Buyer Power and Price Formation in Intermediate Goods Markets: a Dynamic Perspective

Masteroppgave(MSc) in Master of Science in Business, Economics - Handelshøyskolen BI, 2021This thesis studies how buyer power affects input prices in intermediate goods markets. The aim is to investigate how a buyer can invest to increase buyer power, and we use Inderst and Wey (2007) as a baseline for our study. We further extend the model to allow for size-based investment downstream and use the framework to briefly touch on the topic of prohibiting price discrimination. Our paper discusses previous literature on buyer power and price formation and provides somewhat novel insight into buyer-side investment incentives, an area where extant research is relatively narrow. We use a downstream agent’s total number of operated stores as a measure of buyer power and vary how the agents can acquire additional stores. We find that large buyer discounts depend on whether or not investments introduce additional retail stores to the market. When agents only reallocate stores, large-buyer discounts are amplified through investment. On the contrary, introducing new stores raises input prices faced by all buyers, and smaller buyers may have a higher incentive to grow. Interestingly, when all buyers invest, it might reduce their individual profits. They may still choose to invest in order not to fall behind. Furthermore, we provide some evidence that forbidding price discrimination may be welfare-hindering and reduce investment incentives

Winter gardens in public space : an investigation of planning conditions

I dagens allt tätare städer har platser med växtlighet och grönska blivit ett ofta diskuterat ämne. Sedan ett par decennier tillbaka har uppvärmda vinterträdgårdar byggts runt om i världen (främst på norra halvklotet) och de senaste åren har även gröna väggar och tak blivit ett allt vanligare inslag i våra urbana miljöer. I Sverige byggdes många vinterträdgårdar under det glada åttiotalet, en trend som tog tvärstopp några år in på nittiotalet. Av olika orsaker har dock intresset för inglasade växtanläggningar återigen väckts. När en planteringsyta planeras i exempelvis en park, är målsättningen att skapa så bra förutsättningar för god tillväxt hos växten som möjligt. Detta kräver förståelse och kunskap både om vilka behov olika växter har och om hur miljön på den planerade platsen kan anpassas för att uppfylla dessa. Vid projektering av växtanläggningar i inomhusmiljö gäller samma grundprinciper, medan sätten att nå dit dock skiljer sig på flera punkter. Dels kan inte vanliga svenska växter användas eftersom de inte klarar klimatet inomhus. Istället återfinns många av våra vanliga rumsväxter även i vinterträdgårdarna. Dels finns det fler tekniska lösningar att ta hjälp av inomhus än ute för att uppfylla växternas behov. Exempelvis används ofta växtbelysning i vinterträdgårdar för att minska risken för ljusbrist under vintern. Förutom historiken bakom vinterträdgården, växternas behov och olika tekniska lösningar för att uppfylla dessa inomhus, avhandlar detta arbete även vilka växter som är lämpliga att använda i en vinterträdgård samt beskrivningar av ett antal befintliga anläggningar och hur dessa har utvecklats med tiden.In the increasingly densified urban areas of today, vegetation and greenery has become a frequently discussed topic. During a couple of decades winter gardens, with ambient temperature all over the year, has been built around the world and in more recent years green walls and green roofs have also become a common feature in our cities. In Sweden many winter gardens were built during the eighties, but the trend came to an abrupt ending a few years into the nineties. However, for various reasons the interest in indoor plant facilities seems to recover during the first decade of the 21st century. When a plantation is planned in e.g. a park, the main objective is to create the best conditions for the plants to have as good growth as possible. This requires understanding and knowledge about what needs different plants have on their environment. It also requires knowledge about the planned site and how it can be adjusted to meet these needs. The design of a plant facility, in an indoor environment, has the same basic principles, though the means to get there differs in several aspects. Firstly, ordinary Swedish outdoor plants can’t be used because they won’t survive the indoor climate. Instead, many of our common houseplants are also found in winter gardens. Secondly, there are more technological solutions that can be used to fulfill the plants needs, in an indoor environment than in an outdoor landscape. For example, grow lights are often used in winter gardens, during the winter, to minimize the hazard of light deficiency. Beside the history behind winter gardens, the plants needs and some technological solutions to meet those needs in an indoor facility, this work also broaches which plants are suitable for use in a winter garden as well as descriptions of a number of existing winter gardens and how they have evolved since they were built

Role of proton dynamics in efficient photoionization of hydrocarbon molecules

We experimentally investigate the ionizationmechanism behind the formation of remarkably high charge states observed in the laser-pulse-induced fragmentation of different hydrocarbon molecules by Roither et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 163001 (2011)], who suggested enhanced ionization occurring at multiple C-H bonds as the underlying ionization mechanism. Using multiparticle coincidence momentum imaging we measure the yield of multiply charged fragmenting ethylene and acetylene molecules at several intensities and pulse durations ranging from the few-cycle regime to 25 fs. We observe, at constant intensity, a strong increase of the proton energy with increasing laser pulse duration. It is shown that this is caused by a strong increase in the yield of highly charged parent molecular ions with pulse duration. Based on experimental evidence we explain this increase by the necessary population of precursor states in the parent ion that feature fast C-H stretch dynamics to the critical internuclear distance, where efficient ionization via enhanced ionization takes place. For increasing pulse duration these precursor ionic states are more efficiently populated, which leads in turn to a higher enhanced-ionization probability for longer pulses. Our work provides experimental evidence for the existence of a multiple-bond version of enhanced ionization in polyatomic molecule

Teknisk kompetens hos tekniska projektledare i mjukvaruutvecklingsprojekt

Att arbeta i projektform inom mjukvaruutvecklingsbranschen har varit ett påstående som fått stöd ända sen branschens ursprungsdagar. Inom dessa projekt har rollen teknisk projektledare befästs. Rollen har ingen standardiserad innebörd men utgår i denna studie från en ledare som har ett övergripande ansvar för organisationens nyutveckling. Företag har historiskt sett tilldelat rollen teknisk projektledare till den mest tekniskt kompetenta inom företaget. Även om denna trend har kommit att förändras är det ännu oklart vilken nivå av teknisk kompetens som krävs av en teknisk projektledare. Genom att kombinera teorier om projektledning, mjukvaruutveckling samt kompetens med en kvalitativ undersökning redogör vi för teoretikers och branschspecialisters åsikter. Studiens syfte är att identifiera betydelsen av teknisk kompetens hos tekniska projektledare. Det som har framkommit från denna studie är att teknisk kompetens inte är en betydande faktor för att kunna axla rollen som teknisk projektledare. Men den tekniska kompetensen underlättar avsevärt kommunikationen med utvecklarna vilket kan vara betydande i företagsspecifika fall. Dessutom visar studien på att tillämpningen av de agila utvecklingsmetodikerna ställer nya krav på den tekniska projektledaren

Use of Detection Data to PromotePerformance Measurement (PeMS Training)

The goal of TO 1003 was twofold: to expand awareness and interest in freeway performance measurement among Caltrans planning and operations personnel, as well as build expertise in the use of performance measurement for freeway analysis, system management practices and other planning and operations functions

Wild boar behaviour during live-trap capture in a corral-style trap: implications for animal welfare

Background Wildlife traps are used in many countries without evaluation of their effect on animal welfare. Trap-capture of wild animals should minimise negative effects on animal welfare, irrespective of whether the animals are trapped for hunting, research, or management purposes. Live-trap capture of wild boar (Sus scrofa) followed by killing inside the trap by gunshot is a recently introduced but disputed hunting method in Sweden. Approval of trap constructions is based on gross necropsy findings of 20 trapped and shot wild boars. For improved animal welfare evaluation, our aim was to study wild boar behaviour during live-trapping in a 16 m(2) square corral-style trap. Behavioural assessments were conducted after filming 12 capture events of in total 38 wild boars (five adults, 20 subadults, 13 piglets). Selected behavioural traits were compared with pathological changes (trap-related lesions) found at necropsy of the 20 subadults, to determine if these variables were useful proxies of capture-induced stress in wild boar. Results The wild boars spent less time resting in the evening than in the night and morning. Using Friedman's ANOVA, there was an overall difference in the time spent foraging. However, we only found a difference between the evening and morning in the Wilcoxon matched pairs test after the Sequential Bonferroni correction, where the wild boars spent more time foraging in the evening than in the morning. Single captured individuals showed more escape behaviours and reacted more strongly to external stimuli than individuals captured in a group. It was more common for animals to charge against the mesh walls of the trap upon human approach compared to upon initial capture when the trap door closed. Trap-related pathological findings due to trauma were documented in 13 of the 20 subadults that were necropsied. Behavioural alterations indicative of capture-induced stress (e.g. charging into the trap walls) were documented in trapped wild boars with no or minor physical injuries (e.g. skin abrasions, subcutaneous haemorrhage). Conclusions Behavioural assessment provided valuable information for determination of capture-induced stress in wild boar when evaluating live-trapping in a corral-style trap, whereas pathological evaluation through necropsy did not fully reflect the animal welfare aspects of live-trapping. We emphasize the inclusion of species-specific behavioural data assessment for evaluation of capture-related stress during live-trapping and for testing of new trap constructions before approval

No benefit of the trochanteric stabilizing plate on loss of fracture reduction in AO/OTA 31-A2 trochanteric fractures a randomized controlled trial using radiostereometric analysis

Aims Despite limited clinical scientific backing, an additional trochanteric stabilizing plate (TSP) has been advocated when treating unstable trochanteric fractures with a sliding hip screw (SHS). We aimed to explore whether the TSP would result in less post operative fracture motion, compared to SHS alone. Methods Overall, 31 patients with AO/OTA 31-A2 trochanteric fractures were randomized to either a SHS alone or a SHS with an additional TSP. To compare postoperative fracture motion, radiostereometric analysis (RSA) was performed before and after weightbearing, and then at four, eight, 12, 26, and 52 weeks. With the “after weightbearing” images as baseline, we calculated translations and rotations, including shortening and medialization of the femoral shaft. Results Similar migration profiles were observed in all directions during the course of healing. At one year, eight patients in the SHS group and 12 patients in the TSP group were available for analysis, finding a clinically non-relevant, and statistically non-significant, difference in total translation of 1 mm (95% confidence interval -4.7 to 2.9) in favour of the TSP group. In line with the migration data, no significant differences in clinical outcomes were found. Conclusion The TSP did not influence the course of healing or postoperative fracture motion compared to SHS alone. Based on our results, routine use of the TSP in AO/OTA 31-A2 trochanteric fractures cannot be recommended. The TSP has been shown, in biomechanical studies, to increase stability in sliding hip screw constructs in both unstable and intermediate stable trochanteric fractures, but the clinical evidence is limited. This study showed no advantage of the TSP in unstable (AO 31-A2) fractures in elderly patients when fracture movement was evaluated with radiostereometric analysis.publishedVersio

Measurement of catestatin and vasostatin in wild boar Sus scrofa captured in a corral trap

Objective Our aim was to analyse the chromogranin A-derived peptides vasostatin and catestatin in serum from wild boar (Sus scrofa) captured in a corral trap. Acute capture-related stress quickly leads to a release of adrenalin and noradrenalin, but these hormones have a short half-life in blood and are difficult to measure. Chromogranin A (CgA), a glycoprotein which is co-released with noradrenalin and adrenalin, is relatively stable in circulation and the CgA-derived peptides catestatin and vasostatin have been measured in domestic species, but not yet in wildlife. Results Vasostatin and catestatin could be measured and the median (range) serum concentrations were 0.91 (0.54–2.86) and 0.65 (0.35–2.62) nmol/L, respectively. We conclude that the CgA-derived peptides vasostatin and catestatin can be measured in wild boar serum and may thus be useful as biomarkers of psychophysical stress

Good stability of a cementless, anatomically designed femoral stem in aging women: a 9-year RSA study of 32 patients

Background and purpose — We previously reported a transient, bone mineral density (BMD)-dependent early migration of anatomically designed hydroxyapatite-coated femoral stems with ceramic–ceramic bearing surfaces (ABG-II) in aging osteoarthritic women undergoing cementless total hip arthroplasty. To evaluate the clinical significance of the finding, we performed a follow-up study for repeated radiostereometric analysis (RSA) 9 years after surgery.Patients and methods — Of the 53 female patients examined at 2 years post-surgery in the original study, 32 were able to undergo repeated RSA of femoral stem migration at a median of 9 years (7.8–9.3) after surgery. Standard hip radiographs were obtained, and the subjects completed the Harris Hip Score and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index outcome questionnaires.Results — Paired comparisons revealed no statistically significant migration of the femoral stems between 2 and 9 years post-surgery. 1 patient exhibited minor but progressive RSA stem migration. All radiographs exhibited uniform stem osseointegration. No stem was revised for mechanical loosening. The clinical outcome scores were similar between 2 and 9 years post-surgery.Interpretation — Despite the BMD-related early migration observed during the first 3 postoperative months, the anatomically designed femoral stems in aging women are osseointegrated, as evaluated by RSA and radiographs, and exhibit good clinical function at 9 years.</div

DNA Methylation Levels in Mononuclear Leukocytes from the Mother and Her Child Are Associated with IgE Sensitization to Allergens in Early Life

DNA methylation changes may predispose becoming IgE-sensitized to allergens. We analyzed whether DNA methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) is associated with IgE sensitization at 5 years of age (5Y). DNA methylation was measured in 288 PBMC samples from 74 mother/child pairs from the birth cohort ALADDIN (Assessment of Lifestyle and Allergic Disease During INfancy) using the HumanMethylation450BeadChip (Illumina). PBMCs were obtained from the mothers during pregnancy and from their children in cord blood, at 2 years and 5Y. DNA methylation levels at each time point were compared between children with and without IgE sensitization to allergens at 5Y. For replication, CpG sites associated with IgE sensitization in ALADDIN were evaluated in whole blood DNA of 256 children, 4 years old, from the BAMSE (Swedish abbreviation for Children, Allergy, Milieu, Stockholm, Epidemiology) cohort. We found 34 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with IgE sensitization to airborne allergens and 38 DMRs associated with sensitization to food allergens in children at 5Y (Sidak p ≤ 0.05). Genes associated with airborne sensitization were enriched in the pathway of endocytosis, while genes associated with food sensitization were enriched in focal adhesion, the bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, and leukocyte migration. Furthermore, 25 DMRs in maternal PBMCs were associated with IgE sensitization to airborne allergens in their children at 5Y, which were functionally annotated to the mTOR (mammalian Target of Rapamycin) signaling pathway. This study supports that DNA methylation is associated with IgE sensitization early in life and revealed new candidate genes for atopy. Moreover, our study provides evidence that maternal DNA methylation levels are associated with IgE sensitization in the child supporting early in utero effects on atopy predisposition.</p