As mental health care increasingly embraces recovery principles, the role of peer support workers (PSWs) has gained recognition. The work that mental health PSWs do became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when increased needs for mental health care became apparent but were often unmet. This article-based doctoral thesis adopts an interdisciplinary perspective that combines research on management and organization with research on health care and systems. The thesis examines the mental health peer support role and its integration within teams, organizations and health systems. It also considers the peer support role as it was enacted in a virtual space, which became a requirement due to pandemic work-from-home mandates. Within the context of the virtual space, PSWs confronted work-life boundaries that they had to navigate as they enacted their work roles. The virtual space also presented technological and social challenges to and opportunities for peer support, which are examined in this thesis from the points of views of PSWs and peers. Overall, this thesis attends to the PSW role more generally, and to peer support work in the specific context of a virtual environment. The thesis is composed of three studies, the second and third of which had to be adapted to the unexpected challenges and opportunities posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 1 (presented in Chapter 2) is a narrative review that synthesizes the literature on factors influencing formal PSW role implementation in mental health systems. The findings are synthesized in a multilevel framework consisting of macro, meso and micro level influences. The analysis reveals that macro-level influences on PSW role implementation include socio-cultural, regulatory, political and economic factors, most of which act as obstacles. At the meso level, organizational culture, leadership, and human resource management policies play a significant role. Micro-level influences center around PSWs' relationships with team members. Interlevel interactions are also discussed. This study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and was published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services in February 2022. For Studies 2 and 3, qualitative data were collected from members of a peer support organization situated in Ottawa. This organization is a publicly funded, not-for-profit organization that provides services free of charge to people experiencing mental health and addictions challenges. Due to the pandemic, all services and operations of this organization transitioned to remote services involving virtual platforms. Study 2 (presented in Chapter 3) is a qualitative case study that delves into the work-life boundary challenges and management of PSWs who were providing virtual mental health support during the pandemic. The study identifies temporal, physical, and task-related boundary challenges in work-life domains. Strategies employed by PSWs to manage these boundaries include segmenting and integrating work and personal domains. The study highlights the importance of self-care and the need for training on work-life boundary management for mental health workers. This research is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and is published in BMC Public Health. Study 3 (presented in Chapter 4) focuses on the transition from in-person to virtual mental health peer support services. Through semi-structured interviews with PSWs and service users (or peers), the research examines how technological factors act as bridges and boundaries to mental health peer support services, and whether and how a sense of community can be built or maintained among PSWs and peers in a virtual space when connections are mediated by technology. The findings highlight the mental health peer support needs that were (un)met through virtual services, the technology-based boundaries that were manifested and the steps taken to remove some of these boundaries, and the strategies employed by the organization and its members to establish and maintain a sense of community in a virtual environment marked by physical distancing and technology-mediated interrelations. The manuscript pertaining to this study is co-authored with Professor Samia Chreim and will be submitted soon to an academic journal. Overall, this thesis presents a unique and multi-faceted exploration of the implementation of peer support worker roles in mental health systems and their adaptation to virtual environments. It makes a number of contributions. The multilevel framework developed in Study 1 not only advances knowledge in the field but also offers a structured approach for policymakers and organizations to enhance the formal incorporation of PSW roles into mental health systems. Study 2 provides valuable insights into the nature of work-life boundaries in a virtual space, an important topic at a time when peer support workers and organizations are considering whether and how to maintain some form of virtual work post-pandemic. Study 3 adds to knowledge by highlighting the significance of virtual peer support beyond pandemic conditions. It also enhances understanding of the need for technological adaptation in mental health services and for community building regardless of the model of service. Limitations and implications for research, practice and policy are addressed.

I och med rådande covid-19 pandemi har flera restriktioner införts som bland annat social distansering och att arbeta hemifrån om möjlighet finns, som en följd av pandemin och dess restriktioner har våra sociala kontakter minskat både på arbetet och privat. Det har tidigare rapporterats om både för-och nackdelar med att arbeta hemifrån och effekten på den arbetsrelaterade hälsan skiljer sig i tidigare forskning. Många tidigare studier som berör covid-19 och arbetshälsa är utförda i andra länder med hårdare restriktioner och andra förutsättningar, det finns därför en kunskapslucka och det upplevs också finnas behov av mer forskning kring hur förutsättningar i vår arbetsmiljö har förändrats i och med covid-19 pandemin. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur medarbetare upplever sin sociala arbetsmiljö vid arbete hemifrån under covid-19 pandemin. Denna studie är en kvalitativ studie med semistrukturerade intervjuer som metod och intervjuerna utfördes genom digitala kommunikationsverktyg. Studien innefattar 10 informanter som arbetar inom en kommunal sektor som i och med pandemin arbetar hemifrån. Resultatet visade att de upplevde sin sociala arbetsmiljö som väldigt annorlunda med endast digital kontakt med kollegor och chef. Upplevelser av den sociala arbetsmiljön innefattade färre sociala och spontana kontakter, dock försökte informanterna att prata kontinuerligt med sina kollegor och det upplevdes viktigt att stötta varandra. De upplevde också fördelar och nackdelar med att kommunicera via digitala verktyg men upplevelsen var att samarbetet med kollegor fungerade bra även om det fanns vissa svårigheter. Informanterna hade olika upplevelser av kontakten med chef och möjligheterna till att få stöd. / With the current COVID-19 pandemic, several restrictions have been introduced, including social distancing and working from home if possible, as a result of the pandemic and its restrictions, our social contacts have decreased both at work and in private life. There have been previous reports of both the pros and cons of working from home and the effect on work-related health differs in previous research. Many previous studies concerning COVID-19 and occupational health have been carried out in other countries with tighter restrictions and other conditions, there is therefore a knowledge gap and there is also a need for more research into how conditions in our work environment have changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study is to investigate how employees experience their social work environment when working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews as a method and the interviews take place through digital communication tools. The study includes 10 informants who are working from home during the pandemic. The results showed both that the informants perceived their social work environment as very different with only digital contact with colleagues and managers. Experiences of the social work environment included fewer social and spontaneous contacts, however, the informants tried to talk continuously with their colleagues and it felt important to support each other. They also experienced the advantages and disadvantages of communicating through digital tools, but the experience was that the collaboration with colleagues worked well even though there were some difficulties. The informants had different experiences of contact with the manager and the possibilities for receiving support.

<p>  </p> <p>The pandemic prompted buildings globally to transition to low or no occupancy as social distancing to reduce the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). This consequence prompted concerns about the chemical and microbiological safety of building drinking water due to stagnation. At the same time, microplastic (MP) pollution received increasing global attention due to their presence in the environment and recent discoveries within water distribution systems and at building faucets. MP sources have primarily been targeted as originating within the drinking water sources, but plastic plumbing components are less discussed and known to deteriorate into fragments and smaller pieces that reach faucets. Literature at the time of this work as sparse on stagnation impacts to drinking water quality and the fate of MPs in plumbing. In particular, health officials and building owners issued and received many differed guidance documents telling building owners do different things and no standard guideline was available to reduce the health risks caused by stagnant building drinking water. This dissertation  examined three different types of buildings during closed to low water use conditions and conducted bench-scale testing to explore the phenomena observed in the field. Chapter 1 describes water quality impacts during a 7 year old ‘green’ middle school as it transitioned from Summer (low water use) to Fall (normal use). Field experiments revealed that more than half of first draw water samples exceeded the copper (acute) health-based action limit during low water use. Copper concentration within the school increased as distance from building entry point increased. Chapter 2 and 3 describe report on chemical and microbiological water quality in buildings at a university buildings (Chapter 2), and elementary school (Chapter 3). Chapters 2 and 3 revealed that stagnation negatively impacted chemical and microbiological building water quality (cold and hot) but flushing was effective at remediating high concentration of heavy metals and <em>Legionella pneumophila</em> at most locations. But in large buildings, where building plumbing system was more complicated, flushing did not always result in improved water quality. Also discovered was that water quality again deteriorated even after whole building water system was flushed. It is important to understand own building systems to maintain water quality as each building complexity requires specific knowledge and solutions. Chapter 4 describes current knowledge associated with MPs in drinking water and results of bench scale experiments on MP fate and transport in building plumbing. This work identified that while MPs have been reported at building faucets, sampling details lacking from available studies often resulted in study results not being comparable across others. Based on the review of the issue, it was found that MPs have likely reached building faucets for decades but have received no characterization until recently. Bench-scale testing using two MPs, of different density, in copper and crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) pipes revealed size influenced the amount of MPs retained in a pipe. Research needs were identified to determine the fundamental factors that control MP fate in plumbing and their presence at building faucets. </p>

In 2020, the world was struck by the Covid-19 pandemic. Recommendations to limit physically meeting with others caused somewhat of a paradigm shift in how office workers perform their work. A massive shift to remote work occurred and exposed the workforce to the remote work’s shortcomings and problems. Based on a literature study, remote workers were found to lack social interactions that happen automatically in an office. Therefore, a proposed solution of scheduling regular, social, and informal interaction sessions was tested in an experiment using Microsoft Teams with full-time, remote IT workers. To facilitate informal social interactions during these experiment sessions, the participants were allowed to play a few different games, participate in social activities or not participate at all. Analysis of the results from the experiment showed a slight improvement in the measured factors over the course of the experiment. However, only a decrease in emotional exhaustion was found to be statistically significant. Therefore, the results are insufficient to argue for or against the implementation of regular informal social interactions with a goal of improving employees’ remote working environment. The experiment had several areas which could be improved, particularly the scale and availability of the experiment. Future research should take into account the suggested areas of improvement for the experiment, specifically scaling up a similar experiment in order to support or refute the implementation of regular social interactions as part of a remote working environment. The increase in remote work is believed to persist in the future. Therefore, the drawbacks of remote work merit additional research to uncover techniques to mitigate them. Moreover, due to the nature of their work, IT workers have ample opportunities to work remotely. A suitable environment in which to work remotely can help them benefit from remote work while experiencing less of its negative effects. / Under början av året 2020 drabbades världen av Covid-19 pandemin. Rekommendationer att minimera fysisk kontakt med andra människor förändrade kontorsarbetares arbetsmiljö drastiskt. En omfattande förflytterlse av arbete till distansarbete skedde och syngligjorde dess nackdelar. Denna ökning av distansarbete förväntas fortsätta i framtiden. Nackdelarna hos distansarbete meriterar ytterliggare undersökningar kring tillvägagångsätt för att reducera dem. En av de vanligaste rapporterade nackdelarna är den socialt isolerande effekten. Detta examensarbete kommer fokusera på att undersöka hur man kan reducera den socialt isolerande effekten av distansarbete på heltid hos IT-arbetare. IT-arbetares arbetssätt har stora möjligheter för distansarbete. Därför skulle en bra miljö för distansarbete gynna IT-arbetare och göra det möjligt för fler individer att ta del av fördelarna från distansarbete. Innan pandemin var distansarbetare selektivt utvalda utefter deras personliga möjligheter att lyckas. Under pandemin så har även de individer som passar mindre bra för distansarbete även behövt jobba på distans. Detta gör det möjligt att undersöka möljliga förbättringsätt för fler typer av individer. Baserat på en literaturstudie så har det tydligjorts att distansarbetare saknar den sociala interaktion som sker automatistk i en kontorsmiljö. På grund av detta så föreslogs och testades en möjlig lösning av planerade, regelbundna, sociala och informella tillfällen över Microsoft Teams som ett experiment. För att främja informella och sociala interaktioner under experimenttillfällena så fick deltagarna spela ett par olika spel eller utföra aktiviteter med varandra. Resultaten pekar mot en liten förbättring från experimentet men endast en minsking av känslomässig utmattning var statistiskt significant. Det fanns flera förbättringsområden för experimentet. Sammanfatningsvis var storleken av experimentet och tiden för det, de stora förbättringsområdena. Resultaten är inte starka nog för att kunna tala för eller emot implementerandet av regelbundna, informella, sociala interaktioner med ändamålet att förbättra miljön för distanarbete. Framtida forskning bör ta hänsyn till förbättringsområdena och undersöka en upskalad variant av ett liknande experiment.

Limited research exists about the experiences of nurses’ caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic post hoc. To understand nurses’ realities of caring for patients with COVID-19, I aimed to understand the lived experience of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in the United States. A qualitative design with a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was used. Sixteen participants were recruited via purposive sampling, augmented with snowball sampling. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 in the U.S. were consolidated into four themes: “a living hell”; “rationing patient safety”; “mental aftermath of the war zone”; and “post-pandemic pride”. Nurses provided patient care amidst challenging environments of limited to no resources, with extensive, large-scale critically ill patients, and patient deaths. Due to overwhelming patient care demands, nurses were unable to provide safe patient care to everyone in need, resulting in patient deterioration and death. These experiences caused nurses to endure maladaptive mental effects, such as compassion fatigue and moral suffering, which can threaten the safety of patients. Despite these undesirable results, nurses continued to provide patient care and expressed feelings of pride in the profession of nursing for surviving the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this study demonstrates the persistent impacts on nurses’ abilities to provide safe care after the crisis years. Support for nurses is recommended to preserve patient safety.

The global transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in over 677 million infections and 6.88 million tragic deaths worldwide as of March 10th, 2023. During the pandemic, the ability to effectively combat SARS-CoV-2 had been hindered by the lack of rapid, reliable, and cost-effective testing platforms for readily screening patients, discerning incubation stages, and accounting for variants. The limited knowledge of the viral pathogenesis further hindered rapid diagnosis and long-term clinical management of this complex disease. While effective in the short term, measures such as social distancing and lockdowns have resulted in devastating economic loss, in addition to material and psychological hardships. Therefore, successfully reopening society during a pandemic depends on frequent, reliable testing, which can result in the timely isolation of highly infectious cases before they spread or become contagious. Viral loads, and consequently an individual's infectiousness, change throughout the progression of the illness. These dynamics necessitate frequent testing to identify when an infected individual can safely interact with non-infected individuals. Thus, scalable, accurate, and rapid serial testing is a cornerstone of an effective pandemic response, a prerequisite for safely reopening society, and invaluable for early containment of epidemics. Given the significant challenges posed by the pandemic, the power of artificial intelligence (AI) can be harnessed to create new diagnostic methods and be used in conjunction with serial tests. With increasing utilization of at-home lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) tests, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have consistently raised concerns about a potential underreporting of actual SARS-CoV-2-positive cases. When AI is paired with serial tests, it could instantly notify, automatically quantify, aid in real-time contact tracing, and assist in isolating infected individuals. Moreover, the computer vision-assisted methodology can help objectively diagnose conditions, especially in cases where subjective LFIA tests are employed. Recent advances in the interdisciplinary scientific fields of machine learning and biomedical engineering support a unique opportunity to design AI-based strategies for pandemic preparation and response. Deep learning algorithms are transforming the interpretation and analysis of image data when used in conjunction with biomedical imaging modalities such as MRI, Xray, CT scans, confocal microscopes, etc. These advances have enabled researchers to carry out real-time viral infection diagnostics that were previously thought to be impossible. The objective of this thesis is to use SARS-CoV-2 as a model virus and investigate the potential of applying multi-class instance segmentation deep learning and other machine learning strategies to build pandemic preparedness for rapid, in-depth, and longitudinal diagnostic platforms. This thesis encompasses three research tasks: 1) computer vision-assisted rapid serial testing, 2) infected cell phenotyping, and 3) diagnosing the long-term consequences of infection (i.e., long-term COVID). The objective of Task 1 is to leverage the power of AI, in conjunction with smartphones, to rapidly and simultaneously diagnose COVID-19 infections for millions of people across the globe. AI not only makes it possible for rapid and simultaneous screenings of millions but can also aid in the identification and contact tracing of individuals who may be carriers of the virus. The technology could be used, for example, in university settings to manage the entry of students into university buildings, ensuring that only students who test negative for the virus are allowed within campus premises, while students who test positive are placed in quarantine until they recover. The technology could also be used in settings where strict adherence to COVID-19 prevention protocols is compromised, for example, in an Emergency Room. This technology could also help with CDC’s concern on growing incidences of underreporting positive COVID-19 cases with growing utilization of at-home LFIA tests. AI can address issues that arise from relying solely on the visual interpretation of LFIA tests to make accurate diagnoses. One problem is that LFIA test results may be subjective or ambiguous, especially when the test line of the LFIA displays faint color, indicating a low analyte abundance. Therefore, reaching a decisive conclusion regarding the patient's diagnosis becomes challenging. Additionally, the inclusion of a secondary source for verifying the test results could potentially increase the test's cost, as it may require the purchase of complementary electronic gadgets. To address these issues, our innovation would be accurately calibrated with appropriate sensitivity markers, ensuring increased accuracy of the diagnostic test and rapid acquisition of test results from the simultaneous classification of millions of LFIA tests as either positive or negative. Furthermore, the designed network architecture can be utilized to detect other LFIA-based tests, such as early pregnancy detection, HIV LFIA detection, and LFIA-based detection of other viruses. Such minute advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence can be leveraged on many different scales and at various levels to revolutionize the health sector. The motivating purpose of Task 2 is to design a highly accurate instance segmentation network architecture not only for the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infected cells but also one that yields the highest possible segmentation accuracy for all applications in biomedical sciences. For example, the designed network architecture can be utilized to analyze macrophages, stem cells, and other types of cells. Task 3 focuses on conducting studies that were previously considered computationally impossible. The invention will assist medical researchers and dentists in automatically calculating alveolar crest height (ACH) in teeth using over 500 dental Xrays. This will help determine if patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by a positive PCR test exhibited more alveolar bone loss and had greater bone loss in the two years preceding their COVID-positive test when compared to a control group without a positive COVID-19 test. The contraction of periodontal disease results in higher levels of transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) within the buccal cavity, which is instrumental in enabling the entry of SARS-CoV-2. Gum inflammation, a symptom of periodontal disease, can lead to alterations in the ACH of teeth within the oral mucosa. Through this innovation, we can calculate ACHs of various teeth and, therefore, determine the correlation between ACH and the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Without the invention, extensive manpower and time would be required to make such calculations and gather data for further research into the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as other related biological phenomena within the human body. Furthermore, the novel network framework can be modified and used to calculate dental caries and other periodontal diseases of interest.

This thesis project explores how interactive technologies can facilitate a sense of social connectedness with others whilst remotely located. While studying the way humans use rituals for emotional management, I focused my interest on the act of commensality because it is one of the oldest and most important rituals used to foster togetherness among families and groups of friends. Dining with people who do not belong to the same household is of course hard during a global pandemic, just like many of the other forms of social interactions that were forcibly replaced by the use of technological means such as video-chat apps, instant messaging and perhaps an excessive use of social networking websites. These ways of staying connected, however, lack the subtleties of real physical interaction, which I tried to replicate with my prototype system, which consists of two sets of a lamp and a coaster which enable to communicate through light and tactile cues. The use of such devices creates a new kind of ritual based on the simultaneous use of the devices by two people, thus enabling a new and original form of commensality that happens through a shared synchronized experience.

Covid-19 pandemin skapade många begränsningar i det fysiska mötet för företag i Sverige. Problematiken för de företag som inte kunde erbjuda sin produkt på samma sätt digitalt var det som skapade ett intresse att genomföra denna studie. Många företag fick göra ett skifte och fokusera mer på de digitala verktygen under den här tiden. Därför valde gruppen att fördjupa sig i hur företag på Instagram arbetar med sitt innehåll för att skapa engagemang. Frågorna som besvarades togs fram med syftet att skapa en uppfattning kring vilken av de tre framtagna inläggs kategorierna som skapar högst engagemang, rationella inlägg, interaktionella inlägg eller transaktionella inlägg. Samt hur innehållet på Instagram kan förändras beroende på om det fysiska mötet är begränsat eller ej.En kvalitativ fallstudie på Liseberg genomfördes i form av dokumentanalys på företagets Instagramkonto. Resultatet kopplades därefter samman med den tidigare forskningen inom engagemang, digital marknadsföring, sociala medier marknadsföringsstrategi och Social Exchange Theory. Studien är avgränsad till att endast mäta engagemang baserat på gilla-markeringar och kommentarer. Vikten av att ett företag behöver engagemang för att vara konkurrenskraftiga klarläggs samt relevans att företag finns på sociala medier. Resultatet visade att de transaktionella inläggen hade betydligt högst engagemang, men även att de interaktionella inläggen skapade högt engagemang. Förslagsvis borde företag under perioderna de har nedstängt fokusera just på dessa två kategorier som uppmanar till att skapa engagemang i form av gilla-markeringar och kommentarer. Studien visade också hur Liseberg anpassade mängden samt innehållet av deras inlägg under de olika perioderna för att hålla sig aktuella med vad besökarna efterfrågade. Studien är skriven på svenska. / Covid-19 pandemic created a lot of limitations for companies when it came to the physical meeting. The problem that occurred when companies no longer were able to offer their product in reality created an interest in this study. Many companies had to make a shift and focus more on digital tools during this time. Therefore, this group chose to dive into how a company on Instagram works with their content to create engagement. The questions that were answered were developed with the aim of creating knowledge about which of the three developed post categories create the highest engagement, rational posts, interactional posts or transactional posts. As well as how the content on Instagram may change depending on whether the physical meeting is limited or not.A qualitative case study on the amusement park Liseberg was carried out in the form of document analysis on @Lisebergab Instagram. The result was then connected with the previous research on engagement, digital marketing, social media marketing strategy and the Social Exchange Theory. The study is limited to only measuring engagement based on likes and comments. The importance of companies needing engagement to be competitive is clarified, as well as the relevance of companies being on social media. The transactional posts received the highest engagement, but it was also shown that it is not financially sustainable to focus on this too much.The results showed that transactional posts had the highest engagement, but also that interactive posts created high engagement. It is suggested that companies during periods of shutdown should focus on these two categories that encourage engagement in the form of likes and comments. This study also showed how Liseberg adapted the amount and content of their posts during different periods to stay current with what visitors demanded from the company. Following will this paper be written in swedish.

The phenomenon of educational inequality on access to physical resources in the Highveld Ridge East Circuit of Mpumalanga was investigated in the study. Since the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic had affected education on a global scale, South Africa included, it became necessary to incorporate this new development into the emerging design that unfolded. The study explored the impact of access to physical resources in three public schools. The aim of the investigation was to ascertain how educational disparities on access to physical resources manifested at the chosen research sites, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative research approach was utilised comprising of a multiple case study design. The study reported how the principal and deputy principals viewed educational inequality on access to physical resources from a management perspective, while educators provided insight on the effect of this phenomenon on the teaching and learning process. Observations, individual interviews involving the principal and deputy principals as participants, and focus group interviews involving the teachers, as well as the scrutiny of relevant official documents provided the empirical data for this investigation. All research participants were purposively selected, as a full staff complement was unavailable at the research sites during the pandemic. The results that emerged from the study indicated that educational inequality was prevalent in these public schools. The dearth of resources, and in some instances basic essential resources, had a marked impact on the management as well as the teachers and students at these schools. A significant point to consider was how ill-equipped the public schools in this area were to deal with education during a global pandemic. The backlog of the inequities on access to physical resources needed to be addressed as a matter of dire urgency if the country had any hope of salvaging the education process even at the most basic level. The recommendations in the conclusion of the study are desperate pleas for help in assisting the country, especially the previously marginalised, to move forward in the worst of times. / Educational Management and Leadership / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Выпускная квалификационная работа состоит из трёх глав и заключения. Объем работы составляет 123 страница. Темой диссертационной работы «Факторы повышения конкурентоспособности международных компаний в современных условиях». Исследование является актуальным, так как энергетика находится на этапе всеобщего перехода к возобновляемым источникам энергии. Enel глобализирует распространение новых технологий и нуждаются в иностранных инвестициях стран потенциального будущего присутствия. Целью выпускной квалификационной работы является разработка рекомендаций для компании, находящейся в стадии подготовки к привлечению иностранных инвесторов. Объектом научно-исследовательской работы является итальянская энергетическая компания Enel s.p.a. Предметом – особенности стратегического планирования компании энергетической отрасли. Проведена оценка энергетической отрасли в ситуации пандемии COVID-19. Высказаны предположения по поводу последствий влияния пандемии на рынок энергетики. Описаны особенности деятельности компании-объекта, организационная структура, а также риски и корпоративное управление. Проведена оценка основных производственноэкономических показателей̆компании, а также оценка стоимости компании. Далее проведен анализ рынка конкурентов путем оценки результатов деятельности четырех основных конкурентов. Проведена оценка позиции Enel S.P.A на энергетическом рынке на основании положения крупнейших конкурентов. Разработана стратегия повышения инвестиционного потенциала международной энергетической компании. Проанализирована эффективность деятельности компании путем выявления рисков. Привлечены такие методы, как «Three Pillars of Electricity industry sustainability», The 3A Framework», SWOT анализ. Далее проведена оценка глобальной деятельности компании путем вычисления Индекса транснациональности. Выявлены аспекты ключевой стратегии Enel. Завершающей частью работы стало разработка рекомендаций для повышения возможности трансформации внутренней̆ среды Enel S.P.A. в целях повышения привлекательности общества в свете интересов иностранных инвесторов. / The study is relevant, as the energy sector is at the stage of universal transition to renewable energy sources. Enel is globalizing the spread of new technologies and needs foreign investment from countries with a potential future presence. The purpose of the final qualification work is to develop recommendations for a company that is in the process of preparing to attract foreign investors. The object of the research work is the Italian energy company Enel s. p.a. The subject is the peculiarities of strategic planning of the company in the energy industry. An assessment of the energy industry in the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic was carried out. Suggestions have been made about the impact of the pandemic on the energy market. The features of the target company's activity, organizational structure, as well as risks and corporate governance are described. The assessment of the main production and economic indicators of the company, as well as the assessment of the company's value, was carried out. Further, the analysis of the competitors ' market is carried out by evaluating the performance of the four main competitors. The assessment of Enel S. P. A's position in the energy market is based on the position of its largest competitors. A strategy has been developed to increase the investment potential of an international energy company. The effectiveness of the company's activities is analyzed by identifying risks. Methods such as "Three Pillars of Electricity industry sustainability", The 3A Framework", SWOT analysis are involved. Further, the assessment of the global activity of the company is carried out by calculating the Index of transnationality. Aspects of Enel's key strategy are identified. The final part of the work was the development of recommendations to increase the possibility of transforming the internal environment of Enel S. P. A. in order to increase the attractiveness of the company in the light of the interests of foreign investors.