what factors affect board election of the regulations.The study will be based on an abductive reasoning which is essential for an exploratory study. Along with theories of rational decisions, the principal- agent relationship, stakeholders and risk, we will create an understanding of how associations make decisions. To achieve this goal and get a good overall picture, we will start from qualitative research with semi-structured interviews. In order to prove the reliability of the study, we started from reliable methods that are a central part of good research. We have been consistent and impartial where we started from the same material at all interviews, to research the matter shall be correctly performed.By analyzing empirical data, we have been able to create examples of possible scenarios in the financial statements for easier linkage to theory. Results of the study found that there are several factors affecting the choice that the board does. It turned out that the Board is dependent on information from outside and that there are multiple stakeholders who have a vested interest in the election.