This paper identifies that guest selection at exclusive nightclubs is a brand building process, and that the guests’ primary value to the clubs therefore is the image they bestow on the brand. The paper contributes to theory by providing empirical support for several mechanisms that have previously been stipulated in literature. It validates that companies build brand personality by controlling typical user imagery, and that for self-expressive product categories, negative user stereotypes are particularly powerful. It supports the theory of symbolic brand avoidance, as well as the notion that social rejection encourages people to elevate their perceptions of their rejecters and strengthens their predilection to affiliate with them. For practitioners, the paper shows managers in the hospitality industry that it is possible to build brands by controlling who is allowed to become a brand-user, and under which conditions this applies. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd

The purpose of this article is to investigate whether women’s relatively positive response to obese models is the result of social desirability bias on the part of women rather than deep seated attitudes. 60 university students in Sweden underwent an Implicit Associations Test (IAT) to reveal attitudes towards obese models that the participants were not able or willing to openly express. The study shows that even though women express significantly more positive attitudes towards obese models than men do, women and men display similar implicit negativity towards obese models. The study replicates a previously shown explicit gender effect, but also extends theory on gender preferences towards models of different sizes and body types by introducing measurements of implicit attitudes. Finally, the paper provides a possible explanation for why the fashion industry largely refrains from using obese models even though women express relatively positive attitudes towards them. © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate how business-to-business (B2B) companies build brand personality via the products they provide and via their interactions with customers. Design/methodology/approach: A multiple case study, which spans 10 years, investigates via interviews, observations, workshops and document analysis how two fast-growing B2B companies selling industrial equipment to manufacturers build brand personality. Findings: The studied companies concentrate on different brand personality dimensions depending on the activities in which they engage. By focusing on brand competence in the realm of the actual product and brand warmth in the realm of the augmented product, the companies manage to create a complete and consistent brand personality. Research limitations/implications: The research approach provides in-depth knowledge on how the companies build brands for a specific type of B2B product. However, the article’s perspective is limited to that of management and therefore does not take customer reactions into account. Practical implications: The study describes how firms can build strong B2B brands by emphasizing competence in product design and R&D and warmth in activities related to sales and customer service. Originality/value: The study introduces a conceptually consistent view of brand personality in the form of warm and competent brands to the B2B marketing literature. It builds on and contributes to the emerging research on B2B brand personality. By relating the companies’ brand-building activities to the type of products they sell, this study illustrates how context affects B2B brand building, and by integrating brand personality theory with product levels and marketing philosophy, it extends previous theory on B2B branding. © 2022, Ulf Aagerup, Svante Andersson and Gabriel Baffour Awuah.

The acquisitions of brands by companies have become more frequent, representing a significant and effective way for firms to reach international new markets. This recent trend has led to a rise in rebranding, particularly in the business-to-business (B2B) sector. Since marketing literature primarily focuses on B2C brand strategies, literature on the field constantly overlooks B2B characteristics. This is sorely needed, because, despite massive investments, many acquisitions fail, especially international acquisitions where one faces cross-country differences. This is unsurprising because most companies' M&A considerations do not place much weight on brand strategy, and brand equity is typically not handled very well but is often treated as an after-thought compared to more pressing financial matters (e.g. how rebranding affects stock returns) and operational matters (e.g. descriptions of enablers and barriers to the rebranding process). Previous studies in this field emphasise how to do rebranding. However, they treat the brand itself as a black box —it is only how you execute the B2B rebranding process that is investigated, not which dimensions of the customer's brand knowledge should be prioritised. This is unfortunate, because rebranding an acquired brand without an idea of the desired end result is like navigating without a destination —even if you execute well, you will most likely not end up where you need to be. This paper addresses this gap by providing insights into the significant factors that drive B2B rebranding strategies, focusing on the transfer of brand equity from the acquired B2B brand to the acquiring company's brand.This study was conducted in one B2B firm going through rebranding process in the life science sector. Getinge was founded in 1904 in Sweden and is a global medical technology firm. The company provides equipment and systems in the healthcare and life sciences sector and has become a global leader in the field of Surgical Workflow. The international growth has been possible through incorporating new innovative offerings. These have been both internally developed, but also acquired internationally. A significant number of international acquisitions have been made throughout the years. In 2021 the company employed over 10,000 people worldwide, with products marketed in over 135 countries.Besides being one of the most valued companies in the sector, Getinge was chosen since the firm has initiated a rebranding process after a long-time international growth strategy, including acquisitions of many different international brands. Moreover, since B2B companies commonly rely on corporate, rather than product branding. Getinge is an appropriate choice since this study, therefore, focuses on a company that uses the same name for its company and its products.By examining an in-depth single case study of a multinational B2B company in the life sciences industry, this paper contributes to the research in international rebranding by validating that brand equity is a relevant consideration for B2B rebranding processes. Specifically, it argues that brand awareness transfer plays an essential role during the rebranding process, especially when it comes to external branding. Customers generally accept the new brand if the value proposition remains unchanged. However, they need to be made aware of the change to avoid confusion. Internally by contrast, the most significant challenge seems to be the transfer of brand image. Awareness is easy; during a rebranding process employees immediately become aware of the change. They however exhibit strong opinions for or against rebranding depending on their emotional connections to the old brand.These results extend the theory on international rebranding after M&As by demonstrating that the B2B context requires different prioritizations than consumer goods rebranding. The study shows how various stakeholders respond throughout the rebranding process. Firms can plan their rebranding process in mind that both brand image and brand awareness are important for brand equity during the rebranding process. However, firms need to prioritise one over the other depending on their specific audience (internal and external). Moreover, the realisation that awareness is a crucial success factor in B2B rebranding might help companies leverage brand equity in international M&As.

Despite their detrimental circumstances, the number of refugee-owned businesses is on the rise-a situation referred to as “the paradox of refugee entrepreneurship.” However, a key question is how refugees, having undergone extreme life disruption due to war, conflict, and forced displacement, fare as entrepreneurs in their host country. Extant studies do not address this question, as they primarily focus on factors determining refugees’ entrepreneurial entry. We extend current research, which predominantly focuses on the antecedents of refugee entrepreneurship, with a processual approach that captures refugees’ entrepreneurial journey. Drawing on inductive theory-building analysis and extensive data gathered from 40 in-depth interviews with 21 recently arrived Syrians in Sweden, our dynamic model provides a thorough examination of the tactics and procedures that refugees employ to create and grow their businesses. This research contributes to the advancement of existing theory by introducing a comprehensive model that delves into the intricacies of refugee entrepreneurship, outlining the distinct phases, detailing the underlying mechanisms for each phase, and identifying the critical factors that drive progress from one stage to the next. Our findings offer valuable insights for initiatives seeking to provide support and encouragement to refugee entrepreneurs, thereby fostering their success and empowering them to reach their full potential. © 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This study provides an analysis of the benefits of adding solar PV and batteries to industries, both examing the grid-connected and off-grid cases.The electricity demand of 28 companies in Falkenberg, Sweden, whose industries require high voltages for electricity, were studied. We examined the extent to which these companies can depend on energy generated from photovoltaic cells and stored in batteries, as well as the impact of peak loads and the possibility of eliminating peaks when operating off-grid.The data for each of these cases were analyzed for companies to determine the energy that can be generated from photovoltaic cells on-site, and then take advantage of this energy directly and store the surplus in batteries to reduce dependence on the grid or reduce this dependence to a minimum, and study the role of the battery. We obtained interesting results and reliable systems during this study, as we noticed the effect of changing working hours in these companies in proportion to the times of energy production during the period of daily solar radiation.By studying the main load models in these companies and using the results and data analysis, it was noted that batteries can be a reliable solution, in which the energy generated from solar cells is used directly and the excess electricity is stored in the batteries later, and we noted the possibility of operating the entire system off-grid, which was found realistic if the company would have been located in Egypt. .

While there is an abundance of research that shows a direct and positive relationship betweenentrepreneurial orientation (EO) and organizational performance the relationship is far from simpleand clear. Research suggest that the relationship is complex and is contingent on internal andexternal variables that affect this relationship. This study examines the effect of EO and itsdimensions on organizational performance in SMEs in Jordan. Further, the study examines themediating effect of internal and external contingency factors such as: market orientation, strategicflexibility and environment hostility on the EO-performance relationship. Using questionnairesurvey the study collected 137 usable questionnaires and utilized PLS to analyze the data. Thestudy found that EO significantly affects performance directly and positively. The study also founda mediating effect of environmental hostility on the relationship between EO and organizationalperformance. No evidence was found to support that MO and strategic flexibility have a mediatingeffect on the EO-performance relationship. With regards to the effect and mediation effect of EOdimensions; the study found that both innovativeness and proactiveness have a significant positivedirect effect on performance. While risk taking has a significant negative direct effect onperformance. With regards to the mediation effect of market orientation, strategic flexibility andenvironmental hostility on the relationships between EO dimensions (innovativeness,proactiveness and risk taking) the study found that only EH has a mediation effect while marketorientation and strategic flexibility have no mediation effect.Specifically, the study also found that EH mediates the relationship between innovativeness andperformance. The mediation is a full mediation since there are both direct and indirect effects ofinnovativeness on performance. The study found a partial mediation effect of EH on theproactiveness-performance relationship since the direct effect becomes insignificant when themediator is added. The study also found a partial mediation effect of EH on the risk takingperformance relationship since the direct effect becomes insignificant when the mediator is added. 

This study explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in management control systems within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing industry. Using a qualitative research methodology through expert interviews and focus groups, the research aims to understand how AI can streamline management control systems and identify the challenges companies face during its implementation. The results indicate that AI has significant potential to automate repetitive tasks, improve data analysis, and facilitate proactive decision-making, thereby increasing overall efficiency. However, substantial initial investments and high technical expertise are required to succeed in AI integration. Additionally, it is crucial to maintain high data quality and robust data management systems. The study also shows that there is a symbiotic relationship between AI tools and management control systems, suggesting that effective management control systems are essential to maximize the benefits of AI. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the strategic planning required for AI integration and presents insights for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to integrate AI into their operations. 

Leadership is important when it comes to well-being and development of organizations. The leader has the opportunity to influence the employees to reach their full potential and thereby develop the entirety of the organization. There are both men and women in leadership positions in the automotive industry, but there is a lack of understanding in how they differ in their leadership. This paper aims to explore how leadership strategies differ between male leaders and female leaders in the automotive industry, by comparing twelve interviews with respondents from two different companies. The study was conducted qualitatively with an inductive research approach. The empirical study together with the reference frame resulted in a model that illustrates how the difference in leaderships are used to motivate and develop the employees. In conclusion the study showed that both male and female leaders’ intent to motivate and personally develop the employees, but they have different approaches achieving it. Male leaders tend to encourage, challenge and promote independence to earn trust while the females tend to use feedback, communication, inclusion and be present in their leadership.

This thesis delves into the dynamics of influencer marketing, focusing on the authenticity of company-created influencers in the retail sector. The study investigates how the authenticity of company-created influencers and the type of products being promoted influence consumer perception in the retail industry. A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing a 2x2 factorial experiment design. The study examined the effects of two main factors—whether an influencer is company-created and the type of product(hedonic vs. utilitarian)—on the perceived authenticity of influencers. Data were collected through surveys distributed to participants and then analyzed to understand the impact on consumer perceptions. This research concludes that an influencer's association with a company significantly affects the perceived transparency of influencers positively. Nevertheless, there is no influence on the other aspects of authenticity, such as passion, uniqueness, or consistency. Moreover, the promoted product type does not significantly alter these four attributes of authenticity. The research also demonstrated a significant positive impact of company-created influencers on brand authenticity, positively influencing consumer attitudes toward the brand. This research contributes to understanding influencer marketing by highlighting the complexities of managing influencer authenticity in retail.

This thesis combines technological innovation systems with business models in a qualitative case study regarding charging point operators for heavy battery electric vehicles in south Sweden. The heavy battery electric vehicle market is still in early development in Sweden, and the development of public charging stations for heavy battery electric vehicles is low. The case study is developed from several qualitative interviews with relevant actors regarding the system for heavy battery electric vehicle charging stations. The case study delivers an empirical understanding of the heavy battery electric vehicles market system in south Sweden through a technological innovation system, as well as developing the technological innovation system literature to give regulatory and direct recommendations to the actor in focus. These recommendations were based on barriers for charging point operator business models, where the recommendations to charging point operators are on components to business models that can mitigate these barriers. The regulatory recommendations provided are more traditional to the technological innovation system literature. The combination of the technological innovation system and business model literature has also provided the ability to give a more in-depth analysis of business models for actors in new emerging markets. 

The purpose of this study was to explore how previously developed traditional entrepreneurialskills is connected with the recently established entrepreneurial activity, called sustainableentrepreneurship as well as to help sustainable entrepreneurs to build the necessary skills thatincrease the development of projects aiming to balance social, environmental, and economicalproblems. Therefore, the research question to answer in this study is ‘’Which entrepreneurialskills (or set of skills) must be acquired and nurtured by entrepreneurs to successfully flourisha sustainable business?’’. The procedure is based on interviews with eight individuals withrelevant experience within sustainable entrepreneurship and whom operate in businesses thatoffer sustainable products and/or services, operate in a sustainable way regarding social,environmental or economic were chosen. The results indicate that there are other skills that donot fit the traditional entrepreneurial skills presented by Lichtenstein and Lyons (2001) andthat a fifth category could be imprinted into the entrepreneurial skills necessary to flourish asuccessful business.

High-efficiency photocatalysts are crucial for the removal of organic pollutants and environmental sustainability. In the present work, we report on a new low-temperature hydrothermal chemical method, assisted by ultrasonication, to synthesize disruptive plasmonic ZnO/graphene/Ag/AgI nanocomposites for solar-driven photocatalysis. The plasmonic nanocomposites were investigated by a wide range of characterization techniques, confirming successful formation of photocatalysts with excellent degradation efficiency. Using Congo red as a model dye molecule, our experimental results demonstrated a photocatalytic reactivity exceeding 90% efficiency after one hour simulated solar irradiation. The significantly enhanced degradation efficiency is attributed to improved electronic properties of the nanocomposites by hybridization of the graphene and to the addition of Ag/AgI which generates a strong surface plasmon resonance effect in the metallic silver further improving the photocatalytic activity and stability under solar irradiation. Scavenger experiments suggest that superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are responsible for the photodegradation of Congo red. Our findings are important for the fundamental understanding of the photocatalytic mechanism of ZnO/graphene/Ag/AgI nanocomposites and can lead to further development of novel efficient photocatalyst materials. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Little research has been done on female board representation in emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs). Our paper considers the role of female board representation and its impact on open innovation (OI) in the unique context of emerging markets. We draw on upper echelons and institutional theories to understand how female board representation and cross-country institutional contexts influence coupled OI. Combining a 10-year (2009–2019) dataset with a rich in-depth content analysis of 183 (EMNEs) engaged in OI, our results reveal a significant positive association between female board representation and a firm's commitment to coupled OI initiatives. We also find that country-level institutional factors affect and positively moderate the relationship between female board representation and coupled OI. In emerging market environments where managerial perception and cultural beliefs sometimes hinder the promotion of females into top positions, our work has implications for EMNEs regarding how they harness diversity. We contribute to the OI literature by showing that female board representation enhances corporate OI investment within EMNEs. © 2023 The Authors

Many households have large expenses in energy consumption and more than half of theenergy consumption is used to heat the home. The energy requirement for newly built housesis stricter than before and older houses are not as energy efficient. There is the possibility ofmaking old houses more efficient, an investment the houseowner later will benefit fromfinancially. In this work, methods that lower the energy consumption from passed heatthrough outer walls are going to be reviewed. The methods are done on a detached house witha demanding heat system upon which outer walls has poor insulation capacity. The purpose isto find out which method of geothermal heat pump, window replacement and additionalinsulation that gives the minimum cost in energy consumption with greatest savings andquickest pay off. The geothermal heat pump will be calculated separate with the outer walland windows unchanged. The unchanged windows have poor insulation capacity includingthe outer wall which mainly consists of bricks. This lets out lots of energy and demandsreplacement but despite this, the geothermal heat pump with its great ability to producerenewable energy gives the best results in all the mentioned measurements.

Budgetering har under flera år varit omtalat och fått en del kritik för att bland annat vara tidsoch resurskrävande. Trots detta finns det idag mängder av företag som använder sig av någon form av budgetering som hjälp för att hålla koll på sin ekonomi. Budget finns till som ett hjälpmedel och kan användas på olika sätt, de tre vanligaste budgetarna är resultatbudget, likviditetsbudget och budgeterad balansräkning. Företag i tillväxtfasen kännetecknas av att vara impulsiva och att de hela tiden behöver anpassa sig mot marknaden för att kunna öka sin tillväxt. I ett företag som befinner sig i tillväxtfasen kan strukturen i företagen se väldigt olika ut och företagen jobbar mot olika mål. Syftet med den här studien är därför att skapa en förståelse för hur företag i tillväxtfasen arbetar med budgetering och ekonomiska planering samt hur arbetssättet har förändrats över tid. Då avsikten har varit att undersöka företagens arbetssätt har ett kvalitativt angreppssätt valts till denna studie. Studien har genomförts genom intervjuer med ett fåtal utvalda företag som befinner sig i tillväxtfasen. De svar som respondenterna givit har sedan analyserats med hjälp av en analysmodell innehållande tre olika steg för analys. Slutsatserna i denna studie är att företagen arbetar på liknande sätt med att skapa årliga budgetar som följs upp månadsvis. Företagens olika stadier hade även betydelse för hur företagen arbetar med budget eftersom stadierna innebär att företagen har kommit olika långt i sin tillväxt. Användningen av budget i företag i tillväxtfasen är av stor betydelse eftersom att det skapar kontroll och engagemang i företaget. Studien visade även att alla var positivt inställda till budget och mötte inte alls den kritik som riktats mot budgetering

The health sector is very specific and difficult market for firms to access and deal with. The main reasons for this is that the healthcare systems are in continuous change, the co-creation processes in hospitals are complicated involving many different actors which also affects on firms commercialization and internationalization approaches. However, there is a growing demand of health services and the sector is growing also due to the COVID situation, that has been dramatically speeding up the digitalization of the healthcare services in the hospital settings. Approaching international hospital markets is, however, challenging for the start-up companies. On their journey they are facing a resistance, that they have to overcome in many different ways. The aim of this paper is to increase understanding how a start-up can overcome hospital resistance in an international innovation co-creation process. The results of are based on in depth case study in which the data collection was done over the four years of data gathering. The paper highlights how start-up companies can overcome the resistance in the international innovation co-creation in the hospital markets. It shows the importance of different activities, actors, capabilities and international activities in different phases of the international innovation co-creation journey. © 2022

The rapid development of digitization has significantly affected the outside world. Banks in Sweden have developed a lot since digitization took hold, the internet bank has been made more efficient, matters have been digitized, bank offices have been closed and there have been several strategic changes. This study is based on ten interviews from six different banks in Sweden, large and small, with the aim of describing and analyzing how digitization has affected lending to small and medium-sized companies. Including how the bank receives loan applications, how the information is collected, what systems and digital tools are used in assessments and how the relationship with customers has been affected.

Digitization has changed the lending strategies in the banking sector as many banks have switched to digitized credit assessment systems. This has increased efficiency but also the risk of misleading assessments. At the same time, the transition to digital interactions has reduced the need for physical meetings, which has increased accessibility but also worsened the relationship between bank and customer according to several respondents. Despite this, the importance of maintaining a human factor in credit granting is emphasized to ensure a correct assessment of the companies' needs and ability to pay. Finally, it is emphasized that digitization offers opportunities for easier everyday life, but that it also involves a social responsibility to use it responsibly.

Keywords: Bank financing, digitization, hard information, lending, soft information, SME, lending strategies

The aim of this study was to identify key success factor for SME customers of cloud based Business Intelligence products. A deep interview was made with four producers and a questionnaire was carried out among 36 SMEs. The findings suggest that the most important CSFs were the level of software functionalities, the ubiquitous access to data, responsive answers to customer support requests, handling large amounts of data and implementation cost. Each of these factors addresses a specific area that customers pay close attention to during the adoption process of a cloud BI solution. Offering ubiquitous access to date and respsonsive answers to customer requests are particularly emphasized for SMEs. We also found that industry tailored software is preferred, monthly or quarterly billings, and contact by email or phone for service. The paper shows recommendations, implications of research and suggests further research on the topic.

Cluster 5 picocyanobacteria significantly contribute to primary productivity in aquatic ecosystems. Estuarine populations are highly diverse and consist of many co-occurring strains, but their physiology remains largely understudied. In this study, we characterized 17 novel estuarine picocyanobacterial strains. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA and pigment genes (cpcB and cpeBA) uncovered multiple estuarine and freshwater-related clusters and pigment types. Assays with five representative strains (three phycocyanin rich and two phycoerythrin rich) under temperature (10–30°C), light (10–190 μmol photons m−2 s−1), and salinity (2–14 PSU) gradients revealed distinct growth optima and tolerance, indicating that genetic variability was accompanied by physiological diversity. Adaptability to environmental conditions was associated with differential pigment content and photosynthetic performance. Amplicon sequence variants at a coastal and an offshore station linked population dynamics with phylogenetic clusters, supporting that strains isolated in this study represent key ecotypes within the Baltic Sea picocyanobacterial community. The functional diversity found within strains with the same pigment type suggests that understanding estuarine picocyanobacterial ecology requires analysis beyond the phycocyanin and phycoerythrin divide. This new knowledge of the environmental preferences in estuarine picocyanobacteria is important for understanding and evaluating productivity in current and future ecosystems. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Applied Microbiology International and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

There has been recently a growing attention towards the potential benefits of building information modelling (BIM) in construction business processes from both academia and industry practitioners. While prior research has emphasised that there is a link between the proficiency of construction companies to use BIM and the realisation of BIM benefits, little evidence exists to capture this relationship. The aim of this study is to explore the extent to which prior BIM experiences influence the perception of industry experts on potential BIM benefits. The influence of years of BIM experience on the discernment of BIM potential benefits was examined through a survey of Australian building contractors. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that BIM experience was a significant factor in the realisation of potential BIM benefits. The results suggest that an increase in years of BIM experience foster a better understanding of BIM benefits, which consequently can lead to a more inspiring movement towards the adoption of BIM by construction organisations. The main contribution of this article is to increase awareness towards the adoption and implementation of BIM by making a link between BIM proficiency and an increased perception of BIM potential benefits in construction organisations. © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Absorptive capacity (AC) is a theoretical construct that measures the capacity of an organisation to absorb knowledge from external sources to sustain competitive advantage. Information dispersion makes it difficult for project-based organisations (PBOs) to absorb new ideas. The current study uses AC theory to examine how the use of building information modelling (BIM) affects the capacity of building contractors to absorb new information and become more competitive. A desktop study of secondary sources was undertaken to assess if there is a potential link between BIM and contractor AC. This revealed that the potential benefits of BIM’s technical features are motivated through its functional attributes. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to clarify the underlying relationship of a cluster of variables. The results of EFA led to the confirmed three categories for BIM functional attributes, including: (1) integration, (2) comprehensibility, and (3) transparency. Multiple regression analysis was used to explore the latent relationship between BIM functional attributes and contractor AC. The regression analysis of survey data, which was gathered from 56 building contractors in Queensland, Australia, showed that the transparency function of BIM functional attributes significantly correlated with acquisition and transformation dimensions of contractor AC. The study confirms a link between BIM and contractor AC, providing further evidence of the importance of BIM in sustaining the competitive advantage of project-based organisations. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Correct dimensioning of mounting plates near an edge in concrete is of utmost importance to prevent breakage. This study, which is primarily experimental, investigates the capacity of a certain type of embedded mounting plate when placed adjacent to an underlying edge. The purpose is to gain an understanding of how these mounting plates should be dimensioned against edge breakage and to investigate how a transverse bar affects the shear capacity near an edge. The study presents the results from practical tests and compares them with calculations made according to the Eurocode. The results show that the actual fastening has a higher strength than what is described in the calculation models from the standards. Full-scale testing and dimensioning guidelines based on testing led to comparable results in the experiment. The method used in the experiment yielded promising results and shows that calculations according to the Eurocode do not correspond to reality. Instead, the capacity turns out to be significantly higher than what is shown after calculations according to interpretations of standards.

With the goal of achieving 100% fossil-free electricity production by 2040 in Sweden, the electricity system is expected to undergo significant changes due to increased electrification, digitalization, and automation. Battery storage will become crucial for supporting and stabilizing the power grid, as well as balancing demand and production, which reduces the risk of overload. It also contributes to increased grid flexibility and a smoother, more efficient use of the power network.

The purpose of this work is to develop a deeper understanding of battery storage technology and its potential impact on the Swedish power grid to meet current and future energy needs. The method examines the energy usage patterns of Södra Hallands Kraft to appropriately size a battery storage system and determine its operational scenario. It is essential to consider both the battery’s power (W), which describes the total amount of power that can be delivered, and storage capacity (Wh), which describes the total amount of energy that can be stored. By implementing battery storage systems, the share of renewable energy usage can increase, and dependence on external energy sources can decrease.

This work examines different threshold levels: 60 MW, which requires a 33 MW/ 735 MWh battery; 65 MW, which requires a 28 MW/ 414 MWh battery; and 70 MW, which requires a 23 MW/ 153 MWh battery. These thresholds successfully reduce all power peaks between 2019 and 2023. This also leads to significant economic savings in the form of reduced grid fees.

Title: Coping in a VUCA-world: is the construction industry agile? - A qualitative case study on working methods and leadership at three management levels. 

Background: As the world experiences more rapid changes, higher uncertainty, more complexity, and ambiguity, the term VUCA has become increasingly common. The phenomenon of VUCA prime is considered a tool for dealing with the challenges that arise in a VUCA-world. The construction industry is depicted in previous research as traditional and conservative, both in terms of working methods and leadership. While agile working methods are proposed for managing the VUCA context, theory believes that it is difficult to apply agility in the construction industry, which is designed in project forms based on clear phases. Therefore, interest was raised in investigating to what extent agile working methods are used to deal with the challenges that arise in a VUCA-world and if the working methods differ depending on the management level. 

Purpose: This study aims to understand which challenges occur in an organization, in a VUCA-world, and to explain how agile working methods are practically applied at different management levels within projects in the construction industry.

Research question: To which extent is the construction industry using agile working methods? Can the agile way of working relate to the use of VUCA prime, and does the application of the way of working differ depending on the management level?

Method: The study is based on a qualitative research method where seven leaders at three different management levels within the construction industry have been interviewed. The study’s research approach has mainly been deductive, but there are elements of inductiveness, hence the study is abductive from an overall view. 

Conclusions: The conclusion presents challenges linked to each management level. The conclusion shows that agile working methods are applied in the construction industry, but there is more potential in enabling implementation to permeate all management levels. Norms and attitudes are discussed in relation to the introduction of new working methods. Transformative leadership based on partnership is used to advantage to create clarity and understanding in the industry, which in turn enables agility. 

The present article analyses why and how Ericsson Telecom assumeda greater responsibility than was legally required when it dismissedmore than 23,000 employees in Sweden at the beginning of the21st century. The analysis starts from neoinstitutional theoryand is based on case studies of the company’s closuresin Norrköping and Linköping. The article focuses,in particular, on the interaction between Ericsson, the tradeunions, the County Administrative Board, the County Labour Board,the Public Employment Service, the Swedish Employment SecurityCouncil, the government and the respective municipalities. Itis shown that the greater responsibility taken by Ericsson wasbased on its desire to maintain legitimacy by taking into considerationprevailing societal expectations regarding the company’sbehaviour.

Abstract 

Introduction: Projects have become an important way to structure work in most organizations and constitute one of the most important organizational developments. 

Objective: The main objective this research was to provide an understanding of how project managers can integrate self leadership, emotional intelligence and proactivity into their management of projects and thus increase project success. 

Research question: How can a project manager integrate self leadership, proactivity and emotional intelligence in their management of projects to enhance project success? 

Method: An inductive and qualitative apporach was used for this study. Four project managers from different fields were interviewed using semi structured questions. Their words were analyzed from a subjective and constructive epistemologocal point of view - in order to complement the theoretical pre-understanding developed in the research and to formulate new insights on the integration between the three competencies and how they can increase project success. 

Findings: The study found that all four project managers – implicitly and explicitly – integrate and combine the three competencies of self leadership, proactivity and emotional intelligence in order to enhance project success. All four project managers unanimously agree that it is the integration and combination of the three competencies which results in project success. 

Conclusion: The study stresses how crucial the integration self-leadership, proactivity and emotional intelligence is in project management to enhance project success. 

Discussion: Project managers need not to to only develop these components separately, but rather create an understanding of how to integrate them to enhance project success. Based on the findings, the research proposes further research that goes deeper into the practical implicactions of the integration of the three components. 

Key words: Project managers, project management, project success, self leadership, proactivity, emotional intelligence, integration 

This article examines how environmental awareness, stakeholder pressure, circular economy orientation and internal barriers influence circular economy practices in international and non-international micro-firms. For this, we utilised fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) using data from 128 micro firms operating in different manufacturing industries in Estonia. Three paths were identified for explaining circular economy practices in internationally operating micro-firms and two paths for explaining it in micro-firms that do not operate internationally. Our results show that understanding the impact of the four before-mentioned aspects can be beneficial for engaging in circular economy efforts in both international and non-international micro-firms. The intricate five pathways (three for international and two for non-international) through which environmental awareness, stakeholder pressure, circular economy orientation,and internal barriers shape circular economy practices in micro-firms, challenging conventional understandings and offering nuanced insights for effective engagement in sustainable business practices. Based on the findings, theoretical and practical implications of this study and directions for future research are discussed.

This thesis investigates the correlation between passion and both work engagement and employee well-being among young professionals in the Swedish labor market. Given the significant economic losses attributed to low work engagement globally, this research aims to explore how fostering passion in the workplace relates to both productivity and human well-being. By integrating theories of motivational psychology and leadership, the study examines the nature of passion and its correlation to job performance and personal well-being. Utilizing a descriptive quantitative research methodology, data was collected from 74 young professionals aged 18 to 45, currently employed in various industries across Sweden. The research employed validated scales to measure passion, work engagement, and employee well-being and applied statistical analysis to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings reveal a positive correlation between passion and work engagement, indicating that individuals who are passionate about their jobs exhibit higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction. Additionally, the study finds that passion correlates with employee well-being, contributing to reduced stress and improved mental health. These results suggest that organizations can achieve sustainable productivity by fostering environments that nurture employee passion and engagement. The thesis contributes to the field of Human Resources (HR) by providing empirical evidence that supports the integration of passion-focused strategies in organizational practices. It offers practical recommendations for HR professionals and leaders to identify and cultivate passion within their workforce. The implications of this research underscore the importance of adopting a human-centric approach to leadership and organizational development in the contemporary workplace.

Animals exhibit a diversity of movement tactics [1]. Tracking resources that change across space and time is predicted to be a fundamental driver of animal movement [2]. For example, some migratory ungulates (i.e., hooved mammals) closely track the progression of highly nutritious plant green-up, a phenomenon called "green-wave surfing" [3-5]. Yet general principles describing how the dynamic nature of resources determine movement tactics are lacking [6]. We tested an emerging theory that predicts surfing and the existence of migratory behavior will be favored in environments where green-up is fleeting and moves sequentially across large landscapes (i.e., wave-like green-up) [7]. Landscapes exhibiting wave-like patterns of green-up facilitated surfing and explained the existence of migratory behavior across 61 populations of four ungulate species on two continents (n = 1,696 individuals). At the species level, foraging benefits were equivalent between tactics, suggesting that each movement tactic is fine-tuned to local patterns of plant phenology. For decades, ecologists have sought to understand how animals move to select habitat, commonly defining habitat as a set of static patches [8, 9]. Our findings indicate that animal movement tactics emerge as a function of the flux of resources across space and time, underscoring the need to redefine habitat to include its dynamic attributes. As global habitats continue to be modified by anthropogenic disturbance and climate change [10], our synthesis provides a generalizable framework to understand how animal movement will be influenced by altered patterns of resource phenology.© 2020 Elsevier Inc.

Background: If localised pain represent one end of a pain spectra, with overall better general health, chronic widespread pain (CWP) and fibromyalgia represent the other end of the spectra with worse general health and more comorbidities with other somatic diseases and mental illness. Sleep problems and fatigue are common among individuals reporting CWP and previous research indicate that sleep problems may be an important predictor for pain prognosis.

Objectives: The aim of this population-based study was to investigate if sleep problems and fatigue predict the onset of CWP 5 and 18 years later.

Methods: In order to get more stable baseline classifications of CWP, a wash-out period was used, including only individuals who had not reported CWP (according to ^{ACR 1990} criteria for fibromyalgia) at baseline (−98) and three years prior baseline (−95). In all, data from 1249 individuals entered the analyses for the 5 year follow-up (−03) and 791 entered for the 18 year follow-up (−16). Four parameters related to sleep (difficulties initiating sleep, maintaining sleep, early morning awakening and non-restorative sleep), and one parameter related to fatigue (SF-36 vitality scale) were investigated as predictors for CWP. Binary logistic regression analysis were used for analyses.

Results: All investigated parameters predicted the onset of CWP five years later (problems with initiating sleep (OR 1.91; 1.16–3.14), maintaining sleep (OR 1.85; 1.14–3.01), early awakening (OR 2.0; 1.37–3.75), non-restorative sleep (OR 2.27; 1.37–3.75) and fatigue (OR 3.70; 1.76–7.84)) in a model adjusted for age, gender, socio-economy and mental health. All parameters except problems with early awakening predicted the onset of CWP also 18 years later. In all, 785 individuals did not report any of the sleeping problems at baseline (fatigue not included), 268 reported one of the problems, 167 two, 128 three and 117 subjects reported to have all four sleep problems. Reporting all four sleep problems was significantly associated with CWP at follow-up at both time points when adjusting for age, gender, socio economy and mental health (OR 4.00; 2.03–7.91 and OR 3.95; 1.90–8.20); adjusting for age, gender, socio economy and number of pain regions (OR 2.94; 1.48–5.82 and OR 2.65; 1.24–5.64) and in a model adjusting for age, gender, socio economy and pain severity (OR 2.97;1.53–5.76; and OR 3.02;1.47–6.21) for the 5 year and 18 year follow-up respectively, compared to not reporting any of the sleep problems at baseline.

Conclusions: Both sleeping problems and fatigue predicts the onset of CWP 5- and 18 years later. The results highlight the importance of the assessment of sleep quality in the clinic.

Background: Previous research suggests that sleep problems may be an important predictor for chronic widespread pain (CWP). With this study we investigated both sleep problems and fatigue as predictors for the onset of CWP over a 5-year and an 18-year perspective in a population free from CWP at baseline.

Methods: To get a more stable classification of CWP, we used a wash-out period, including only individuals who had not reported CWP at baseline (1998) and three years prior baseline (1995). In all, data from 1249 individuals entered the analyses for the 5-year follow-up and 791 entered for the 18-year follow-up. Difficulties initiating sleep, maintaining sleep, early morning awakening, non-restorative sleep and fatigue were investigated as predictors separately and simultaneously in binary logistic regression analyses.

Results: The results showed that problems with initiating sleep, maintaining sleep, early awakening and non-restorative sleep predicted the onset of CWP over a 5-year (OR 1.85 to OR 2.27) and 18-year (OR 1.54 to OR 2.25) perspective irrespective of mental health (assessed by SF-36) at baseline. Also fatigue predicted the onset of CWP over the two-time perspectives (OR 3.70 and OR 2.36 respectively) when adjusting for mental health. Overall the effect of the sleep problems and fatigue on new onset CWP (over a 5-year perspective) was somewhat attenuated when adjusting for pain at baseline but remained significant for problems with early awakening, non-restorative sleep and fatigue. Problems with maintaining sleep predicted CWP 18 years later irrespective of mental health and number of pain regions (OR 1.72). Reporting simultaneous problems with all four aspects of sleep was associated with the onset of CWP over a five-year and 18-yearperspective, irrespective of age, gender, socio economy, mental health and pain at baseline. Sleep problems and fatigue predicted the onset of CWP five years later irrespective of each other.

Conclusion: Sleep problems and fatigue were both important predictors for the onset of CWP over a five-year perspective. Sleep problems was a stronger predictor in a longer time-perspective. The results highlight the importance of the assessment of sleep quality and fatigue in the clinic. © The Author(s). 2018

Background: Approximately ten percent of the population report chronic widespread pain (CWP), the condition is more common among women than men. For most people, the pain interferes with many aspects of every-day life and implies large consequences. However, the group reporting CWP is heterogeneous and there is a need for better understanding of the different strategies used for coping with pain in every-day life.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe women’s experiences of how to cope with CWP.

Methods: The study had a descriptive design with a qualitative content analysis approach. Individual interviews were conducted with 19 women, 31–66 of age, who had reported CWP in a survey 2016. CWP was defined according to the 1990 ACR criteria for fibromyalgia. To be considered chronic, the pain should have persisted for more than three months during the last 12 months. A manifest qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the main question “How do you cope with your chronic widespread pain?” The analysis resulted in four categories.

Results: Women described their coping with CWP in four different ways; to take control, to continue as usual, to follow instructions and to rest. To take control meant to make deliberate decisions to handle everyday day life. It also meant to take care of oneself, to think positive and to exercise at an adequate level. To continue as usual meant not to listen to body signals and either to ignore or accept the pain. To follow instructions meant listening to the health professionals and following advices, but without taking any part of the responsibility for the treatment outcome. To rest meant to perceive an unreasonable need for recovery, to resign and let the pain set the terms for the daily living.

Conclusions: Women expressed different ways of coping with CWP including both active and passive strategies. The coping strategies included two dimensions, where one ranged from actively taking control over the pain, to passively following instructions and the other from actively continue as usual by either accepting or ignoring the pain to passively rest and being mastered by pain.

The purpose of this study has been to find out how SMEs in Sweden perceive SEO as a marketing tool. In order to answer the purpose of the study, we have selected five small and medium enterprises to take part in their stories and perceptions of SEO.

As a method, we have used interviews to be able to answer the purpose of the essay. We have chosen not to focus on a specific industry because the purpose has been SMEs as it is the majority of Sweden's companies. In the thesis, coding has been used as an analysis tool to interpret our collected material.

The results show that there are varied opinions about SEO. However, The majority of informants perceive SEO as a complex system. The essay shows that IP1 and IP5 informants use SEO as a marketing tool but still do not understand SEO completely. The informants use social media as a marketing strategy to reach out to potential new customers and to focus on the word of mouth model. The study also shows that the informants who use SEO see it as an opportunity to grow and make a name for themselves in the industry in which they operate. 

Because SEO ensures that companies can be at the top of the list on Google among their competitors and thus easier for potential customers to find the company's website, the company gains a more extensive customer base and grows its business.

As the soil in southern Sweden recovers from acidification during the 20th Century, iron (Fe) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increasingly enter freshwater systems, resulting in "brownification." This process, characterised by light absorption and scattering of waterborne particles and dissolved molecules, causes a brown-yellow colouration that disrupts freshwater ecosystems. Although extensive research has shown that DOC and Fe strongly associate and transport together, their combined effect on light absorption remains poorly understood. This study assessed water quality from Lake Bolmen to investigate how DOC influences Fe light-absorbing properties. Using the data obtained from field samples, a laboratory study was designed and conducted where known concentrations of DOC and Fe were mixed in artificial river water and analysed using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results revealed that Fe light absorption is markedly enhanced at very low C ratios, beyond which the impact of this enhancement on overall brownification is minimal. These findings provide new insights into the light-absorbing behaviours of Fe and DOC and suggest priorities for future brownification mitigation strategies.

Liming programmes aiming to restore fish populations are being implemented in many acidified aquatic systems in northern Europe. We studied Odonata communities in 47 forest lakes in SW Sweden, 13 that are currently being limed, and 8 that have previously been limed. Thirty-one species were recorded, with the highest mean number in untreated lakes, followed by previously treated lakes and currently treated lakes. Species communities differed between untreated and limed lakes, but only few rare species found in the untreated lakes were absent in the treated lakes. Likewise, species known to thrive in acid environments were either rare or showed no preferences. Comparing the number of records of odonate species within a large regional area to the proportion of lakes inhabited in our study, we found that seven of the most commonly observed species occurred less frequently in limed lakes than in the untreated ones, including two of the three most common taxa. Reduced species numbers in limed lakes might be due to conditions on other trophic levels, including fish predation. We argue that Odonata should be considered when developing new biological indices of water quality, although the causes of the observed occurrence patterns need to be studied further. © 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

Alpine and polar regions are predicted to be among the most vulnerable to changes in temperature, precipitation, and nutrient availability. We carried out a seven-year factorial experiment with warming and nutrient addition in two alpine vegetation communities. We analyzed the relationship between fruit production and monthly mean, maximum, and min temperatures during the fall of the pre-fruiting year, the fruiting summer, and the whole fruit production period, and measured the effects of precipitation and growing and thawing degree days (GDD & TDD) on fruit production. Nutrient addition (heath: 27.88 ± 3.19 fold change at the end of the experiment; meadow: 18.02 ± 4.07) and combined nutrient addition and warming (heath: 20.63 ± 29.34 fold change at the end of the experiment; meadow: 18.21 ± 16.28) increased total fruit production and fruit production of graminoids. Fruit production of evergreen and deciduous shrubs fluctuated among the treatments and years in both the heath and meadow. Pre-maximum temperatures had a negative effect on fruit production in both communities, while current year maximum temperatures had a positive impact on fruit production in the meadow. Pre-minimum, pre-mean, current mean, total minimum, and total mean temperatures were all positively correlated with fruit production in the meadow. The current year and total precipitation had a negative effect on the fruit production of deciduous shrubs in the heath. GDD had a positive effect on fruit production in both communities, while TDD only impacted fruit production in the meadow. Increased nutrient availability increased fruit production over time in the high alpine plant communities, while experimental warming had either no effect or a negative effect. Deciduous shrubs were the most sensitive to climate parameters in both communities, and the meadow was more sensitive than the heath. The difference in importance of TDD for fruit production may be due to differences in snow cover in the two communities. © 2022 The Authors

Global warming is expected to have large impacts on high alpine and Arctic ecosystems in the future. Here we report effects of 18 years of experimental warming on two contrasting high alpine plant communities in subarctic Sweden. Using open-top chambers, we analysed effects of long-term passive experimental warming on a heath and a meadow. We determined the impact on species composition, species diversity (at the level of rare, common and dominant species), and phylogenetic and functional diversity. Long-term warming drove differentiation in species composition in both communities; warmed plots, but not control plots, had distinctly different species composition in 2013 compared with 1995. Beta diversity increased in the meadow, while it decreased in the heath. Long-term warming had significant negative effects on the three orders of phylogenetic Hill diversity in the meadow. There was a similar tendency in the heath, but only phylogenetic diversity of dominant species was significantly affected. Long-term warming caused reductions in forbs in the heath, while evergreen shrubs increased. In the meadow, deciduous and evergreen shrubs showed increased abundance from 2001 to 2013 in warmed plots. Responses in species and phylogenetic diversity to experimental warming varied over both time (medium (7 years) vs long-term (18 years)) and space (between two neighbouring plant communities). The meadow community was more negatively affected in terms of species and phylogenetic diversity than the heath community. A potential driver for the changes in the meadow may be decreased soil moisture caused by long-term warming. © 2021

Premise: Climate change is having major impacts on alpine and arctic regions, and inter-annual variations in temperature are likely to increase. How increased climate variability will impact plant reproduction is unclear. Methods: In a 4-year study on fruit production by an alpine plant community in northern Sweden, we applied three warming regimes: (1) a static level of warming with open-top chambers (OTC), (2) press warming, a yearly stepwise increase in warming, and (3) pulse warming, a single-year pulse event of higher warming. We analyzed the relationship between fruit production and monthly temperatures during the budding period, fruiting period, and whole fruit production period and the effect of winter and summer precipitation on fruit production. Results: Year and treatment had a significant effect on total fruit production by evergreen shrubs, Cassiope tetragona, and Dryas octopetala, with large variations between treatments and years. Year, but not treatment, had a significant effect on deciduous shrubs and graminoids, both of which increased fruit production over the 4 years, while forbs were negatively affected by the press warming, but not by year. Fruit production was influenced by ambient temperature during the previous-year budding period, current-year fruiting period, and whole fruit production period. Minimum and average temperatures were more important than maximum temperature. In general, fruit production was negatively correlated with increased precipitation. Conclusions: These results indicate that predicted increased climate variability and increased precipitation due to climate change may affect plant reproductive output and long-term community dynamics in alpine meadow communities. © 2021 The Authors. American Journal of Botany published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Botanical Society of America

Climate change is expected to affect alpine and Arctic tundra communities. Most previous long-term studies have focused on impacts on vascular plants, this study examined impacts of long-term warming on bryophyte communities. Experimental warming with open-top chambers (OTCs) was applied for 18 years to a mesic meadow and a dry heath alpine plant community. Species abundance was measured in 1995, 1999, 2001 and 2013. Species composition changed significantly from original communities in the heath, but remained similar in mesic meadow. Experimental warming increased beta diversity in the heath. Bryophyte cover and species richness both declined with long-term warming, while Simpson diversity showed no significant responses. Over the 18-year period, bryophyte cover in warmed plots decreased from 43 % to 11 % in heath and from 68 % to 35 % in meadow (75 % and 48 % decline, respectively, in original cover), while richness declined by 39 % and 26 %, respectively. Importantly, the decline in cover and richness first emerged after 7 years. Warming caused significant increase in litter in both plant communities. Deciduous shrub and litter cover had negative impact on bryophyte cover. We show that bryophyte species do not respond similarly to climate change. Total bryophyte cover declined in both heath and mesic meadow under experimental long-term warming (by 1.5-3 °C), driven by general declines in many species. Principal response curve, cover and richness results suggested that bryophytes in alpine heath are more susceptible to warming than in meadow, supporting the suggestion that bryophytes may be less resistant in drier environments than in wetter habitats. Species loss was slower than the decline in bryophyte abundance, and diversity remained similar in both communities. Increased deciduous shrub and litter cover led to decline in bryophyte cover. The non-linear response to warming over time underlines the importance of long-term experiments and monitoring. © 2020 The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Picophytoplankton in the Baltic Sea includes the simplest unicellular cyanoprokaryotes (Synechococcus/Cyanobium) and photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPE). Picophytoplankton are thought to be a key component of the phytoplankton community, but their seasonal dynamics and relationships with nutrients and temperature are largely unknown. We monitored pico- and larger phytoplankton at a coastal site in Kalmar Sound (K-Station) weekly during 2018. Among the cyanoprokaryotes, phycoerythrin-rich picocyanobacteria (PE-rich) dominated in spring and summer while phycocyanin-rich picocyanobacteria (PC-rich) dominated during autumn. PE-rich and PC-rich abundances peaked during summer (1.1 × 105 and 2.0 × 105 cells mL–1) while PPE reached highest abundances in spring (1.1 × 105 cells mL–1). PPE was the main contributor to the total phytoplankton biomass (up to 73%). To assess nutrient limitation, bioassays with combinations of nitrogen (NO3 or NH4) and phosphorus additions were performed. PE-rich and PC-rich growth was mainly limited by nitrogen, with a preference for NH4 at >15°C. The three groups had distinct seasonal dynamics and different temperature ranges: 10°C and 17–19°C for PE-rich, 13–16°C for PC-rich and 11–15°C for PPE. We conclude that picophytoplankton contribute significantly to the carbon cycle in the coastal Baltic Sea and underscore the importance of investigating populations to assess the consequences of the combination of high temperature and NH4 in a future climate. Copyright © 2021 Alegria Zufia, Farnelid and Legrand.

This research investigates the effects of foundation methods in cohesive soils, particularly

within the soft clay of Gothenburg. These soils often encounter issues such as mass

intrusion, leading to instability. The study aims to analyze suitable methods to reduce

mass intrusion in the form of horizontal movements. It includes a thorough literature

review to understand existing knowledge, as well as field studies to collect data on soil

characteristics and behavior.

The study's results suggest that adapting the piling sequence and utilizing techniques to

minimize soil movements can significantly decrease the risk of damage to existing

structures. By selecting appropriate piling methods and applying geotechnical strategies,

project safety and sustainability can be greatly enhanced.

The application of identified strategies and techniques can contribute to a safer and more

sustainable urban development in Gothenburg and other areas facing similar geotechnical

challenges. Using scientific methods and well-founded strategies, geotechnical risks can

be effectively managed, enabling safer and more sustainable urban development. This

study contributes to the overall understanding of geotechnical processes and applications,

guiding future research and practice in the area.

Business angels are an important source of funding for new companies in need of external capital, since they usually are the first to invest in new companies. Therefore, it is valuable to study how business angels manage their investment process, both before and after the investment has been completed. As more investments are made, experience is gained and applied to the next investment process. Previous research has studied how other experience, such as education and entrepreneurial experience, affects parts of the investment process. The purpose of this study is to describe the investment process of business angels in Sweden and analyse how it differs depending on how many investments they have previously made, that is what investment experience they have. Finally, the purpose of the study is to develope a model to describe how the investment experience affects the investment process. 

The study is based om an abducitve research approach and a qualitative research method. Empirical data has been collected with eleven interviews and two email conversations, and the respondents consist of business angels in Sweden who have made between one and 20 investments in new companies. The interviews conducted were semi-structured and of a narrative nature. The analytical method used to analyse the empirical data is the Gioia-method. 

The conclusions of the study are that the investment process consists of five stages; deal flow, screening & investment criteria, negotiation, active ownership and exit. Further in the conclusion, the similarities and differences that exist in the investment process of business angels with more and less investment experience are presented. As experience is gained, business angels get a bigger and better deal flow based on informal contacts instead of formal networks. For business angels with more experience, the process is slower and they make a more accurate assessment of the company and, above all, the entrepreneur. Business angels with more experience find negotiations easier and they are more involved than those with less experience. Experience has an impact on active ownership, where more experienced business angels value taking an altruistic role in the company and the less experienced business angels consider themselves above all to take a value-creating role and contribute resources to the company. Business angels with more experience have a more dynamic view of exit, and business angels with less experience have a more static view of exit. It can be stated that investment experience has an impact on all stages of the investment process.

Den industriella revolutionen kom med behovet av att bygga byggnader och broar, till en början förstod man inte vikten av armering och förstärkning av konstruktion. Men med tiden behövde man komma på någon strategi att göra konstruktionen starkare och mer hållbar, och det var då man började använda sig av förstärkning.

I dagens moderna samhälle är det vanligare att bygga med betong, betong är det viktigaste byggmaterialet i världen. Det har flera egenskaper som garanterar en lång livslängd för konstruktionen; dess hållbarhet och styvhet är av störst intresse för att designa betongkonstruktioner. Andra egenskaper såsom täthet och bearbetbarhet är också viktiga. För att utnyttja betongegenskaperna korrekt måste nästan alla strukturer förstärkas på ett eller annat sätt. Därför har man under en lång period gjort stora forskningar på hur man kan göra betong starkt i draghållfasthet och inte bara i tryck.

Moderna komplicerade konstruktionsformer kräver nya förstärkningsmetoder, komplexiteten i den nya strukturen både när det gäller höjd och bredd har nödvändiggjort behovet av nya metoder för betongarmering. En metod är användningen av järn-baserade minneslegeringar (Fe-SMA), genom forskning har det visat sig vara en effektiv metod för armering av stål. SMAs har unika egenskaper och det mest speciella är att det återgår till sin ursprungliga form även när det har deformerats. Som ett resultat av detta möjliggör det förstärkning av betong av vilken form och storlek som helst, de goda limegenskaperna hos betong och järn gör installationen komplett.

Detta examensarbete resulterade att SMA har väldigt unika egenskaper som kommer att göra stora skillnader i byggbranschen. Detta gäller främst hos broar och är en väldigt aktuell metod som har förmågan att anpassa sig till den omgivande miljön. Utöver det kan den även justera sig själv för att säkerställa optimal och säker drift under normala och svåra belastnings villkor och det minimala kravet för underhåll.

The construction industry strives for climate neutrality by 2045-2050 with a focus oncollaboration, innovation, and efficient use of resources to reduce greenhouse gasemissions and promote sustainable construction methods. This degree project from theBuilding Engineering program at Halmstad University investigates energy efficiency andoptimization of the asphalt manufacturing process, especially heat storage in silos, incollaboration with Skanska Industrial Solutions.The study applies qualitative methods, including interviews with experts and visits to anasphalt plant in Sperlingsholm, Halmstad. The theoretical framework includes sustainabledevelopment, sustainable road networks, hot mix asphalt (HMA), and design andmaterials for heat storage silos.The research methodology included data collection, interviews, field visits andsimulations with COMSOL Multiphysics to analyse temperature changes and comparedifferent silo design options. Autodesk AutoCAD was used to create 2D drawings.The results emphasize energy efficiency and sustainability in asphalt manufacturing, withthe potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through optimized silo design andinsulation. Specifically, the implementation of heat storage silos shows a significantreduction in oil consumption and 𝐶𝑂2 emissions. The study further recommends researchfor validation and improvement in real production environments and contributes withinsights into sustainable construction methods, underscoring the need for technologicalinnovation to meet the environmental challenges in the construction industry.

The present study uses a pin-on-disc tribometer to evaluate friction, wear, and airborne particle emissions for a rail-wheel contact. Test pins from UIC60 900A rail carbon steels were in contact with three types of test discs surfaces: R7 wheel carbon steel, laser cladding overlayed martensitic stainless steel, and laser cladding overlayed Ni-based-8% MnS self-lubricating alloy. Test results show about halving of the coefficient of friction, 0.42 to 0.22, and one ten-power lower specific pin and disc wear of discs with self-lubricating overlay compared to standard railway carbon steel contacts. Using stainless-steel overlayed discs also resulted in one ten-power lower specific disc wear, but pin wear is unchanged. Particle emission for the tests with discs with self-lubricating overlay is constant at almost 200 particles/cm3 while running in the distance is needed for the other tests. Almost all generated airborne wear particles were in the sub-100 nm range. The use of laser-cladded (LC) overlay reduced the number of airborne wear particles in the sub-100 nm range by more than a factor of 10. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.