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Neysluhættir sem tjáning: Viðhorf og merking neyslu meðal ungs fólks
No full textNeysluhegðun fólks mótast af áhrifum fjölmargra ólíkra þátta. Má þar sem dæmi nefna vini, fjölskyldu, umhverfisþætti og aðra utanaðkomandi hópa. Markmið þessarar rannsóknar var að varpa ljósi á hvernig ungt fólk túlkar upplifun sína á neyslu. Notast var við eigindlega rannsóknaraðferð þar sem tekin voru viðtöl við fimm einstaklinga á aldrinum 20-26 ára. Viðtölin voru svo þemagreind þar sem fimm meginþemu og tvö undirþemu voru áberandi í svörum viðmælenda. Þau þemu sem komu ítrekað fram í viðtölunum voru sterk áhrif annarra, sterk áhrif frá samfélagsmiðlum, umhverfisvitund og sjálfbærni, aukin meðvitund um notagildi og þroski og breytingar með tímanum. Helstu niðurstöður sýndu fram á að ungt fólk upplifir áhrif frá öðrum og samfélagsmiðlum í neysluhegðun sinni þó að það reyni að einhverju leyti að standa gegn þessum þrýstingi og áhrifum. Einnig sýndu niðurstöður fram á að þroski, aukin meðvitund um umhverfismál og breytingar á lifnaðarháttum höfðu áhrif og mótuðu neysluhegðun viðmælendanna
The Role of Transformational Leadership in Shaping Motivation and Commitment Among Adult Social Dance Students
No full textThis thesis investigates how transformational leadership shapes motivation and commitment in adult dance students that practice social dancing. By researching transformational leadership in this field, this thesis offers practical advice for dance studios and dance teachers to increase student engagement and retention. While transformational leadership has been studied extensively in companies, academic settings, and sports, its application across dance remains under-researched, especially in the field of adult social dancing.
In this study, fifteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with Brazilian Zouk dancers in Iceland, which revealed that dancers are motivated by five factors including artistic expression, new experiences, health benefits, social connection, and growth opportunities. The motivations of dance students were studied in the context of the Self Determination Theory by Deci & Ryan (1985), a framework for understanding human motivations through psychological needs. The study revealed that autonomy was more important for advanced dancers in comparison to beginners, competence increased over time with improvements becoming visible and being recognized by peers, and a sense of belonging was a significant factor in increasing dancers’ commitment and attachment to the community. The research also revealed how students started dancing due to extrinsic motivations such as peer pressure and eventually moved along a continuum, developing greater intrinsic motivation through enjoyment and connection. Eventually, dancing transformed the students’ identities as a dancer, with some developing self-leadership capabilities enabling them to contribute to the community.
This study offers useful strategies for dance business owners as to how dance schools can improve their marketing, event planning, product offering, customer loyalty programs, and their overall operations to attract and retain students. It is recommended that dance studios highlight the community aspect and health benefits of dancing in their marketing messages, offer novelty through diverse events and class offerings, create programs to cater to the interests of both new and advanced students, and ensure the proper management of the dance environment and music.
Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Motivation, Commitment, Social Dancing, Teacher, Self-Determination Theor
Þétting byggðar. Áhrif þess á tengsl borgarbúa við náttúruna
No full textÁ síðustu árum hefur þétting byggðar orðið eitt af meginmarkmiðum borgarskipulags, ekki síst á höfuðborgarsvæðinu, þar sem áhersla er lögð á að byggja þéttar innan núverandi borgarmarka. Þessi þróun er gjarnan réttlætt með vísun í sjálfbærni, hagkvæmari innviði og umhverfisvænni samgöngur, en á sama tíma vekur hún upp spurningar um hvað gerist þegar grænum svæðum fækkar og dagleg nánd fólks við náttúruna minnkar. Í þessari ritgerð er sjónum beint að tengslunum milli þéttingar byggðar, upplifunar fólks af borgarlandslagi og andlegrar vellíðunar, með sérstakri áherslu á tilfinningu fyrir stað og mögulegu staðleysi í samtímaborgum. Ritgerðin er fræðileg heimildar samantekt sem byggist á mannfræðilegum hugmyndum um íveru og lifandi landslag, þá sérstaklega kenningum Tim Ingold. Einnig er stuðst við hugmyndir Yi-Fu Tuan um rými og stað, ásamt vangaveltum Edward Relph og Marc Augé um staðleysi. Þessi sjónarhorn eru tengd umhverfissálfræðilegum kenningum um endurreisn athyglinnar og hugmyndum um aðdráttarafl lífsins, auk rannsókna sem sýna að aðgengi að grænum svæðum styður við andlega heilsu, félagsleg tengsl og upplifun fólks af borginni sem merkingarbæru umhverfi. Fjallað er um alþjóðleg dæmi, norrænar borgir og stöðu mála á Íslandi, þar sem þéttingarstefna rekst á sterka hefð fyrir nánum tengslum við náttúruna. Megin niðurstaða ritgerðarinnar er sú að þétting byggðar sem gengur á græn svæði dregur úr líkamlegum, skynrænum og tilfinningalegum tengslum fólks við umhverfið. Þetta getur aukið líkur á streitu, andlegri þreytu og upplifun staðleysis og þannig rýrt bæði vellíðan og staðarkennd. Jafnframt er bent á að þétt og sjálfbær borg krefjist þess að náttúran sé samþætt daglegu lífi, fremur en sett til hliðar sem afmarkað borgarrými.In recent decades, urban densification has become a key planning objective, particularly in the Reykjavík metropolitan area, where emphasis is placed on building more compactly within existing urban boundaries. This development is often justified with reference to sustainability, more efficient infrastructure and greener mobility, yet it also raises questions about what happens when green spaces are reduced and everyday encounters with nature become more rare. This thesis explores the relationship between densification, people’s experience of the urban landscape and well-being, with a particular focus on sense of place and the risk of placelessness in contemporary cities. The thesis is a theoretical literature review grounded in anthropological perspectives on dwelling and living landscapes, particularly the work of Tim Ingold. It also draws on Yi-Fu Tun’s ideas of space and place, as well as the reflections of Edward Relph and Marc Augé on placelessness. These perspectives are connected to environmental psychological theories of attention restoration and the concept of biophilia, alongside empirical studies demonstrating how access to green spaces supports mental health, social relations and the experience of the city as a meaningful environment. International examples, Nordic cities and the Icelandic context are discussed, highlighting tensions between densification policies and cultural identity strongly rooted in closeness to nature. The main conclusion is that densification that encroaches on green areas tends to weaken bodily, sensory and emotional ties to the environment, increasing stress, cognitive fatigue and experiences of placelessness, and thereby undermining both well-being and sense of place. At the same time, the thesis argues that dense and sustainable cities require nature to be integrated into everyday life rather than treated as a separated, additional layer of urban space
Modeling the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) in Icelandic Waters Using INLA-SPDE
No full textThis study models the spatiotemporal distribution of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) biomass in Icelandic waters using the annual Icelandic spring groundfish survey data from 1985 to 2024. We employ a Bayesian Gaussian-Gaussian model, where both the log-transformed biomass index and the latent field are assumed normally distributed. For computational efficiency, inference is conducted via the integrated nested Laplace approximation (INLA). The modeling is in the class of generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs), incorporating nonlinear effects of environmental and biological covariates, along with spatiotemporal random effects. Four spatiotemporal structures are used to capture the dependencies across space and time inherent in our data. Furthermore, barrier models are integrated to account for physical boundaries in the study area, ensuring more realistic spatial correlation. A total of 52 models are compared using the deviance information criterion (DIC) and the mean log conditional predictive ordinate (LCPO).
The final model has a separable spatiotemporal structure where spatial and temporal precision matrices are combined via a Kronecker product. Results reveal strong spatial clustering with an estimated spatial range of approximately 86 km, and identify depth and bottom temperature as key predictors of cod biomass, while the influence of lagged fish length is weak. These findings align with the known ecology of Icelandic cod. This study demonstrates that the Bayesian spatiotemporal modeling approach based on INLA-SPDE is a flexible and useful statistical tool for analyzing the spatiotemporal distribution of Icelandic cod. It also paves the way for the analysis of other demersal fish species in the groundfish survey and future extensions to non-separable spatiotemporal models that account for space-time interactions.Hafrannsóknastofnun
Minding the Gaps: A Systematic Literature Review of Inter-Organizational Network Formation and Cooperative Benefits
No full textThe aim of this research was to investigate the current state of knowledge and research gaps on inter-organization networks. Particular interest is on identifying why inter-organizational networks form and their impact in terms of potential benefits for all members of the network.
A systematic literature review was employed to scope, evaluate, and synthesize existing research on inter-organizational networks. The scope of the research covered peer-reviewed papers from 2010 to 2024, using the Scopus database. The PSALSAR framework was applied to ensure a structured review process. The systematic literature review search resulted in 119 papers. These were analyzed through a thematic synthesis that distinguished between two core streams of research: (1) studies focusing on network formation, which were further categorized by their primary drivers (e.g., social, strategic, structural, technological); and (2) studies examining network benefits, which were categorized by their outcomes (e.g., performance, innovation). A second layer of analysis was conducted to deepen the understanding of the main theories employed and a mapping of the main industries/contexts represented in the literature.
The results reveal several persistent gaps in the application of inter-organizational network research. While early studies predominantly focused on network formation, more recent contributions increasingly adopt integrative approaches that link formation mechanisms with network outcomes. Social and structural drivers emerge as the most extensively examined antecedents of network formation, whereas technological drivers remain comparatively underexplored, despite their growing relevance in digitally mediated and platform-based collaboration contexts. Furthermore, the analysis highlights a strong dominance of whole-network perspectives, alongside a relative lack of explicit multi-level integration across firm, dyadic, and network levels. Also, existing research exhibits geographical and sectoral concentration, with a predominance of studies situated in Western economies and China.
By consolidating fragmented research and systematically mapping gaps, this review contributes a structured synthesis of the inter-organizational network literature and advances a future research agenda, highlighting areas for additional investigation and future studies. In answering the research question, the results of this systematic review contributed to the body of knowledge on this topic by 1) by consolidating and synthesizing the existing knowledge on inter-organizational networks, this study also contributes by 2) identifying future research directions to address gaps in the application of this important area of study
Við erum náttúrulega bara í samkeppni við heiminn um gott fólk. Þjónusta við innflytjendur á almenningsbókasöfnum á landsbyggðinni
No full textÍ þessari eigindlegri rannsókn er spurt hvernig almenningsbókasöfn á landsbyggðinni eru í stakk búin að þjónusta innflytjendur, flóttafólk og umsækjendur um alþjóðlega vernd. Tekin voru 13 hálfopin viðtöl við starfsmenn almenningsbókasafna á landsbyggðinni til þess að varpa ljósi á það hverjar væru helstu áskoranirnar sem þeir standa frammi fyrir til að sinna þessum hópi. Einnig er rýnt í stefnur ríkis og sveitarfélaga í málaflokknum með tilliti til þess hvernig þær hafa áhrif á hvernig bókasöfn veita þjónustu fyrir þessa hópa.
Niðurstöður benda til að þó starfsfólk almenningsbókasafna á landsbyggðinni leggi sig fram um að þjónusta innflytjendur er þörf til að gera betur. Helstu áskoranir sem viðmælendur nefndu eru tungumálaörðugleikar, vandann við að ná til hópa sem þekkja ekki til bókasafnanna og að nálgast erlendan bókakost. Rannsóknin dregur einnig fram hvernig fjöldi starfsfólks og stærð bókasafna getur haft mikil áhrif, bæði hvað varðar opnunartíma, fjölda viðburða og kaup á erlendum bókakosti. Einnig kom fram að fáir töldu sig hafa fengið nægjanlega faglega leiðsögn eða fræðslu um málefni innflytjenda. Leggja þarf meira fjármagn til almenningsbókasafna svo hægt sé að fjölga starfsfólki og þannig að bjóða upp á enn meiri þjónustu til innflytjenda. Enn fremur þarf stefnumörkun ríkis og sveitarfélaga að vera skýrari um hlutverk almenningsbókasafna svo nýta megi möguleika þeirra sem best í þjónustu við innflytjendur.This qualitative research investigates the capacity of public libraries in rural Iceland to serve immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Thirteen semi-structured interviews with rural library staff were conducted to illuminate the primary challenges they face in serving these demographics. Furthermore, the study examines state and municipal policies, specifically how they influence the provision of library services for these groups.
The findings indicate that while staff at rural public libraries demonstrate a strong commitment to serving immigrants, there is a clear interest and need in further improving these services. The main challenges identified by participants include language barriers, the difficulty of reaching groups unfamiliar with library services, and the acquisition of foreign-language books. The study also highlights the significant impact of staffing levels and library size on for example opening hours, the frequency of events, and the purchase of foreign-language materials. Additionally, results show that most staff members felt they had received insufficient professional guidance or training regarding immigrant issues. Increased funding is necessary to augment staffing levels and thereby expand the scope of services provided to immigrants. Furthermore, state and local policy frameworks should define the role of public libraries more clearly to fully realize their potential in serving immigrant populations
Samframleiðsla í kvikmyndagerð: reynsla íslenskra fagaðila í þverþjóðlegu samstarfi
No full textÞessi ritgerð fjallar um samframleiðslu í kvikmyndagerð og hvaða áhrif hún hefur á ákvarðanatöku framleiðenda og framkvæmd verkefna. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að fá innsýn í hvernig samframleiðslu er háttað í kvikmyndagerð, með sérstakri áherslu á evrópskt samhengi og reynslu íslenskra fagaðila í þverþjóðlegu samstarfi. Gerð var rannsókn sem byggði á eigindlegri aðferð og tekin voru sjö hálfopin viðtöl við íslenska framleiðendur og aðra sérfræðinga sem hafa reynslu af samframleiðsluverkefnum. Rannsóknargögnin voru greind með þemagreiningu. Viðtölin voru kóðuð og síðan flokkuð í þemu. Í ritgerðinni er farið yfir hvernig fjármögnun er sett saman í samframleiðslu, hvernig samstarf milli landa er skipulagt og hvaða áhrif stofnanaleg skilyrði hafa á ákvarðanir framleiðenda. Niðurstöðurnar voru þær að samframleiðsla er ekki afmarkaður þáttur í framleiðsuferlinu, heldur umgjörð sem hefur áhrif á verkefni frá upphafi til enda. Ákvarðanir framleiðenda ráðast snemma af því hvaðan fjármögnun getur komið og hvaða samstarf opnar aðgang að stuðningsúrræðum. Jafnframt benda niðurstöðurnar til þess að samframleiðsla skapi virði sem felst í fleiru en fjármögnun, meðal annars í formi þekkingarmiðlunar, tengslanets og aukinna tækifæra í dreifingu og aðgang að mörkuðum. Þá kemur fram að aðkoma streymisveitna getur haft áhrif á hugverkaréttindi og langtímavirði eftir því hvernig samið er um hlutverk þeirra í samframleiðslu. Niðurstöðurnar sýna einnig að eignarhald og valdahlutföll í samframleiðslu mótast bæði af formlegum samningum og stöðu aðila þar sem fjármögnun, samningsstaða, reynsla og tengslanet geta skipt máli fyrir það hver hefur áhrif á lykilákvarðanir og hvernig réttindi nýtast til lengri tíma.This thesis explores co-production in filmmaking and how it influences producers decisions and the practical execution of projects. The aim of the study is to understand how co-production works in practice, with particular attention to the European context and the experiences of Icelandic professionals who regularly work in cross-border collaborations. The study is based on qualitative research and draws on seven semi-structured interviews with Icelandic producers and other industry professionals who have experience working on co-production projects. The interview material was analysed using thematic analysis. The aim of this research is to obtain understanding on how co-productions are put together, how financing is assembled, how collaboration between countries is organised and also how regulations, funding schemes, and formal requirements can affect the producers’ choices. The findings show that co-production is not experienced as a separate stage in the production process. Instead, it functions more as a framework that shapes projects from the very beginning. Producers describe making key decisions early on, based on where financing can realistically be secured and which partnerships provide access to support mechanisms. These conditions can influence how projects are developed, how they are structured and who becomes involved. The results also show that co-production creates value beyond financing, especially through knowledge sharing, stronger professional networks and wider routes for distribution and reaching new markets. The study also finds that when streaming platforms are involved, the outcome can vary depending on how their role is set out in the deal, particularly when it comes to intellectual property and how much value stays with producers. The findings also suggest that co-production is shaped not only by what is written into contracts, but also by the balance of power between partners. Financial strength, experience, and industry networks can influence who has more say in key decisions and how rights are shared.Verkefnið er lokað í tvö ár með samþykki Viðskiptafræðideilda
Brotthvarf nemenda af erlendum uppruna úr framhaldsskóla: Samspil félagslegra og menningarlegra þátta
No full textEftirfarandi ritgerð er lokaverkefni til BA-gráðu við félagsráðgjafardeild Háskóla Íslands og fjallar um brotthvarf nemenda í hópi innflytjenda og flóttafólks úr íslenskum framhaldsskólum í samanburði við nemendur með íslenskan bakgrunn. Rannsóknarspurning ritgerðarinnar er: Hvernig má skýra brotthvarf nemenda í hópi innflytjenda og flóttafólks úr framhaldsskólum á Íslandi miðað við nemendur með íslenskan bakgrunn?
Niðurstöður ritgerðarinnar sýna að brotthvarf nemenda af erlendum uppruna er ekki fyrst og fremst einstaklingsbundið val, heldur mótast af samspili félagslegra, efnahagslegra og menningarlegra aðstæðna ásamt kerfislægum þáttum innan menntakerfisins. Rannsóknir benda til þess að nemendur af erlendum uppruna búi oftar við efnahagslegt óöryggi, skertan félagsauð, tungumálahindranir og ójafnt aðgengi að stuðningsúrræðum, sem eykur líkur á brotthvarfi.
Fræðilegur rammi ritgerðarinnar byggir á greiningu á félagslegum, menningarlegum og efnahagslegum þáttum, félagsauði, aðlögun og seiglu nemenda. Með þessari nálgun er sýnt fram á hvernig skortur á félagslegum tengslum, tilfinningu fyrir að tilheyra og markvissum stuðningi getur haft afgerandi áhrif á námsfestu og líkur á brotthvarfi.
Norrænn samanburður sýnir jafnframt að bilið í námsárangri og brotthvarfi milli innflytjenda og nemenda með innfæddan bakgrunn er meira á Íslandi en á sumum Norðurlandanna, þar sem stuðningskerfi eru markvissari og samræmdari. Í heild sýnir ritgerðin að brotthvarf nemenda af erlendum uppruna er kerfislægt og samfélagslegt viðfangsefni sem krefst heildstæðra og samræmdra aðgerða til að tryggja jöfn tækifæri til náms
"We Are Still Finding Our Footing”: The Role and Responsibilities of Coordinators in the Implementation of the Act on the Well-being of Children
No full textÞrátt fyrir aukna vitund og lagaleg úrræði eru börn enn berskjölduð fyrir aðstæðum sem hafa áhrif á líðan og þroska. Til að bregðast við þessum áskorunum tóku lög um samþætta þjónustu í þágu farsældar barna gildi árið 2022. Lögin skilgreina m.a. hlutverk tengiliða sem styðja börn og fjölskyldur við að sækja þjónustu. Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að fylgja eftir innleiðingu og framkvæmd laganna með áherslu á hlutverk tengiliða í leik- og grunnskólum með það að markmiði að greina áskoranir, það sem hefur gengið vel og það sem má betur fara á fyrstu þremur árum innleiðingar laganna.
Rannsóknin byggir á para- og einstaklingsviðtölum við þrjá fulltrúa sveitarstjórnar og sjö tengiliði í leik- og grunnskólum í einu hverfi á höfuðborgarsvæðinu. Niðurstöðurnar benda til þess að hlutverk tengiliða er krefjandi og margþætt og kalli á skýra verkaskiptingu og stuðning. Tengiliðir gegna lykilhlutverki í samskiptum milli barna, foreldra og fagfólks, samhæfa þjónustu og styðja við þverfaglegt samstarf. Upplifun þeirra af hlutverkinu var breytileg eftir skólastigum og mótaðist af aðgengi að úrræðum sem og ólíkri stofnanalegri umgjörð. Þátttakendur lýstu marglaga samskiptum og samstarfi sem oft fór út fyrir lögbundið
hlutverk þeirra. Þrátt fyrir almenna ánægju með lögin kom fram að langt væri í land með að tryggja farsæld barna. Þátttakendur bentu á kerfislæga veikleika svo sem skort á úrræðum, biðlista,
óljósa verkaskiptingu og takmarkað aðgengi að þjónustu. Niðurstöðurnar sýna einnig gjá milli stjórnsýslustiga sem torveldar samskipti og vinnu að markmiðum laganna.
Fræðilegt framlag rannsóknarinnar felst í því að varpa ljósi á hvernig innleiðing laganna birtist í daglegu starfi á vettvangi og hvernig lagaleg hlutverk fagfólks mótast innan samþættrar þjónustu. Rannsóknin dregur jafnframt fram spennu milli stefnumótunar og framkvæmdar og hefur hagnýtt gildi fyrir stefnumótandi aðila, fagfólk og fjölskyldur.Despite increased awareness and legal provisions, children remain vulnerable to circumstances that affect their well-being and development. To address these challenges, the Act on Integrated Services for the Well-being of Children entered into force in 2022. The
legislation defines, among other things, the role of well-being liaisons who support children and families in accessing appropriate services. The aim of this study is to follow up on the implementation and execution of the Act, with a particular focus on the role of liaisons in
preschools and primary schools. Emphasis is placed on identifying challenges, what has worked well, and what could be improved during the first three years of the Act’s implementation.
The study is based on paired and individual interviews with three municipal representatives and seven well-being liaisons in preschools and primary schools in one district of the capital area. The findings indicate that the role of well-being liaisons is demanding and multifaceted, requiring clear division of responsibilities and support. Liaisons play a key role in facilitating communication between children, parents, and professionals, coordinating services, and supporting interdisciplinary collaboration. Their experiences of the role varied across school levels and were shaped by access to resources and differing institutional frameworks. Participants described multilayered communication and collaboration that often extended beyond their legally defined responsibilities.
Although participants expressed general satisfaction with the legislation, they highligheted that significant progress is still needed to ensure children’s well-being. They pointed to systemic weaknesses, including a lack of resources, long waiting lists, unclear division of responsibilities, and limited access to services. The findings also reveal a gap between administrative levels, which hinders communication and efforts to achieve the goals of the Act.
The theoretical contribution of the study lies in shedding light on how the implementation of the Act is reflected in everyday work and how professionals‘ legal roles are shaped within integrated services. The research further highlights the tensions between policy and practice and has practical implications for policymakers, school professionals and
families.Menntarannsókarsjóður mennta-og barnamálaráherr
Simulation-Based Optimization of Peer-to-Peer Energy Management in Residential Households
No full textThis master's thesis presents a simulation-based approach to peer-to-peer (P2P) renewable energy integration, focusing on household-level energy management in Iceland. The study addresses the limitations of coordinating prosumers and consumers with shared battery storage while maintaining grid connectivity. It reviews existing P2P energy management systems, identifies gaps in the literature, and outlines a conceptual framework for the proposed model. User energy demand is analyzed using time series techniques, progressing from linear models on limited data to Temporal Convolutional Networks with feature engineering to improve demand prediction accuracy. A mathematical optimization model for energy exchange is developed, capturing intra- and inter-group trading scenarios and interactions with the grid and shared batteries for both prosumers and consumers.
Using data from Icelandic households
demonstrate that intra-group P2P trading significantly reduces energy costs, while inter-group trading provides additional, though marginal, savings. The study also evaluates the impact of prediction errors and battery depreciation costs, highlighting the importance of accurate forecasting and fair cost allocation.
Jain's fairness index is used to evaluate the fairness of the model.
The findings confirm the reduced total cost of the proposed model in optimizing distributed energy resources and provide actionable insights for implementing P2P renewable energy systems in practice.Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme and Reykjavík Energy Research and Innovation Fund