| 1. |
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Agglomeration, clusters and entrepreneurship : Studies in regional economic development
- 2014
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Samlingsverk (redaktörskap) (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Regional economic development has experienced considerable dynamism over recent years. Perhaps the most notable cases were the rise of China and India to emergent country status by the turn of the millennium. With time now for hindsight, this book identifies some of the key forces behind these development successes, namely agglomeration, clusters and entrepreneurship.
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| 2. |
- Ahlstrand, Inger, et al.
(författare)
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Health-promoting factors among students in higher education within health care and social work : a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data in a multicentre longitudinal study
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - London : BioMed Central. - 1471-2458. ; 22:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Educational environments are considered important in strengthening students’ health status and knowledge, which are associated with good educational outcomes. It has been suggested to establish healthy universities based on a salutogenic approach – namely, health promotion. The aim of this study was to describe health-promoting resources and factors among first-semester students in higher education in healthcare and social work.Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on a survey distributed among all students in seven healthcare and social work programmes at six universities in southern Sweden. The survey was carried out in 2018 using a self-reported, web-based questionnaire focussing on general health and well-being, lifestyle factors together with three validated instruments measuring health-promoting factors and processes: the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale, Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) and Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ).Results: Of 2283 students, 851 (37.3%) completed the survey, of whom 742 (87.1%) were women; 722 (84.8%) were enrolled on healthcare programmes, and 129 (15.2%) were enrolled on social work programmes. Most reported good general health and well-being (88.1% and 83.7%, respectively). The total mean scores for the SOC scale, SHIS and OBQ were, respectively, 59.09 (SD = 11.78), 44.04 (SD = 9.38) and 26.40 (SD = 7.07). Well-being and several healthy lifestyles were related to better general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Multiple linear and logistic regressions showed that perceived well-being and no sleeping problems significantly predicted higher general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Being less sedentary and non-smoking habits were significant predictors of higher SOC.Conclusions: Swedish students in higher education within the healthcare and social work sector report good general health and well-being in the first semester, as well as health-promoting resources (i.e. SOC, SHIS and OBQ), and in some aspects, a healthy lifestyle. High-intensity exercise, no sleeping problems and non-smoking seem to be of importance to both general health and health-promotive resources. This study contributes to knowledge about the health promotive characteristics of students in the healthcare and social work fields, which is of importance for planning universities with a salutogenic approach.
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| 3. |
- Amouzgar, Kaveh, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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An approach towards generating surrogate models by using RBFN with a priori bias
- 2014
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference, 2014, Vol. 2B. - New York, USA : ASME Press. - 9780791846322
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper, an approach to generate surrogate modelsconstructed by radial basis function networks (RBFN) with a prioribias is presented. RBFN as a weighted combination of radialbasis functions only, might become singular and no interpolationis found. The standard approach to avoid this is to add a polynomialbias, where the bias is defined by imposing orthogonalityconditions between the weights of the radial basis functionsand the polynomial basis functions. Here, in the proposed a prioriapproach, the regression coefficients of the polynomial biasare simply calculated by using the normal equation without anyneed of the extra orthogonality prerequisite. In addition to thesimplicity of this approach, the method has also proven to predictthe actual functions more accurately compared to the RBFNwith a posteriori bias. Several test functions, including Rosenbrock,Branin-Hoo, Goldstein-Price functions and two mathematicalfunctions (one large scale), are used to evaluate the performanceof the proposed method by conducting a comparisonstudy and error analysis between the RBFN with a priori and aposteriori known biases. Furthermore, the aforementioned approachesare applied to an engineering design problem, that ismodeling of the material properties of a three phase sphericalgraphite iron (SGI) . The corresponding surrogate models arepresented and compared
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| 4. |
- Andersson, Ann-Christine, et al.
(författare)
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Challenges to Improve Inter-Professional Care and Service Collaboration for People Living With Psychiatric Disabilities in Ordinary Housing.
- 2016
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Ingår i: Quality Management in Health Care. - : Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Ltd.. - 1063-8628 .- 1550-5154. ; 25:1, s. 44-52
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to describe health care- and social service professionals' experiences of a quality-improvement program implemented in the south of Sweden. The focus of the program was to develop inter-professional collaboration to improve care and service to people with psychiatric disabilities in ordinary housing. Focus group interviews and a thematic analysis were used. The result was captured as themes along steps in process. (I) Entering the quality-improvement program: Lack of information about the program, The challenge of getting started, and Approaching the resources reluctantly. (II) Doing the practice-based improvement work: Facing unprepared workplaces, and Doing twice the work. (III) Looking back-evaluation over 1 year: Balancing theoretical knowledge with practical training, and Considering profound knowledge as an integral part of work. The improvement process in clinical practice was found to be both time and energy consuming, yet worth the effort. The findings also indicate that collaboration across organizational boundaries was broadened, and the care and service delivery were improved.
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| 5. |
- Andersson, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Spatial dependence and the representation of space in empirical models
- 2009
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Ingår i: The annals of regional science. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0570-1864 .- 1432-0592. ; 43:1, s. 159-180
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A well-formed spatial model should most likely not produce spatial autocorrelation at all. From this perspective spatial autocorrelation is not (pure) statistical nuisance but a sign of that a model lacks a representation of an important economic phenomenon. In a Knowledge Production Function (KPF) context, this paper shows that a representation of space reflecting the potential of physical interaction between localities by means of accessibility variables on the "right-hand-side"aEuro"a simple alternative to spatial lag and spatial error which can be estimated by OLS-captures substantive spatial dependence. Results are verified with Monte Carlo simulations based on Anselin's (Int Reg Sci Rev 26(2):153-166, 2003) taxonomy of modelled and unmodelled effects. The analysis demonstrates that an accessibility representation of explanatory variables depict the network nature of spatial interaction, such that spatial dependence is actually modelled.
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| 6. |
- Areskoug Josefsson, Kristina, 1973-
(författare)
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Work integrated learning for a working life in academia : Experiences from working with PhD-students during the covid-19 pandemic
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Conference on Work Integrated Learning. - Trollhättan : University West. - 9789189325302 ; , s. 35-36
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Work integrated learning in academia and wellbeing for PhD-studentsFew PhD-students have a clear plan for their coming career after completion of their PhD-studies. There can be dreams of starting new enterprises, combining research with innovations in practice, or to pursue a career in academia. In health and welfare research schools there are many PhD-projects involving single PhD-students, as well as part-time PhD-students whose project is connected to their workplace. Research shows risk of low wellbeing and high levels of stress among PhD-students, together with feelings of isolation and impostor syndrome (Seeber and Horta, 2021, Schmidt and Hansson, 2018). Such negative feelings negatively impact the outcome of the PhD period and may also affect the future career of the PhD-student. To promote and sustain PhD-students health and wellbeing, there is a need to test activities that can decrease experienced negative stress during the PhD-period as well as enhancing academic competencies like academic leadership, academic writing skills and pedagogical skills. In addition, successful academics should have excellent competence in their field, collaborate with stakeholders and engage in impact activities. Thus, the PhD period needs to provide work integrated learning in academia to provide learning opportunities to develop those skills. Research conce rning PhD-students’ wellbeing and progress shows that the supervisor has an extremely important role for completion of the PhD and for the wellbeing of the student (Buirski, 2022). However, there are limited resources set up for PhD supervision and mentoring, which can create stress and mismatch in needs and capacities between the supervisor and the PhD-student. During the covid-19 pandemic the risk of losing pace in PhD-projects increased, in addition to disconnectedness with academy due to digital instead of physical meetings. However, this change also provided opportunities for novel and pragmatic ways of structuring supervision and enhancing the self-efficacy of the PhD-students. The purpose is to present learnings and outcomes of work-integrated learning project in academia for PhD-students.The focus is on two novel learning activities: online writing retreats and online monthly meetings, which were tested during the covid-19 pandemic. The aim of the learning activities was to encourage the PhD-students to be the leaders of their projects, to collaborate with others to find their role in academia, and learn the trade of being an academic, while practicing doing so, and promote wellbeing during the PhD period. The project has been performed with Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) in biannual evaluation cycles. The PDSA is a quality improvement tool focusing on the translation of ideas and intentions into action (Reed and Card, 2016). The iterative structure of PDSA is well suited to promote learning of a tested change and help shape organizational culture for the better (Reed and Card, 2016). Evaluation data includes number of participants, types of spin-offs from the learning activities, and participants’ oral and written feedback on the learning activities. The collected data was analyzed from the perspective of usefulness of the learning activities related to theories of work-integrated learning. Online structured digital writing retreats Open to more than the PhD-students supervised by the facilitating supervisor (any PhD-student who considered themselves in need of learning better academic writing structure, master students who wanted to become PhDstudents, other supervisors who wanted to see how a digital writing retreat worked). This activity showed participants the importance and diversity of academic writing. The participants chose their own writing tasks, report on their progress, and plan for their next step – but being their own controller and thus actively practicing self-leadership. At the same time the participants shared their feelings of participating in the writing retreat when reporting their writing progress – thus creating a social, international, and interdisciplinary forum, increasing their networks and enhancing feelings of belonging. This in turn ignited cross-project collaboration, thematic discussions and sharing of scientific literature of importance. As facilitating supervisor, I participated on the same level as other participants, sharing my writing progress and feelings related to academic writing. The 1-hour monthly meetings for PhD students supervised by the same supervisor.The meetings were co-designed by the PhD-students, where the first meeting developed from a shared practical problem concerning digital data safety. Coming meetings were then co-designed depending on experienced needs by the PhD-students. The PhD-students were in different phases of their PhD-process; thus, they could bring in varied perspectives and share learning with each other on the academic processes. They could also discuss issues that they considered important, such as being asked to review for a journal or being asked to teach at bachelor or master programs. Such collaborative working discussions across projects and disciplines are important in academia and the meetings were used to solve problems in academic practice and to test scientific ideas. As the meetings also were led in turn by the participating PhD-students, academic leadership skills were practiced in this setting. As participating supervisor, I had a more passive role than in traditional supervision meetings, and the meetings were inspirational and provided opportunities for shared learning.Outcomes from the novel learning activitiesThe PhD students themselves describe how they have both acquired increased academic skills, and that the online writing retreats have been important in decreasing negative stress, creating a safe social environment which has been important for their wellbeing. The shared learning activities also presented a view of how to work together in academia, which may support the students when thinking of their future career and if this is to relate to academia. As a supervisor, I can clearly see that the activities have enhanced self-efficacy, leadership skills, cross-disciplinary collaboration, national and international networks and decreased dependency on supervisors. The additional bonus of those work-integrated learning activities has been the good progress of the participants’ projects and joy at work!
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| 7. |
- Bengtsson, Staffan, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Närhet och kommunikation på distans : en studie om hur studenter och lärare beskriver och upplever lärcenter/högskolecentrumbaserad utbildning
- 2011
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Rapport (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since 2003 the University West in Sweden offers distance courses in Social work and Social pedagogy. The three year program is given in collaboration with a number of local learning centers throughout the country. The technology of videoconferencing enables the teacher to interact with students even though they are separated geographically.The study deals with this kind of education seen from the perspective of both students and teachers. The main objective is to illuminate significant aspects of this kind of phenomenon in terms of how students and teachers describe and experience problems and potential embedded in this model. The discussion rests on four overall questions:1) What are the motives for students to choose this kind of education?2) What kind of expectations did the students have before they started the program?3) How do students experience/describe strengths and weaknesses connected to this model?4) What experiences do the teacher's have working with this kind of distance education?The empirical data has been collected using mainly group interviews and observations. The analysis rests heavily on theories concerning symbolic interactionism and socio-cultural learning. The study underlines that both students and teachers embrace the potential in this form of education, giving more groups the possibility of combining their studies with a sense of regional belonging. However the interviews and observations also reveal weaknesses with this kind of educational model. There is a risk that students at the local learning centers consider themselves as being excluded by teachers and other students at campus; and that the gap between the university and the local learning centers becomes too wide. To prevent this from happening communication and confirmation from the teacher is crucial. But eventhough this scrutiny identifies weaknesses within the technology of videoconferencing, technology alone does not determine the outcome of the teaching. If a teacher manages to show great engagement and structure, this functions as a mechanism weakening the barrierof technology. At the same time it is clear that the model of videoconferencing, from a teacher perspective, can be an obstacle, which emphasizes the importance of developing the technology further and how this technology is being handled by the teacher.Finally, we consider the model with local learning centers and videoconferencing as a unique model for education, but that the model, when it comes to areas such as pedagogy, organization and technology, must be allowed to function and develop according to its own premises.
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| 8. |
- Bengtsson, Staffan, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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Projektmänniskan : arbetsrehabiliteringens möte med den enskilde
- 2014
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Ingår i: Arbetsmarknad & Arbetsliv. - Karlstad : Karlstads universitet. - 1400-9692 .- 2002-343X. ; 20:2, s. 25-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Artikeln handlar om hur välfärdsorganisationer och deras tjänstemän kopplade till aktivitets- och sysselsättningsåtgärder agerar i mötet med den enskilde och vilka berättelser som skapas om individerna. Artikeln diskuterar hur projektdeltagaren omgärdas av en fortgående medikalisering och en social fragmentisering, där projektdeltagarens problematik reduceras och där individens egen röst tycks få ett begränsat utrymme.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Björk, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Att vara barn och möta sjukdom
- 2012
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Ingår i: Att möta familjer inom vård och omsorg. - Lund : Studentlittartur AB. - 9789144072661 ; , s. 191-206
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Bokkapitel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)
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