| 1. |
- Hall, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
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Bureau-Shaping Theories and Public Management Reforms
- 2008
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- New Public Management (NPM) reform ideas are, in the literature, usually portrayed as exogenous models which somehow permeate public organisations (cf. Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2004). Hitherto, the question whether internal organisational motives for creating new units has been a contributing factor to the diffusion of NPM ideas has been notably overlooked. It is our contention that theories on bureau-shaping can complement other frameworks for describing the diffusion of NPM reforms. That is, bureaucrats (i.e. public management) can use the ‘discourse’ of NPM for pursuing the creation of new, more policy-shaping and second order functional, units and offices (for example, benchmarking, communication etc) within public organisations, thereby replacing old bureaucratic layers with ‘novel’ offices detached from the daily operative functions of bureaucracy. The aim of our paper is to discuss and review strategies for empirical studies of bureau-shaping theory in the light of public management reforms. Whilst Dunleavy's original thoughts have been widely discussed and contested, few actual attempts have been made to transfer them to empirical studies. In this paper, we examine some of the main traits of criticism, as well as some of the few attempts to apply the theory empirically. In addition, we propose a research strategy for a comparative empirical study of bureaucratic change within local and state administration in Sweden and Denmark inspired by bureau-shaping theory. From a preliminary case study, we conclude that bureau-shaping may be more of a systematic organisational response to administrative reforms than the utility-maximising strategy of individual bureaucrats.
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| 2. |
- Hall, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
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Is there a Nordic Approach to Questions of Democracy in Studies of Network Governance?
- 2009
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Ingår i: Local Government Studies. - : Routledge. - 0300-3930 .- 1743-9388. ; 35:5, s. 515-538
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The notion of democratic network governance has attracted growing interest among students of local and regional governance in all the Nordic countries since the 1990s. This article examines whether research in this area reflects a particular Nordic account of democracy. The Nordic countries have strong traditions of local autonomy, local networks and the inclusion of civil society associations. The authors find reason to expect that the Nordic traditions of local and regional governance may have stimulated a common approach to democracy questions with the features of an integrative perspective. At the same time, the differences in the history of democratisation are likely to have urged the approach in different directions. Using evidence from a literature review, the article suggests that, rather than a fully fledged theory, democracy with an intriguing potential and with nuances exists as an issue in the Nordic governance studies.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Hall, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
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The small, but significant steps taken by the men within : a complementary understanding of incremental public organisation changes
- 2009
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Organisational actors in the public sector are often characterised as path-dependent and tending to reject or translate change in accordance with institutional norms, while management change is often interpreted as emanating from “above” (international organisations, governments, thinktanks). In this article we present, inspired by Dunleavy’s bureau-shaping approach, a complementary understanding of incremental changes which goes beyond the existing explanations. Our claim is that incremental changes often are caused by ‘pull-factors’ inside the organisation. Based on an in-depth study of five Swedish public agencies 1980-2005 we present an inductively-derived typology of organisational change. In the five organisations considered, it is shown that the management level has been able to influence changes which emanate from “push-factors” in the environment (such as streamlining, cost reduction and symbolic adaptations). But the paper also highlights more gradual changes – “small but significant steps” - such as increased hiring of social scientists and managerialisation as important features in the process of reconstructing the agencies as policy-making, rather than operational, units, in line with Dunleavy’s general argument. A conclusion to this is that improved policy-making capacity, paradoxically, may reduce Swedish public agencies’ ability to steer.
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| 5. |
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| 6. |
- Löfgren, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of collaboration in projects on construction project performance
- 2009
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Ingår i: Twenty-Fifth Annual Conference, 2009, September 7-9, Albert Hall, Nottingham. - Reading : Association of Researchers in Construction Management. - 9780955239021 ; , s. 595-604
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Collaboration among project actors has been subjected to much attention in recent years within the field of construction management. Several case studies support the argument that collaboration has positive effects on project performance. There is however, a need for quantitative studies investigating statistical relationships between collaboration and performance. Joint activities and collaborative tools (e.g. workshops, joint objectives, and teambuilding activities) are commonly used in order to establish a collaborative spirit among project actors. The purpose of this research is to investigate how collaborative tools affect collaboration and further collaboration’s effect on project performance. The empirical data was collected through a survey responded to by 106 Swedish construction clients. Results from hierarchical regression analyses show a positive relationship between collaborative tools and collaboration suggesting that joint activities are crucial for collaboration to emerge. A positive relationship was also found between collaboration and project performance. The statistical results support previous case study findings where collaboration is positively affected by joint activities and project performance is enhanced by collaboration.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Löfgren, Patrik
(författare)
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Studies on fat cell function in human obesity and insulin resistance
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Enlarged fat cells, due to excess tri-glyceride (TG) stores with increased basal lipolysis (TG breakdown) and blunted action of the major regulatory hormones of fat cell metabolism (catecholamines and insulin) are hallmarks of common obesity in humans. It is, however, not known whether these aberrations are caused by obesity per se or is a consequence of obesity. The aim of the present thesis was, firstly, to study the influence of obesity on hormonally induced fat cell metabolism (lipolysis and lipogenesis) and fat cell morphology before and after weight reduction and, secondly, to evaluate putative molecular mechanisms responsible for variations in fat cell metabolism. In the obese state, hormone stimulated lipolysis was elevated (compared to lean) in women but not in men and basal lipolysis was increased in both genders. After weight loss (to a level still considered obese), basal and stimulated lipolysis in women did not differ from lean controls. However, men did not change their lipolysis in response to weight reduction. Fat cell size was closely related to changes in lipolysis in women but not in men. A further weight reduction to near normal weight decreased fat cell size and adrenergic regulated lipolysis to values 20-40 % lower than in closely matched controls. In women reaching near normal weight, leptin secretion from adipose tissue and circulating leptin levels were lower in post obese subjects than in matched controls (68% and 54% respectively). The role of the adipocyte-specific protein perilipin for lipolysis regulation was investigated. Perilipin protein was decreased 50% and basal and stimulated lipolysis increased two to fourfold in the obese state accompanied by increased circulating free fatty acids and glycerol. A gene polymorphism (rs891460) was common and in AA subjects, basal and noradrenaline induced lipolyisis were 50 to 100 % more rapid and perilipin content was reduced by 80%, as compared to GG carriers. Insulin resistance was present in the obese state but insulin-inhibited lipolysis and lipogenesis were completely normalized after weight loss (compared to matched controls). A strong concentration dependent inverse correlation between adipose TNF-alpha secretion and maximum insulinstimulated glucose transport in adipocytes independent of fat cell volume, age and body mass index was found. Incubation of adipose tissue explants with human recombinant TNF-alpha was also associated with a concentration dependent inhibition of insulin stimulated glucose transport in adipocytes. In conclusion, evidence exists that the increase in basal and stimulated lipolysis seen in obese women are secondary aberrations due to obesity per se whereas in men increased basal lipolysis might be a primary disturbance or at least more resistant to weight loss. Post-obese women display a hypercellular adipose tissue with small fat cells, low rates of lipolysis and low leptin levels. These might be primary aberrations in part responsible for development of obesity. Adipocyte insulin resistance observed in the obese state is secondary to obesity per se and is associated with increased levels of TNF-alpha secreted from adipose tissue.
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| 9. |
- Orban, Istvan, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Experimental dielectronic recombination rate coefficientsfor Na-like S VI and Na-like Ar VIII
- 2009
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 498, s. 909-914
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims. Absolute recombination rate coefficients for two astrophysically relevant Na-like ions are presented.Methods. Recombination rate coefficients of S vi and Ar viii are determined from merged-beam type experiments at the CRYRINGelectron cooler. Calculated rate coefficients are used to account for recombination into states that are field-ionized and therefore notdetected in the experiment.Results. Dielectronic recombination rate coefficients were obtained over an energy range covering Δ n = 0 core excitations. ForNa-like Ar a measurement was also performed over the Δn = 1 type of resonances. In the low-energy part of the Ar viii spectrum,enhancements of more than one order of magnitude are observed as compared to the calculated radiative recombination. The plasmarecombination rate coefficients of the two Na-like ions are compared with calculated results from the literature. In the 103−104 Krange, large discrepancies are observed between calculated plasma rate coefficients and our data. At higher temperatures, above105 K, in the case of both ions our data is 30% higher than two calculated plasma rate coefficients, other data from the literaturehaving even lower values.Conclusions. Discrepancies below 104 K show that at such temperatures even state-of-the-art calculations yield plasma rate coefficientsthat have large uncertainties. The main reason for these uncertainties are the contributions from low-energy resonances, whichare difficult to calculate accurately.
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| 10. |
- Schmidt, Henning, et al.
(författare)
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DESIREE as a new tool for interstellar ion chemistry
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Journal of Astrobiology. - 1473-5504 .- 1475-3006. ; 7:3-4, s. 205-208
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A novel cryogenic electrostatic storage device consisting of two ion-beam storage rings with a common straight section for studies of interactions between oppositely charged ions at low and well-defined relative velocities is under construction at Stockholm University. Here we consider the prospect of using this new tool to measure cross-sections and rate coefficients for mutual neutralization reactions of importance in interstellar ion chemistry in general and specifically in cosmic pre-biotic ion chemistry.
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