Publikationer från Umeå universitet
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När halva Sverige handlar och hela butiken jobbar : En kartläggning av vad som händer bakom kulisserna i utvalda ICA Maxi-butiker
No full textDagligvaruhandeln är inte bara en viktig del av försörjningskedjan, utan också en komplexoch människonära arbetsmiljö. I denna dynamiska kontext blir interna personalprocesser –som introduktion, kompetensutveckling, kommunikation och belöning – avgörande både förverksamhetens resultat och medarbetarnas upplevelse av arbetet.Denna studie har undersökt hur sådana processer utformas och tillämpas i ICA Maxi-butiker,samt vilka drivkrafter som påverkar detta arbete i praktiken. Genom intervjuer med ledareoch nyckelpersoner i fyra välmående butiker har en djupare förståelse vuxit fram för hurprocesser organiseras utifrån en kombination av värderingar, lokala behov och praktisktbutiksarbete.Analysen är gjord med stöd av teorier inom intern marknadsföring och Resource-Based View(RBV), och visar hur butikerna arbetar både strukturerat och flexibelt för att anpassa sig tillförändrade förutsättningar. Resultaten betonar ledarskapets centrala roll som drivkraft bakomprocessernas utformning, samt hur kulturella och relationella resurser – snarare än formellasystem – bidrar till butikernas långsiktiga kapacitet och hållbarhet.Studien avslutas med praktiska rekommendationer för hur ICA-butiker och andra aktörerinom detaljhandeln kan utveckla interna arbetssätt genom att stärka kompetensutveckling,kommunikation och lokalt ledarskap som strategiska resurser
Ljus och mörker i gudomlig uppenbarelse : en konstruktiv studie av Thomas av Aquinos kommentar till Jesajas bok
No full textThe commentary on the Book of Isaiah is one of Thomas Aquinas's lesser known works. The biblical commentaries of Aquinas have been the focus of much research in the last few decades, discovering important nuances in his theological thinking. The present study seeks to continue that work. More importantly, it wants to give a constructive proposal for a contemporary Thomistic biblical theology, as a contribution to the contemporary discussion about theological exgesis of the Bible. Those who seek to interpret the Bible theologically often struggle with the findings of modern biblical scholarship, who have historically been very critical of doctrinal interpretations of the biblical text. Matthew Levering has conducted research into the hermeneutical principles of Aquinas, which he calls "participatory biblical exegesis." The reason for the name is the paramount importance that Aquinas's metaphysical doctrine of participation plays in Aquinas's biblical hermeneutics. Levering argues that Aquinas's particular notion of participation has the potential to balance properly the theological concern to treat the Bible as a unified divine revelation with the complex history of the biblical texts that seems to contradict the view of the Bible as a unified message. This study utilizes Levering's notion of participatory biblical exegesis as a theoretical framework. It also seeks to develop Levering's notion with the help of Rudi A. te Velde's research on Aquinas's doctrine of participation. The focus of this study is the theme of light and darkness that appears in Aquinas's Isaiah commentary, distilling the theological and philosophical ideas that underlie Aquinas's exegesis. The dissertation is divided into five parts. Part I contains the background of the study. Part II examines light and darkness in relation to prophetic knowledge, analyzing Aquinas's understanding of Isaiah's prophecy. Part III centers on Aquinas's view of light as knowledge and good moral action (or disposition), darkness as ignorance and sinful acts (or disposition), and how this dynamic is present both in the people of God and their enemies in the Book of Isaiah. In addition, Aquinas's understanding of the notion of judgment in Isaiah will be analyzed, as this unites the aspects of knowledge and moral disposition treated in part III. Part IV deals with how Aquinas considers Jesus Christ to be the source of light in the Book of Isaiah. However, as this study is not mainly a historical treatment but a constructive proposal, throughout these parts, the study seeks to relate Aquinas's hermeneutical principles to the contemporary discussion of how to interpret the Bible theologically. In connection to this, the study treats topics like biblical inspiration and authorship, the importance of judgment in biblical interpretation, and Christological readings of the Book of Isaiah (and the Old Testament in general). In this regard, the main interlocutors are Brevard S. Childs and Christopher R. Seitz, biblical scholars who have sought to combine historical-critical methods with the theological idea of the Bible as divine revelation. Part V in particular contains principles proposed for a contemporary Thomistic biblical theology, like the unity of the Bible, the relationship between the Old and New testaments, figural reading, the rule of faith, and the relationship between history and ontology. While Aquinas's biblical exegesis is insufficient its historical analysis and bear noticeable marks of his time period, this study has nonetheless found that Aquinas's theological and philosophical ideas can be valuable tools in formulating a biblical theology that wants to take the complex historical reality into account when theologically interpreting the Bible as a unified divine message. Particularly, Aquinas's idea of things participating in God's being and knowledge combined with the notion of the independence of substantial beings provide a fundamental view that metaphysically ties the intricate and multifaceted dimension of human existence to the unity of divine being and knowledge, without reducing one to the other. It is thus not merely a repetition of Aquinas's hermeneutical principles, but a constructive reworking of them, in order to let them bear on the contemporary academic discussion about interpreting the Bible theologically
A Calculated Prohibition? : A Motive Analysis of the Taliban’s 2022 Opium Ban
No full textThis study examines the possible motives for the Taliban’s decision to ban opium production and distribution following their rise to power in 2021. Given how important the opium trade has been for the Taliban group during its rise to power, the fact that the same group later banned it raises important questions about the strategic rationality behind the decision. This study aims to identify and analyse the underlying drivers of this policy by conducting a qualitative motive analysis. By applying two theoretical frameworks: Auty’s rent curse and Ian Hurd’s theory of legitimacy and norm compliance, the empirical material is analysed to uncover different motives that may explain the sudden shift in the Taliban’s policy on opium cultivation. The results suggest that the decision was not driven by religious or health-based reasoning alone, as officially claimed by the Taliban, but rather by a combination of strategic considerations. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of how authoritarian actors may use norm signaling and selective reform to achieve political or economic goals. It also highlights how international actors can, through conditional aid and diplomatic pressure, influence state behavior even in highly restrictive regimes
Empowerment in primary care and psychiatric settings : a psychometric evaluation of the Swedish version of the empowerment scale
No full textBackground: There has recently been an increased emphasis on patient empowerment and collaboration within their healthcare. However, there is widely a lack of clarity to the concept of empowerment and existing measurement tools lack uniformity, covering diverse domains and related concepts. Objectives: This study aims to conduct a psychometric evaluation of the Swedish version of the Empowerment Scale– Making Decisions, focusing on its structural validity and reliability in assessing patient empowerment. This includes a detailed examination of the factor structure across two different contexts, psychiatric care (n = 211) and primary care (n = 210). We will compare several confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models proposed in previous research to identify the best fit. If no models provide a good fit, we intend to suggest a new scale for further evaluation. Method: The dimensionality of the scale was tested by comparing four CFA models, together with a one-factor solution, to identify the best fit for the two samples. Reliability measures were determined by coefficient Omega (ω) as well as Cronbach’s alpha (α). Results: There was limited support for the one-factor solution in both samples, challenging the scale’s assumed unidimensionality (primary care sample: x2(350) = 1074, p <.001, CFI = 0.58, TLI = 0.54, RMSEA = 0.10 (90% CI: 0.09 − 0.11), SRMR = 0.11; psychiatric care sample: (x2(350) = 1307, p = < 0.001, CFI = 0.66, TLI = 0.63, RMSEA = 0.11 (90% CI:0.11;0.12), SRMR = 0.10). None of the previously suggested factor solutions demonstrated satisfactory fit. However, a three factor-solution entailed the less complexity and best model fit (primary care sample: (x2(270) = 503, p = < 0.001),CFI = 0.85, TLI = 0.84, RMSEA = 0.06 (90% CI 0.06;0.07), SRMR = 0.07; psychiatric care sample: (x2(270) = 622, p <.001), CFI = 0.87, TLI = 0.86, RMSEA = 0.08 (90% CI 0.07;0.09), SRMR = 0.07). Based on this, we continued with exploratory refinements of this solution and arrived at two adjusted three-factor models based on each sample. These two adjusted models displayed only slight differences, and in a last step we removed the items that differed between the samples to arrive at one solution appropriate for use in health care settings in general. As a result, an improved and shortened adaptation of the scale was put forward that included 18 items targeting the subscales Self-Esteem, Powerlessness and Activism. This solution remained relatively clear to the previously proposed solutions (primary care sample:(x2(131) = 240, p <.001), CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.06 (90% CI 0.05;0.08), SRMR = 0.07; psychiatric care sample: (x2(131) = 379, p <.001), CFI = 0.88, TLI = 0.86, RMSEA = 0.09 (90% CI 0.08;0.10), SRMR = 0.07; combined sample: (x2(131) = 432, p <.001), CFI = 0.91, TLI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.07 (90% CI 0.07;0.08), SRMR = 0.06). Conclusion: The results reinforce the difficulties in measuring empowerment given the complexity of this concept. The improved and shortened adaptation of the scale could potentially be used within health care settings to measure empowerment, but further research is needed to conceptualize and measure empowerment in patients with mental health problems. Given scarce support for the scale’s unidimensionallity, future research should explore using multiple instruments targeting different constructs to measure patient empowerment more comprehensively
Sexuellt våld på nätet : ett barn och ungdomspsykiatriskt perspektiv
No full textTechnology-Facilitated Sexual Violence (TFSV) is an emerging societal issue with mental health associations. Young people’s lives are deeply enmeshed in online communication technologies, and all types of interpersonal violence can now take place in the online milieu. This has implications for the already violence-burdened young people in psychiatric care. Young people in psychiatric care are scarcely researched regarding their most visited social arenas, in the online environment. Taking departure from a poly-victimization framework, this thesis investigates technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) among young people in psychiatric care through two different research approaches. Two quantitative survey studies mapped the prevalence of TFSV and its associations with psychiatric symptoms among young people with and without psychiatric diagnosis, applying a gender theoretical perspective when interpreting the findings. Results revealed higher rates of TFSV among youths with psychiatric diagnoses, with both girls and boys exposed to TFSV exhibiting elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to non-exposed peers. Co-occurrences with other forms of violence were also evident, highlighting the need to view also TFSV from a polyvictimization perspective. Further, the results emphasized the gendered nature of TFSV showing a much higher prevalence among girls. To complement the quantitative studies, two qualitative interview studies investigated how TFSV was conceptualized by both patients and child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) professionals. Patients tended to frame the exposure to TFSV in individualized explanations, emphasizing loneliness and unmet needs. Further, they tended to normalize their experiences, framing them as a kind of common girl experience. Professionals predominantly framed TFSV as an individual concern, conceptualizing the explanations, harms and solutions from an individual perspective emphasizing a trauma model. The thesis highlights the significant impact of TFSV on psychiatric populations and critically examines the limitations of current institutional responses, emphasizing the need for broader conceptualizations within psychiatric care
Exploring the gendered landscape of the avalanche safety industry – barriers, benefits and potential drawbacks of professional diversity
No full textSnow and avalanche safety is a male dominated field. The aim of this paper is to increase the knowledge on the gendered conditions and the prerequisites this poses for snow and avalanche safety professionals, and to shed light on why relatively few women enter and stay in the industry. Our analysis is based on quantitative and qualitative data from a survey sent out to avalanche professionals in North America, Continental Europe, and Scandinavia. We inductively coded and categorized responses to open-ended questions into themes based on patterns and commonalities, using a content analysis. We find that avalanche work requires a wide skill set - skills that are traditionally associated with men as well as skills that are traditionally associated with women, and that our participants think that increased diversity at large would benefit the industry. However, our data also reveal persisting cultural and structural gender barriers that make it more difficult for women and non-binary individuals to enter and thrive in the industry compared to men. We discuss management implications that can help make the industry better for all
Spacemaking For Everyday Things : (Re)colonizing home essentials in domestic spatial setting
No full text(Re)colonizing home essentials in a domestic spatial setting refers to the strategic reorganization of goods by architectural practices to prevent waste generation, optimize the lifespan of household resources, and create circular systems. It emphasizes the role of spatial design in reducing, repurposing, sharing, and managing materials before discarding, reinterpreting the everyday social perspective from the endpoint into acontinuous resource cycle. It is an architectural urgency that responds to a global sustainability challenge, enabling building design to encourage inclusive contribution and waste minimization. Waste production and consumption are among the growing environmental concerns, as twentieth-century literature has described. Approximately 3.4% of the Swedish economy is circular, meaning that the vast majority is still in linear production. Consumption and waste are derived from both foreign trading of goods and domestic resource extraction. In addition to the economy, demand in construction and infrastructure continues to rise alongside the growing population, and this trend is also driven by a higher proportion of single-inhabitant lifestyles with much larger spaces in the EU countries (Circle Economy, 2022). Collective living, resource sharing, and architectural adaptability are growing critical concerns in response to this broader urban circularity. These contemporary urgencies and explorations will reinforce the study through the context and case studies to form a systematic design model. Architecture can contribute to the circular economy by two distinct approaches, which are architecture as a protagonist by recycling or upcycling construction materials, in regard to reducing demolition waste. And the other part is architecture as a mechanism to reinforce the reuse practices and promote energy efficiency for the societal living environment. While the former has a potential for long-term sustainability, the latter can have an immediate impact on existing buildings or local behavioral practices. This thesis is an interdisciplinary research that will be conducted through the lens of spatial design for prototyping a circular-living housing by studying consumable goods as the agent
Arginine-iron–hexametaphosphate complex as a novel nitrogen plant nutrition reducing nitrate leaching in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedling production
No full textThe industrial production of conifer seedlings in nurseries uses large amounts of fertilizers to ensure their proper growth and accurate nutrient status. However, inorganic nitrogen fertilization leads to nitrate leaching, which has negative environmental consequences. An alternative solution could be the use of controlled-release fertilizers that supply nutrients over longer periods and hence have a lower environmental impact. This study analysed the performance of a novel arginine–iron–hexametaphosphate complex on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedlings. The complex was characterized using a wide range of analytical tools, indicating that it is a precipitated complex rather than a crystalline compound. Plant growth on arginine–iron–hexametaphosphate was comparable to a commercial inorganic nitrogen controlled-release fertilizer but with significantly lower nitrate leaching. A nitrogen budget of seedlings and growth substrate showed that seedlings had acquired nitrogen in excess of the amount of nitrogen present at the start of the experiment, and this excess nitrogen was smaller in seedlings grown on the inorganic fertilizer. Measurements of acetylene reduction in seedlings indicated low but measurable rates of nitrogen fixation, potentially contributing to the excess nitrogen. Together, the results showed that the arginine–iron–hexametaphosphate complex is a good alternative to commonly used fertilizers and can contribute to sustainable seedling production
Synthesis of a-GlcNAc-Ser and Thr building blocks for MUC1-type glycopeptides : Toward the development of synthetic cancer vaccines targeting tumor-associated mucin tandem repeats
No full textCancer continues to be one of the biggest health challenges all over the world. Usually, treatments like surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy try to get rid of cancer cells directly, therapeutic cancer vaccines and immunotherapy could be a complement to these strategies. The aim for cancer vaccines is to activate the patient’s own immune system to find and fight cancer cells. The protein MUC1 represents a very promising target for these new vaccines. In fact, this membrane-associated glycoprotein is overexpressed in many epithelial cancers but is also abnormally glycosylated with structures like the Tn antigen. Thereby, unique glycopeptide epitopes are presented on the surface of tumor cells. In this project, we aimed to synthesize specific mucin glycopeptides in which we incorporate α-GlcNAc-Ser and α-GlcNAc-Thr residues. These glycopeptides are designed to imitate the tumor-associated MUC1 structures and are promising antigen candidate structures in the development of cancer vaccines. For this, we successfully prepared Fmoc-protected glycosylated amino acids using a trichloroacetamidate donor. The glycosylated serine derivative α-GlcNAc-Ser was synthesized and fully characterized by NMR. This residue was then incorporated into short MUC1-derived peptide sequences using Fmoc-solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) to prepare a few MUC1 glycopeptides.
Hazardous alcohol use : a cross-sectional study of cardiology patients in Sweden
No full textBackground: Alcohol use is understudied in cardiology settings. We investigated the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use and probable dependence among cardiology patients. Methods: Cross-sectional study in three regions of Sweden. Alcohol use was assessed using the AUDIT-10 questionnaire. We defined hazardous alcohol use as: AUDIT-10 >= 6 for women or >= 8 for men (primary definition) and probable dependence as AUDIT-10 >= 13 for women or >= 15 for men. We examined associations using logistic regression. Results: We included 1107 participants (median age = 73 years; range = 18-102; 66% men). The prevalence of hazardous alcohol use was 7.8% (95%CI = 6.2-9.3, primary definition) and 0.9% (95%CI = 0.3-1.5) had probable alcohol dependence. We found increased odds of hazardous alcohol use in: age groups 18-39 years (OR = 4.90, 95%CI = 1.41-17.08) and 40-64 years (OR = 4.02, 95%CI = 1.69-9.67) compared to >= 80 years; a city compared to a small town (OR = 2.44, 95%CI = 1.02-5.84); participants with unhealthy diets (OR = 2.37, 95%CI = 1.36-4.13), and overweight participants (OR = 2.25, 95%CI = 1.23-4.12). Conclusions: Hazardous alcohol use affected about one in 12 cardiology patients. However, less than 1 in 100 had probable alcohol dependence. Findings suggest that many cardiology patients with hazardous alcohol use are appropriate for brief interventions, and may not require more intensive alcohol dependence treatments