| 1. |
- Carlsson, Bo, et al.
(författare)
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European industrial transformation : the effects of digitization
- 2011
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 13th Swedish network for European studies in economics and business conference. ; , s. 1-41
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This paper reviews the impact of digitization and information technology over several decades in four industries representing a cross-section of the entire economy. It is based on in-depth studies of the raw material production, manufacturing, retailing, and public service sectors in Sweden. The focus is on the content of industrial transformation in the form of new and improved products, improved processes, changed organizational structures, and redefined industry boundaries. Some of these changes are measurable in terms of their economic impact, but most are not. We find that digitization has been a gradual and iterative process involving interrelated technological and organizational changes. This confirms the findings in previous studies that Sweden is the leading country in Europe in adopting IT and may help to explain Sweden’s successful economic performance over the last decade or so.
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| 2. |
- Kollberg, Maria
(författare)
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Beyond IT and Productivity : Effects of Digitized Information Flows in the Logging Industry
- 2005
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The IT and productivity paradox has been the subject of considerable research in recent decades. Many previous studies, based mainly on macroeconomic statistics or on aggregated company data, have reached disparate conclusions. Consequently, the question whether IT investments contribute to productivity growth is still heavily debated. More recent research, however, has indicated that IT contributes positively to economic development but that this contribution is not fully revealed when only productivity is measured.To explore the issue of IT and productivity further, the ITOP (Impact of IT On Productivity) research program was launched in 2003. An alternative research approach is developed with the emphasis on the microeconomic level and information flows in processes in specific industry segments. In the empirical study, the development of information flows is tracked over several decades. Effects of digitized information flows are hereby identified and quantified in order to determine their importance in terms of productivity.The purpose of this study is to explore effects of information technology by studying digitized information flows in key processes in the logging industry. The research shows that several information flows in the logging process have been digitized leading to new ways to capture, use, spread, process, refine and access information throughout the logging process. A large variety of effects have also been identified from this development.The results show that only a minor part of the effects identified have a direct impact on productivity and thus that a large number of significant effects do not. Effects with a major direct impact on productivity include increased efficiency in timber measurement registration, lower costs of timber accounting and increased utilization of harvesters and forest resources. Other significant effects with no direct impact on productivity are related to a more open timber market, increased timber customization, control, decision-making and access to information, as well as skill levels and innovation. The results thus demonstrate that it is questionable whether conventional productivity measures are sufficient for measuring the impact of IT.
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| 3. |
- Löfberg, Robert, et al.
(författare)
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Oral budesonide versus prednisolone in patients with extensive and left sided ulcerative colitis
- 1996
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Ingår i: Gastroenterology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1528-0012 .- 0016-5085. ; 110:6, s. 1713-1718
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND & AIMS: Systemic glucocorticosteroids (GCSs) have proven efficacy in active ulcerative colitis but cause undesired systemic side effects. Therefore, new GCSs with high topical activity and a high rate of metabolism may be of clinical value in this condition. The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of the topically acting GCS budesonide in an oral controlled-release formulation in extensive or left-sided, mild to moderately active ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A 9-week, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was performed, and treatments with 10 mg budesonide or 40 mg prednisolone daily, both gradually tapered, were compared. Endoscopic improvement and effect on endogenous plasma cortisol were assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were administered budesonide, and 38 patients were administered prednisolone. Mean endoscopic scores improved significantly in both groups but without difference between the groups. Five patients in the budesonide group and 7 patients in the prednisolone group deteriorated and were withdrawn from the study. Morning plasma cortisol levels were suppressed in the prednisolone group (entry, 449 nmol/L; 2 weeks, 116 nmol/L; 4 weeks, 195 nmol/L) but were unchanged in the budesonide group. CONCLUSIONS: The GCS budesonide administered in an oral controlled-release formulation seems to give an overall treatment result in active ulcerative colitis approaching that of prednisolone but without suppression of plasma cortisol levels. This concept merits further evaluation.
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