Göteborgs universitets publikationer - e-publicering och e-arkiv
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Delayed onset of cognitive terminal decline in later born cohorts: Evidence from a longitudinal study of two cohorts born 29-years apart.
No full textIn this study, we evaluated birth cohort (i.e., generational) differences in the onset and rate of acceleration in cognitive decline prior to death (i.e., terminal decline [TD]). We obtained data from two cohorts, born in 1901–1902 (n = 755, 64% females) and 1930 (n = 347, 48% females), identified and sampled at age 70 from the same city population and assessed on the same cognitive tests at ages 70, 75, 79, 85, and 88. The 1901–1902 cohort was additionally assessed at ages 90, 92, 95, 97, 99, and 100. The outcome was defined at each measurement occasion by a composite score of three cognitive tests assessing spatial ability, perceptual and motor speed, and reasoning. Date of death was obtained from population register, with the last update in April 2023, covering over 99% and 38% of the cohort members, respectively. We fitted a random TD change point model to the data while accounting for sex and education. Findings revealed expected TD onset (as conditioned on male with formal education) 5.17 (95% highest density interval [2.54, 8.05]) years prior to death in the 1901–1902 cohort, with an acceleration in rate of decline by a factor of 4.43 within the TD phase. This estimate was delayed by 2.53 (95% highest density interval [5.68, 0.10]) years in the 1930 cohort, with an acceleration by a factor of 5.16 within the TD phase. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to present evidence indicating that today’s birth cohort experience, on average, a shorter TD phase in comparison to earlier born cohorts
On sister-friend tactics, weak resistance, young girls and body politics in contemporary art
No full textMFA Fine ArtsMy grandmother once told me that the whole lineage of women in my family is cursed. It was
a little unexpected to me that someone who is a religious Polish Catholic shared this type of
superstition. My mother and her sisters couldn’t find a proper partner, and each had at least one
daughter. In single mothering, my grandmother saw the doom.1 This curse was manifested in
small rural areas in Poland, where I come from. Soon I found out that the vast majority of my
female friends, and colleagues from a Polish university were raised by single mothers. This
encouraged me to move beyond personal context to reflections on the marginalisation of the
lived bodies of young girls and women. I became fascinated with how, in this form of being
together among other women in an enclosed environment, we can think about forms of
challenging broader political issues, how subjectivity and relationships with body/bodies can
be developed, and what tactics we can observe in everyday situations
LIVET SOM KONSTNÄR Yrkesverksamma konstnärers upplevelser av och förhållningssätt till ekonomisk ovisshet
No full textI dagens kapitalistiska samhälle är det en nödvändighet att ha ett arbete som du kan försörja
dig på och konstnärlig yrkesverksamhet pekas ofta ut som ett exempel på ett yrke med stora
försörjningssvårigheter. Denna studie undersöker hur konstnärlig yrkesverksamhet upplevs av
konstnärerna i fråga med fokus på upplevelser av ekonomisk ovisshet inom yrket. Studien visar
hur konstnärlig yrkesverksamhet ryms inom de ramar som bland annat kapitalism, kulturpolitik
och den institutionella konstvärlden skapar. Det är begräsningarna och svårigheterna inom
dessa ramar som ligger till grund för den ekonomiska ovissheten inom yrket. Studien belyser
hur konstnärerna förhåller sig till och minskar upplevelser av ekonomisk ovisshet genom att
forma taktiker utifrån de olika kapital som utgör en resurs för dem. Fortsättningsvis poängterar
studien hur försörjningssvårigheter ger utrymme för andra värden och motiveringar till
yrkesvalet samt hur dessa värden balanseras med ekonomisk ovisshet. Det teoretiska ramverket
omfattar begrepp som kapitalteori, taktiker och ovisshet. Studien har en antropologisk ansats
och det empiriska materialet har samlats in genom etnografiskt fältarbete samt
semistrukturerade intervjuer. Examensarbetet är skrivet på svenska
Orättvist flexibelt? En studie om hybridarbetets betydelse för rättvisa och välmående inom en organisation
Full text linkThe purpose of this study is to explore how hybrid work affects the experience of organizational justice and psychological well-being within an organization where working conditions differ between professional groups. Using a combination of semi-structured interviews and a quantitative survey, the study offers a nuanced understanding of how various work arrangements are perceived and interpreted by employees. The findings show that justice is not primarily about having equal conditions, but rather about how these conditions are understood and communicated within the organization. Many employees accept differences in work arrangements when they are perceived as logically justified and clearly communicated. However, when these differences lack explanation or are associated with injustices, frustration can arise even if employees understand the reasons behind them. The study also shows that psychological well-being is influenced not only by the level of flexibility but also by how hybrid work is managed by leadership. Many employees working in hybrid settings report an increased internal pressure to constantly perform and be available, which can lead to stress. On-site workers, in contrast, describe a sense of structure and stability, but also a lack of flexibility. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how justice and well-being are shaped through the interplay between work form, leadership, and organizational culture
Klimatpolitikens marknadseffekter i USA En studie om USA:s utträde ur Parisavtalet och dess påverkan på gröna obligationer
No full textClimate change is a global issue that requires international agreements, with the Paris Agreement being one of the most central. Over the past decade, green bonds have become an important financial instrument for funding the green transition, but they are highly influenced by political signals and regulations.
This study examines how the United States' three announcements regarding withdrawal from and re-entry into the Paris Agreement have affected the green bond market. Using a quantitative method in the form of a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) approach, changes in the issuance volume of green bonds in the United States are analyzed in comparison to Europe, which serves as the control group. The study covers daily data from 2016 to 2025. In addition to the quantitative analysis, qualitative in-depth interviews are conducted with six key individuals from various actors within the financial sector to capture perceived effects and expectations.
The results show that market reactions to political announcements differ. The first withdrawal (2017) and the re-entry (2021) show significant, negative effects on issuance volumes, while the most recent withdrawal announcement (2025) does not exhibit any statistically significant change. The interviews highlight that market participants perceive climate policy decisions as signaling tools, but that the effects on the green bond market are complex and influenced by multiple factors such as geopolitics, interest rate levels, and investor pressure. The study concludes that political announcements regarding the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement do impact the American green bond market. The effects vary and show both positive and negative effects on the issuance volume of green bonds.Klimatförändringar är ett globalt problem som kräver internationella överenskommelser, där Parisavtalet utgör en av de mest centrala. Gröna obligationer har under det senaste decenniet blivit ett viktigt finansiellt verktyg för att finansiera den gröna omställningen, men påverkas i hög grad av politiska signaler och regleringar.
Denna studie undersöker hur USA:s tillkännagivanden om utträde och återinträde i Parisavtalet har påverkat marknaden för gröna obligationer. Med hjälp av en kvantitativ metod i form av Difference-in-Differences (DiD) regressioner, analyseras förändringar i emissionsvolym av gröna obligationer i USA jämfört med kontrollgruppen Europa. Studien omfattar daglig emissionsdata från 2016 till 2025. Utöver den kvantitativa analysen genomförs en kvalitativ ansats i form av djupintervjuer med sex nyckelpersoner som representanter från olika aktörer inom finanssektorn, för att fånga upplevda effekter och förväntningar kring policyförändringarna.
Resultaten visar att marknadsreaktionerna efter de politiska tillkännagivanden skiljer sig åt. Det första utträdet (2017) och återinträdet (2021) visar signifikanta, negativa effekter på emissionsvolymen, medan det senaste tillkännagivandet om utträde (2025) inte uppvisar någon statistiskt säkerställd förändring. Intervjuerna belyser att marknadsaktörer uppfattar klimatpolitiska beslut som signalvärden, men att effekterna på marknaden för gröna obligationer är komplexa och påverkas av flera faktorer såsom geopolitik, ränteläge och investerartryck. Studiens slutsats är att politiska besked angående USA:s utträde ur Parisavtalet påverkar den amerikanska marknaden för gröna obligationer. Effekterna varierar och visar både positiva och negativa effekter på emissionsvolymen av gröna obligationer
Entering ASEAN: A Strategic Approach for Polymer Engineering Firms. “How has Trelleborg AB entered the ASEAN market through experiential knowledge, network influence, and by having a competitive advantage?”
No full textThis thesis explores how Swedish polymer engineering firm Trelleborg AB has entered and expanded into the ASEAN region through experiential knowledge, network influence and by sustaining a competitive advantage. ASEAN continues to emerge as a strategic region driven by trade liberalization, industrial diversification and digital development, polymer engineering firms face both opportunities and challenges upon entry. Using a qualitative, case-based approach with semi-structured interviews and triangulated data, the study examines Trelleborg AB’s internationalization in ASEAN. Anchored in the Uppsala models (1977:2009), the Resource-Based View, and the VRIN framework the research identifies how Trelleborg AB has managed cultural and institutional distances by gradually building market knowledge and embedding itself into stable regional networks. The study finds that Trelleborg AB began in Singapore, a stable and low-psychic-distance market, before incrementally expanding into more complex countries. Local partnerships, industry trust and use of intermediaries helped mitigate the liability of outsidership and navigate bureaucracy. Furthermore, Trelleborg AB’s competitive advantage was grounded in its rare technological capabilities which were adapted to fit each local market. The study contributes insights into how polymer engineering firms can develop long-term market positions in ASEAN, a practical framework for similar firms seeking to internationalize in the region
The Role of Institutional Support in Attracting Swedish Foreign Direct Investment to Malaysia's Startup Ecosystem. “An analysis through the OLI Framework”
No full textIn an increasingly globalized and competitive investments landscape, emerging markets like Malaysia are positioning themselves as an innovation-driven economy to attract foreign direct investment to their startup ecosystem. With the rise of digitalization and sustainability as global priorities, institutional actors play a significant role in shaping startup ecosystems and facilitating long-term international collaboration. Therefore, this study explores how three key institutional actors, MIDA, the Swedish Embassy and Business Sweden, contribute to shaping Malaysia's attractiveness as a destination for Swedish FDI in the startup ecosystem.
Through expert interviews and based on the OLI Framework, complemented with Institutional Theory, the roles of these key institutions are analyzed in relation to ownership, location, and internalization advantages. The findings indicate that the actors not only support Swedish firms with initial market entry but also foster long-term sustainability and competitiveness. This is achieved through policy alignment, strategic support in green and digital transitions, and the reduction of market uncertainty.
The study concludes that early engagement with institutional actors and sensitivity to the local business environment are crucial for successful FDI. Although challenges such as limited late-stage funding and bureaucratic delays still remain, Malaysia demonstrates strong preparedness for sustained competitiveness through robust institutional support, strategic position, and cost-efficient business environment
Otherness in Order: Discursive Representations of Immigration in Swedish Policy Discourse
No full textAim The aim of this study is to analytically examine how immigration is portrayed in Swedish migration policy discourse using the What’s the Problem Represented to Be? (WPR) approach, and to unpack underlying drivers of these portrayals with a postcolonial lens. Theory This study employs the What’s the Problem Represented to Be? (WPR) approach, an analytical tool that deconstructs problem representations in policy discourse. Post-colonial theory is integrated with the findings of WPR to unpack narratives shaped by colonial legacies and power dynamics. Together, these frameworks allow for a critical examination of how migration is problematised, with particular attention to underlying suppositions and constructions of “Us vs. Them” perspectives. Method This study embodies an abductive textual qualitative methodology, applied on official documents in Sweden. These official documents
include governing documents, reports, motions and party manifests to name a few. The methodological analysis is divided into two
layers, the first layer draw on the What’s the Problem Represented to Be? - framework. The second layer allow to integrate postcolonialism onto the WPR-findings to unpack how the problem representations can be understood. Results Firstly, the results show that problem representations are regularly portrayed with a narrative of connected criminal activity and extremist values. Secondly, nationalistic values intensify ‘The Otherness’ through three rhetorical aspects: National, Societal and Individual. Lastly, key results show cultural and religious identities in opposition of “True Swedishness” deeply shape Sweden’s hierarchical migration policy
Ticking the Boxes or Transforming Business? The Performative Role of Consultants in Sustainability Reporting
No full textMSc in ManagementThe growing complexity of sustainability reporting especially under the European Union’s
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has made consultants central to how
organizations interpret and implement reporting requirements. While prior research has
examined both drivers for sustainability reporting and the growing role of consultants in shaping
corporate practices, little is known about how consultants shape the sustainability reporting and
strategic alignment through the Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) mandated by the CSRD.
This study investigates how consultants facilitate and shape sustainability reporting through
DMA. It identifies three distinct consultancy approaches: client-led, consultant-led and
collaborative-led, all of which result in similar compliance-oriented outputs. More notably, the
study highlights a recurring inconsistency between talk, decisions, and actions, performed
through the roles and interactions of both consultants and clients. Drawing on Brunson's
(1993;1986) theory of organizational hypocrisy and Gond et al. (2016) theory of performativity,
the study shows that consultants do not merely manage tensions between talk and action, they
perform legitimacy. Through structured validation, strategic framing and reporting rituals,
consultants help produce the appearance of sustainability alignment, even when internal
transformation is limited. This extends Brunsson’s model of organizational hypocrisy by
demonstrating that hypocrisy is not only a strategic response but a performative outcome
performed by consultants through their roles. Highlighting the performative dimensions of
consultancy work, this thesis contributes to both sustainability reporting research and
organizational hypocrisy theory. It raises important questions about the credibility of reporting
practices and emphasizes the need to examine not only what sustainability reports claim, but how
those claims are constructed in practice
Training for the Unexpected Approaching Universal Phone Recognition for Computer-Assisted IPA Transcription of Low-Resource Languages
No full textAbstract
We set out to develop a language-agnostic ASR model for the phonetic transcription
of speech into the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). While NLP and Automatic-
Speech-Recognition (ASR) have made immense leaps in research and quality, most of
the world’s languages are still excluded from this development.
In the interest of aiding documentation and linguistic work with low-resource languages,
we examine the possibility of universal Speech-to-IPA (STIPA) transcription by
exploring the cross-lingual transfer of STIPA knowledge, as learnt from high-resource
languages, to unseen and low-resource languages in zero-shot settings. Our specific goal
is the application and evaluation of cross-lingual STIPA to the severely endangered language
Sanna (also ”Cypriot Maronite Arabic”, described in e.g. Borg, 2011)