Co-Evolution of Technology, Markets and Institutions - the Case of Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Technology in Europe

The birth, growth and maturity of industries, sectors and technologies have spurred the curiosity of researchers as well as managers and policy makers for a long time. Intriguingly, the emergence of a new industry is a complex process including many different actors and with a high level of uncertainty related to technology, institutions and markets facing the actors involved. Empirically this book analyses a case study of fuel cells and hydrogen technologies in Europe, a set of inter-related technologies that has a large economic and environmental potential. These technologies can provide energy to a diverse set of products, ranging from powering cars and buses, or consumer products like a laptop or cell phone, to heat and electricity for buildings. Energy conversion within these technologies is furthermore emission free which hold the promise to change the mode of transportation and for electricity production to become more sustainable. While there is a tendency to approach technological change with a long time perspective, focusing on the shift between different phases, this book will fill a gap in the literature on technological change by focussing on the formative, or early phase. The thesis approaches the formative phase by analysing how the different actors in Europe strive to create stability in technology, market and institutions, so that the emerging technologies can evolve to a growth phase and new markets be formed

Asset pricing models in the Nordic Stock Market

Masteroppgave(MSc) in Master of Science in Business, Finance/Masteroppgave(MSc) in Master of Science in Business, Logistics, operations and supply chain management - Handelshøyskolen BI, 2022This thesis investigates the Fama and French asset pricing models on a sample of all firms, green firms, and half-green firms in the Nordic stock market. We find that when fitted to the full sample, the factor models of Fama and French provide a good explanation of the cross-sectional variance of return and outperform the CAPM. The sample of green firms contains extensive sample errors negating our ability to distinguish the tested model. The factor models explain less of the variance in excess return of half-green firms than all firms. We find evidence that the investment factor is more important when describing the excess return of half-green firms than all firms in the Nordic stock marke

Innovations in fuel cells and related hydrogen technology in Norway – OECD Case Study in the Energy Sector

This report presents the results of an analysis undertaken by NIFU on innovations in fuel cells and related hydrogen technology in Norway. This country study is part of a larger effort jointly organized by the OECD’s Working Group on Technology and Innovation Policy (TIP) and IEA’s Committee on Energy Research and Technology. Organized as a Focus Group, a number of national case studies have been made on different energy technologies and energy sources, fuel cells and related hydrogen technology being the foremost of these

Gevinstrealisering - en casestudie av et pågående IT-innføringsprosjekt

Med stadig flere digitale prosjekter, der mange blir sett på som mislykkede, har det blitt et økt fokus på at mål ikke realiserer seg selv. Gevinstrealisering har dermed vokst frem som et mulig svar på denne utfordringen. Ved å fokusere på realisering av gevinster søker man å oppnå langsiktige (positive) effekter, blant annet fordi dette sier mer om prosjektets resultat enn de tradisjonelle styringsmekanismene tid, kost og kvalitet. Selv om det blir et stadig økt fokus på å realisere gevinster, er det ikke automatisk sagt at det er enkelt å få til. Med denne oppgaven vil vi forsøke å gi svar på hva som kan gjøre gevinstrealisering vanskelig å få til i IT-innføringsprosjekter. En gevinst kan defineres som en effekt som blir sett på som positiv av minst én interessent. Videre kan man si at gevinstrealisering omhandler prosesser der man planlegger, kartlegger, organiserer, gjennomfører, måler og evaluerer ulike gevinstaktiviteter, i en prosjektsammenheng. Oppgaven tar utgangspunkt i en casestudie som bygger på kvalitativ data fra prosjektdokumenter og et semistrukturert intervju. Ved å ha en abduktiv tilnærming blir teori og empiri brukt om hverandre for å bedre kunne gi svar på problemstillingen, og tolkning av meningsinnholdet står sentralt. Datainnsamlingen resulterte i et stort antall prosjektdokumenter av ulik betydning. Funnene blir brukt for å bedre forstå teorien og hvordan virkeligheten rundt temaet faktisk er. Intervjuet supplerer med mer praktisk tilnærmet data som i første omgang ikke var tenkt til bruk. Forskningsarbeidet har vist at det er vanskelig å jobbe med gevinstrealisering, og at det er flere faktorer som spiller inn. Det at flere faktorer vil ha betydning for hvorvidt man lykkes med gevinstrealisering, presiserer at arbeidet er tungt og komplekst. Valg av rammeverk, målformulering, endring og ibruktakelse av sluttbrukere byr på krevende problemstillinger i seg selv. Selv om man ønsker å oppnå planlagte gevinster kan man forvente fremvoksende gevinster som i større grad er uplanlagt. Jobber man med fremvoksende gevinstene kan det føre til at prosjekter blir mindre mislykket enn hva man først hadde trodd.With an increasing number of digital projects, many of which are seen as unsuccessful, there has been an increased focus on the challenge that goals do not realizing themselves. Benefits realization management has thus emerged as a possible answer to this challenge. By focusing on benefits realization, one seeks to achieve long-term (positive) effects, because this says more about the project's results than the traditional project control mechanisms time, cost and quality. Although there has been an increased focus on benefits realization, this it is not automatically easy to achieve. The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to investigate what can make benefits realization management difficult to achieve in IT implementation projects. A benefit can be defined as an effect that is seen as positive by at least one stakeholder. Furthermore, benefits realization management deals with processes in which you plan, map, organize, implement, measure and evaluate various benefits activities, in conjunction with a project. This thesis is based on a case study on qualitative data from project documents and a semi-structured interview. With an abductive approach, theory and empiricism are used interchangeably to better answer the research question. Data collection resulted in a large number of project documents of varying importance. The findings are used to better understand the theory and the reality of benefits realization management. The interview complements the project documents with more practical data that originally was not intended for use. The research has shown that benefits realization management is challenging, and that there are several factors that come into play. The fact that several factors will have an impact on the success of the benefits realization, indicates that the work is difficult and complex. Choice of frameworks, goal formulation, change and intended use presents challenges. Even if one wants to achieve planned benefits, one can expect emerging benefits that to a greater extent are unplanned. Working with emerging benefits can make the project less unsuccessful than previously thought

Citizen development som akselerator for digital transformasjon - en kvalitativ studie av utfordringer ved adopsjon av lavkode-teknologi og citizen development

Det økende behovet for digital transformasjon og mangel på IT-kompetanse har ført til økt fokus på at ansatte uten formell IT-kompetanse kan bidra i digitaliseringsarbeidet. Gjennom lavkode-verktøy som tilbyr «dra-og-slipp»-komponenter kan i teorien alle ansatte utvikle egne forretningsapplikasjoner for hele eller deler av virksomheten. Denne praksisen har fått mye oppmerksomhet og dagens litteratur peker på flere fordeler enn utfordringer. For å dekke dette gapet og skape et bedre helhetsbilde av noe som kan se ut til å være preget av teknologioptimisme, har vi i denne masteroppgaven fokusert på å identifisere utfordringer ved adopsjon av teknologien og bruken blant ansatte. Gjennom en abduktiv tilnærming har det i dette kvalitative studiet blitt gjennomført åtte semistrukturerte dybdeintervjuer fordelt på to utvalgsgrupper. Intervjuene ble transkribert, kodet og gruppert etter prinsipper om empirinær koding. De endelige kodegruppene har lagt grunnlaget for hva som diskuteres i oppgaven. Hovedfunnene peker på at det finnes noen forutsetninger for at organisasjonens ansatte skal kunne skape verdi med lavkode-verktøyene. Dette krever tilrettelegging fra et høyere nivå i virksomheten og danner utgangspunktet for et paradoks om innovasjonsbalanse. Det må også et mer teknisk apparat til for å drifte, tilrettelegge og styre bruken. Her møter man på noen motstridende hensyn som kan være vanskelig å vurdere, spesielt forholdet mellom frihet og kontroll. Informantene omtale også en «religionskrig» der oppfattelsen av blant annet nytteverdien (til verktøyet) er motstridende. Dette vil kunne utfordre hvor samkjørt hele organisasjonen blir i bruken av teknologien. Valg knyttet til de identifiserte utfordringene vil i seg selv skape ytterligere utfordringer i andre deler av organisasjonen, og det er et komplekst forhold mellom ulike behov som må vurderes. Forskningen støtter tidligere relaterte funn, men peker også på nye områder som kan utforskes ytterligere. Bevisstgjøring av de identifiserte utfordringene kan i en praktisk sammenheng gjøre virksomheter mer bevisst på hvilke fallgruver som foreligger. Resultatene legger også et utgangspunkt for videre forskning der man i større grad kan gå i dybden på hver enkelt utfordring. Dette for å bedre forstå ulike årsakssammenhenger og hvilke tiltak som kan iverksettes.Because of the growing need for digital transformation and a scarcity of IT talents, there has become increased attention on how employees without formal IT skills can help with digitization. In theory, all employees can use low-code/no-code tools with "drag-and-drop" components to create their own business applications for the entire firm or a section of it. This method has gained a lot of attention, and current research focuses more on benefits than challenges. In order to fill this gap and establish a wider understanding of what may appear to be characterized by technology optimism, we have focused this master's thesis on identifying challenges in adopting low-code/no-code technology and its use among employees. In this qualitative study, eight semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in two sample groups using an abductive approach. The interviews were transcribed, coded empirically close and grouped. The final coding groups have provided the groundwork for the thesis's discussion. The key findings show that there are some prerequisites for employees to be able to create value with low-code technologies. These prerequisites necessitate facilitation from a higher level in the organization and create a paradox of innovation balance. To operate, facilitate, and control the use, a more technical governance structure is required. Here, there are numerous contradictory concerns that can be difficult to evaluate, particularly the relationship between freedom and control. The interview subjects also describe a «religious war», in which the sense of the relative advantages (of the technology) is conflicting. This will challenge how aligned the entire organization is in the technology use. Choices made in response to the identified challenges may create other challenges in other parts of the organization, and there is a complicated relationship between various demands that must be considered. The research supports previous related findings, but also suggests new areas that can be further explored. Raising awareness of the identified challenges can help firms become more aware of the potential challenges. The findings of the study also serve as a basis for additional research into each unique challenge. This is to better understand various causations and what actions are best suited

Comparison of Velocity and Estimated One Repetition Maximum Measured with Different Measuring Tools in Bench Presses and Squats

The aim of this study was to compare barbell velocities at different intensities and estimated 1-RM with actual 1-RM measured with different measuring tools in bench presses and squats. Fourteen resistance-trained athletes (eight men, six women, age 28.1 ± 7.5 years, body mass 78.1 ± 12.2 kg, body height 1.73 ± 0.09 m) performed bench presses and squats at five loads varying from 45 to 85% of one repetition maximum (1-RM), together with 1-RM testing, while measuring mean, mean propulsive, and peak barbell velocity with six different commercially used inertial measurement units (IMUs) and linear encoder software systems attached to the barbell. The 1-RM was also estimated based upon the load–velocity regression, which was compared with the actual 1-RM in the bench press and squat exercises. The main findings were that GymAware revealed the highest reliability along with minimal bias, while Musclelab and Vmaxpro showed moderate reliability with some variability at higher loads. Speed4lifts and PUSH band indicated greater variability, specifically at higher intensities. Furthermore, in relation to the second aim of the study, significant discrepancies were found between actual and estimated 1-RM values, with Speed4lifts and Musclelab notably underestimating 1-RM. These findings underscore the importance of selecting reliable tools for accurate velocity-based training and load prescription.publishedVersio

Clinical outcomes and safety assessment in elderly patients undergoing decompressive laminectomy for lumbar spinal stenosis: a prospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To assess safety, risk factors and clinical outcomes in elderly patients with spinal stenosis after decompressive laminectomy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A prospective cohort of patients 70 years and older with spinal stenosis undergoing conventional laminectomy without fusion (n = 101) were consecutively enrolled from regular clinical practice and reassessed at 3 and 12 months. Primary outcome was change in health related quality of life measured (HRQL) with EuroQol-5 D (EQ-5D). Secondary outcomes were safety assessment, changes in Oswestry disability index (ODI), Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) score for self reported health, VAS score for leg and back pain and patient satisfaction. We used regression analyses to evaluate risk factors for less improvement.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean EQ-5 D total score were 0.32, 0.63 and 0.60 at baseline, 3 months and 12 months respectively, and represents a statistically significant (P < 0.001) improvement. Effect size was > 0.8. Mean ODI score at baseline was 44.2, at 3 months 25.6 and at 27.9. This represents an improvement for all post-operative scores. A total of 18 (18.0%) complications were registered with 6 (6.0%) classified as major, including one perioperative death. Patients stating that the surgery had been beneficial at 3 months was 82 (89.1%) and at 12 months 73 (86.9%). The only predictor found was patients with longer duration of leg pain had less improvement in ODI (P < 0.001). Increased age or having complications did not predict a worse outcome in any of the outcome variables.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Properly selected patients of 70 years and older can expect a clinical meaningful improvement of HRQL, functional status and pain after open laminectomy without fusion. The treatment seems to be safe. However, patients with longstanding leg-pain prior to operation are less likely to improve one year after surgery.</p

A comparison of motives by gender and age categories for training at Norwegian fitness centres

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Associations between adverse childhood experiences and adversities later in life. Survey data from a high-risk Norwegian sample

Background: A history of childhood abuse and neglect (CAN) is associated with exposure to later negative life events. CAN at an early age, multiple cooccurring exposures (cumulative events), and a high severity and frequency of exposure have potential detrimental long-term effects. Objective: The present study examines the relationship between the severity of CAN and the prevalence of school difficulties and hardship at school, adult adversity and mental health. Participants and Settings: Participants were recruited from in- and out patient mental health or substance abuse treatment facilities, child protective services (CPS),and prisons (N=809, age range = 13–66, mean age= 27.62,SD=10.47). Methods: Exposure to childhood maltreatment was assessed by the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form (CTQ-SF). After adjusting for gender and age, we conducted a risk ratio regression analysis to investigate associations between severity of child abuse and neglect and hardship at school, adult adversity and adult mental health. Results: The moderate and severe level groups of CAN had statistically significant higher risk ratios for experiences of school difficulties, hardship at school, adult adversity and mental health problems. A robust dose-response was found between severity levels. Conclusion: At an individual level the findings highlight the association between exposure to abuse and adult adversity, underscoring the importance of targeting individuals with high risk of exposure to CAN to reduce the negative long-term risk for Polyvictimization.publishedVersio

Comparison of kinematics and electromyography in the last repetition during different maximum repetition sets in the barbell back squat

Background The barbell squat is an exercise used to strengthen the lower limbs, with implications for both performance in sports and improving movement during everyday tasks. Although the exercise is being trained across a variety of repetition ranges, the technical requirements may vary, affecting appropriate repetition range for specific training goals. Methods A randomised within-subject design was used to compare kinematics and surface electromyography (EMG) in the lower extremities during different concentric phases (pre-, sticking- and post-sticking region) of the last repetition when performing squats at different repetition maximums (RMs). Thirteen strength-trained men (age: 23.6 ± 1.9 years; height: 181.1 ± 6.5 cm; body mass: 82.2 kg, 1RM: 122.8 ± 16.2, relative strength: 1.5 ± 0.2 x body mass in external load) performed a 1, 3, 6, and 10RM squat, in a randomised order. Results The main findings were that barbell-, ankle-, knee- and hip kinematics were similar across different repetition ranges, except for a smaller trunk lean at 1RM in the pre-sticking region compared to other repetitions and in the sticking region compared to 10RM (p ≤ 0.04). Furthermore, 1RM revealed significantly higher EMG amplitude in the vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius and soleus in the sticking and post-sticking regions when compared to 10RM. It was concluded that 10RM may locally fatigue the vastus lateralis and plantar flexors, explaining the lower EMG amplitude. The observed differences indicate that requirements vary for completing the final repetition of the 10RM compared to the 1RM, an important aspect to consider in training to enhance 1RM strength.publishedVersio