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Exploring programme theory when integrating ICF categories in a support development programme for children with intellectual disability living in special residences : a realist evaluation
No full textObjectives: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) offers a standardised language to inform goal setting, support interventions and follow-up on personal functioning outcomes. There is a lack of knowledge about how ICF can be used in practice in residences providing special services for children with intellectual disabilities. This study explores programme theory when ICF categories were integrated into a support development programme to facilitate systematic follow-up on child-individual support interventions in residences with special services. Methods: The study employs a realist evaluation design, utilising data from individual child case studies, group interviews, and field notes. Results: The findings show that ICF-based follow-up can enable staff to connect personal out-come measures to goals, facilitate infrastructure for measurement and follow-up, create learning and can promote action to improve the children's support. Implementation challenges arose due to an unpredictable and demanding work environment, as well as difficulties in applying ICF categories across various aspects. Conclusions: The findings can inform future research regarding working methods as well as disability care organisations striving to develop evidence-based practices. Program design should respect staff workload and minimize elements that add unnecessary complexity to daily tasks.CC BY 4.0</p
Solar Power Potential in Africa : A Case Study on Cost Reduction in a Malian Household Through Photovoltaic Solar Power and Lithium-Ion Battery Storage
No full textThis study explores the potential for PV solar power and battery storage to reduce energy costs in a typical Malian single-family household, highlighting significant cost savings and improved energy reliability. The high solar irradiance throughout the year makes solar power viable for household energy needs. However, most electricity is consumed at night due to air conditioning, with an annual consumption of 12,504 kWh. Cost models for solar power plants and battery energy storage systems, including installation, were developed. Cost parameters were reviewed using the latest literature, distinguishing between current and future cost trends, referred to as Case I and Case II, respectively. Additionally, a feed-in tariff of 0.04 per injected kWh of electricity into the AC mains was considered. The annual return in USD and the return on investment were considered as economic parameters. A small solar power plant with a peak power of up to 3 kW can achieve a high ROI between 70% and 100%. Due to reduced future cost prospects, this ROI could increase to 90% to 130%. However, such a plant can only reach a maximum self-sufficiency of about 40%, as most of the electricity is consumed during nights. A 4 kW power plant can achieve a self-sufficiency of about one-third for an ROI of 57% to 82%, costing approximately 1760. When using battery energy storage, a self-sufficiency of 95% has been targeted. With battery storage, the maximum ROI varies from 22.5% to 32.0% with an investment cost of about 13,139.CC BY 4.0</p
Economic feasibility of a sustainable future : Comparative life cycle cost assessment of electric and internal combustion engine vehicles in the Swedish automotive market
No full textThe purpose of the study is to examine the economic feasibility of electric vehicles (EV) and internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) in Sweden in 2024. We analyze the life cycle cost (LCC) of a battery electric vehicle (BEV), in comparison to a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), and an ICEV on the Swedish automotive market. The lifetime period is set to 11 years starting from 2024. As a theoretical contribution to LCC analysis, scenario analysis and break-even analysis from finance literature is used to create alternative scenarios for visualizing how changes in parameter estimates could impact the lifetime costing and analyzing what changes would make the vehicles economically indifferent to own. We consider the most popular cars in each category in Sweden in 2023. The results show that the PHEV Volvo XC60 has the highest LCC, calculated at 1,104,065 Swedish Krona (SEK) in the base case scenario. The equivalent cost for the BEV Tesla Model Y is calculated to 877,736 SEK while the ICEV Volkswagen T-Roc has the lowest LCC at 635,222 SEK. The break-even scenarios show that it would take a lot of incentives, both from the government and vehicle producers to reach a more equal lifetime cost between the ICEV and the electric vehicle (EV) alternatives. Swedish government’s decision to remove a major purchase incentive for EVs in 2022, therefore, may result in impeding the green transition goals set by the European Union, which are partly contingent on a rapid expansion of the EV fleet.CC BY 4.0</p
A call for norm-consciousness as points of departure in nursing education
No full textThis discussion paper highlights the necessity of norm-critical and norm-creative approaches in nursing education to address healthcare inequalities. Traditional curricula have inadequately engaged with intersectional perspectives, marginalizing various social groups. By integrating norm-conscious pedagogy, nursing students can critically analyze power structures and develop inclusive healthcare solutions. The “Breaking Fences” project introduces innovative tools, such as the norm-lab+, to foster reflexivity and challenge discriminatory norms. Emphasizing social justice, sustainability and self-awareness, this approach equips future nurses to recognize and counter biases, ultimately promoting equitable healthcare practices. Implementing norm-conscious education is crucial for advancing inclusivity and social responsibility in nursing. CC BY NC 4.0</p
Traditional advertising vs influencer marketing
No full textThis study explored consumers' perceptions of traditional marketing compared to influencer marketing within the cosmetics industry. The aim was to investigate how these two marketing strategies influenced consumers' purchasing decisions and how they were perceived in terms of credibility, engagement, and relevance. To address these questions, qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 consumers. Participants were asked about their preferences, experiences, and attitudes toward traditional advertising (such as TV commercials, print ads, and billboards) and influencer marketing (such as social media posts and collaborations with influencers). The findings suggested that consumers often perceived influencer marketing as more authentic and relatable, while traditional advertising was seen as more reliable but less engaging. It also emerged that large brands continued to use traditional advertising to build brand awareness, whereas small companies frequently opted for influencer marketing due to its cost-effectiveness and ability to reach niche audiences. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how different marketing strategies function within the cosmetics industry in sweden.Denna studie utforskade konsumenternas uppfattningar om traditionell marknadsföring jämfört med influencer-marknadsföring inom kosmetikaindustrin. Syftet var att undersöka hur dessa två marknadsföringsstrategier påverkade konsumenternas köpbeslut och hur de uppfattades i termer av trovärdighet, engagemang och relevans. För att svara på dessa frågor genomfördes kvalitativa intervjuer med 13 konsumenter. Deltagarna tillfrågades om sina preferenser, erfarenheter och attityder till traditionell reklam (som TV-reklam, tryckta annonser och skyltar) och influencer-marknadsföring (som sociala medier och samarbeten med influencers). Resultaten antydde att konsumenter ofta uppfattade influencer-marknadsföring som mer autentisk och relaterbar, medan traditionell reklam sågs som mer tillförlitlig men mindre engagerande. Det visade sig också att stora varumärken fortsatte att använda traditionell reklam för att bygga upp varumärkesmedvetenhet, medan små företag ofta valde influencer marketing på grund av dess kostnadseffektivitet och förmåga att nå nischade målgrupper. Denna studie bidrar till en djupare förståelse för hur olika marknadsföringsstrategier fungerar inom kosmetikaindustrin i Sverige
Leading for well-being : A study on how different leadership styles affect engagement and the psychosocial work environment
No full textThis thesis investigates how different leadership styles influence employees’ well-being, engagement, and psychosocial aspects of the work environment. The purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of which leadership styles promote a healthy work environment and increased employee engagement. The study is based on qualitative interviews with six employees from two different organizations. The results show that leadership plays a central role in shaping the work environment and influencing employees’ motivation, sense of security, and job satisfaction. Transformational leadership is highlighted as particularly positive, as it involves an engaged manager who communicates clearly and shows genuine care for employees. Respondents who had managers with this leadership style described high motivation and a strong sense of belonging. The relationship with the immediate supervisor also proved to be of great importance. The analysis using LMX theory showed that trust, appreciation, and open dialogue with the manager strengthen psychosocial factors such as security, participation, and engagement. The demand-control-support model was used to analyse how work demands, autonomy, and social support interact. The results showed that “freedom with responsibility” works best when combined with support from the leader. The study also found that poor leadership, where the manager is absent, does not communicate, or shows disinterest, can lead to stress, insecurity, and a loss of employee engagement. In summary, the study shows that leadership is about building relationships, creating security, and supporting employees’ well-being and engagement. In summary, the study shows that effective leadership is built on trust, psychological safety, and active support. It is about creating a work environment where employees feel seen, heard, and empowered to contribute. To create a safe and positive work environment, managers should be clear, show care, and listen to their employees
Indirect Leadership in Municipal Health and Social Care : A Qualitative Study on Success Factors and Challenges
No full textIndirekt ledarskap definieras som ett ledarskap där högre chefer leder på ett sätt som påverkar medarbetare två eller fler hierarkiska nivåer under sig utan att ha direkt kommunikation med dessa. Området är tidigare begränsat studerat. De studier som har gjorts har undersökt vad högre chefer gör administrativt som att delegera och förmedla beslut. De få studier som undersökt hur högre chefer i praktiken utövar indirekt ledarskap är begränsade till några studier inom militär sektor. Syftet med den här studien är att belysa framgångsfaktorer och utmaningar för indirekt ledarskap i en kommunal vård- och omsorgskontext. Sex semistrukturerade djupintervjuer med högre chefer i en svensk kommunal omsorgsförvaltning har genomförts. En tematisk analys av transkriberade intervjuer resulterade i fyra teman för framgångsfaktorer: kompetens och förhållningsätt, chefens egna medarbetarskap, samsyn och målstyrning, vardagligt förhållningsätt till underställda chefer samt utmaningarna: när underställda inte har rätt förutsättningar, att leda genom andra chefer i opopulära beslut, motstånd i den ledningsgruppen, respektera den under-ställda chefens mandat och en stark personalkultur. De mest framträdande framgångsfaktorerna var att skapa en gemensam syn kring mål och syfte samt en känsla av delat ansvar för uppdraget. I övrigt identifierades att indirekt ledarskap i den studerade organisationen kunde utövas i föl-jande tre forum vilket ej beskrivits i tidigare forskning: i den ledningsgrupp där den högre che-fen är medlem, i den ledningsgrupp med underställda chefer som den högre chefen leder samt i individuell kommunikation med enskilda chefer. Studien stödjer tidigare forskning om indirekt ledarskap som påvisat vikten av samsyn, att respektera underställdas mandat, att agera förebildsmässigt och att ge rak och tydlig information. Kunskapsbidraget från denna studie är en beskrivning av hur indirekt ledarskap fungerar i kontexten kommunal vård- och omsorg, att det kan utövas i tre olika forum samt vilka framgångsfaktorer och utmaningar som finns för ett framgångsrikt indirekt ledarskap i denna kontext. Ett effektivt ledarskap kan bidra till mer välfungerande organisationer och innebära ekonomiska fördelar. Då Sverige har nästan 300 kommunala omsorgsförvaltningar kan teoretisk kunskap om hur ett effektivt indirekt ledarskap utövas i denna av sektor vara av allmänt samhällsintresse eftersom kommunal vård- och omsorgs är offentligt finansierad
Experience of participating in group education about diabetes
No full textBackground: Diabetes mellitus is a public health disease that is increasing worldwide. Diabetes is in the top 10 list of disease-related deaths related to the development of complications and diabetes increases the risk of developing other psychological diseases. A cornerstone of diabetes care is self-management education (Diabetes self-management education), where selfcare is taught about diet, exercise, blood sugar measurement and insulin administration. Good self-care reduces the risk of developing complications. Internationally, group education is relatively common, but in Sweden few patients are offered group education despite the recommendations of the National Board of Health and Welfare. The aim of this study is to investigate people with diabetes' perception of group education. Method: The study is a qualitative literature study where collected data was interpreted through meta-ethnography and an inductive approach based on self-care theory. Articles were searched in PubMed, Cinahl and Scopus. They were quality assessed using the SBU review template for qualitative studies, where all but one article was assessed as having good quality. Results: Six studies were included, and the argumentation synthesis of the articles resulted in three different concepts: 1) The group and learning, 2) Supervision and pedagogy, 3) Skills and development. Conclusion: Group education where patients have time to discuss and reflect with each other is important as it leads to active learning and a sense of community and the realization that they are not alone with their problems.Bakgrund: Diabetes mellitus är en folkhälsosjukdom som ökar världen över. Diabetes är påtopp tio listan över sjukdomsrelaterade dödsfall relaterat till komplikationsutveckling och viddiabetes ökar även risken för utveckling av psykologiska sjukdomar såsom depression ochångest. En hörnsten i diabetesvård är självhanteringsutbildning (Diabetes self-managementeducation) där egenvård lärs ut om kost, motion, blodsockermätning och insulingivning. Vid god egenvård minskar risken för utveckling av komplikationer och följdsjukdomar. Internationellt är gruppundervisning relativt vanligt men i Sverige erbjuds få patienter detta trots Socialstyrelsens rekommendationer. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur personer med diabetes upplever grupputbildningar. Metod: Studien är en kvalitativ litteraturstudie där insamlad data tolkades genom metaetnografi och en induktiv ansats med egenvårdsteori som grund. Artiklar söktes fram i PubMed, Cinahl och Scopus. De kvalitetsbedömdes med SBU granskningsmall för kvalitativa studier där alla förutom en artikel bedömdes ha god kvalité. Resultat: Sex studier inkluderades och argumentationssyntesen av artiklarna resulterade i tre olika koncept: 1) Gruppen och lärande, 2) Handledning och pedagogik, 3) Färdigheter och utveckling. Slutsats: Grupputbildning där patienterna får tid till att diskutera och reflektera med varandra är viktigt då det leder till aktivt lärande och en gemenskap samt insikt om att de inte är ensamma med sina problem. Klinisk tillämpning: Studiens resultat kan användas vid utformning eller förbättring av grupputbildning i öppen- och slutenvårde
Prime group graded rings with applications to partial crossed products and Leavitt path algebras
No full textWe generalize a classical result by Passman on primeness of unital strongly group graded rings to the class of nearly epsilon-strongly group graded rings which are not necessarily unital. Using this result, we obtain (i) a characterization of prime s-unital strongly group graded rings, and, in particular, of infinite matrix rings and of group rings over s-unital rings, thereby generalizing a well-known result by Connell; (ii) characterizations of prime s-unital partial skew group rings and of prime unital partial crossed products; (iii) a generalization of the well-known characterizations of prime Leavitt path algebras, by Larki and by Abrams-Bell-Rangaswamy. CC BY 4.0</p
BIM Impact Analysis in the Construction Supply Chain : Industry-Informed Insights and Quantification Methodology
No full textThe research presented, employs a mixed-methods approach, addresses the pressing need for a unified method to quantify the impact of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the construction industry projects. The research navigates various stages, starting with a literature review that uncovers a lack of consensus on BIM’s investment value and benefits monetization. Employing a research design consisting of several sub-studies, including a literature review, interviews, questionnaire survey, and multi-case study. The research also introduces a quantification framework for BIM, bridging theoretical insights and practical application. Through empirical testing on two real-world construction cases, the framework supports its efficacy in assessing BIM benefits and the cost impact of implementing BIM. Furthermore, comparisons with in-house estimates highlight the framework’s comprehensiveness. The findings contribute methodologically and empirically to the ongoing discourse on BIM impact, offering a valuable tool for industry practitioners to assess feasibility and maximize benefits in a targeted manner. The research reveals a positive correlation between BIM maturity and perceived benefits, emphasizing the need for higher-level BIM implementation. The research underscores the long-term opportunities with BIM as an investment and its potential for transformative benefits across the construction project lifecycle.Forskningen som presenteras i denna avhandling har använt flera metoder i flera delstudier och adresserar behovet av en enhetlig metod för att kvantifiera fördelarna med byggnadsinformationsmodellering (BIM) inom byggindustrin. Det har under forskningens gång genomförts noggranna undersökningar i flera steg och iterationer. Inledningsvis genomfördes en litteraturstudie där resultatet visade på en avsaknad av konsensus kring investeringsvärdet av BIM och monetariseringen av dess fördelar. Forskningen är utformad i delstudier, inklusive en litteraturöversikt, intervjuer, enkätundersökningar och multipla fallstudier. Forskningen introducerar också ett ramverk för kvantifiering av BIM som bidrar till att skapa en brygga mellan teoretiska insikter och praktisk tillämpning. Genom empirisk applicering på två verkliga byggprojekt demonstreras ramverketseffektivitet gällande att utvärdera fördelarna med BIM samt kostnadspåverkan av BIM-implementering. Vidare visas jämförelser med företagsinterna uppskattningar på ramverkets omfattning och tillämpningsbarhet. Resultaten bidrar både metodologiskt och empiriskt till den pågående diskursen om BIM och erbjuder ett värdefullt verktyg för branschpraktiker att bedöma genomförbarhet och optimera fördelar på ett målinriktat sätt. Forskningen identifierar även en positiv korrelation mellan BIM-mognad och upplevda fördelar, vilket understryker behovet av BIM-implementering på en högre nivå. Forskningen framhäver långsiktiga möjligheter med investering av BIM och dess potential att generera transformativa fördelar genom hela byggprojektets livscykel.All papers are published by CC BY.</p