A significant global industry, the provision of market research is a business to business service where market research organizations provide market research information to customers, who in turn, need to make informed decisions about marketing strategy alternatives. This study involves a systematic literature review of the influences impacting on the use of market research information. It expounds the conditions, factors and mechanisms that induce or hinder the process of use among client organization users. In so doing, this investigation provides a descriptive assessment of the body of knowledge from which this study draws. This study proposes a theoretical framework of the reported conditions, factors and mechanisms that enhance or hinder the process at different stages of usage of market research. Influences like (user) organization’s strategy, structure, market philosophy, stance in the market and access to market research suppliers have a direct effect on how user organizations seek and apply market research information. The process of usage features seven phases, contrasting against the four or five phases that are typically reported in literature. Application of market research information in marketing decisions may follow one of three possible types of application: instrumental, conceptual and symbolic. This study also explores the various limitations in our understanding of this phenomenon. Relying on a number of published positivist contributions, our understanding of this process is composed of narrow views of specific causalities, each investigated independently from the rest. These result in an incomplete, inconsistent picture about a phenomenon. For instance, influences impacting on transformation and dissemination steps remain largely unknown, as are the factors impacting on application of market research information like symbolic use. Equally, published positivist researchoften relies on a single informant approach that is assumed to represent the reality of an entire organization. The study concludes with considerations about future work that may form part of my PhD research, intended to address a selection of gaps in the existing body of knowledge about this phenomenon.

Syftet med studien var att studera hur begreppet likabehandling konstrueras genom språketsanvändning i likabehandlingsplaner upprättade i en västsvensk kommun läsåret 2012/2013. Iförhållande till detta formulerades följande frågeställningar. Hur konstrueras begreppetlikabehandling genom språkets användning i likabehandlingsplanerna, vilka likheter ellerskillnader kan urskiljas i hur begreppet likabehandling konstrueras genom språketsanvändning i de olika likabehandlingsplanerna? Studien tar sin utgångspunkt idiskrimineringslagens föreskrifter om att en likabehandlingsplan ska uppträttas iutbildningsverksamheter samt i tidigare forskning om likabehandling i relation till begreppsom rättvisa, diskriminering och värdering. Studiens teoretiska utgångspunkter ärsocialkonstruktionism och symbolisk interaktionism. Likabehandlingsplanerna har analyseratsmed kvalitativ textanalys inspirerad av diskursanalytiska perspektiv samt med inspiration avkvantitativ innehållsanalys. Fokus ligger på grammatik och ordval som är frekventförekommande i planerna. Resultatet visar att skolorna använder sig av ord somlikabehandlingsplan, diskriminering, känna, mål, åtgärd och ansvar för att konstrueralikabehandling. Det finns också tecken på att vissa av dessa ord ska inneha samma innebördför samtliga deltagare i processen. Skolorna presenterar en verklighetsyn där det krävshandling för att uppnå likabehandling dock är skolorna till stor del inte överens om vilkahandlingar det gäller. Det finns tydliga tecken på att skolorna definierar situationen kringlikabehandling på olika sätt vilket kan komma att påverka hur det praktiskalikabehandlingsarbetet ser ut. / The purpose of the study was to study how the concept of equality of treatment is constructedthrough the use of language in equality of treatment plans drawn up in a western Swedishmunicipality during the school year of 2012/2013. Questions were formulated in relation withthe aim of the study. How is the concept of equality of treatment constructed by the languageuse in equality of treatment plans, what similarities or differences can be seen in how theconcept of equality of treatment is constructed through language use in the different equalityof treatment plans? The study is based on the sections of the discrimination law thatprescribes that an equality of treatment plan should be established in every educationalsystem, as well as in previous research of equality of treatment in relation to concepts such asjustice, discrimination and values. The study is also based on socialconstructionism andsymbolic interactionism. The equality of treatment plans were analyzed using qualitative textanalysis inspired by discourse analysis perspectives and quantitative content analysis focusedon grammar and vocabulary that are frequent in the plans. The result shows that the schoolsuse the words equality of treatment plan, discrimination, feel, goals, action, and responsibilityto construct equality of treatment. There are also signs that some of these words shall holdthe same meaning for all participants in the process. The schools present a reality whereaction is needed to achieve equality of treatment but the schools do not agree on type ofactions. There are clear signs that the schools define the situation regarding equality oftreatment in different ways, which may have effect on the practical work of equality of treatment.

Syftet med detta examensarbete var att undersöka hur ungdomar beskriver steget vidare från studieavbrott till sysselsättning. Författarna använde kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer baserade på en intervjuguide för att besvara studiens frågeställningar, med avsikt att fånga in kunskap om de ungas uppfattningar kring vändpunkter samt betydelsen av självbilden och relationer i omgivningen. Totalt genomfördes fyra intervjuer med ungdomar i åldrarna 17-20 år, där samtliga gjort studieavbrott under gymnasietiden men vid tillfället för intervjuerna var åter i någon slags sysselsättning. Författarna använde tidigare forskning samt de teoretiska perspektiven symbolisk interaktionism och KASAM för att analysera datamaterialet. Resultatet av studien påvisade att samtliga ungdomar upplevt någon slags vändpunkt under vägen tillbaka till sysselsättning, som de anger varit betydande. Vändpunkterna har dock varierat i uttryck och har kunnat bestå av såväl en händelse eller ett möte. Vidare konstaterar författarna att självbilden har haft stor inverkan på ungdomarnas möjlighet att både hantera vändpunktssituationer samt på motivation till studier och att relationer med faktorerna vägledning och respektfullt bemötande varit avgörande för steget vidare mot sysselsättning. / This study aimed to investigate how school drop-outs describe their way back to any type of occupation. The authors carried out a qualitative study with interviews based on an interview guide to be able to answer the studies questions at issue, with the intention to capture knowledge about the young adults’ opinion concerning turning-points and the meaning of self-image and relations in the surroundings. In a total, four interviews were carried out with young adults in the ages of 17-20 years, whom had dropped-out of high-school but were, at the time of the interviews, back in some kind of occupation. The authors used previously published science articles, along with the theoretical perspective of symbolic interactionism and KASAM to analyze the data. The result of this study showed that all of the young adults had experienced some kind of turning-point during their way back to an occupation, which they found to be substantial. There were some variations in how these turning-points occurred; they turned out to be an event as well as a meeting. Further on, the authors has found that self-image have had a great effect on the young adults´ possibilities to handle turning-point situations, as well as their motivation for studies, and that relations with factors of guidance and a respectful treatment has been crucial for the step towards an occupation.

Syftet med studien är att skapa förståelse för hur kvinnor på kvinnodominerade arbetsplatser upplever kritik. Studien kommer att vara en fältstudie vari man granskar kvinnor som är verksamma inom förskolan, då tidigare forskning visat på en klar majoritet av kvinnor inom denna yrkeskår. Avsikten med studien är inte att uppnå någon objektiv sanning av verkligheten, dock avser denna studie tolka eventuella fenomen som rör ämnet, samt skapa en förståelse för individens syn på begreppet. Informanterna har valts ut strategiskt, vidare präglas informanternas deltagande av självselektion. Man kommer inte att ta hänsyn till andra variabler än kön vad gäller urvalet. Teorier som studien vilar på är den symboliska interaktionismen där bland annat dess syn på rationalitet behandlas. Vidare tas Johan Asplunds teori om social responsivitet i beaktning och avslutningsvis Erving Goffmans teori om identitetsskapande. De slutsatser som kan dras i och med denna studie är att relationerna mellan individerna i en grupp verkar ha stor betydelse för hur man upplever kritik. För att undvika missförstånd kring det valda ämnet verkar allmän mening råda att "definitionen av situationen" är något man bör ta i beaktande, detta då kritik till en början upplevs som någonting negativt. / The purpose of this study is to create an understanding of how women in female dominated workplaces are experiencing criticism. The study will be a field study which is examining women who are active in preschool, when previous research has demonstrated a clear majority of women in this profession. The intention of this study is not to create any objective truth of reality, however, relate this study to interpret and describe any phenomena related to the topic, and create an understanding of the individual's perception of the concept. The informants were chosen strategically, further characterized the informants' participation of self-selection. It will not take into account, variables other than gender in terms of selection. Theories that the study rests on is the symbolic interactionism, which, among other things, its view of rationality is treated. Furthermore the theory of Johan Asplund, social responsivity, is taken into consideration and, finally, Erving Goffman's theory of identity formation. The conclusions to be drawn, in and of this study is that the relations between individuals in a group seems to have a major impact on how people perceive criticism. To avoid misunderstandings about the chosen topic appears public opinion, advise that the "definition of the situation" is something you should take into consideration, so where the spontaneous reaction of criticism is negative.

Detta är en kvalitativ studie om över- och underordning i heterosexuella pars vardag. Carin Holmbergs (1993) avhandling " Det kallas kärlek" är min största hjälp och det är från den jag hämtat större delen av de teorier jag använt. Holmbergs (1993) teorier om könsmakt är min utgångspunkt. Det var hennes avhandling som lade grunden och väckte mitt intresse för att göra en liknande studie. Jag gjorde fyra gruppintervjuer med en mindre observation. De slutsatser jag kan dra utifrån det empiriska materialet är att kvinnorna i regel är underordnade männen ifråga om att det är kvinnorna som tar på sig det största ansvaret för hemmet sysslor och befriar männen från att ta ansvar. Männen är de som valt bort vissa sysslor hemma och kan då göra de saker de själva tycker är roligast. Jag kan inte se något tydlig över- och underordning i mina informanters sätt att agera under intervjuerna.

Due to political decisions regarding the Swedish school, public and independent schools booth face the need topromote themselves in the quest for new pupils. This study aims to, from a communications perspective, examine how four selected upper secondary schools address their target audience; the pupils‐to‐be, on their homepages. Additionally, I intend to investigate whether, and if so, how, said addressing can be connected to the different target groups applying to the schools in question. The questions asked in this study regard the way in which the selected schools describe themselves on their homepage; how do they use the textual and visual content to address their audience, and can there be disagreement between the meaning of the text and that of the image? To answer these questions, I use a theoretical base made out of visual communication and semiotic as well as rhetorical analyses. The methodological procedure is a qualitative approach on the matter, allowing me to understand the “what” of the content on the homepages, as well as the “how” it’s being communicated. I have separated the text from the image, analyzing them separately, so that I can make sense of the whole based on what the segments tell me. I’ve come to the conclusion that there seems to be a pattern between the way in which a Swedish upper secondary school address their target group, and which pupils choose to apply to the school. The schools whose applicants have a high median value in their grades tend to refer to academic values in their descriptions, while the schools whose applicants have the lower median value tend to speak more of the world outside the classroom, and refer to such things as connections with companies or the pupils’ interests.

Abstrakt Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur tjejer och killar ser på och upplever sig själva i relation till skolan. Det är således deras perspektiv som är centrala. Arbetet genomsyras av ett symboliskt interaktionistiskt synsätt som baseras på att människan behöver interagera med andra för att kunna skapa sin självbild. Betydelsen av ungdomars självbilder i förhållande till skola och skolarbete är inte särskilt uppmärksammat, trots att skolgången är en lång period av livet. Studien baseras på observationer av två klasser i åk 7 samt tio intervjuer jämnt fördelade mellan tjejerna och killarna. Resultatet visar på hur den enskilde elevens uppfattning om sig själv påverkas vid interaktion med andra, alltså sin sociala omgivning. Flera olika mönster för killarnas och tjejernas syn på sig själva framkom och visade variationen av deras uppfattningar om interaktionens betydelse. Det blev också tydligt vilka personer de ansåg ha störst betydelse för skapandet av deras självbilder. Killarna betonade kompisarna medan tjejerna betonade kompisarna och lärarna. Eleverna beskrev vad de ansåg vara typiska tjej- och killämnen. Eleverna klassade Engelska, Matematik och Svenska som tjejämnen och Idrott och Träslöjd som killämnen. Vi har dessutom kunnat se att eleverna utifrån situationen de är i intar olika identiteter.

In this thesis it is argued that Kant's Copernican turn depends on his doctrine of the imagination, and that by understanding the role of imagination as symbolic rather than schematic, the resources are provided to show that his critical philosophy has more radical possibilities than those of his post-Kantian critics. To display this, it is first pointed out that the crucial role the imagination plays in Kant's Copernican turn is not fully developed in his first Critique. Next, it is argued that Kant's doctrine of the imagination is not fully realized until the third Critique in which Kant radicalizes his notion of constructivism by introducing a distinction between determinative and reflective judgments. Finally, it is suggested that while Hegel believes that Kant?s idealism is not dynamic enough to support a full-fledged constructivism, in fact, when Kant?s mature doctrine of the imagination is taken into account, this is no longer the case because Kant believes that our particular experiences of the world unfold artistically and creatively according to the work of the imagination. It is suggested, therefore, that in many ways Kant anticipates the developments of thinkers such as Hegel and other post- Kantians and may even continue to lie beyond them.

Boundary Approximation Method (BAM), or the Collocation Trefftz Method called in the literature, is the most efficient method to solve elliptic boundary value problems with singularities. There are several versions of BAM in practical computation, including the Numerical BAM, Symbolic BAM and their variants. It is known that the Symbolic BAM is much slower than Numerical counterpart. In this thesis, we improve the Symbolic BAM to become the fastest method among all versions of BAM. We prove several important lemmas to reduce the computing time, and a recursive procedure is found to expedite the evaluation of major integrals. Another drawback of the Symbolic BAM is its large condition number. We find a good and easy preconditioner to significantly reduce the condition number. The numerical experiments and comparison are also provided for the Motz problem, a prototype of Laplace boundary value problem with singularity, and the Schiff's Model, a prototype of biharmonic boundary value problem with singularity.

Based on Harold Pinter&#039 / s three plays &ldquo / The Homecoming,&rdquo / &ldquo / The Caretaker&rdquo / and &ldquo / The Dumb Waiter,&rdquo / the aim of this study is to explore the idea that an individual cannot be a speaking member of the Symbolic Order, thus of the society unless s/he obeys the prohibitions/commands of language, a concept on which both Pinter and Lacan put great emphasis in their own vision. For Pinter human beings lead a life controlled by some unknown powers and build a disastrous subjective world devoid of linguistic competence. As for Lacan, language imprisons, castrates and pushes the subject into a claustrophobic world, which is portrayed strikingly by Pinter. The result is equally impressive / for Lacan: neurosis or psychosis, oscillating between the Orders/Registers of the Symbolic, Imaginary and Real, not possessing an assigned role in the community, and for Pinter: an absurd world where there is no meaning but a sense of loss. Lacan&rsquo / s explanation for the reasons of this absurd world focuses on two significant factors : the m(O)ther, who meets the basic needs in the Imaginary Order/stage of infancy and who introduces the Father to the child, and the Father, who will enable the child to obey the prohibitions of language, and thus to secure the child&rsquo / s adulthood. Throughout the study the points which will be highlighted are as follows: the characteristics of the absurd drama, the place of Harold Pinter in the contemporary theatre and the justification of a Lacanian reading, subjectivity&rsquo / s constitution.