Corporate governance models segregate the role of risk manager and risk taker to allow for independent challenge of risk-related decisions. Numerous studies have demonstrated that broad personality traits predict risk-related behaviour. While prospect theory revealed a natural preference towards risk-taking in a negative risk frame, studies have also shown the influence of personality traits on risk preference. We investigated the less reported subject of the potential influence of risk stakeholder personality on risk decision making in the corporate environment. We expected to observe that the personality traits of risk takers and risk managers will differ as a consequence of occupational self-selection. Further, we expected that such personality differences will produce disparate risk preferences between risk takers and risk managers, supporting the governance expectation of independent challenge of risk-related decisions. A sample of investment banking risk stakeholders (n = 100) completed the HEXACO–PI–R as well as a vignette-based risky choice questionnaire involving positively and negatively framed financial risk scenarios. We found homogeneity in personality traits between risk takers and risk managers but observed a noticeable bias toward risk-taking in the negative frame by risk managers. High Honesty–Humility and Conscientiousness scores in both groups may negate the risk of irresponsible risk-taking or undesirable risk behaviour. The results of this study confirm the importance of personality screening for job applicants and should also alert risk practitioners to potential weaknesses in the independent challenge of risk-related decisions as a result of personality homogeneity among risk stakeholders.

Corporate governance models segregate the role of risk manager and risk taker to allow for independent challenge of risk-related decisions. Numerous studies have demonstrated that broad personality traits predict risk-related behaviour. While prospect theory revealed a natural preference towards risk-taking in a negative risk frame, studies have also shown the influence of personality traits on risk preference. We investigated the less reported subject of the potential influence of risk stakeholder personality on risk decision making in the corporate environment. We expected to observe that the personality traits of risk takers and risk managers will differ as a consequence of occupational self-selection. Further, we expected that such personality differences will produce disparate risk preferences between risk takers and risk managers, supporting the governance expectation of independent challenge of risk-related decisions. A sample of investment banking risk stakeholders (n = 100) completed the HEXACO–PI–R as well as a vignette-based risky choice questionnaire involving positively and negatively framed financial risk scenarios. We found homogeneity in personality traits between risk takers and risk managers but observed a noticeable bias toward risk-taking in the negative frame by risk managers. High Honesty–Humility and Conscientiousness scores in both groups may negate the risk of irresponsible risk-taking or undesirable risk behaviour. The results of this study confirm the importance of personality screening for job applicants and should also alert risk practitioners to potential weaknesses in the independent challenge of risk-related decisions as a result of personality homogeneity among risk stakeholders.

Syfte. Denna studie undersöker om socialsekreterares bedömningar av ungdomar som begått brott skiljer sig åt i relation till ungdomens kön. Studien är avgränsad till att innefatta unga lagöverträdare och huruvida de har behov av fortsatt kontakt med socialtjänsten efter att påföljden är genomförd. Studiens teoretiska referensram är baserad på socialkonstruktionism samt genusteori.    Metod. En kvantitativ metod ligger till grund för studien. Två enkäter innehållandes två vinjetter vardera utformades och skickades ut via mejl till socialsekreterare verksamma i mellersta Sverige. Enkäterna skiljer sig åt i ett avseende - hälften av respondenterna har fått en enkät som består av två vinjetter där ungdomarna har flicknamn, och de resterande respondenterna har fått en enkät där vinjetterna innefattar pojknamn. Förutom namnen är vinjetterna identiska.   Resultat. Svaren som enkäterna genererade visar inte några signifikanta skillnader kring socialsekreterares bedömningar i relation till kön, varken sett till oro, lämplig insats eller skydds- och riskfaktorer.   Slutsats. Utifrån respondenternas svar har det inte varit möjligt att utläsa några skillnader mellan ungdomarnas kön. Dock går det inte utesluta förekommandet av könsskillnader inom socialtjänstens arbete med ungdomar då studiens resultat enbart är baserat på de resultat som genererats utifrån vinjetterna. Detta innebär att svaren kanske inte hade blivit desamma i verkligheten. / Aim. This study examines differences in social workers’ assessments of youths in relation to gender and whether they have the need for continued contact with the social services after the sentence is completed. The theoretical framework of this study is based on social constructionism and gender theory.   Method. This study was carried out using a quantitative method. Two surveys consisting of two vignettes each was constructed and sent by email to social workers in central Sweden. The surveys differed in only one aspect - half of the respondents received a survey consisting two vignettes in which the youths had girl names, and the other half received a survey consisting vignettes with boy names. Hence, the surveys were constructed to be differentiated by gender.   Results. The analysis of the responses generated revealed no significant differences regarding social workers’ assessments in relation to gender - not for concern, intervention or protective- and risk factors.   Conclusion. The study’s result has not detected any differences between the two genders included in the survey. However, it is not tenable to exclude gender differences in social work with youth as the results of this study are not fully generalizable, due to the choice of method. The answers might have differed if it was real cases.

Studiens syfte är att beskriva och analysera lärares och fältassistenters syn på sina egna och varandras roller och arbetsuppgifter i arbetet med socialt utsatta barn, samt samverkan kring dessa barn. Vi har valt att utgå från två frågeställningar: (1) vilka uppfattningar har yrkesgrupperna gällande arbetet med socialt utsatta barn och vilka likheter och skillnader finns? och (2) vilka uppfattningar har yrkesgrupperna gällande det arbete som kan ske i samverkan och vilka likheter och skillnader finns? För att bringa klarhet i dessa frågor gick vi ut till 10 respondenter, fem från varje yrkesgrupp som fick läsa en vinjett och sedan svara på 7 frågor som gav oss ett datamaterial som vi använde till att besvara dessa frågeställningar. Alla respondenter som vi gått ut till valde att delta i studien, men en respondent lämnade inte svar inom den avsatta tiden. Vi har tagit oss an frågeställningarna genom att koda och kategorisera svaren vilka sedan analyserats med hjälp av den sociala representationsteorin. Dessa svar sattes i kontext med hjälp av bakgrundsinformation som vi inhämtat från ett antal olika källor för att få en större förståelse för vårt problemområde. Inom ramen av denna studie har respondenterna haft möjlighet att ge sin syn både på sitt eget och andras arbete med socialt utsatta barn, samt sin syn på samverkan som ska ske mellan verksamheter när situationen kräver. Denna studie visar att det saknas en organiserad samverkan mellan lärare och fältassistenter. Respondenterna är enhälligt positivt inställda till samverkan i allmänhet, men det finns ingen plattform för samverkan mellan dessa yrkesgrupper. Lärare anser att det är så det bör vara, eftersom de arbetar och samverkar med skolans elevhälsa och i allvarligare fall socialtjänsten. Fältassistenter ger inte uttryck för ett önskat tillstånd för samverkan mellan sig själva och lärare, men konstaterar att det inte förekommer någon organiserad samverkan, och att den samverkan som finns med elevhälsa inte är så omfattande. Slutsatser som kan dras från detta är att det finns möjligheter att samverka inom skolan med socialtjänstens fältassistenter, men att möjligheterna är limiterade i dagsläget. / The aim of this study is to describe and analyze the difference in perspectives between teachers and field workers, in terms of their own and each other’s roles in work respectively, but also in terms of cooperation concerning children in the common arena of schools.We have chosen to assume the following questions: (1) Which perceptions do the occupational groups have regarding work for socially disadvantaged children and what similarities and differences exist? And, (2) which perceptions do the occupational groups have regarding work that can be done in collaboration and what similarities and differences exist? To clarify these issues a total of ten respondents were contacted, five from each professional group, and a total of 9 responses were recieved. The respondents were presented a vignette and asked to answer seven questions associated with it. The main questions of this study were addressed by coding and categorizing the answers gathered, which were later analyzed using the theory of social representations.These answers were put in context using background information we obtained from a number of sources to gain a better understanding of our research problem. Within this study, respondents have had the opportunity to give their views on their own and others' work with socially disadvantaged children, as well as their views on cooperation that takes place between the two occupational groups when it is required. This study concludes that, although respondents are positive regarding cooperation in general, there is no formal platform for cooperation between the two professions. Teachers express that they are satisfied with the established system where they cooperate with the school health services and, in more severe cases, directly with social services. Field workers do not express a desired state of cooperation between themselves and teachers, but note that there is no organized collaboration between the two, and that their interaction with school health services is not extensive. Further conclusions that can be deduced are that there are opportunities for field workers to cooperate with teachers, however these opportunities are organizationally limited.

Background. Intimate partner violence is a recognized public health issue, in which violence in same-sex relationships is included. Despite intimate partner violence in same-sex relationships being a somewhat growing area of research, we are still lacking knowledge about this problem.Aim. The overall aim was to investigate how Swedish police students perceive intimate partner violence in same-sex relationships.Method. 248 police students (69% males and 31% females) who were currently enrolled in the police education in Växjö read a vignette and answered a questionnaire. The vignettes portrayed an intimate relationship between two people and were available in four versions with the sex of the offender and victim being alternated. The questionnaire consisted of the instrument Opinions of Domestic Violence Scale, and additional questions constructed for this study. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used to make comparisons between groups.Results. Same-sex IPV was perceived as less serious than victimization of a heterosexual female, but the case with a same-sex relationship with a female victim was perceived as more serious than victimization of a heterosexual male. Police intervention was not found to be needed to the same extent in the cases of same-sex IPV as in the case with a heterosexual female victim.Discussion. The perceptions of same-sex IPV as less serious and not in as much need of police intervention as a case involving a heterosexual female victim, may have implications for how these victims are handled by the police. The perceptions of who constitutes a true victim of intimate partner violence may be of importance when decisions are made by police officers.

This study aims to describe and analyze how organizational requirements affect social workers in their work with child investigations in four municipalities in southern Sweden. We used focus groups interviews as a method and gathered data from four groups of 3-4 social workers. Once groups were established we presented the participants with a vignette study, and ended every session with general questions about different organizational requirements and how they affect their work. In the study we wanted to answer two questions: 1. How do the social workers describe different organizational requirements affecting their work with child welfare investigations? 2. How do the social workers work to meet the organizational requirements? To analyze the results we used Lipsky’s definition of discretion, grassroot-bureaucrats and people-processing organizations. The results from the focus group interviews was analyzed and showed that economical restrictions and documentational work were two major organizational requirements that the social workers were affected by. These components are a part of New Public Management (NPM) that is a management method that aim to make organizations work more effectively. Our results showed that the social workers had some economical restrictions regarding the range of efforts to offer a family due to the savings requirements that existed in the municipalities. The results also showed that the social workers experiences that they had a workload too high for their resources sometimes. Because of this, the social workers had developed strategies to cope with documentation requirements.

Uppsatsen syftade till att undersöka vilket handlingsutrymme socialtjänstens handläggare i en mindre kommun har vid utredning av insatsen boendestöd. Sju informanter, två stycken enhetschefer och fem stycken handläggare, från två enheter deltog i en intervjustudie kompletterad med tre stycken vinjettfall. En av enheterna arbetar gentemot beroende och den andra mot socialpsykiatri. I resultatet framkom en viss skillnad i hur enheternas personal förklarar och beskriver sitt handlingsutrymme. I den aktuella kommunen saknas lokala riktlinjer för insatsen boendestöd vilket påverkar handläggarnas handlingsutrymme och handlingsfrihet på flera sätt enligt informanterna. Några informanter känner sig begränsade i sitt arbete på grund av avsaknaden av lokala riktlinjer medan andra ger intryck av att känna sig friare i sitt arbete. För att beviljas boendestöd från socialpsykiatrin krävs en längre tids kontakt med psykiatrin, medan det inte krävs någon dokumentation gällande ett missbruks varaktighet för att beviljas boendestöd från beroende.

Uppsatsen syftade till att undersöka hur olika socialsekreterare resonerade i sina bedömningar inom ekonomiskt bistånd samt hur socialsekreterarna uppfattade och tillämpade sitt handlingsutrymme. Fem socialsekreterare intervjuades i en kvalitativ intervjustudie där även två vinjettfall ingick. Resultatet påvisade viss variation i resonemang och bedömningar samt att tid, ärendebelastning och samverkan med andra myndigheter enligt socialsekreterarna hade störst inverkan på deras handlingsutrymme. Resultatet motsade en del tidigare forskning, genom att organisatoriska kontrollmekanismer inom socialt arbete även kan upplevas som positivt för socialarbetarnas handlingsutrymme. Generellt sett kände sig majoriteten av socialsekreterare tämligen fria i sin yrkesutövning. Skillnader i socialsekreterarnas resonemang analyserades samt diskuterades. Vissa socialsekreterare tillämpade ett tämligen byråkratiskt förhållningssätt gentemot klienter och deras ansökningar, medan andra socialsekreterare fokuserade på alliansbyggande i sina bedömningar och resonemang. Utrymmet för socialsekreterarna att själva välja vilket förhållningssätt de önskade inta föreföll vara stort. / The aim of the study was to examine how social workers working with income support reasoned in their assessments and to examine how they perceived and applied their discretion. Five social workers were interviewed in a qualitative study, which also included two vignettes. Results showed that reasoning and assessments varied to some extent. The social workers described time, caseload and collaboration with other authorities as challenges, limiting their discretion. The results contradicted some previous research, as the social workers described positive aspects of organisational control mechanisms in relation to discretion. Generally they all felt rather free in the exercise of their profession. Differences in social workers reasoning were analysed and discussed. Some social workers applied a rather bureaucratic approach regarding clients, whilst others focused more on alliance building in their assessments. There seemed to be room to choose which approach to take depending on the social worker’s perception of the situation.

<p>Denna studie syftar till att granska variationer i bedömningar och beslut om ekonomiskt bistånd utifrån vilken betydelse den enskilda organisationens riktlinjer har för dessa. Utifrån syftet, och med stöd av tidigare forskning på området, valdes vinjettstudien som metod. Ett identiskt typfall, gällande en fiktiv ansökan om ekonomiskt bistånd, skickades ut till samtliga kommuner i Västra Götalands län, med undantag för Göteborgs kommun. Vinjetten riktades till socialsekreterare som i sin vardag arbetar med handläggning av ekonomiskt bistånd och totalt erhölls svar från 16 olika kommuner. Resultatet påvisar stora skillnader i både bedömningar och beslut mellan de olika kommunerna vilket verifierar de tidigare studier som gjorts. Trots att samtliga kommuner finner stöd för sina motiveringar i lag och allmänna råd framgår det av resultatet att dessa har tolkats på olika sätt. Eftersom respondenterna ombads att motivera sina bedömningar och beslut utifrån kommunens lokala riktlinjer och direktiv tros dessa också ligga till grund för de variationer som uppstått. Detta gör att den kommunala självstyrelsen kan problematiseras ur ett rättssäkerhetsperspektiv. En diskussion förs om huruvida en ökad detaljstyrning skulle kunna bidra till en ökad rättsäkerhet, men också vilka konsekvenser en sådan rättslig reglering skulle kunna innebära för det sociala arbetet som profession.</p> / <p>This study aims to examine variations in assessments and decisions on financial assistance based on the significance of the local guidelines for these. According to the purpose, and with support by previous research in the field, a vignette study was chosen as a method. An identical scenario, reflecting an application for financial assistance, was sent to all municipalities in Västra Götaland County, with the exception of the municipality of Gothenburg. The vignette was addressed to social workers who are working daily with processing of economic assistance. Totaly was responses from 16 different municipalities received. The results demonstrate significant differences in both assessments and decisions between the various municipalities, which verifies the previous studies performed. Despite the fact that all the municipalities found support for their justification in law and general guidance, it appear in the results that they have been interpreted in different ways. Since the respondents were asked to base their judgments and decisions on the local guidelines, it is believed that these also form the basis of the variations encountered. Because of the big variations between municipalities a problematisation of the legal security can be made. A final discussion is made about wether an increased legal regulation could contribute to a greater legal security, but also what implications of such a regulation could mean for the social work as a profession.</p>

Denna studie syftar till att granska variationer i bedömningar och beslut om ekonomiskt bistånd utifrån vilken betydelse den enskilda organisationens riktlinjer har för dessa. Utifrån syftet, och med stöd av tidigare forskning på området, valdes vinjettstudien som metod. Ett identiskt typfall, gällande en fiktiv ansökan om ekonomiskt bistånd, skickades ut till samtliga kommuner i Västra Götalands län, med undantag för Göteborgs kommun. Vinjetten riktades till socialsekreterare som i sin vardag arbetar med handläggning av ekonomiskt bistånd och totalt erhölls svar från 16 olika kommuner. Resultatet påvisar stora skillnader i både bedömningar och beslut mellan de olika kommunerna vilket verifierar de tidigare studier som gjorts. Trots att samtliga kommuner finner stöd för sina motiveringar i lag och allmänna råd framgår det av resultatet att dessa har tolkats på olika sätt. Eftersom respondenterna ombads att motivera sina bedömningar och beslut utifrån kommunens lokala riktlinjer och direktiv tros dessa också ligga till grund för de variationer som uppstått. Detta gör att den kommunala självstyrelsen kan problematiseras ur ett rättssäkerhetsperspektiv. En diskussion förs om huruvida en ökad detaljstyrning skulle kunna bidra till en ökad rättsäkerhet, men också vilka konsekvenser en sådan rättslig reglering skulle kunna innebära för det sociala arbetet som profession. / This study aims to examine variations in assessments and decisions on financial assistance based on the significance of the local guidelines for these. According to the purpose, and with support by previous research in the field, a vignette study was chosen as a method. An identical scenario, reflecting an application for financial assistance, was sent to all municipalities in Västra Götaland County, with the exception of the municipality of Gothenburg. The vignette was addressed to social workers who are working daily with processing of economic assistance. Totaly was responses from 16 different municipalities received. The results demonstrate significant differences in both assessments and decisions between the various municipalities, which verifies the previous studies performed. Despite the fact that all the municipalities found support for their justification in law and general guidance, it appear in the results that they have been interpreted in different ways. Since the respondents were asked to base their judgments and decisions on the local guidelines, it is believed that these also form the basis of the variations encountered. Because of the big variations between municipalities a problematisation of the legal security can be made. A final discussion is made about wether an increased legal regulation could contribute to a greater legal security, but also what implications of such a regulation could mean for the social work as a profession.