Publikationer från Uppsala Universitet
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Sannolikhetsbaserade dammhaveriberäkningar i fyllningsdammar
No full textDam breach modelling is associated with significant uncertainties due to the complex and often unpredictable nature of breach development. This thesis explores the application of probabilistic methods to simulate breach scenarios for embankment dams, aiming to assess how these methods can improve risk assessments and decision-making within dam safety evaluations. Using Monte Carlo simulations in the two software Breacher and Embrea, two dam failures were analyzed. For each case, many stochastic simulations were conducted, varying dam breach parameters such as breach bottom width and breach time within defined intervals. The analysis focused on the resulting probabilistic distribution of outflow hydrographs and peak flows, as well as identifying key sensitivities and uncertainties. The results show that probabilistic methods can help to visualize uncertainty through percentile-based analyses and distribution plots. This supports a more transparent assessment of possible outcomes compared to traditional deterministic methods. It was further found that the choice of probability distribution has limited influence on results, while the assumed parameter intervals are critical. Limitations were mainly linked to the practical usability of the software and the inability to integrate stochastic output into hydrodynamic flood models. Nevertheless, the findings highlight a strong potential for probabilistic methods to complement and enhance traditional dam breach assessments by enabling better risk communication, parameter sensitivity evaluation and uncertainty quantification
St. Göran : Leper's status in society
No full textLeprosy is a chronic infectious disease known as Hansen's disease. The Christian faith has long influenced people and what they believe the cause of the disease comes from. St. Göran's Hospital, from the 13th century, located on the island of Gotland and outside the city walls of Visby, is known but has not yet been excavated in terms of the graves that lie inside. Archaeologists have only examined the area around it and the church ruins themselves. This thesis explores how people affected by leprosy in the Middle Ages experienced the disease and how they could be treated by those who were not infected. Those who were sick with leprosy were buried in ordinary graves, but this does not tell the whole story of how the sick were treated. Other places such as St. Mary Magdalene in Winchester in the UK and St. Jørgen in Odense in Denmark will be discussed to help understand and clarify what emerges from the study and see similarities between them and St. Göran's Hospital and be compared to each other. Spetälska är en kronisk infektionssjukdom som kallas Hansens sjukdom. Den kristna tron har länge påverkat människor och vad de tror orsaken till sjukdomen kommer ifrån. S:t Görans sjukhus, från 1200-talet, beläget på Gotland och utanför Visbys stadsmurar, är känt men har ännu inte utgrävts vad gäller gravarna som ligger inuti. Arkeologer har endast undersökt området runt det och själva kyrkoruinerna. Denna avhandling utforskar hur människor som drabbades av spetälska under medeltiden upplevde sjukdomen och hur de kunde behandlas av dem som inte var smittade. De som var sjuka i spetälska begravdes i vanliga gravar, men detta berättar inte hela historien om hur de sjuka behandlades. Andra platser som S:t Maria Magdalena i Winchester i Storbritannien och S:t Jørgen i Odense i Danmark kommer att diskuteras för att hjälpa till att förstå och klargöra vad som framkommer i studien och se likheter mellan dem och S:t Görans sjukhus och jämföras med varandra.
Growing With AI : Insights from a Swedish AI Startup on Internal AI Adoption – A Case Study
No full textThis thesis explores how organisational factors shape the internal adoption of AI tools in an AI start-up that acts both as provider and user of generative AI. Seven semi-structured interviews across diverse roles show that adoption in the case company is dependent on an autonomy–alignment tension, exemplified by a high individual freedom and informal routines that accelerate experimentation, yet limited coordination and strategic alignment restrict collective learning. Four intertwined conclusions emerge. First, permissive, direction-light leadership facilitates rapid experimentation but lacks a coherent roadmap. Second, an optimistic culture is paired with information overload, which keeps resistance low while stretching employees’ capacity to filter out valuable ideas from AI noise. Third, reliance on off-the-shelf LLMs lowers technical and financial barriers, shifting the main constraint from resources to organisational orchestration. Finally, when coordination mechanisms for sharing practices are added, such as cross-functional roles, scattered initiatives may converge into cumulative capability. For other SMEs and start-ups, the implication is clear: with recent developments in affordable,versatile and user-friendly LLMs, successful AI adoption depends less on resource constraints and technical expertise, and more on how the organisation organises, leads and learns
Long-Term IPO Performance in a Zero to Negative Interest Rate Environment : A Swedish Perspective
No full textThis paper analyzes long-term performance of 517 Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) on theSwedish Stock Exchange during the zero or negative policy rate period between 2015 and2021. Performance over 6, 12, 24 and 36 months has been measured byBuy-And-Hold-Abnormal-Return (BHAR) adjusted for first-day return, using an event studyapproach. To examine determinants to the performance, multiple regression models have beenrun with firm-specific characteristics on a subsample of 245 IPOs. The findings include significant underperformance over a 36-month period of -5,1%,providing evidence in support of the partially questioned existence of the long-term IPOunderperformance anomaly. In contrast, the 6 month-period shows positive abnormal returnsof 4,8%, suggesting that the market may require more time to fully adjust IPO mispricing.Furthermore, IPOs on alternative markets significantly underperform the main market NasdaqStockholm, shedding light on the presence of information asymmetry on the market,potentially amplified by the less stringent listing requirements associated with the alternativemarkets. With three years having passed since the transition to rising policy rates, this paper provides ameaningful contribution by analyzing the IPO long-term performance over a full cycle of zeroor negative interest rates. By incorporating IPOs from alternative stock markets andillustrating performance differences across market types, the study highlights a gap in theexisting literature. Furthermore, the existing research on long-term IPO performance in aScandinavian or Swedish context remains limited compared to larger markets, underscoringthe relevance of this paper. In addition to contributing to the academic discourse, the findingsof this study offer valuable insights for investors, issuers and regulators, navigating thecomplex IPO market
Self-Preferencing by Dual-Role Platforms : An Evaluation of EU Regulatory Approaches
No full textDigital platforms have become key players in the European Union’s digital economy and market. In recent years, some of these vertically integrated platforms have started to look for new ways to maximize their position and profitability. Consequently, driven by distinct managerial incentives, many of these platforms have started to not only host third-party sellers but also offer their own competing products. In business literature, these kinds of platforms are denominated ‘dual-role platforms’. This dual role is often prone to a practice called ‘self-preferencing’, which occurs when platforms favour their own products over third-party products that are sold in their marketplace. This practice has raised increasingly regulatory and competitive concerns in the European Union. Through a qualitative legal research method, this dissertation explores how is the European Union limiting self-preference practice done by dual-role platforms and if those limitations are appropriate, seen from a competitive perspective. The research found that while self-preferencing can, under certain conditions, be considered a legitimate business strategy, it can also produce anti-competitive effects, which is the reason for the significant regulatory and competitive concerns in the European Union. The findings indicate that EU law limits dual-role platforms, through Article 102(c)TFEU and the 6(5)DMA, targeting platforms that hold a dominant position or have been designated as gatekeepers; however, it does not cover platforms that are neither dominant nor classified as gatekeepers, leaving them generally free to engage in self-preferencing practices without regulatory constraints. The imposition of these legal limitations directly impacts the way platforms structure their business strategies and respond to competitive pressures. Additionally, the research concludes that the most appropriate way to regulate self-preferencing from a competitive perspective is through a case-by-case assessment. In line with this, the ex-post approach of Article 102 TFEU provides a more suitable regulatory framework than the blank ex-ante prohibition established under Article 6(5) DMA.
From Burden to Asset : Anti-Money Laundering Compliance in the Competitive Positioning of Crypto-Asset Service Providers
No full textThis thesis investigates how Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance influences the strategic positioning of Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASPs) in the European Union. Combining Institutional Theory and the Resource-Based View (RBV), the study examines how regulatory alignment, once seen purely as a legal obligation, can be transformed into a source of competitive advantage. A hybrid methodology is employed, integrating doctrinal legal analysis with comparative case studies of Coinbase, Binance, and Kraken. The findings show that CASPs which embed compliance into their core strategy and operations can leverage AML frameworks as VRIO-aligned assets, enhancing legitimacy, securing market access, and mitigating regulatory risk. Despite being historically fragmented and its reactive compliance, Binance remains one of the most successful CASPs globally, interestingly highlighting that compliance may not be the sole driver of market dominance. This suggests that technological capabilities, ecosystem growth, and user acquisition strategies can offset regulatory shortcomings in the short term, though they may leave firms vulnerable to enforcement actions. However, as EU initiatives such as MiCA and the AMLA authority move toward harmonised supervision, strategic compliance is emerging as a critical differentiator in the crypto industry. The study concludes that proactive institutional conformity and internal capability-building are key to long-term viability in an increasingly regulated digital asset landscape
Challenges and Opportunities with Floating Nuclear Power Plants : A Study on Floating and Offshore NPPs
No full textAs the global energy sector works toward net-zero emissions by 2050, nuclear energy is expected to play an increasingly important role. Floating Nuclear Power Plants (FNPPs), which use Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) on marine platforms, present a promising solution for supplying electricity and heat to remote or coastal areas where land-based infrastructure is limited. This thesis explores the challenges and opportunities associated with FNPPs through a literature review and a case study of the Faroe Islands. Key focus areas include reactor technology, legal and regulatory frameworks and alternative uses other than supplying electricity to the grid, such as hydrogen production and desalination. The study investigates various FNPP concepts, including barge-based and offshore rigs and evaluates their suitability for different applications. Findings suggest that FNPPs can enhance energy security and support decarbonization in isolated regions. However, significant challenges remain, including unclear regulatory standards, complex security and safeguard requirements and potential public resistance. The case study illustrates both the potential benefits and the practical limitations of deploying FNPPs in real-world settings. The report concludes that while FNPPs offer strategic and technological advantages, their development requires further research and regulatory adaptation. Recommendations are made to support future deployment, including international collaboration and clearer legal frameworks
Impurity sources and incorporation pathways during sputter deposition of Mg and Al thin films
No full textMinimizing the impurity concentration in magnetron sputter deposited thin films is desired for the exploration of composition-structure-property relations. Thus, the integral impurity incorporation during growth into Mg and Al sputter deposited thin films is studied by systematic variations of the base pressure, the deposition rate, and the working gas purity. The deposition rate and the base pressure, which was measured before each deposition, were varied simultaneously, resulting in a variation of the impurity-to-metal flux ratios of factor > 40. During growth, Ar gas purities of 99.999 and 99.9999 % were employed. Surprisingly, these systematic growth condition variations did not significantly alter the impurity concentration incorporated into Mg and Al thin films. While the modified parameters clearly are relevant for impurity incorporation, there appears to be at least one additional mechanism affecting the impurity incorporation during thin film growth operational. Mass spectrometry data revealed that residual gases desorb from surfaces within the vacuum chamber as soon as they are heated. Based on the measured thin film composition data, it is inferred that the magnitude of thermally desorbed residual gas appears to affect the impurity concentration to a larger extent than the systematic deposition parameter variations studied here. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the here investigated impurity incorporation is governed by the incorporation of thermally desorbed residual gases during thin film growth. Future impurity incorporation studies should, in addition to the base pressure before deposition, also quantify the residual gas partial pressures present during deposition
"It has changed everything, but also nothing at all" : Academic Librarians and Generative AI – A Study of a Profession in Constant Development
No full textIntroduction. The aim of this thesis is to study how generative artificial intelligence (GAI) affect work in academic libraries and consequently how it affects the profession of academic librarians. This area of research is of interest due to the current lack of structure around GAI use in higher education. Considering the academic librarians’ mission to mediate information literacy, the topic of GAI is of particular interest in relation to the profession. Method. The empirical material was collected through interviews with six academic librarians, as well as observations of five online lectures about AI conducted by academic librarians. Interview transcripts and fieldnotes from the observations make up the data that was subsequently analyzed. Analysis. A qualitative thematic analysis was carried out to interpret the material. Andrew Abbotts theory of professions was used to help decipher the data, while the abductive nature of the analysis also opened for potential findings outside the initial theoretical framework. Results. GAI affects academic libraries and the professional role of librarians through the emergence of new work tasks, however common strategies for how GAI should be implemented are lacking. Librarians’ work with GAI is often driven by individual initiatives. External factors, such as how other professions view GAI, affect how librarians work. The respondents do not express any widespread concern that GAI will replace their work, rather, the results indicate that the opposite is true. Conclusion. Academic librarians are undergoing yet another shift, not unlike how previous technological developments have affected the profession. GAI is starting to take up more of their time, however the work is occasionally slowed down due to lack of time and guidelines. Better communication, more collaboration and further training are crucial, and the time for these efforts is now. This is a two year master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.
FEMALE POLITICAL PARTICIPATION: A MULTI-GROUP ANALYSIS USING THE WORLD VALUES SURVEY
No full textThis study uses multi-group structural equation modelling (multi-group SEM) to examine the structural features of female political participation and its determinants in five European countries, based on data from the seventh round of the World Values Survey (WVS). The study first supports the idea of a multi-dimensional structure by confirming that political participation can be divided into institutional and non-institutional dimensions. Subsequent investigation reveals that the primary factor influencing both forms of participation behaviour is socioeconomic status (SES), which is particularly important in the UK and Germany but has a smaller impact in the Czechia and the Netherlands. Lastly, subgroup modelling shows that path structure is moderated by marital status: age more strongly predicts institutional participation among married women, while the SES effect is stronger among single women. The results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying intra-group diversity and female political participation