Göteborgs universitets publikationer - e-publicering och e-arkiv
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Antimicrobial resistance in the environment: ethical considerations for policy
No full textThis thesis contributes to the field of public health ethics by examining the ethical
challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment, with a
particular focus on those that are relevant to policymaking. While ethical
discussions of AMR have largely concentrated on human and clinical dimensions,
the role of the environment has been underappreciated. Including the
environmental dimension in the debate broadens both the ethical analysis and the
scope of potential interventions, raising new questions about responsibilities for
addressing AMR-related harms and about fairness in implementing AMR policy.
This thesis explores how these issues connect the problem of AMR with broader
philosophical issues concerning distributive justice, collective harm, the allocation
of remedial obligations, and the justification of liberty-limiting state intervention.
The thesis analyses the case of the consumption of meat and dairy from
antibiotic-intensive farming as a driver of AMR from the perspective of the harm
principle. In particular, the thesis argues that consuming these products
meaningfully contributes to AMR and increases related health risks and that this
provides sufficient grounds to justify state intervention to limit such consumption.
Moreover, the thesis examines the role of the principle of least restrictiveness
in AMR policy and critiques additive interpretations of this principle. Drawing on
a pluralistic public health ethics framework, it argues that a policy’s restrictiveness
should be judged by the depth of its impact on the individuals most affected rather
than by the aggregate extent of the restrictions it imposes on everyone in a
population.
Additionally, focusing on the case of AMR-driving pharmaceutical pollution
from human use, the thesis argues in favour of the introduction of forward-looking
considerations when allocating duties to address such pollution. Specifically, it
advocates allocating such duties based on how interventions can effectively
prevent harm, regardless of various actors’ causal contributions to or moral
responsibility for the harm in question.
The thesis further examines the market approval process for human
pharmaceuticals as a means of mitigating AMR-driving pharmaceutical pollution
and, consequently, reducing the related public health risks. It outlines several
possible frameworks for integrating environmental considerations into this
process, and argues that more stringent oversight is necessary while avoiding the
potential downsides of overly restrictive measures.
Finally, the thesis considers AMR as a sustainability challenge, understood as a
challenge of intergenerational justice, and proposes adopting a sustainability
principle as a normative guide for distributing resources in publicly funded health
systems.
Taken together, these arguments show that addressing the environmental
aspects of antimicrobial resistance calls for ethically grounded judgment to
navigate the competing normative demands that AMR inevitably involves
Peace Education for Conflict Prevention: An Analysis of the Palestinian School Books
No full textAim:
This thesis investigates how the Palestinian school books reflect and reproduce
narratives related to identity, conflict, and peace. By focusing on themes such as
patriotism, nationalism, suffering, exile, refugees, tolerance, and hope for the
future, the study aims to assess whether the textbooks foster reconciliation and
peace education or perpetuates conflictual worldviews. The research is situated
within the broader debate on the role of education in protracted conflicts and its
contribution to sustainable peace.
Theory:
The analysis draws on three main theoretical frameworks: Social Identity Theory
(Tajfel & Turner), Collective Memory and Historical Narratives (Bar-Tal), and
Postcolonial Theory (Said, Bhabha, Fanon). These perspectives are further
complemented by Conflict Transformation Theory (Lederach), which highlights
how education may contribute to transforming structures and relationships that
sustain violence. Together, these theories provide tools to analyse how narratives
are constructed, how the “Other” is represented, and whether the textbooks open
possibilities for coexistence.
Method:
Author has analysed 35 Palestinian textbooks (grades 1–12) using content and
discourse analysis. Narratives were identified and categorized thematically, then
interpreted through the selected theoretical frameworks. The research did not
include Israeli curricula or textbooks, which limits comparative conclusions,
though previous scholarship indicates that both Palestinian and Israeli textbooks
require improvements in terms of peace education.
Results:
Palestinian textbooks emphasizes narratives of patriotism, resistance, and
collective suffering, while strongly framing national identity in opposition to
Zionism and occupation. Elements of tolerance and hope for the future are present
but limited, often overshadowed by narratives of victimhood and displacement.
While the textbooksstrengthens collective identity under conditions of occupation
and international law violations, it simultaneously risks reinforcing divisions and
sustaining conflict memory. For peace education to advance, the textbooks would
need to balance recognition of historical injustices with reconciliation-oriented
narratives that acknowledge mutual humanity and open pathways to coexistence
Den segregerade skolan i frontlinjen mot brottslighet - En kvalitativ intervjustudie om högstadielärares roll i brottsbekämpningen
No full textSince the 1990s, Swedish schools have been increasingly shaped by a juridification discourse
emphasizing stronger measures against youth delinquency - a development reflecting a broader
global educational policy trend advocating tougher responses to youth crime. Parallel to this, a
social pedagogical discourse underscores the school’s educational and formative mission as a crime-
preventive force in itself. Both discourses position the school as a central actor in crime prevention.
The purpose of this study is to explore how teachers perceive and navigate the tension between
these two competing discourses. The study focuses on schools located in socioeconomically
disadvantaged areas and draws upon Hirschi’s theory of social bonds and Bourdieu’s theory of
capital to analyze the findings. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews
with four teachers and analyzed using thematic analysis. The results suggest that teachers adopt a
compensatory role in response to students’ limited access to social and cultural capital - conditions
shaped by structural segregation and identified as risk factors for delinquency. By building trust,
fostering students’ moral reasoning, and promoting their understanding of societal institutions,
teachers aim to strengthen students’ resilience against criminal influences. At the same time,
teachers express ambivalence toward the school’s increasing juridification: while collaboration with
authorities is seen as a support rather than a burden, it also risks eroding the trust central to their
educational and compensatory mission. This tension places teachers in moral dilemmas as they
balance their duty to report concerns with the need to preserve trust in their relationships with
students. Moreover, the results points to broader structural challenges - such as inequality and lack
of integration - that reinforce the school’s position as a frontline actor in crime prevention
The Emerging Role of IT in Multinational Enterprises - A multiple case study of how to manage internal IT innovation in multinational enterprises, a comparison between Company X and Microsoft Corporation
No full textWe are living in a world that has never changed this fast and that will never change this slow again. It cannot be denied that the speed of globalization and technological development has and continues to accelerate, which not only has affected social contexts but also the conditions for organizations to survive within their industry. As a result of this, Multinational Enterprises face challenges to modify their innovation strategies to stay relevant within their market due to their international manner. Hence, IT and Innovation has become key drivers for Multinational Enterprises to leverage their resources to generate sustained competitive advantages.
Despite the large amount of research within the field of Innovation and IT, researchers still know little of how to manage and foster IT Innovation within a Multinational Enterprise. The purpose of this study is therefore to develop both theoretical and practical knowledge of how managers of IT departments at Multinational Enterprises can implement and manage IT Innovations to generate sustained competitive advantages. This, in order to evaluate if their actions are coherent with existing academic literature and research.
Based on our Theoretical Framework, which stems from the Resource-Based View and the Contingency Framework, a multiple case study with a qualitative method and an abductive research approach has been conducted. A total of ten respondents, interviewed at two different Multinational Enterprises, was chosen to gain insights and perspectives in order to answer our research questions.
The result of this study exposed that the influence of an IT department within Multinational Enterprises has and continues to grow. Thus, it is recommended that Multinational Enterprises continuously work and develop knowledge capabilities, organizational culture and organizational structure as they are seen to constitute the foundation of information processing and strategic planning that in turn can enable and optimize IT innovations
ETIK I PRAKTIKEN: HUR ETISKA OCH ORGANISATORISKA FAKTORER PÅVERKAR SJUKSKÖTERSKANS OMVÅRDNADSARBETE VID PALLIATIV VÅRD AV BARN En litteraturöversikt
No full textBakgrund: Vid palliativ vård uppkommer etiska dilemman, speciellt vid palliativ vård av
barn eftersom man måste ta hänsyn till barnets ålder och mognad i relation till patientens rätt
till delaktighet och autonomi, samt föräldrars önskan. Sjuksköterskan har i sin yrkesroll ett
ansvar att värna om patientens rättigheter och autonomi. Etiska dilemman uppkommer då
flera etiska värderingar står i konflikt med varandra. Tidigare forskning visar att
sjuksköterskor ofta möter etiska dilemman i sin verksamhet och att det medför etisk stress
och utbrändhet. Dock finns det begränsad forskning om vilken effekt etiska dilemman har på
sjuksköterskans omvårdnadsarbete, både för patienten och sjuksköterskan. Syfte: Syftet är att
beskriva hur etiska dilemman och organisatoriska faktorer påverkar sjuksköterskans
omvårdnadsarbete vid palliativ vård av barn. Metod: Litteraturöversikt baserad på 11 studier
av kvalitativ samt kvantitativ ansats från strukturerad sökning i databaserna Cinahl, Pubmed,
och Scopus., granskade med SBU:s granskningsmallar, analyserade och sammanställda med
hjälp av Fribergs modell för litteraturöversikter av kvalitativ och kvantitativ ansats. Resultat:
Två huvudteman och sex subteman identifierades. De huvudteman som presenteras är
Konsekvenser för sjuksköterskan och Konsekvenser för patienten. Sjuksköterskans
konsekvenser delades in i subteman: emotionellt lidande, yttre faktorer och personlig
utveckling. Patientens konsekvenser delades in i: bristande omvårdnad, familjens roll och
lidande. Slutsats: Faktorer som tidsbrist, stress och bristande teamsamverkan leder till ökat
lidande för patienten och sjuksköterskan samt bristande omvårdnad. För att minska negativa
konsekvenser krävs ökade resurser, stöd och förbättrad teamsamverkan för god
personcentread vård
SOCIALT ARBETE I EN DIGITAL VÄRLD En kvalitativ undersökning av hur socialsekreterare upplever digitala videomöten med den enskilde
No full textSyftet med den här studien är att analysera digitala videomöten inom socialtjänsten ur ett
professionellt perspektiv. Studien ämnar belysa hur dessa möten formar det sociala arbetets
praktik, med särskilt fokus på bemötande, kommunikation och relationen mellan
socialsekreterare och den enskilde ur socialsekreterarens perspektiv. Studien baseras på sju
semistrukturerade intervjuer med socialsekreterare som arbetar med aktivt missbruk och
psykisk ohälsa inom vuxenenheter och socialpsykiatri i Västra Götalandsregionen. Studien
utgår ifrån teorin om social närvaro och arbetsallians. Utifrån dessa teorier analyseras hur
bemötande och relationen påverkas av digitala videomöten. Studiens resultat visar att i de flesta
fall föredras fysiska möten då digitala möten upplevs som mer ytliga, mekaniska och
relationshämmande. Detta beskriver respondenterna beror på brist på icke-verbala signaler och
brist på helhetsuttryck, vilket försvårar kommunikationens uppbyggnad och påverkar
professionella bedömningar. Vidare lyfts fördelar om tidsbesparingar och tillgängligheten vid
geografisk distans som digitala möten medför
Evaluating Payment Models for ATMPs: A Comparative Study of Different Payment Models for Hemgenix®
No full textIntroduction
Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), like gene therapy Hemgenix® for Hemophilia B, offer
curative potential for rare diseases with unmet needs. Despite their clinical promise, high upfront costs
and uncertain long-term efficacy pose significant challenges to their uptake through traditional healthcare
reimbursement models.
Aim
This study aims to compare the costs incurred by different payment models for the one-time high-cost
ATMP, Hemgenix®, and the budget impact of these payment models on healthcare payers in Sweden.
Methods
A decision support framework was applied to determine the suitable alternative payment methods for
Hemgenix®. Followed by a cost assessment using a Markov model simulated over 5,10, and 15 years
for a hypothetical cohort of Hemophilia B patients across three scenarios of clinical response (according
to the Hope B trial, full, and partial response). Three payment models: full upfront payment, 30% reduced
upfront payment, and outcome-based annuity payment, were compared alongside standard prophylaxis.
Results
In the short term, Hemgenix® was more expensive than prophylaxis, but over time, the reduced upfront
payment and outcome-based models resulted to be less expensive as compared to prophylaxis. At 15
years, outcome-based annuity models proved most affordable under partial response scenarios, while the
reduced upfront payment model was cheaper under full response. Sensitivity analyses showed that with
increasing clinical uncertainty, the cost incurred by outcome-based models became lower compared to
other Hemgenix® payment models.
Conclusions:
While the reduced upfront payment models with a considerable percentage of concession are a
financially viable option, outcome-based annuity models effectively mitigate financial risk and budget
impact under clinical uncertainty. Tailored reimbursement strategies can ensure early and sustainable
access to ATMPs like Hemgenix® and reduce long-term burden of rare diseases like Hemophilia B
ICT-integrated practices in Finnish schools: Examining institutional and individual influences – evicence from ICILS 2018
No full textAim:
This thesis employs a quantitative research approach, utilising data from ICILS 2018 to
investigate the influence of ICT usage on teachers' ICT-integrated practices in Finnish
schools. The research specifically examines the impact of institutional and individual
factors, including leadership support, professional development, teamwork, and teacher
attitudes, on these activities. In line with contemporary educational discourse, this study
contributes to understanding how systemic and personal conditions shape teachers’
integration of ICT into pedagogical practices aimed at enhancing student engagement
and learning outcomes.
Theory:
The social constructivist perspective provides the foundation for understanding how
institutional and individual factors shape teachers' ICT-integrated teaching practices.
Building upon Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory and his notion of mediation, this study
conceptualises ICT as a cultural tool that supports socially mediated learning and
instructional development. Within this framework, factors such as professional
development, leadership support, collaboration among peers, and teacher attitudes are
interpreted as culturally and institutionally structured supports that scaffold ICT use in
classroom practices. Furthermore, the literature review offers a clear empirical basis by
presenting validated relationships between these variables and ICT integration in
teaching.
Method:
Data analyses were conducted using a regression-based approach, drawing on
quantitative data from the ICILS 2018 teacher questionnaire. The analytical procedure
involved Pearson correlation, simple regression, and multiple regression analyses, all
performed using IBM SPSS. These analyses examined the relationships between
institutional factors (leadership support for ICT use, professional development, teacher
collaboration) and individual factors (teachers' attitudes towards ICT) on ICTintegrated
teaching practices. This approach enabled the identification of both
individual and combined effects of these variables on teachers’ use of ICT in classroom
instruction.
Results:
The findings reveal that institutional and individual factors particularly leadership
support, professional development, and collaboration positively impact teachers' ICTintegrated
practices. These factors were associated with more frequent and meaningful
use of ICT to foster student engagement and enhance learning outcomes. While the
direct effects were substantial, the results also highlighted that certain institutional
constraints, such as inconsistent access to training or limited collaborative structures,
may hinder the full potential of ICT integration. These findings underscore the
importance of systemic scaffolding through policy alignment, leadership vision, and
continuous professional development to support sustainable digital teaching practices in
schools
Machine Learning in Portfolio Optimization: A Comparative Study of Hierarchical Risk Parity and Traditional Allocation Methods
No full textMSc in Accounting and Financial ManagementThe Hierarchical Risk Parity (HRP) is an asset allocation technique, using clustering algorithms and machine learning to obtain and optimize the return and risk of a portfolio. This report evaluates the HRP approach in relation to more conventional allocation techniques used for decades, such as the minimum variance, equal weight and inverse variance. The context of the portfolio technique comparison is conducted in the Swedish stock market, more specifically the OMX Stockholm GI index. The time frame of the reports is taking account of the last 20 years, a time period that has experienced several financial crises, recessions and depressions, such as the financial crisis in 2008 and the covid crisis in 2022. All industries in the OMX index have been evaluated, in addition with sector specific and crisis specific analyses. The results, aligning with existing previous research in the field of HRP of Lopez de Prado (2016), indicate numerous advantages with the HRP approach. In several areas existing the HRP has outperformed conventional optimization methods in following areas, such as robustness, risk reduction, return increment. The HRP advocates and provides an optimal balance between risk mitigation and return, even in the circumstances of crises and sector specific environments