Snowden's revelations and the attitudes of students at Swedish universities

Purpose – Mapping of Swedish students' attitudes toward Snowden's revelations and their effects in the political and socio-cultural environment of Sweden. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire was answered by 190 Swedish University students. The quantitative responses to the survey were statistically analysed as well as qualitative considerations of free text answers. Findings – Swedish students had a high level of knowledge of Snowden revelations, they actively searched for information, they gave a positive judgement of Snowden's actions and they were willing to follow his example in Sweden but not the US. They trusted their country and most of its institutions and authorities except for secret service agencies and Internet and computer software companies. Practical implications – Design of education for university students, especially in Information Technology programs. Social implications – Developing and applying policies on privacy, surveillance and whistleblowing. Originality/value – This study is part of a bigger international study to map students' attitudes toward Snowden's revelations and their opinions about privacy, surveillance and whistleblowing opening up for cross-cultural analyses. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down

The Impact of National Cultures on Professional Values

Cultural management and cross-cultural management are topical subjects in the global world of today. It is rather obvious that it is important to be aware of cultural differences when cooperating across borders, but most of the investigations and studies are only concerned with cultures that are very different. Cultures that are very similar in a global perspective can also be very interesting to investigate, because it is a bit more challenging when the differences are not too obvious. This fact, in combination with the regularly published PISA-results, which show that Finnish schools are managing far better than Swedish ditto, led to the research problem of this thesis. The aim of this study is to find out how national culture affects the (professional) values of public managers. In this case the public managers are headmasters in comprehensive schools in the Swedish-speaking parts of Finland and in Sweden. The purpose is to find out which values the headmasters hold, how the values held in Finland differ from those held in Sweden and if the different values, hence, the different cultures affect the management styles of the headmasters. This is a quantitative research carried out in the form of an electronic questionnaire answered by headmasters in the two countries. The questionnaire is based on theoretical studies central for this thesis, like the studies carried out by Hofstede, Schwarz and Rokeach. In addition to these theoretical studies, a wide range of books and articles are used in the study in order to be able to draw as proper conclusions as possible. The central findings of this study is that Finnish and Swedish headmasters have very similar values, but that it is possible to find some differences. It is remarkable that both Finnish and Swedish headmasters hold very benevolent values and they do not care too much about hedonism and tradition. However, the differences between the values held in Finland and the values held in Sweden lead to the fact that the cultural dimensions in the two countries ought to be slightly different. The conclusion of this thesis is thereby that the different values of the headmasters lead to different management style. Finnish headmasters practice a more employee-oriented management style, while Swedish headmasters are more taskoriented. The results of the study were somewhat surprising and did not really confirm the stereotypical view of Swedes and Finns.fi=Opinnäytetyö kokotekstinä PDF-muodossa.|en=Thesis fulltext in PDF format.|sv=Lärdomsprov tillgängligt som fulltext i PDF-format

Implementing a national Scottish digital health & wellbeing service at scale : a qualitative study of stakeholders' views

Digital technologies are being used as part of international efforts to revolutionize healthcare in order to meet increasing demands such as the rising burden of chronic disease and ageing populations. In Scotland there is a government push towards a national service (Living It Up) as a single point of reference where citizens can access information, products and services to support their health and wellbeing. The aim of the study is to examine implementation issues including the challenges or facilitators which can help to sustain this intervention. We gathered data in three ways: a) participant observation to gain an understanding of LiU (N=16); b) in-depth interviews (N=21) with stakeholders involved in the process; and c) analysis of documentary evidence about the progress of the implementation (N=45). Barriers included the need to “work at risk” due to delays in financing, inadequate infrastructure and skill-set deficiencies, whilst facilitators included trusted relationships, champions and a push towards normalisation. The findings suggest that a Scottish ehealth service is achievable but identifies key considerations for future large scale initiatives

Communication about medication management during patient-physician consultations in primary care: a participant observation study

Objective - To explore communication about medication management during annual consultations in primary care. Design: passive participant observations of primary care consultations. Setting - Two primary care centres in southern Sweden. Participants - Consultations between 18 patients (over the age of 60 years) with chronic diseases and 10 general practitioners (GPs) were observed, audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using content analysis. Results - Four categories emerged: communication barriers, striving for a shared understanding of medication management, evaluation of the current medication treatment and the plan ahead and behavioural changes in relation to medication management. Misunderstandings in communication, failure to report changes in the medication treatment and use of generic substitutes complicated mutual understanding and agreement on continued treatment. The need for behavioural changes to reduce the need for medication treatment was recognised but should be explored further. Conclusion - Several pitfalls, including miscommunication and inaccurate medication lists, for safe medication management were identified. The purpose of annual consultations should be clarified, individual treatment plans could be used more actively during primary care consultations and efforts are needed to improve verbal communication and information continuity

Improving the informational continuity of care in diabetes mellitus treatment with a nationwide Shared EHR system: Estimates from Austrian claims data

Purpose Shared Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, which provide a health information exchange (HIE) within a community of care, were found to be a key enabler of informational continuity of diabetes mellitus (DM) care. Quantitative analyses of the actual contribution of Shared EHR systems to informational continuity of care are rare. The goal of this study was to quantitatively analyze (i) the degree of fragmentation of DM care in Austria as an indicator for the need for HIE, and (ii) the quantity of information (i.e. number of documents) from Austrian DM patients that would be made available by a nationwide Shared EHR system for HIE. Methods Our analyses are based on social security claims data of 7.9 million Austrians from 2006 and 2007. DM patients were identified through medication data and inpatient diagnoses. The degree of fragmentation was determined by the number of different healthcare providers per patient. The amount of information that would be made available by a nationwide Shared EHR system was estimated by the number of documents that would have been available to a healthcare provider if he had access to information on the patient’s visits to any of the other healthcare providers. As a reference value we determined the number of locally available documents that would have originated from the patient’s visits to the healthcare provider himself. We performed our analysis for two types of systems: (i) a “comprehensive” Shared EHR system (SEHRS), where each visit of a patient results in a single document (progress note), and (ii) the Austrian ELGA system, which allows four specific document types to be shared. Results 391,630 DM patients were identified, corresponding to 4.7% of the Austrian population. More than 90% of the patients received health services from more than one healthcare provider in one year. Both, the SEHRS as well as ELGA would have multiplied the available information during a patient visit in comparison to an isolated local EHR system; the median ratio of external to local medical documents was between 1:1 for a typical visit at a primary care provider (SEHRS as well as ELGA) and 39:1 (SEHRS) respectively 28:1 (ELGA) for a typical visit at a hospital. Conclusions Due to the high degree of care fragmentation, there is an obvious need for HIE for Austrian DM patients. Both, the SEHRS as well as ELGA could provide a substantial contribution to informational continuity of care in Austrian DM treatment. Hospitals and specialists would have gained the most amount of external information, primary care providers and pharmacies would have at least doubled their available information. Despite being the most important potential feeders of a national Shared EHR system according to our analysis, primary care providers will not tap their full corresponding potential under the current implementation scenario of ELGA

Law and Social Exclusion : The functions and dysfunctions of the Swedish legal system in light of overindebtedness among immigrants

In terms of its total population, Sweden is one of the countries with the highest proportion of immigrants in the EU. Several factors are critical in integrating immigrants, especially their economic security in a new country. This thesis examines the relationship between law enforcement and economic security for over- indebted immigrants. The primary purpose of this research is to explore the relationship between migration and debt enforcement governed by legal regulations.A mixed methods sequential explanatory design approach was used to obtain a comprehensive picture of these complex issues. A quantitative study integrating the Swedish Enforcement Authority database with background variables provided by Statistics Sweden is the basis of the thesis. A qualitative interview study was then carried out to provide insights into the participants’ perspectives. An administrative model was used to define and measure over-indebtedness.The foundation of this thesis is Robert K. Merton’s functionalist theory of manifest and latent functions and dysfunctions. The concept of legal culture complements this theoretical framework. The findings show that there is a high prevalence of over-indebtedness among immigrants in Sweden, clearly indicating that the policy to prevent over-indebtedness is ineffective. Individuals with low socioeconomic status are more likely to be over-indebted.The qualitative results indicate that other factors, such as the debtors’ lack of a Swedish legal culture (e.g., legal consciousness and literacy), negatively affect the degree of over-indebtedness. In the end, over- indebtedness and subsequent payment defaults can lead to financial and social exclusion. This, in turn, contributes to segregation. According to over-indebted immigrants in Sweden in general, the current law enforcement strategies are dysfunctional and contribute to debtorisation, which is a process of exclusion that adversely impacts individual economic security

Framing Vaccination in Post-Socialist Serbia: An Anthropological Perspective

In recent years, Southeastern European region (the Balkans) has seen a rise in vaccine skepticism due to increasing conflicts between the pro– and antivaccination stances, primarily with respect to childhood vaccines. Although vaccination controversies are generally perceived as a global trend, their framings are predominantly grounded in particular social, cultural, political and economic contexts. This paper will focus on the immunization issues raised in the post-socialist context of one particular Balkan state – Serbia. By juxtaposing the medical profession’s framing of vaccine skepticism with the lay framings of vaccines and immunization, I will examine their contrasting perspectives and point to the sources of their misunderstanding. These opposing views will also be contextualized against their respective political, economic, socio-cultural and historical backgrounds. The paper will hence suggest the possible determinants of vaccine skepticism in the context of post-socialist Serbia

Adult learning in Canada and Sweden : a comparative study of four sites

This study sought to understand policy factors underlying the differences between the literacy levels of Canadian and Swedish adults as reported in the International Adult Literacy Survey. The New Literacy Studies provided a critical perspective for comparing adult literacy as contextual rather than as a technical, pedagogical skill. Adult learning in rural and urban sites in Canada and Sweden was compared through a qualitative case study. The conceptual framework based on situated literacy and comprising policy-in-intent, policy-in-practice and policy-in-experience guided a multi-method approach. Source materials included public documents and reports, the media, group discussions, interviews and participant observation. There were substantive differences between the two countries in the provision of and access to adult education at the macro-level but at the micro-level, individuals shared similar goals and issues. Swedes with the least education were accorded priority in access to formal education. In contrast, Canadians with the least education often had to rely on the volunteer sector. Other social policies in Sweden, particularly universal childcare and school lunches, facilitated individual participation in adult education. The terminology used in the two countries implied different public perceptions of adult education and literacy. In Sweden, adult education had been a universal compensatory entitlement since 1967 and the term literacy was rarely used. Public policy initiatives in the 1990s focused on increasing the supply and diversity through additional funding for an already well-resourced adult education system. In Canada, literacy was considered a prescriptive, individual responsibility and resources went into public awareness campaigns and an extensive policy network rather than increased learning opportunities. Priority in access seemed to be given to adults most likely to succeed in further education or the job market. Adult education policy discussions in both countries focused on formal learning with little reference to the significance of the century-old informal sector in Sweden. The costs and relative benefits of universal versus targeted social programs deserve further study. The reluctance of older, less educated workers to participate in formal adult education programs in both countries underscores the need for public policy that encourages bridging between informal and formal learning to effectively engage those who read, but not well enough, according to the International Adult Literacy Survey

Preparing the Global Software Engineer

With a goal of preparing software engineering students for practice in today’s global settings, Uppsala University has for some years run courses involving global collaboration. The “IT in Society” course is one such course which applies an ‘Open Ended Group Project’ model, in partnership with a local health sector client and global educational partners. Within each iteration of the course, students across the partnering institutions are given a brief around an open-ended problem. They work in collaboration with their client and stakeholders to investigate options and produce a report with their findings and recommendations, informed by global perspectives. The report may or may not be supported by working software prototypes. We analyze student evaluations & reflections on the course to unpack their perceptions of software engineering, the perceived relevance of a global learning experience and its role in reshaping their identities as global software engineers

Legal Culture and E-government in Sweden and Japan

The rapid development of information communication technology (ICT) over the past 20 years, and the introduction of the internet have significantly changed everyday life and how information is communicated. This also tends to include information sharing between the government and its citizens. Sweden and Japan are both industrialized, democratic countries with existing channels for exchanging ideas and lessons learned. They both have similar aspirations in terms of becoming world leaders within the development of e-government. The infrastructure exists in both countries to make the implementation of e-government possible, yet the observed outcomes differ. To examine the cases of Sweden and Japan further, I compare and contrast the laws and legal cultures pertaining to e-government. I demonstrate similarities and differences between the countries in terms of how they relate to and interact with e-government and the surrounding legal culture. Furthermore, I explain that the origins of the legal system and cultural orientation have contributed to the development of the legal cultures in Sweden and Japan