Financial services have historically been offered by central entities which has put financial systems in the control of a number of central parties. Some argue that this centralization has contributed to a more unequal distribution of wealth. However, during more recent time with the emergence of blockchain, traditional perspectives on transparency and democratization have shifted. Increasing financial inclusion has been highlighted as a crucial step in decreasing poverty levels and blockchain has been discussed as a technology with a potential to make a difference in this ambition. This study will focus on sub-Saharan Africa where 550 million individuals lack access to financial services despite having access to mobile phones. As a consequence of this, mobile financial services boomed in sub-Saharan Africa, starting in Kenya. This study will therefore focus on mobile financial services and more precisely on the perceived usefulness of blockchain technology for the mobile financial services. Furthermore, the study aims to explore what role blockchain can play in further increasing financial inclusion in the region. This was done by conducting several interviews with people representing start-ups, government agencies, telco companies during a research trip to South Africa and by participation in the Blockchain Africa Conference 2019 in Cape town.  The findings from the research show that blockchain is perceived as useful for mobile financial services, mainly because of its ability to reduce costs by removing intermediaries, to automate processes and to create decentralized trust. However, it was also found that the usefulness is negatively affected today due to the lack of common protocols and definitions, which makes it difficult for blockchain to yet make a real difference in increasing financial inclusion. / Finansiella tjänster har historiskt sätt tillhandahållits med hjälp av centraliserad datalagring genom pålitliga intermediärer såsom banker och försäkringsbolag. Detta har satt det finansiella systemet i kontroll av några få centrala aktörer vilket somliga menar har ökat den ekonomisk ojämlikheten. På senare tid, i samband med blockkedjeteknologins framväxt, har synen på demokrati och transparens skiftat. Ökad finansiell inkludering har lyfts fram som avgörande för att minska fattigdomen. Blockkedjeteknologin har framhävts att ha potential att göra skillnad i detta arbete. Denna studie fokuserar på Subsahariska Afrika där 550 miljoner individer saknar tillgång till finansiella tjänster trots att de har tillgång till mobiltelefoner. Att erbjuda mobila finansiella tjänster är viktigt för att möjliggöra finansiell inkludering. Studien ämnar därför att undersöka upplevd användbarhet av blockkedjeteknologi för mobila finansiella tjänster och hur tekniken kan utöka finansiell inkludering i kontinenten. Detta har delvis gjorts genom en forskningsresa till Sydafrika där flertalet intervjuer utfördes med personer som representerar startupbolag, regeringen, telekombranschen och den akademiska världen. Resultaten från studien visar att blockkedjeteknologin upplevs vara användbar för mobila finansiella tjänster, främst på grund av dess förmåga att sänka kostnaderna genom att ta bort mellanhänder, automatisera processer samt skapa säkra decentraliserade system. Däremot måste standardiserade protokoll och definitioner måste utvecklas innan detta kan realiseras. Fram till dess kommer det att vara svårt för blockkedjeteknolgi att göra en verklig skillnad i ökad finansiell inkludering.

Today's society is increasingly shaped by new digital technologies and digital work practices. We live in an era that is rapidly changing, and this poses demands on Sweden's industries to meet the requirements and needs of our industrial society. One industry that has struggled to keep up with the pace of digitalization is the construction industry. The construction industry is characterized by high complexity and numerous processes involving various stakeholders, as each building project has its own unique conditions and requirements. In addition to this, the stakeholders have their own conditions and needs related to technology and the use of digital tools. In order to fully leverage the opportunities of digitalization, it is important for actors to be aware of their own, as well as their co-actors', conditions and needs related to technology, especially when implementing new technology and digital work practices, to ensure the implementation is as successful as possible.  This study has been conducted within a project consulting firm with the aim of analyzing differences and similarities in perceptions among actors and groups during the implementation of a changed digital work practice. To achieve this goal, a case study was conducted using data collection techniques such as document analysis, observation, and semi-structured interviews, with the interviews serving as the significant source of empirical data.  Once the empirical data was collected, it was categorized based on how the respondents agreed with each other within their own respondent group and in comparison to another respondent group. Overall, the authors did not find any inhibiting differences in the respondents' answers regarding implementation. However, concerns were raised regarding how the consulting firm's payment models were adapted to the new digital work practice.  After the study, the authors concluded that, in this case, they did not find significant differences in the respondents' answers that could hinder implementation for the consulting firm. The differences that existed were rather due to variations in the respondents' depth of understanding regarding technology. The main challenge highlighted with the new work practice was how the company would charge for the new technology. To fully utilize the opportunities of digitalization and keep up with the ongoing development, one of the suggestions for further research is the payment models of companies.

Detta examensarbete undersöker hur artificiell intelligens (AI) och maskininlärning (ML) har förbättrat innovationsprocesser inom bilindustrin, med särskilt fokus på ett företag som är aktiva inom detta område. Genom en kombination av teoretisk forskning och empiriska intervjuer med anställda på företaget har det identifierats att AI och ML är kraftfulla verktyg för att driva teknologisk innovation, optimera interna processer och främja en kultur av kontinuerligt lärande och samarbete. Företaget som undersöks i denna fallstudie använder AI för att utveckla avancerade förarassistanssystem och autonoma körteknologier, vilket resulterar i säkrare och mer effektiva självkörande bilar. Dessutom optimerar AI interna processer som prestandaövervakning och intern kommunikation, vilket förbättrar effektiviteten och responsiviteten inom organisationen. Företagskulturen på företaget har påverkats positivt av AI, med en betoning på ständigt lärande och kunskapsdelning. Medarbetarna uppmuntras att kontinuerligt uppdatera sina kunskaper och färdigheter för att hålla jämna steg med teknologiska framsteg, vilket skapar en dynamisk och adaptiv arbetsmiljö. Dock möter företaget även utmaningar, inklusive höga kostnader för hårdvara och beräkningskraft, behovet av att säkerställa hög datakvalitet och att hantera komplexa juridiska och etiska frågor.  AI och ML har avsevärt förbättrat innovationsprocesserna för företaget i denna fallstudie genom att driva teknologisk och processuell innovation samt genom att påverka företagskulturen positivt. Studien bidrar till ämnet innovationsteknik genom att belysa hur AI kan användas för att driva innovation och identifierar områden för framtida forskning, såsom kostnadshantering och långsiktiga effekter av AI på företagskulturen. / This exam essay examines how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have improved innovation processes in the automotive industry, with a particular focus on a company active in this field. Through a combination of theoretical research and empirical interviews with employees of the company, it has been identified that AI and ML are powerful tools for driving technological innovation, optimizing internal processes and fostering a culture of continuous learning and collaboration. The company investigated in this case study uses AI to develop advanced driver assistance systems and autonomous driving technologies, resulting in safer and more efficient self-driving cars. In addition, AI optimizes internal processes such as performance monitoring and internal communication, improving efficiency and responsiveness within the organization. The company culture has been positively impacted by AI, with an emphasis on continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Employees are encouraged to continuously update their knowledge and skills to keep up with technological advances, creating a dynamic and adaptive work environment. However, the company also faces challenges, including the high cost of hardware and computing power, the need to ensure high data quality, and dealing with complex legal and ethical issues.  AI and ML have significantly improved the innovation processes of the company in this case study by driving technological and process innovation as well as by positively influencing corporate culture. The study contributes to the field of innovation technology by highlighting how AI can be used to drive innovation and identifies areas for future research, such as cost management and long-term effects of AI on corporate culture.

Rapid digitalisation development has been stampeding widely across today’s societies, and not least in the payment industry. Though, the digitalisation in the payment industry has been very deviating, even between similar well-developed countries, and while there are positive and negative effects with both digital- and physical payment means, there is little knowledge that highlights the influencing factors and accompanied problems. This study therefore explore swhich, and how, different factors influence a country’s degree of digital payments, and creates further understanding of where the payment markets are heading in the future. It is done through a case study of four different industrialised countries, Sweden, Italy, Canada, and Switzerland which involves mapping the countries’ payment markets, as well as potential factors influencing a population’s payment habits, through a perspective of innovation theory in terms of dominant designs and technological discontinuities. Theory of network externalities and two-sided platforms are further used to explain and discuss how a two-sided market, likethe payment market, is affected by changes and other circumstances in different ways.Conclusions are then drawn from the used theories together with a comparison of the findings,and identifies certain influencers to a country’s distribution of payments, as well as provides indications of where the different payments markets are heading in the future. Data is mainly gathered through written material and credible databases, but also from semi-structured interviews. / Den snabba digitaliseringen har slagit sig fram i dagens samhällen, och inte minst i betalningsindustrin. Dock har digitaliseringen i betalningsindustrin varit mycket avvikande mellan liknande välutvecklade länder, och medan det finns positiva och negativa effekter med både digitala och fysiska betalningsmedel, finns det inte mycket kunskap om påverkandefaktorer och medföljande problem. Denna studie undersöker därför vilka, och hur, olika faktorer påverkar ett lands grad av digitala betalningar, och vidare skapar ytterligare förståelse för var betalningsmarknaderna är på väg framöver. Detta görs genom en fallstudie av fyra olika industrialiserade länder, Sverige, Italien, Kanada och Schweiz, som innebär en kartläggning av ländernas betalningsmarknader, och av potentiella faktorer som påverkar befolkningens betalningsvanor, genom ett perspektiv från innovationsteori i form av dominerande design och tekniska diskontinuiteter. Teori om nätverksexternaliteter och tvåsidiga plattformar används vidare för att förklara och diskutera hur en tvåsidig marknad som betalningsmarknadenpåverkas av förändringar och andra omständigheter. Slutsatser dras sedan från de användateorierna tillsammans med en jämförelse av resultaten och identifierar påverkande faktorer tillett lands betalningsdistribution, samt ger indikationer på var de olika betalningsmarknaderna är på väg framöver. Data samlades huvudsakligen in genom skriftligt material och från tillförlitliga databaser, men även från semistrukturerade intervjuer.

Background: In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the philosophical concept of Open Banking and its practical implementation, often associated with digital platforms. The term ‘Open Banking platforms' has been used to describe the complex intersection between the two concepts of Open Banking and digital platforms, and it sometimes embody a series of challenges and opportunities. Open Banking aims to increase competition, innovation, and interoperability in the financial sector, creating opportunities for new players while challenging established banks to rethink their business models and value propositions. However, few researchers have addressed the question of challenges and opportunities faced by the various stakeholders involved in Open Banking platforms. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate and deepen the understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by various stakeholders involved in Open Banking platforms. Methodology: In this study, a qualitative methodology with an abductive approach was used, and the study was designed as a case study. The empirical data consists of seven semi-structured interviews conducted in 2023, as well as supplementary data from relevant documents. Thematic analysis and triangulation were employed to analyze the collected data. Conclusion: The complexity of Open Banking platforms becomes apparent during their practical implementation within the financial sector, involving technical, functional, interactional, relational, economic, and regulatory dimensions, as well as various stakeholders. On the one hand, third-party providers see opportunities for innovation. On the other hand, banks face issues with outdated IT infrastructure and threats to their existing business models. Some of the challenges arise due to varying perspectives and technological frames. This study also found that interest organizations play an important role in the design of Open Banking platforms, and regulatory requirements are therefore indirectly influenced by interest organizations. It is however challenging for stakeholders with limited resources to actively participate in the discussions about Open Banking. Additionally, a clearer dialogue and balance between compliance, security, and innovation is needed. Despite the challenges, Open Banking is considered important for the future but requires time to mature.