Linnaeus University
Not a member yet
43313 research outputs found
Sort by
Rätten att bli erkänd : Socialarbetares perspektiv på arbetet med kvinnor som utsätts för mäns våld i nära relationer
No full textVåld i nära relationer är ett allvarligt samhällsproblem som har en betydande inverkan både på strukturell och individuell nivå. Studiens syfte var att undersöka vilka hinder och möjligheter svenska socialarbetare upplevde i sitt arbete med kvinnor som utsätts för våld av en man i en nära relation. Studiens metodologiska utgångspunkt var en kvalitativ metod med en hermeneutisk ansats. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten var Nancy Frasers rättviseteori. För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställningar genomfördes sex semistrukturerade intervjuer med socialarbetare. För att hitta centrala teman i empirin tillämpades en tematisk analys. Resultatet indikerar att strukturella faktorer relaterade till bristande resurser och samverkanssvårigheter utgör hinder, medan individuella faktorer kopplade till normaliseringsprocessen och eftervåld påverkar våldsutsatta kvinnors förändringsprocess. För att stärka kvinnors empowerment krävs både en starkare välfärd och ett intersektionellt perspektiv som tar hänsyn till hur olika faktorer påverkar våldsutsatta kvinnors livssituation.
Att finansiera fossilbränsle : Banker, klimatrisk, och den ständigt utvecklande rollen av ESG och geopolitik
No full textThis thesis examines how syndicated loan terms differ between fossil fuel and non–fossil fuel firms in the context of ESG expectations and recent external shocks. Using loan-level data from the Refinitiv LPC DealScan database covering the period 2019–2025, the study analyzes differences in loan pricing (measured by all-in spread drawn) and credit volumes. The analysis is grounded in Risk-Based Pricing Theory, Political Risk Theory, and Institutional Theory, which inform the interpretation of how climate-related and geopolitical risks are reflected in lending practices. The results show that fossil fuel firms face significantly higher loan spreads compared to non–fossil fuel borrowers, consistent with the presence of a climate risk premium. However, these borrowers also receive larger loan amounts, indicating that higher pricing does not coincide with a reduction in credit provision. Certain external shocks—particularly the Russia–Ukraine war—are associated with elevated spreads for fossil fuel firms, but not with lower loan volumes. ESG scores of both borrowers and lenders show limited influence on credit allocation. These findings suggest that banks adjust loan pricing to account for climate and geopolitical risks, but that capital flows to fossil fuel firms remain largely unchanged. This points to a pattern of risk-based pricing rather than a broader reallocation of credit
International perspectives on artificial intelligence in higher education : An explorative study of students' intention to use ChatGPT across the Nordic countries and the USA
No full textThis study explored factors influencing ChatGPT adoption among higher education students in five Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland) and the USA. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) framework was employed and extended to incorporate personal innovativeness. Data was collected from 586 students recruited through Prolific and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed varying patterns of relationships between different factors and behavioral intention in each region. In the Nordic countries, performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, and habit demonstrated positive relationships with behavioral intention. In the USA, the results revealed positive relationships between behavioral intention and performance expectancy, social influence, habit, and personal innovativeness. Performance expectancy emerged as the strongest predictor of behavioral intention in both regions. In both the Nordic countries and the USA, habit and behavioral intention emerged as the only predictors of ChatGPT use behavior. Behavioral intention demonstrated a marginally stronger influence on use behavior in both regions. These findings offer insights for educators and policymakers regarding AI integration in academic settings by highlighting common drivers and differences in AI adoption patterns
How Persian Oak (Quercus brantii) Copes with Crown Dieback : A Biochemical Perspective
No full textCrown dieback of oak is a critical issue in arid and semi-arid regions, threatening forest sustainability and biodiversity. This study explores the biochemical responses of Persian oak trees under varying health conditions to uncover the mechanisms driving oak decline. Key parameters such as photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzyme activities, osmolyte accumulation, and oxidative stress markers were analyzed. Despite stable photosynthetic pigments in both healthy and declining trees, catalase and peroxidase antioxidant enzyme levels were significantly higher in declining trees, highlighting their role in mitigating oxidative damage. Proline accumulation emerged as a vital osmoprotectant, while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels reflected heightened lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) further differentiated healthy and declining trees, identifying antioxidant activity as a significant factor. These findings provide valuable insights into Persian oak resilience, offering a foundation for early detection of decline and sustainable management practices to mitigate the effects of climate change on oak forests
Does the freelance economy promote creative freedom?
No full textThis paper builds on the creation of new ways of organizing work, where the freelance economy specifically targets the increasing number of skilled self-employed individuals collaborating for shared output. Through describing and discussing creativity within the freelance economy, this paper seeks to understand creativity in collaborations among these self-employed individuals. Drawing from a case study conducted in the advertising sector, the paper concludes that creativity within the freelance economy occurs between equal and inherently creative freelancers rather than being the product of individual traits, despite their respective skills. Creativity between individuals arises when processes are appropriately formalized, while the creative output is constrained by individual decisions and styles. The paper contributes to existing research by shedding light on the distinctive characteristics of the freelance economy and its paradoxical organizational nature. By doing so, it offers insights that contrast with prior studies on artistic creativity
Women’s use of Image and performance-enhancing drugs : Exploring Gender, Bodies and Risks in Digital forums and Beyond
No full textThe aim of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the gendering of image and performance-enhancing drug (IPED) practices and to explore women’s IPED experiences and trajectories in the complex interplay between technology and the body. Based on online material and interviews, four studies address how women negotiate gender, the body, social contexts and risks. Study One examines women’s interactions on the Swedish online platform Flashback, focusing on how they present their use and interact with others. The discussions often take the form of course reports, using an input template for what information to include. While the format appears gender-neutral, the posts are filtered through an idealised doping narrative, revealing masculine and hegemonic conceptualisations. The women express resistance to this hegemony, though the conventional gender structures coexist within the forum. The second study also draws on online discussions, exploring the potential emergence of a female ethnopharmacological culture, with analysis of how women talk about and rationalise their IPED use. Considerations of drug potencies and gendered side-effects show an emergence of what is conceptualised as Sis science. Study Three explores two online platforms where women discuss IPEDs, describing how women narrate their use in relation to the gendering of drug cultures and communities and conceptually addressing the gender bias dominating the scholarly IPED debate. Findings suggest that variations in experience are overshadowed by stereotypes of women IPED-users and that inadequate information for the female body, and men posing as women in online forums, hinder women’s efforts to navigate between informed advice and misogynist comments. The final study, based on interviews with women having experience of IPED use within gym and fitness, aims to analyse how gender, social context, and risk influence their IPED trajectories. The findings present cases illustrating different trajectories, placing them in transitional subcultural spaces. The study also shows how their bodies provoked reactions, as their lifestyles and physiques were seen as challenging gender norms and the normative life course for women. Taken together, the findings suggest implications for preventive social work and situate women’s IPED practices as embedded in an interwoven relationship between technology and the body.Pumping up the Ego: Biographical Studies of Young People’s Doping Trajectorie
The effectiveness of different methods for protecting the narrow face in CLT wall elements against moisture uptake
No full textKL-trä vid byggnationer har blivit vanligare än tidigare där en anledning kan vara att korslimmat trä är ett starkt material i förhållande till dess lätta vikt. Ytterligare en egenskap materialet besitter är att det påverkas negativt när det utsätts för vatten över tid. Därmed krävs studier om skyddsmetoder för KL-träets ändträyta, som har en hög förmåga att absorbera fukt. Detta arbete baseras på tidigare studier av (Jonasson & Kauppi, 2024) som undersökt vilken skyddsmetod som är effektiv mot fuktupptagning via ändträet. Syftet med denna undersökning är att undersöka robustheten av skyddsmetoderna som tidigare analyserats av (Jonasson & Kauppi, 2024), och uttala sig om skyddsmetodernas effektivitet under en längre tidsperiod. I denna studie har en experimentell undersökning genomförts, där fem provkroppar exponerades för vatten under tio dagar. Provkropparna bestod av två skyddstejpmetoder och två skyddsfärgsmetoder, samt en kontrollkropp som lämnades oskyddad för att möjliggöra jämförelse av skyddsmetoderna. För att mäta fuktkvoten i väggelementen används permanenta sensorer som var installerade i väggelementets lameller. De permanenta sensorerna mäter den relativa fuktigheten och temperaturen, vilket därefter omräknades till en fuktkvot med hjälp av en jämviktsfuktkvotformel (EMC). Den andra mätningsmetoden utgjordes med ett resistensverktyg som mäter fuktkvoten i träet direkt. Samtliga fuktkvotsvärden noterades i en Excelfil för vidare undersökning. Utifrån mätningarna kan resultat om vilka av väggelementen som absorberat mest vatten under tidsperioden urskiljas. Därefter undersöktes och jämfördes uttorkningsfasen av provkropparna med tidigare undersökning (Jonasson & Kauppi, 2024). Resultatet visade vilken skyddsmetod som var mest respektive minst robust. Den tejpningsmetod där tejpen viks upp på kanterna av väggelementet var mest effektivt och robust av skyddsmetoderna. Här var fuktkvoten som högst 15%, vilket överensstämmer med tidigare undersökning (Jonasson & Kauppi, 2024). Den sämsta metoden var endast tejp applicerat utmed ändträet där fuktkvoten för ytlamellen uppgick till över 60% som högst. Slutsatser utifrån undersökningen är bland annat att de skyddsmetoder som inte skyddar ändträet helt från exponering av vatten, inte heller uppfyller inbyggnadskraven på 18% fuktkvot, vilket är en gräns för att minimera risken för skador och mikrobiell tillväxt vid byggskedet. Därmed är ett heltäckande skydd som omsluter ändträet både avgörande och nödvändigt för att säkerställa ett långsiktigt skydd mot fuktupptagning via ändträet.The use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) is increasing in the construction industry, due to its favorable strength-to-weight ratio. However, the hygroscopic nature of wood, prolonged exposure to moisture reduces its load-bearing capacity and increases the risk for wood decay and mold growth. Therefore, studies of protection methods for CLT are necessary. This study builds on previous research of Jonasson & Kauppi (2024) who investigated which protective method is most effective to resist moisture uptake through the end-grain of test specimens. In this study, five test specimens were exposed to water for 10 days. The test specimens included two tape-based and two paint-based protections, and one unprotected control specimens for comparison. The moisture content was manually and continuously measured for 30 days, with two different measurement methods. The results showed that the tape method with folding over the edges was most effective against moisture uptake, where the moisture content stayed well below 15%. While, the least effective method, and the unprotected control specimen reached a moisture content of up to 60%, over several weeks. This results in the risk of microbial growth in wood. Therefore, a fully sealed end-grain protection is essential for ensuring durability against moisture.Projekt: Hållbart byggande med trä – materialeffektivt värdeskapande från trämaterial till byggnader</p
Effectivization of a productionflow within manufacturing companies
No full textSvensk skogsindustri idag står inför stora utmaningar på grund av ett tufft marknadsläge. Priset på träråvaror ligger på en hög nivå vilket gör det väsentligt för företag att se över sina processer för att öka lönsamheten. Inom tillverkande företag förekommer diverse processer som innefattar olika flöden. Processer har ofta en stor förbättringspotential då det förekommer produktionsstörningar. Genom att arbeta med störningshantering och störningseliminering kan företag inom industriell verksamhet arbeta med förbättringar och därmed sänka sina kostnader och öka sin lönsamhet. Syftet med studien var att få en djupare förståelse för hur tillverkande företag kan arbeta med förbättringar inom sina produktionsprocesser samt ge förslag på förbättringar. För att uppnå syftet med studien genomfördes en fallstudie på Vida Vislanda AB, som är ett företag inom sågverksindustrin. En nulägesbeskrivning gjordes av produktionsprocessen för att sedan analyseras och lägga grunden för förbättringsförslagen. Resultatet visade vilka områden inom processen som har potentiella förbättringsmöjligheter.The Swedish Forest industry is currently facing major challenges due to a difficult market situation. The price of timber is at a high level, making it essential forcompanies to review their processes to increase their profitability. In manufacturing companies there are various processes that involves different kinds of flows. These processes often have potential for improvement as every process has disturbances that frequently occur in the production. By working with disturbance management, companies in the industrial operations can implement improvements that lead to increased profitability and reduced costs. The purpose of the study was to gain a deeper understanding of how manufacturing companies can work with improvements and to provide suggestions for improvements. To achieve this purpose, a case study was conducted at Vida Vislanda AB, a company within the sawmill industry. A current state description of the production process was formed and analyzed which laid the foundation for the improvement suggestions. The results identified areas within the production that have potential for improvement.Projekt: Hållbart byggande med trä – materialeffektivt värdeskapande från trämaterial till byggnader</p
Climate improved concrete in civil structures withfocus on road bridges
No full textConcrete production is a major contributor to global CO₂ emissions, highlighting the need for sustainable alternatives. This thesis explores the potential of low-carbon concrete in bridge construction, investigating both its performance and the factors limiting its use. Interviews with industry experts were conducted, and the results were compared with existing studies. Additionally, a calculation was made to compare the strength of traditional concrete and slag-based concrete during the hardening process. The findings indicate that low-carbon concrete performs similarly to traditional concrete in most aspects, although there are technical challenges in its application. In conclusion, the thesis emphasizes the importance of using industrial by-products as cement replacements to help the bridge construction sectors meet climate goals. Widespread adoption of alternative binders can significantly reduce concrete’s carbon footprint, contributing to a more sustainable and climate-neutral concrete industry
From E-Waste to E-Worth : Designing a Future Without Disposable Electronics
No full textThis thesis is an exploration of e-waste, a topic of great relevance today. Just like fast fashion, we can witness a similar phenomenon today with electronics. Low-cost, low-durability products have flooded the market and are basically “waste in transit”, which leads to ever-rising numbers of discarded devices around the globe. The project is directed at preventing waste generation by designing a repair service which offers replacement parts for small kitchen appliances. The service seeks to drive meaningful change in how we consume and dispose of electronics. Through design, I aim to empower consumers, challenge industry norms, and contribute to a more circular and sustainable future