Arbetsmiljöinvesteringar i mindre företag : - projektering och uppfattade effekter utifrån Arbetslivsfondens satsningar

Sammanfattning: This thesis deals primarily with the relationship between investments in working environment and the outcome and apprehended effects of these investment activities in small firms. A main concern in this aspect is what effects investments in working environment might have on efficiency in the companies. Another area of focus in this thesis is whether and to what extent external subsidies affect attitudes and investment behaviour, as well as stimulate change and development activities in small firm? The thesis is based on a study of planning and appre­hended effects of investments in working environment whithin the context of the Swedish Workinglife Fund. The Swedish Workinglife Fund was established in 1989 to stimulate investments in areas such as organizational development, competency formation, rehabilitation and physical equipment and machinery in order to improve the working environment in companies and different public organisations. In order to investigate the questions of this study two emprical studies has been conducted. The results from these studies indicate that investments with an ambition to improve the working environment in many cases created opportunities for increased economic efficiency and that projects with a comprehensive approach tends to have the greatest potential. The study also indicates marginal use of formal investment appraisal methods (including pay-back) in the decision process. Finally the results indicate that subsidies tend to fasten (push) the starting point and making each project more comprehensive in terms of size and complexity.