Publikationer från Högskolan i Gävle
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Positive energy districts in Sweden: The impact from heat pumps, photovoltaic systems, and energy recovery from district heating return pipe
No full textThe present study addresses the implications of positive energy district metrics, comparing heat pump and district heating solutions combined with PV systems. A methodology was developed to calculate energy system equilibrium using data available to city stakeholders during the initial stages of a planned residential area. The model requires 3 dimensional drawings and data from similar buildings. This was integrated with a validated physics-based urban building energy model to simulate the thermal demand and a novel calculation of operational, individual and PV produced electricity on an hourly basis. This allows planners to estimate whether a district would meet ambitions for positive energy district as well as account for peak electrical and thermal demand and electrical energy import and export. The study also examined energy recovery from the return pipe of the district heating system. The method is applied to a case study of a planned residential district in east-central Sweden. The findings indicate that achieving positive energy district status is not feasible with either district heating or heat pump solutions combined with PV systems. Heat pumps are preferred when a lower yearly energy balance is the sole metric, however heat pumps double the peak electricity import in the winter. Neither the positive energy district yearly energy balance nor the primary energy indicator differentiate between primary and return district heating sources. The results also indicate that while positive energy districts aim to enhance the local energy system, the yearly energy balance metric alone does not promote such improvements
Managing Organisational Changes for Collaboration Between Stakeholders in Sustainable Public Procurement
No full textSustainable public procurement (SPP) has been incorporating sustainability issues into commercial relationships between governments and businesses. SPP implementation can be undertaken with the support of organisational changes. Research has highlighted the role of stakeholders' collaboration in driving changes for SPP. However, there is limited understanding of the forces fostering and blocking the implementation of collaboration. This paper analyses drivers for and barriers to implementing collaboration in SPP, based on semi-structured interviews with SPP practitioners from different world regions (Brazil and Sweden). This paper provides a catalogue of forces influencing organisational changes towards collaboration in SPP (categorised into internal, connecting-protagonist, connecting-supporting and external), including 23 drivers, 40 barriers and 24 strategies to overcome such barriers. This paper also proposes an understanding of how organisational changes for collaboration are interconnected with changes for implementing SPP. Organisational changes for SPP must be understood as multiple and composite instead of single and monolithic
Evaluating AI Judgements : A Case Study of LLMs in Product Development
No full textThis thesis investigates how Large Language Models (LLMs) can be evaluated using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) tools. Instead of employing AI for direct decision-making, this study reimagines the role of MCDA tools as a crucial lens into the reasoning processes of LLMs that otherwise lack transparency. Adopting a pragmatist approach, priority is placed on practical insights for decision-makers considering large-scale automation of decisions using LLMs. To really test the LLMs, this case study focuses on a product development related scenario, where the LLMs are asked to evaluate products that have a complex real-world regulatory and practical context which need to be understood for informed decisions. Two approaches are used to vary how the models are prompted: one asks sequentially for pairwise comparisons, while the other one specifies that the models should use the AHP methodology and asks for all the pairwise comparisons to be provided at once. The analysis examines the coherence of the LLM's responses using AHP and case specific expectations to see not only whether the responses are consistent but also whether they correspond with the varying real-world requirements. The study yielded mixed results with LLMs not performing uniformly across measures that were used. The analysis of AHP data showed that decision-making performance and consistency are not equivalent, and performance needs to be considered from a broader range of dimensions including how well the outcomes match the expectations in a specific decision-making context. Overall, none of the state-of-the-art LLMs tested performed well enough in terms of referencing relevant regulatory information or ranking alternatives according to the needs of different customer groups. The study did result in several metrics which can be used for LLM evaluation purposes and show that more recent LLMs have substantial computational capabilities which may be useful for multi-criteria decision-making
Self-Leadership in Teams - Empowering Force or Collaboration Trap? : A quantitative Study about Self-Leadership and Performance.
No full textSyfte: Denna studie ska pröva sambandet mellan självledarskap och prestation iteamkontext. Studien analyserar även hur teamberoende, upplevd osäkerhet ochuppgiftsberoende modererar detta samband. Metod: Studien bygger på en kvantitativ forskningsmetod med en deduktiv ansats. Enenkätundersökning genomfördes med respondenter inom olika grupper avinterdependens. Respondenterna besvarade frågor baserade på en 5-gradig Likert-skala.Data analyserades med hjälp av statistiska metoder för att identifiera samband mellansjälvledarskap, prestation och de modererande faktorerna. Resultat och slutsats: Resultaten visar att självledarskap har ett positivt samband medindividens upplevda prestation i team. Inga signifikanta modererande effekter påvisadesför teamberoende, uppgiftsberoende eller osäkerhet. Det tyder på att självledarskap ären robust strategi, oberoende av teamets struktur. Studien visar därmed attsjälvledarskap inte behöver stå i motsättning till samarbete – utan snarare verkar vara enfrigörande kraft även i teammiljöer. Examensarbetets bidrag: Studien bidrar till forskningen genom att integrera SocialInterdependence Theory i en modell för självledarskap, och belyser hur självledarskapfungerar i olika teamkontexter. Resultaten kan användas för att utvecklaledarskapsutbildningar, strategier inom Human Resources (HR) och teamdesign somfrämjar både självledarskap och samarbete. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Kvalitativa studier föreslås för att förståsjälvledarskapets tillämpning i praktiken. Mer tillförlitliga mätinstrument föruppgiftsberoende och osäkerhet bör också utvecklas.Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between self-leadershipand performance in a team context. This study also analyses how team interdependence,perceived uncertainty, and task dependence moderate this relationship. Method: This study employs a quantitative research method with a deductive approach.A survey was conducted among respondents representing different groups ofinterdependence. The participants answered questions using a 5-point Likert scale. Thedata were analysed using statistical methods to identify relationships between selfleadership,performance, and the moderating factors. Results and Conclusions: The results show that self-leadership has a positive effect onjob performance. No moderating effects were found for interdependence or uncertainty.This suggests that self-leadership is a stable and effective strategy regardless of teamstructure. The results support the view that self-leadership is not in conflict withcollaboration but can thrive within it. Contribution of the thesis: This study contributes to the literature by combining twotheoretical frameworks and testing them in a team-based context. It provides newknowledge about how self-leadership operates in modern work environments. Theresults may guide organizations in leadership training and HR strategies that promoteboth autonomy and teamwork. Suggestions for future research: Future studies should use qualitative methods toexplore how self-leadership is experienced and applied. There is also a need to developmore reliable instruments for measuring task interdependence and uncertainty
Reinforcement learning applications in water resource management: a systematic literature review
No full textClimate change is increasingly affecting the water cycle, with droughts and floods posing significant challenges for agriculture, hydropower production, and urban water resource management due to growing variability in the factors influencing the water cycle. Reinforcement learning (RL) has demonstrated promising potential in optimization and planning tasks, as it trains models on historical data or through simulations, allowing them to generate new data by interacting with the simulator. This systematic literature review examines the application of reinforcement learning (RL) in water resource management across various domains. A total of 40 articles were analyzed, revealing that RL is a viable approach for this field due to its capability to learn and optimize sequential decision-making processes. The results show that RL agents are primarily trained in simulated environments rather than directly on historical data. Among the algorithms, deep Q-networks are the most commonly employed. Future research should address the challenges of bridging the gap between simulation and real-world applications and focus on improving the explainability of the decision-making process. Future studies need to address the challenges of bridging the gap between simulation and real-world applications. Furthermore, future research should focus on the explainability behind the decision-making process of the agent, which is important due to the safety-critical nature of the application
Management Control Shaping Dialogues: Attaching Differences and Reducing the Scope of Dialogs and Pluralism
No full textIn this article, we study how management control shapes dialogs among actors with different perspectives on the development of infrastructure in Sweden; that is, situations and events where management control “enters” dialogs and influences them. Building on agonistic pluralism and conducting a qualitative study, we identify two roles that management control has in shaping dialogs. One is that management controls attach differences to the dialog, and the other is that management reduces the scope of the dialog. These themes also highlight facilitating and shutting down pluralism and ideas of public value. This study contributes to the previous research that has called for taking pluralism seriously and exploring the role of management control in relation to public values, pluralism, and dialogs. This article provides an understanding of two roles that management control has in shaping dialogs: How ideas of different public values are facilitated and shut down, and how management control contributes to facilitating and shutting down pluralism
Forskning pågår 2025: Akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv
No full textVerksamheten vid akademin för hälsa och arbetsliv utgör en kollegial och tvärvetenskaplig miljö som tar avstamp i människors olika livsvillkor och sammanhang med fokus på människan som individ, i grupper, organisationer och samhällen. Fysisk, psykisk och social hälsa utgör den gemensamma nämnaren. Utbildningen och forskningen kring dessa livsvillkor handlar om människors välbefinnande i en gynnsam ekologisk, ekonomisk och social miljö. Rapporten är ett sätt för Akademin att ge en överblick över den forskning och de projekt som i stunden pågår. Sammanställningen i sig kan göra att forskare kan finna gemensamma nämnare och därigenom bidra till framtida projekt men också visa den intresserade externa forskaren vad för forskning och vilka forskningsprojekt som bedrivs vid Akademin. Rapporten innehåller omkring ett hundratal projekt som svarar mot samhällsutmaningar inom hälsa och välfärd. Den kunskap som utvecklas genom vår forskning skapar goda förutsättningar för att vi ska kunna bidra till en positiv utveckling inom dessa områden. Ny kunskap kan göra skillnad!
Interprofessional Communication Shaping Health-Promoting and Sustainable Working Life in Psychiatric Outpatient Units
No full textThis thesis research describes and explores how interprofessional communication shapes a health-promoting and sustainable working life in psychiatric outpatient units. Four studies are conducted using qualitative methods, including a concept analysis using a hybrid model, a focused ethnography, focus groups, and a vignette study. These methods analyze the role of inter-professional communication in collaboration, clarifying professional roles, and influencing the work environment in psychiatric outpatient units. The studies identify key elements such as trust, role understanding, and openness as central to strengthening communication, teamwork, and patient safety. The results show that leadership plays an important role in enabling an open communication culture but that hierarchical structures and unclear areas of responsibility can create barriers. Standardized communication tools, such as SBAR, contribute to structured information transfer, but at the same time, the importance of informal communication to build relationships and promote collaboration emerges. The studies highlight the need for a cultural change toward more equal and inclusive communication, which requires organizational changes in which all clinicians have a voice in decision-making. The work environment can be improved by strengthening interprofessional communication, promoting a longterm sustainable workplace, and contributing to better care for patients in psychiatric outpatient units.Denna avhandling beskriver och utforskar hur interprofessionell kommunikation formar ett hälsofrämjande och hållbart arbetsliv på psykiatriska öppenvårdsmottagningar. Fyra studier genomförs med kvalitativa metoder, inklusive en begreppsanalys baserad på en hybridmodell, en fokuserad etnografi, fokusgrupper och en vinjettstudie. Dessa metoder analyserar den interprofessionella kommunikationens roll i samarbete, tydliggörande av yrkesroller och påverkan på arbetsmiljön för kliniker. Studierna identifierar nyckelfaktorer såsom tillit, rollförståelse och öppenhet som centrala för att stärka kommunikation, teamarbete och i slutändan patientsäkerhet. Resultaten visar att ledarskap spelar en viktig roll för att möjliggöra en öppen kommunikationskultur, men att hierarkiska strukturer och otydliga ansvarsområden kan skapa barriärer. Standardiserade verktyg, såsom SBAR, bidrar till strukturerad informationsöverföring men samtidigt framträder vikten av informell kommunikation för att bygga relationer och främja samverkan. Studierna belyser behovet av en kulturell förändring mot mer jämlik och inkluderande kommunikation vilket kräver organisatoriska förändringar där alla kliniker ges en röst i beslutsfattandet. Genom att stärka den interprofessionella kommunikationen kan arbetsmiljön förbättras, vilket i sin tur främjar en långsiktigt hållbar arbetsplats och bidrar till bättre vård för patienter inom psykiatrisk öppenvård
Evolving capabilities of nonprofit organizations in circular used clothing supply chains
No full textPurpose Circular supply chains (CSCs) have experienced significant transformations, reflecting shifts in consumer preferences, a growing emphasis on the circular economy and increasing regulatory pressures. In the used clothing sector, nonprofit organizations (NPOs) have traditionally managed CSCs, but growing competition from for-profit entities is driving NPOs to adopt profit-oriented models. This paper examines how NPOs transformed their CSC capabilities to navigate this shift. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a case study approach to collect data from three NPOs, among Sweden’s largest operators of used clothing CSCs, each with distinct operational structures. The dynamic capability view guides the design of semi-structured interviews and data analysis. Findings This study identifies seven microfoundations of dynamic capabilities crucial for the competitive management of used clothing CSCs. These seven microfoundations emerged across four distinct levels representing employee, managerial, organizational and supply chain levels. These findings provide a holistic framework for understanding and enabling competitive capabilities in functioning used clothing CSCs. Originality/value This study offers empirical insights into maintaining efficiency and competitiveness in used clothing CSCs. Although the evidence is drawn from NPOs, the findings also apply to for-profits, as NPOs have shifted toward profit-driven models. Additionally, this study guides for-profit and policymakers by promoting collaboration with NPOs to achieve synergies. Finally, this study advances the dynamic capability view by introducing four levels at which capabilities arise and their importance for competitive CSC management
Samband mellan psykosocialt säkerhetsklimat, organisatoriska förutsättningar för systematiskt arbetsmiljöarbete och stress : – En tvärsnittsstudie bland första linjens chefer
No full textCheferna närmast medarbetarna, första linjens chefer (FLC), har tidigare identifierats vara nyckelfaktorer för en god arbetsmiljö och för medarbetarnas välbefinnande. FLC:s arbetsvillkor och hälsa är dock mindre utforskade. Rollen kännetecknas ofta av höga och motstridiga krav i kombination med begränsade resurser. Ett exempel på detta är inom det systematiska arbetsmiljöarbetet (SAM), där ansvaret är stort medan de organisatoriska förutsättningarna ofta är otillräckliga. Denna obalans mellan krav och resurser utgör en risk för stressrelaterad ohälsa. Psykosocialt säkerhetsklimat (PSK), vilket speglar de anställdas uppfattning om ledningens prioritering av en säker och hälsosam arbetsmiljö, har identifierats som en skyddande faktor mot arbetsrelaterad stress. Ett högt PSK kan dessutom fungera som en förutsättning för att uppnå goda arbetsvillkor och tillgång till resurser, vilket kan motverka stress. Det saknas dock kunskap om betydelsen av PSK för FLC:s arbetsvillkor och välbefinnande. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka sambandet mellan PSK, organisatoriska förutsättningar för SAM och självskattad stress bland FLC. Studien genomfördes i samarbete med ett svenskt privat företag och omfattade 137 respondenter (31,5 % svarsfrekvens). Data analyserades med hierarkisk multipel linjär regression, både ojusterad och justerad för kön, ålder och antal rapporterande medarbetare. Resultaten visade att både PSK och organisatoriska förutsättningar för SAM var negativt associerade med stress, där PSK framstod som den mest robusta faktorn. Fynden tyder på att ett starkare PSK och förbättrade organisatoriska förutsättningar för SAM har samband med minskad stress bland FLC. Eftersom studien är av tvärsnittsdesign kan inga kausala slutsatser dras. Vidare forskning krävs för att fördjupa förståelsen av dessa samband och stödja utvecklingen av organisatoriska strategier för att minska stress bland FLC.Aim: To examine the extent to which Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC) and organizational conditions for Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHSM) are associated with self-reported stress among first-line managers (FLMs). Method: The study was conducted in collaboration with a Swedish company in the private sector. 137 FLMs participated (31.5% response rate). Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to examine the relationships between PSC, organizational conditions for OHSM, and stress. Both unadjusted and adjusted analyses, accounting for confounders, were conducted. Result: In the unadjusted analysis, both PSC and organizational conditions for OHSM were significantly negatively associated with stress. In the adjusted analysis, the association for PSC remained significant and increased in strength, while the association for organizational conditions for OHSM weakened. A key finding was that including PSC in the model substantially reduced the strength of the association between organizational conditions for OHSM and stress. Conclusion: Strengthening PSC and organizational conditions for OHSM may reduce stress among FLMs, with PSC emerging as the more robust factor. Given the cross-sectional design, no causal inferences can be drawn. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of these relationships and to support the development of organizational strategies aimed at reducing stress among FLMs