Muhammad Murtaza Ali recently presented his licentiate thesis in business administration, where he identifies connections between the digitalisation of the music industry and educational initiatives for street children.
– Services shape human capabilities and well-being and it’s often the practical details that determine if a service actually is inclusive, says Muhammad.

What led you to focus on the connection between the music industry and educational initiatives for street children?

According to the Public Health Agency, approximately 20 percent of the Swedish population has some form of disability. Suzanne Millmark, doctoral student at Karlstad Business School, has conducted research on the inclusion of employees with disabilities when working from home.

– Based on my work experience and academic background in psychology, public health and work, it felt like a natural and interesting area to study. I didn’t expect the level of knowledge about disabilities to be so low, says Suzanne.

What does it actually mean for a country to overinvest in military preparedness – and how can we tell when the limit has been reached? In a recent research article, Mats Ekman, senior lecturer in economics at Karlstad Business School, presents an argument suggesting that war is a rational, but devastating, decision made by political leaders to monitor each other’s overinvestments.

– I apply an economic perspective and discuss the risk that preparedness may become a public bad – something that could provoke war rather than prevent it, says Mats Ekman.

Through close collaboration between the disciplines of law and information systems at Karlstad Business School, students can now specialise in legal tech.
– We have a unique advantage in that it’s natural for us to work together across disciplines. This enables us to offer students cutting-edge training, says Cyril Holm, docent in law.

The studies are demanding, fast-paced and challenging, as the courses are interdisciplinary and taught in English. However, this also offers great advantages for the students.

– My research improves our understanding of how to strengthen the rights of children and better protect them in a digital setting, says Germaine Hillerström, who recently defended her doctoral thesis in civil law at Karlstad Business School.

The subject first piqued Germaine Hillerström’s interest when she read about children who - unbeknownst to their parents - had made digital purchases, which raises the issue of responsibility and the legal capacity of children.

On 3–6 June, over 275 conference participants gathered in Rome to attend QUIS19 – The 19th International Research Symposium on Service Excellence in Management. This international conference, now considered the foremost in service research, has its roots in Karlstad – and began as an idea at the Service Research Center (CTF).

“QUIS was born at a time when services were gaining importance but still remained a relatively unexplored research field,” says Per Kristensson. CTF’s founder, Bo Edvardsson, together with American research colleagues, saw the need for an international platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange on issues related to service development, innovation, and value creation."