Since the effects caused by drugs and criminality puts a strain on society's resources it is important to find ways of preventing individuals from starting these behaviours and to find out how people who already developed them, are able to desist from them. The processes that cause life to take positive or negative turns are very complex and hard to understand. The best way of exploring these processes were by asking the people who have experienced them to explain their perception of them. If recurring factors between these processes could be found, it could be of great meaning for the development of new treatment methods. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine if there were recurring factors in the individual negative and positive turning point processes of people recovering from criminality and substance abuse, by analysing the participants own life stories. A narrative approach was chosen and the sample consisted of members from the local KRIS organization, who all had a history of criminal behaviour and drug addiction. The data collection was conducted through narrative interview method and a holistic-content method was used in the analysis together with an application of the Age-graded theory of informal social control on the results. The study found that there were different sorts of connections between the processes, but that these were individually formed after each person's own life-course. The negative turning point processes showed more similarities between the participants than the positive turning point processes. The conclusion was that attachments to family and the social context one chooses to be a part of, were recurring factors which had important effects on both the negative and the positive turning point process. Informal social control through attachments to society and family seemed to affect criminality and the use of drugs in general. / <p>2017-06-01</p>

The aim of this thesis is to estimate monthly probability that the Czech economy is in a recession. For this purpose, I construct indexes of coincident and leading variables from multiple time series by Maximum Likelihood. Changes in coincident index are preceded by changes in the leading index by almost one year for peaks and about one month for troughs on average. To assess the probability of recession, I estimate multiple mixture models for growth rates of coincident index focusing on Markov-Switching specification for the latent business cycle process. I found that the two-state Markov-Switching AR (1) is superior to other models based on information criteria. Lagged values of leading index further improve the model fit but the model provides less clear signals of recessions compared to models based solely on coincident index.

abstract: When consumers find that something critically out of the ordinary has occurred, they direct attention to evaluate such a critical incident more closely. The results of this evaluation may put consumers on a switching path or it might lead them to engage in unfavorable behaviors from the perspective of the organization, such as engaging in negative word-or-mouth online. The negative consequences of some product (goods or services) failures go beyond simple product attribute defects, leading customers to terminate the relationship with the organization. This dissertation, which is composed of three essays, investigates how consumers engage in negative word-of-mouth on social media channels in response to their various product failures and explores an important relationship event of betrayal, which can be triggered by certain product failures. It investigates how betrayal is perceived by customers and influences a range of their behaviors across business-to-consumer and business-to-business contexts. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Business Administration 2019

This bachelor thesis focuses on literary depictions of personal experiences of living as non-British in the UK following the referendum on leaving the European Union in 2016. The purpose of the thesis is to analyze what Brexit as a phenomena does with individuals’ views of themselves and the society in which they live. The thesis rests upon a hypothesis that Brexit will affect both subjective notions of one's identity and ideas about the individual's role in a social community. However, the question remains how this can be expressed in literary form? In order to answer this question, two autobiographical books written in Italian are reviewed. These are La Mia Brexit by the comedian Francesco De Carlo and Brexit Blues by the journalist Marco Varvello. As mentioned, the focus is on analyzing the relationship between Brexit and the main characters' ideas about identity and social community. An attempt is also made to interpret the texts using the narrative concept of Turning points, with the aim of studying whether Brexit can be likened to this in the two books. The main conclusion of the thesis revolves around the concept of uncertainty, in which Brexit as a phenomenon mainly contributes to various uncertainties in the characters' views on identity and community. It is also noted that Brexit can be likened to narrative turning point, but that the characters in the books are uncertain what this turning point means.

Vi undersökte i denna uppsats substansmissbrukares erfarenhet av vändpunkter. Bakgrunden till detta är att vi ville se om specifika vändpunkter kunde användas i preventionsbyggande syfte för att förhindra att individer hamnar i ett missbruk. Detta gjorde vi genom en kvalitativ undersökning med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Vårt urval bestod av fem individer som alla hade haft ett substansmissbruk men som lyckats upprätthålla en drogfrihet under olika långa perioder fram till idag. Intervjuerna genomfördes digitalt via Teams på grund av den pågående pandemin. Vi delar upp empirin från intervjuerna utifrån fyra ämnesområden. Dessa är Vägen in i missbruk, Det aktiva missbruket, Vändpunkter och vägen ut ur missbruket samt Upprätthållandet av drogfriheten. I resultatet framkom det att vändpunkter är betydelsefullt, men att det är individuellt hur stor påverkan som vändpunkterna har på individerna. Det finns alltså ingen specifik vändpunkt som gör att en individ upprätthåller sin drogfrihet eller som kan förebygga början på ett missbruk. Vändpunkterna startar dock ett förändringsarbete hos individen och med hjälp av resurser i samhället kan en rehabilitering påbörjas.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka deltagarnas självbeskrivna vändpunkter som möjliggjort upphörandet från kriminalitet och droger, samt vilka faktorer som beskrivits som centrala i upprätthållandet av den nya livsstilen. Studien har baserats på sex intervjuer med personer som tidigare levt ett kriminellt liv. Vändpunkterna har beskrivits som en individuell kombination av en romantisk relation till en partner, brutna sociala band till viktiga närstående (exempelvis barn eller föräldrar), upplevd skadlig hälsopåverkan, anhopning av konsekvenser, personlig mognad och en nyfunnen gudstro. Upprätthållandet har beskrivits som framgångsrikt genom att deltagarna kontinuerligt utvärderat sin situation och arbetat på att bibehålla sin nya identitet. Detta har bland annat möjliggjorts genom att underhålla nya, sunda relationer; att ha en stimulerande arbetssituation; samt att vara goda förebilder, föräldrar och partners. Alla i gruppen lever idag i tolvstegsprogrammet, vilket de är övertygade om bidrar till en bestående förändring och en kontinuerlig personlig utveckling. / The purpose of this study has been to examine the participants’ self-described turning points that has enabled desistance from criminality and drugs, together with what factors described as central in the persistence of their new lifestyle. The study was based on interviews with six former offenders. The turning points were described as a unique combination of a romantic relationship to a partner, broken social bonds to important relatives, perceived adverse health effects, accumulation of consequences, personal maturity, and a newfound faith in God. The persistence were described as successful by continuously evaluating their situation and working to maintain their new identity. This was done by maintaining new, healthy relationships; a stimulating work situation; and being good role models, parents and partners. Everyone in the group is currently living with the twelve step program, since they believe it contributes to a lasting change and a continuous personal development.

Det finns en ojämn fördelning företagsägare i Sverige där andelen är 70% män och 30% kvinnor. Syftet med denna studie är att få en ökad förståelse för kvinnor som är företagsägare. Delvis genom att undersöka faktorer som påverkade kvinnorna att bli företagsägare, och delvis vilka karriärmöjligheter och utmaningar kvinnorna upplevde vid starten av företaget, upplever nu och ser i framtiden. Teoretiska begrepp som används är brytpunkter och livsdesign. Brytpunkter är ett begrepp inom Careership-teorin om karriärbeslut från Hodkinson och Sparkes och livsdesign är ett begrepp från Savickas et al. och innehåller delar av karriärkonstruktion, självkonstruktion och livslång själv-konstruktion. Det finns ett socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv i studien och metoden som har använts är kvalitativ genom narrativa intervjuer. I resultatet kommer fyra teman att presenteras; faktorer som påverkade att bli företagsägare, utmaningar då och nu, karriärmöjligheter då och nu, och utmaningar och karriärmöjligheter i framtiden. Resultatet visar att det finns påtvingande brytpunkter, självinitierande brytpunkter och ibland en kombination av båda inför karriärvalet att bli företagsägare. Vidare visar resultatet att personer oavsett ålder behöver göra övergångar inom arbetslivet och en livsdesign är en förutsättning för att klara sig i en ständigt föränderlig och turbulent arbetsmarknad. Resultatet visar att de flesta kvinnorna har en förälder som är företagsägare och några har även andra personer inom sitt nätverk. Det framkommer även att intervjupersonerna har fått lära sig hantera olika utmaningar och nya aktiviteter inom sitt företagande vilken har stärkt deras självförtroende och har lett till ett ökat självledarskap. De har också behövt hantera att själva skapa arbetstillfällen för att kunna försörja sig, något som är annorlunda från en löneanställning. De lyfter vidare nätverkets betydelse där andra företagsägare ger en kompetenshöjande och stöttande funktion. Samtliga vill fortsätta vara företagsägare trots olika framtidsutmaningar inom klimatomställning och pågående inflation. De ser fortfarande karriärmöjligheter och har olika mål inom sitt företagande i framtiden. / There is an uneven level of business owners in Sweden where the proportion is 70% men and 30% women. The purpose of this study is to gain an increased understanding of women who are business owners. Partly by examining factors that influenced the women to become business owners, and partly what career opportunities and challenges the women experienced at the start of the company, experiencing now and thoughts about the future. Theoretical concepts that are used are turning-points and life-design. Turning-points is a concept within the Careership theory of career decision from Hodkinson and Sparkes and life-design is a concept from Savickas et al. and includes elements of career construction, self-construction, and lifelong self-construction. There is a social constructivist perspective in the study and the method that has been used is qualitative through narrative interviews. In the result four themes will be presented; factors that influenced becoming a business owner, challenges then and now, career opportunities then and now, and challenges and career opportunities in the future. The result shows that there are forced turning-points, self-initiating turning-points and sometimes a combination of both before the career choice of becoming a business owner. Furthermore, the results show that people regardless of age need to do transitions in working life and a life-design is a necessity for coping in a constant changing and turbulent labor market. The result shows that most of the women have a parent who are business owners and some also have other people within their network. It also appears that the women have learned to deal with different challenges and new activities within their business, which has strengthened their self-confidence and has led to increased self-leadership. They have also had to deal with creating job opportunities to make a living, which is different from a salaried employment. They further highlight the importance of the network where other business owners provide an enhancing in competence and supportive function. Everyone wants to continue being business owners despite various future challenges in climate change and ongoing inflation. They still see career opportunities and have different goals in their business in the future.

Syftet med denna undersökning är att öka kunskapen om vuxnas lärande av matematik och att förstå vikten av vändpunkter i lärande av matematik. I detta arbete har berättelser från 29 studerande på två folkhögskolor analyserats med en hermenuetiskt inspirerad metod och ett sociokulturellt perspektiv. Många av de 29 som studerar på allmän linje på två folkhögskolor har ett problematiskt förhållande till lärande av matematik. Många beskriver att de hade bekymmer med matematiklärande redan under grundskolans första år, för vissa leder dessa bekymmer till ohälsa. I denna undersökning framkommer det att det finns tydliga vändpunkter när det gäller lärande av matematik, då ett gammalt mönster kan brytas. Några orsaker till vändpunkter som nämns i berättelserna är: en ny social miljö, en annan typ av undervisning, gemensam stöttning från behandlingshem och klok lärare i skolan, hemundervisning, nyfunnen inlärningsstrategi, avslutat missbruk, inre motivation mm. I samband med vändpunkterna sker en förändring av inställning till matematikämnet eller den egna förmågan, orsakerna till den förändrade inställning kommer inifrån den studerande själv eller utifrån via exempelvis en lärare. Kunskapen om att dessa vändpunkter finns ger hopp och kan underlätta när det gäller att ställa krav på kvalitativa åtgärder när personer hamnar i svåra inlärningssituationer.Nyckelord: berättelser, folkhögskola, matematik, specialpedagogik, vuxnas lärande, vändpunkter. / The purpose of this investigation is to increase the knowledge of adult learning of mathematics and to understand the importance of turning points in the learning of mathematics. In this study interviews from 29 students at two folk high schools (for adult education) have been analyzed using a hermeneutic inspired method. Many of the 29 that study the “general oriented education” at two folk high schools have a problematic relationship toward learning of mathematics. Many describe that they had “problems/concerns/anxiety” with the learning of mathematics already during the first years of elementary school, for some these “problems/concerns/anxiety” lead to illness. In this investigation it is shown that there are clear turning points when it comes to learning of mathematics, when an old pattern can be broken. Some of the reasons for turning points that are mentioned in these interviews are: a new social environment, a different type of education, common support from treatment centers and wise teachers in school, home schooling, newfound learning strategy, ended drug abuse, inner motivation, amongst others. Knowledge that these turning points exist gives hope and can facilitate when it comes to putting “requirements/demands” on qualitative measures when persons end up in difficult learning situations..

This dissertation was centered on how the theory 'turning points' explained African American coaches ascension to Head Football Coach at a NCAA Division I FBS school. This work (1) identified traits and characteristics coaches felt they needed in order to become a head coach and (2) described the significant events and people (turning points) in their lives that have influenced their career. This study employed a Constant Comparative method in which participants answered interview questions designed for them to elaborate on their educational and athletic careers, and those events and people who were major influences in their careers. Commonalities and discords from participant responses resulted in the discovery of five major themes. The themes identified were: Faith, Family, Graduation from college and participation in sport, Joining professional associations, and Previous coaches/administrators worked for/under. The identification and explanation of specific turning points suggest a blueprint for African American assistant coaches aspiring to become a head coach while also providing opportunities for current athletic administrators to increase their attempts at expanding their own networks to include more African Americans as strong candidates for potential open positions for Head Football Coach.

Since the 19th century, industrialization has led people from the countryside to the bigger cities, and Sweden is not an exception. Statistics from 2018 show that for the first time in 30 years, there is an increase in the people whom make the decision to move from the cities to the countryside. And from 2015 to 2018 there has been an increase of 11 000 people in the Swedish countryside. With this in mind, our study is going to explore the central driving forces in returnees; people returning home to the smaller towns in the Swedish countryside. We are also going to analyze how these people relate to the urban norm, with the intention of trying to explain how they identify with their role as returnee, as well as their ex-role they had before making the move home. To answer these two central questions, we have performed ten interviews throughout Sweden in smaller towns considered to be in the Swedish countryside. To analyze our empirical data four central concepts that constitute our theoretical framework have been presented. These concepts are turning points, role exit, social capital and the urban norm. Turning points and role exit is a part of Ebaugh’s theory about the role exit-process. Social capital is a broad theory, in which we have decided to apply the work of Robert D. Putnam and his focus on reciprocity and reliability in social networks. Finally, the urban norm is a theory that mainly explores the normative and hierarchical relation between the cities and the countryside, where the cities are always the norm. Our conclusion is that closeness to family and a sense of security is the most frequent driving force for returnees. There is also a duality in the way interviewees approach their roles as returnees and ex-city inhabitants, where they often keep relating to their past roles and have difficulties relating to their current role in their hometown.