Háskólinn á Akureyri
Varanleg URI fyrir þennan undirflokkhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11815/5666
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Verk Depressive symptom profiles in Icelandic team sport athletes : Nine quantitative case analyses over a 6-month period(2024) Einarsdóttir, Fríða Rún; Arnardóttir, Nanna Ýr; Kristjánsdóttir, Hafrún; Belz, Johanna; Kenttä, Göran; Taehtinen, Richard Eirikur; Faculty of Nursing; Faculty of PsychologyMost studies to-date have used mean difference analyses to explore group differences in depressive symptoms among athletes. However, these traditional group mean analyses may mask important information concerning symptom profiles such as the severity, type, and number of symptoms. In this study, we examined idiographic depressive symptom profiles in nine Icelandic team sport athletes with recurrent clinically significant depressive symptoms (clinical symptoms at baseline and six-month follow-up) and those with depressive symptoms only at one time point. The aim was to explore depressive symptom patterns in these two groups and their relationship with daily functioning and changes in sport-specific factors. Among those with recurrent clinical symptoms, depressive symptom profiles were stable, both in terms of type and severity of symptoms, while those with clinically significant symptoms observed only at one time point showed generally fewer symptoms, symptom profiles were more variable, and total symptom scores were less severe. Interestingly, no clear associations were observed between sport-specific variables, such as satisfaction with the head coach or subjective evaluation of athletic performance, and depressive symptoms, as several cases reported satisfaction in these areas despite significant depressive symptoms. This idiographic approach highlights the need for targeted and continuous assessment to better understand depressive symptoms in athletes.Verk Self-compassion, depressive symptoms, and well-being: A cross-sectional exploration across athlete status and gender(2025) Einarsdóttir, Fríða Rún; Arnardóttir, Nanna Ýr; Kristjánsdóttir, Hafrún; Belz, Johanna; Kenttä, Göran; Andersson, Mitchell; Taehtinen, Richard Eirikur; Faculty of Nursing; Faculty of PsychologySelf-compassion is associated with positive mental health outcomes and may buffer against negative self-evaluations and emotional difficulties. Nevertheless, studies among athletes often explore self-compassion in specific groups in isolation (e.g., women athletes) (Röthlin et al., 2019). The aims of this study were to 1) explore whether the relationship between gender and composite scores and specific dimensions of self-compassion (e.g., self-judgement) was moderated by athlete status; and 2) to explore the relationship between different dimensions of self-compassion and self-reported depressive symptoms and well-being among team sport athletes (n = 84, Mage = 22.9 ± 5.0; 57.1 %men) and non-athletes (n = 189, Mage = 35.5 ± 5.9; 32.8 %men). For our first aim, the relationship between gender and self-compassion (including specific dimensions) was not moderated by athlete status. However, regardless of gender, athletes reported significantly higher total self-compassion scores and significantly lower scores on specific dimensions of self-compassion, isolation, and over-identification, than non-athletes. For our second aim, self-judgement was positively associated with depressive symptoms in both athletes and non-athletes. Self-judgment was, however, negatively associated with well-being only among athletes, and isolation was negatively correlated with well-being only among non-athletes. Our results suggest that reducing self-judgement may be particularly important for promoting athletes’ mental health.Verk Financial risk-taking behaviour : A comparative study of Iceland and Poland(2025-01-01) Karlsdóttir, Verena; Faculty of Business AdministrationAbstract. This article adds to the limited empirical research integrating socioeconomic and individual perspectives in studying financial risk-taking behaviour. It thereby considers the impact of national and individual characteristics on individuals’ propensity for financial risk-taking. The primary objective was to demonstrate that risk propensity is not a singular construct, highlighting the necessity to account for different individual and socio-economic factors. Further, it emphasizes that financial risk-taking should be distinguished into different subdimensions, such as gambling and investing, concepts reasonably defined consistently in academic literature. For this research, we surveyed Polish and Icelandic business students using the Domain-Specific Risk-Taking (DOSPERT) scale. Results show that gambling decisions are predominantly influenced by individual characteristics such as gender. Investment decisions are affected by individual and external factors like nationality, economic context, and employment status. Nationality significantly impacts investment behaviour, but not gambling, whereas Polish students appear more risk-averse to investing. Further research is needed to explore the nuanced interactions between nations, the socio-financial environment, and individual financial decision-making.Verk Assessing university students’ motivation to choose distance learning and the challenges of distance learning(2024-11-20) Karlsdóttir, Verena; ViðskiptadeildDistance education has gained magnitude post-COVID-19, requiring an understanding of learners’ motivations. This study at the University of Akureyri used a mixed-methods approach to identify three key factors: flexibility, educational growth, efficiency. While gender, age, residence, and education level showed no significant impact, having children and employment influenced perceptions. Thematic analysis revealed insights into student prefe-rences, challenges, and recommendations for improving distance learning.Verk Technical progress, technical efficiency, and environmental change : New insights into Vietnam’s productivity growth(2025-10-27) Nguyen, Thanh Viet; Simioni, Michel; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesVietnam has experienced remarkable economic growth over last three decades, but the country’s development fundamentals remain fragile. This growth has been primarily driven by an expanding labor force and capital deepening, with less emphasis on productivity growth. In this article, we aim to provide insights into technical progress, environmental change, and technical efficiency at the provincial level in Vietnam from 2010 to 2019 using stochastic production frontier analysis with endogenous inputs and external factors. We analyze differences in productivity and efficiency during the study period to determine the impact of the production environment, technology, and management at the provincial level in Vietnam. Our findings reveal a notable increase in productivity, averaging 3.6 percent per year across all provinces. Assessing technical efficiency, we identify a positive impact of the provincial competitiveness index and a negative influence of foreign direct investment. The implications underscore the need for Vietnam to strengthen provincial institutions and enhance financial, educational, and technological policies to improve productivity. This article offers valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders engaged in sustainable economic development in Vietnam and beyond.Verk Insights into protein and amino acid metabolism of Thermoanaerobacter mathranii(2024-11) Scully, Sean Michael; Abraham, Clay A.; Orlygsson, Johann; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesFew investigations have been carried out into the members of the genus Thermoanerobacter for protein and amino acid metabolism compared to carbohydrates, mostly due to the intense interest in bioethanol and biohydrogen in recent decades. The present study investigates the biotechnological potential of Thermoanaerobacter mathranii (DSM 11426) in terms of its ability to produce high-energy alcohols from amino and fatty acids. End product formation from glucose (in the presence and absence of butyrate) as well as from selected proteins and amino acids were analyzed. T. mathranii did not degrade any of the proteins tested to a large extent but degraded several amino acids, namely serine and the branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) when cultivated in the presence of thiosulfate. The main end products from the branched-chain amino acids were a mixture of their corresponding branched-chain fatty acids and alcohols, with the strain producing a concentration of the corresponding branched-chain alcohol between 1.0 and 1.7 mM and 8.2–10.9 mM of the corresponding fatty acid. 13C2-labeled leucine revealed that the strains degraded the amino acid in the presence of thiosulfate, producing 3-methyl-1-butyrate, which was then used as an electron acceptor which led to the accumulation of 3-methyl-1-butanol. The strain is highly ethanologenic, producing more than 1.2 mol of ethanol per mol of glucose degraded. The strain was able to reduce volatile fatty acids during glucose fermentation to their corresponding alcohol, further suggesting this strain may be of greater biotechnological value beyond bioethanol production.Verk Draft genome of Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus strain AK152, a novel thermophilic and anaerobic bacterium isolated from a hot spring in Iceland(2024-08) Abraham, Clay A.; Bradley, Kevin M.; Scully, Sean Michael; Orlygsson, Johann; Dube, Derek; Benner, Steven A.; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesWe present the draft genome of the bacterium Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus strain AK152, a thermophilic, endospore–spore-forming, anaerobe isolated from a hot spring in Grensdalur, in Southwestern Iceland. This assembled genome will lay the foundation for identifying the carboxylic and amino acid fermentation pathways, suggesting biotechnological applications for this strain.Verk Biotechnological prospects of Thermoanerobacter AK15 : End-product formation from carbohydrates, amino acids, and lignocellulosic and macroalgae hydrolysates(2024-03) Orlygsson, Johann; Scully, Sean Michael; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesThe conversion of lignocellulosic and algal biomass by thermophilic bacteria has been an area of active investigation. Thermoanaerobacter species have proven to be particularly capable in the production of bioethanol and biohydrogen from lignocellulosic biomass, although detailed studies of their abilities to utilize the full gamut of carbohydrate, amino acids, and proteins encountered in biomass hydrolysates are seldom comprehensively examined. Here, we re-evaluate the ability of Thermoanaerobacter strain AK15, a highly ethanologenic strain previously isolated from a hot spring in Iceland. Similar to other Thermoanaerobacter species, the strain degraded a wide range of mono- and di-saccharides and produced a maximum of 1.57 mol ethanol per mol of glucose degraded at high liquid–gas phase ratios. The ability of strain AK15 to utilize amino acids in the presence of thiosulfate is limited to the branched-chain amino acids as well as serine and threonine. Similar to other Thermoanaerobacter species, strain AK15 produces a mixture of branched-chain fatty acids and alcohols, making the strain of interest as a potential source of longer-chain alcohols. Finally, the strain was also shown to use butyrate as an electron sink during glucose degradation resulting in the reduced product butanol, in addition to end-products produced from glucose. Thus, strain AK15 is a promising candidate for ethanol and higher-order alcohols from a range of lignocellulosic and algal biomass.Verk Dataset describing the amino acid catabolism of Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus(2024-02) Orlygsson, Johann; Scully, Sean Michael; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesThe dataset depicts the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids by Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus in the presence of thiosulfate under different culture conditions. The results reveal that the strain can degrade all three branched-chain amino acids resulting in the production of their corresponding branched-chain fatty acids and branched-chain alcohols with the fatty acids always being the dominant product. The highest amounts of 2-methyl-1-butanol from isoleucine were at pH 6.5, liquid-gas ratio of 0.98, and at 20 mM thiosulfate concentration. A kinetic experiment of the branched-chain amino acids was done in the presence of thiosulfate as are data on selected enzyme activities related to alcohols and aldehydes. Finally, an NMR study using 13C1 methyl-1-butyrate during the degradation of leucine in the presence of thiosulfate was done to prove that the 13C1-methyl-1-butanol was indeed from its corresponding fatty acid.Verk Dataset describing the influence of culture conditions on the bioreduction of organic acids to alcohols by Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus(2024-02) Orlygsson, Johann; Scully, Sean Michael; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesThe dataset describes the influence of culture conditions on the bioreduction of organic acids by Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus as reported in [1]. The data shows that during glucose fermentation of Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus the reducing equivalents are not only converted to ethanol and hydrogen but also, in the presence of carboxylic acids (C2–C6), to its corresponding alcohol. To maximize the alcohol production produced from their carboxylic acid, several experiments were performed to investigate the effect of various environmental factors (initial glucose concentration, pH, liquid–gas phase ratio, and inhibitory effects of alcohols) on growth. A kinetic experiment of glucose in the absence and presence of selected fatty acids are also presented as are data on selected enzyme activities related to alcohols and aldehydes and a time course study of the reduction of 13C1 labeled butyrate using glucose as a carbon source.Verk Target reference points and implications for Sardinella maderensis in Liberia's coastal waters(2025-11) Johns, Isaac Patrick; Nguyen, Thanh Viet; Kristó‐fers‐son, Daði Már; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesSmall-scale fisheries, particularly those targeting small pelagic fish, are a vital sector in Liberia, providing essential food for the local population and generating income for livelihoods. Sardinella maderensis, predominantly caught by motorized canoes using gill nets and seine nets, is the primary species in these fisheries. To establish management target reference points for the S. maderensis fishery, this study applied the Schaefer production model to aggregated and disaggregated catch and effort data collected by Liberia's National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) from 2018 to 2022. The findings indicate that, in both the aggregated and disaggregated models, the current (2022) fishing effort exceeds the MEY level, leading to diminishing economic returns and approaching economic overfishing thresholds. The economic reference points, MEY and EMEY, were estimated to be 3% and 19% lower in the aggregated model, and 30% and 44% lower in the disaggregated model, compared to the current (2022) catch and relative fishing effort. This situation arises when the cost of fishing exceeds the price of fish, driven by inefficient and ineffective fishing boats, which leads to high unit costs of effort compared to unit revenue. To fully realize the potential of the S. maderensis fishery, this study recommends a combination of input and output control management strategies, the adoption of more efficient fishing technologies, and the provision of alternative livelihoods for coastal communities.Verk Draft genome and alcohol dehydrogenase dataset of thermoanaerobacter uzonensis bacterium strain AK85(2025-10-27) Ingvadóttir, Eva María; Scully, Sean Michael; Örlygsson, Jóhann; Abraham, Clay A.; Bradley, Kevin M.; Dube, Derek; Benner, Steven; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesThermoanaerobacter uzonensis strain AK85 belongs to the Thermoanaerobacter genus, which comprises rod-shaped, Gram-positive, thermophilic, obligate anaerobic bacteria. Members of this genus exhibit unique fermentation qualities, such as prolific ethanol production, and can generate longer-chain alcohols from carbohydrate and amino acid sources. Here we present the draft genome sequence of Thermoanaerobacter uzonensis strain AK85, which was previously isolated from a hot spring in Grensdalur in Southwestern Iceland. The genome was sequenced with a 150 bp paired-end library on a MGISEQ-2000. The assembled genome comprises 2,577,794 bp and a GC ratio of 33.69%. With an ANI of 96.9% strain AK85 was determined to be a strain of Thermoanaerobacter uzonensis. Annotation was conducted with Prokka which revealed 41 enzymes related to carbohydrate, amino acid, and carboxylic acid metabolism. The genomic dataset establishes the biotechnological capacity and potential of strain AK85 for the production of alcohols and other bio-manufactured products. Further, the genomic dataset is coupled with a cofactor and substrate analysis of the three detected alcohol dehydrogenases. These enzymes were assessed via a lysate based colorimetric assay with NAD+ and NADP+. Under these conditions the native alcohol dehydrogenases are able to oxidize long chain primary alcohols such as 1-octanol and benzyl alcohol. The reads and assembled draft genome of AK85 were deposited into SRA and NCBI under Bioproject PRJNA1108289, Genbank JBDHNK000000000, and Biosample SAMN41233939.Verk Beyond animal charisma : A sociological approach to charismatic species(2024-01-01) Fordahl, Clayton; Faculty of Social SciencesSociologists have been debating the nature of charisma since the discipline’s inception. Recent debates in the sociology of charisma concern the role of social interaction and the place of organisations in the generation of charisma. As these debates have developed, the interdisciplinary field of conservation has begun to debate the concept of charismatic species. To date, literature from the conservation sciences has identified those species most likely to be identified as charismatic and those variables most frequently associated with charismatic species. However, little theorising has been done on the causes of charisma in charismatic species. This article uses the case of charismatic species to outline sociological arguments about charisma more generally. This theoretical exercise advances the literature in both sociology and conservation in several ways. For sociologists, the case of charismatic species shows that seemingly competitive models of charisma are in fact complementary. For those interested in the uses of charismatic species for conservation, this article demystifies charismatic species, demonstrating the ways in which they are historically and socially constructed.Verk Pain and health-related quality of life among women of childbearing age in Iceland : ICEPAIN, a nationwide survey(2025-01-01) Karlsdottir, Sigfridur Inga; Halapi, Eva; Oskarsson, Gudmundur Kristjan; Skuladottir, Hafdis; Jonsdottir, Thorbjorg; Faculty of Nursing; Faculty of Business AdministrationObjectives ‒ The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of both non-chronic and chronic pain among women of childbearing age and describe the impact that pain has on their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods ‒ This is a cross-sectional cohort study, and the data were collected as part of the ICEPAIN nationwide study. Participants were recruited from a randomised sample, stratified by age and residence to secure a proportional sample, by email invitation. Women between 18 and 45 years of age participated, and data were collected through a web-based platform with questionnaires that measured sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, sleep quality, pain severity, characteristics of pain, pain interference (Brief Pain Inventory), and HRQoL (SF-12-v2). Spearman correlation was used when assessing relationships between demographic and lifestyle factors, and HRQoL and pain. Chi-square, Mann–Whitney U, ANOVA, and multivariate general linear model were used to assess group differences. Results ‒ In total, 969 women of childbearing age (18–45 years) participated in the study, and the response rate was 34.8%. The average age was 36.1 ± 6.3 years, and the majority (82.5%) were married, cohabiting, or in a steady relationship. Altogether, 45.9% of the sample reported having pain during the past week (n = 445); the vast majority, 80.4% (n = 366), had chronic pain. The majority of the participants, 57.3%, had moderate or severe pain. Chronic pain was significantly correlated with higher age, higher BMI, experiencing pain during the period, and poorer sleep quality. In contrast, no significant correlation was found between chronic pain and parity, residence, education, physical exercise, smoking, or alcohol drinking. Both non-chronic and chronic pain interfered with mood, sleep, general activities, and other aspects of daily life, and the effect of pain was significantly greater among women with chronic pain. Among these, pain severity was strongly correlated with the level of pain interference (0.79). A negative correlation between pain interference and HRQoL (physical component score, −0.64, and mental component score, −0.34) was observed among women with chronic pain. Conclusions ‒ Both non-chronic and chronic pain are common among women of childbearing age in Iceland. It interferes with daily life and affects their HRQoL.Verk Chronic pain and quality of life among people with whiplash injury in Iceland(2025-09-04) Skúladóttir, Hafdís; Óskarsson, Gudmundur Kristjan; Jónsdóttir, Thorbjorg; Karlsdóttir, Sigfridur Inga; Halapi, Eva; Faculty of NursingThe purpose was to examine the participants' pain severity, pain interference, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), needs, access and use of healthcare services, and the difference between those reporting whiplash injury ( >12 months) with and without chronic pain and those without whiplash injury but with chronic pain. This is a cross-sectional cohort study. The survey was sent by email to a sample of 12,400 individuals, aged 18-78 years. The response rate was 45% ( n = 5,557), of whom 929 (16.7%) experienced whiplash injury after an accident. Participants with whiplash injury (59%) were more likely to report chronic pain (≥3 months) than those without whiplash injury (36.3%) ( p > 0.001). The participants with whiplash injury and chronic pain ( n = 543, 59%) were significantly more likely to have more severe pain, lower HRQoL, be disabled, and live outside the capital area compared to those with whiplash injury but without chronic pain ( n = 386, 41%). Whiplash injury was more common among younger individuals and women. Participants with whiplash injury had higher pain severity, pain interference and lower HRQoL compared to those without whiplash injury. Participants with whiplash injury were more likely to have chronic pain and most of them had constant pain.Verk Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the binge eating scale(2025-01-01) Tosyali, Furkan; Harma, Mehmet; Faculty of PsychologyStudying binge eating is profoundly important for understanding its underlying mechanisms and developing effective interventions. Its measurement for non-clinical samples holds a pivotal role. The current study aims to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Binge Eating Scale (BES) for the first time. The study included a non-clinical sample (N = 323) consisting of participants from 18 to 61 years old. Internal consistency, construct validity, and BES association with other measures were examined. We found a high internal consistency for the single-factor structure of the BES (α = .84). The internal consistency was weaker for the two-factor model, including cognitive/emotional and behavioral sub-dimensions (α = .75 and .67, respectively). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted separately to test single-factor and two-factor structures of the BES. A single-factor structure measuring binge eating (BE) severity was accepted as the final version of the scale. BE was significantly related to body mass index (BMI), self-control, and body dissatisfaction in the expected directions. The current findings supported the single-factor structure. As a result, it has been shown that the Turkish version of the BES is a valid and reliable measurement tool.Verk Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the cryosphere – occurrence, organismic accumulation, ecotoxicological impacts, transformation, and management strategies(2025) Arulananthan, Ashani; Vilhelmsson, Oddur Þór; Karsten, U.; Grossart, H.-P.; Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Þorbjörg Anna; Rolfsson, Óttar; Joerss, H.; Scholz, Bettina; Centre for Doctoral Studies; Faculty of Natural Resource SciencesThe cryosphere faces increasing threats from anthropogenic pollutants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of synthetic chemicals produced in significant quantities and released into the environment for over seven decades. PFAS are widely utilized for their water- and grease-resistant properties in numerous industrial, household, personal care, and medical products. Despite their widespread applications, all PFAS or their degradation and transformation products are environmentally persistent and pose health risks to humans. PFAS are detected ubiquitously, even in remote regions like the Arctic and Antarctica, and they bioaccumulate within polar trophic food chains. The primary transport and transmission mechanisms for PFAS involve atmospheric transport through volatile precursors, atmospheric oxidation, ocean currents, and the formation of sea spray aerosols. Additionally, contamination of surface snow, post-deposition processes in snow, and sediment interactions significantly contribute to PFAS transport. The physical and chemical properties, including density, melting points (Tm), boiling points (Tb), solubility, vapor pressure, electronegativity, low polarizability, chemical stability, and thermal stability, play key roles in determining their environmental fate and transformation. The toxicity of certain PFAS has raised concerns, prompting bans and efforts to develop safer alternatives. Despite increasing public awareness and regulations to limit the production of legacy PFAS, their long-term environmental impacts remain unclear. As global warming accelerates cryosphere shrinkage, which releases PFAS with meltwater, cold-adapted ecosystems and associated biota face unprecedented challenges and uncertainties, particularly regarding the accumulation of non-degradable materials. This situation underscores the urgent need to comprehensively understand the fate of PFAS and adopt effective management strategies for polar systems. This review summarizes current literature on the transport, distribution, and legacy of PFAS, along with their known ecological impacts, bioremediation potential, and other management options in the cryosphere.Verk Translational genomics of osteoarthritis in 1,962,069 individuals(2025-04-09) arcOGEN consortium; ARGO Consortium; DBDS Genomic Consortium; Estonian Biobank Research Team; FinnGen; Genes & Health Research Team; HUNT All-In Pain; Million Veteran Program; Regeneron Genetics Center; Stefánsdóttir, Lilja; Ingvarsson, Þorvaldur; Jónsson, Helgi; Stefánsson, KáriOsteoarthritis is the third most rapidly growing health condition associated with disability, after dementia and diabetes1. By 2050, the total number of patients with osteoarthritis is estimated to reach 1 billion worldwide2. As no disease-modifying treatments exist for osteoarthritis, a better understanding of disease aetiopathology is urgently needed. Here we perform a genome-wide association study meta-analyses across up to 489,975 cases and 1,472,094 controls, establishing 962 independent associations, 513 of which have not been previously reported. Using single-cell multiomics data, we identify signal enrichment in embryonic skeletal development pathways. We integrate orthogonal lines of evidence, including transcriptome, proteome and epigenome profiles of primary joint tissues, and implicate 700 effector genes. Within these, we find rare coding-variant burden associations with effect sizes that are consistently higher than common frequency variant associations. We highlight eight biological processes in which we find convergent involvement of multiple effector genes, including the circadian clock, glial-cell-related processes and pathways with an established role in osteoarthritis (TGFβ, FGF, WNT, BMP and retinoic acid signalling, and extracellular matrix organization). We find that 10% of the effector genes express a protein that is the target of approved drugs, offering repurposing opportunities, which can accelerate translation.Verk Small steps, big impact : Navigating social responsibility with a social innovation focus in SMEs(2025-03-13) Sigurðsson, Kjartan; Sigursteinsdóttir, Hjördís; Kristjánsdóttir, Helga; Faculty of Business AdministrationThis study explores the characteristics that influence the adoption of social responsibility by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and its potential link to social innovation. The present study employs a qualitative multi-case study methodology in order to explore SME perspectives on social responsibility and stakeholder influence. This exploration is conducted through the medium of semi-structured interviews with ten SME representatives. In-depth analysis within and across cases reveals clear patterns. The findings highlight the availability of resources as a significant barrier to integrating social responsibility into SME business operations. The willingness to embrace social responsibility is primarily shaped by the personal beliefs of SME managers, highlighting the key role of intrinsic motivation in upholding ethical standards. The owner-managed capital structure of SMEs facilitates independent decision-making with regard to social responsibility investments. Furthermore, this study highlights an evolutionary process: Initially value-driven SMEs gradually prioritise the integration of social responsibility as they mature over business cycles. Interestingly, employees emerge as the key innovators driving societal progress, and their well-being is a key incentive for active engagement in social responsibility. Moreover, the influence of employees, customers and the community on social responsibility decisions exceeds that of shareholders and investors. While certain stakeholders have significant influence over SMEs' commitment to social responsibility, these companies often fail to recognise the strategic benefits of such integration. Bridging this awareness gap could be achieved through the active involvement of stakeholders and the strategic recruitment of professionals with expertise in sustainable management. This study lays the groundwork for future research, encouraging the investigation of the relationship between resource endowments and SME engagement in socially responsible activities, and exploring stakeholder motivations that drive participation in socially responsible endeavours.Verk The hegemony of a literacy programme for preschool children in Iceland : How and why Lubbi became Iceland’s favourite(2025-12-31) Dýrfjörð, Kristín; Faculty of EducationThis article studies how one educational package, Lubbi Finds the Language Bone, (Lubbi) became hegemonic in the market, with 86% of Icelandic preschools now using the program. The article examines how Lubbi, originally designed in 2009 by speech pathologists to support children needing additional language help, has evolved into a cornerstone of pedagogy in preschools for children aged 1 to 6. The study employs discourse and thematic analysis to explore (a) how Lubbi was introduced and normalized within preschool pedagogy, and (b) the implications of its widespread adoption for professional autonomy and pedagogical diversity. Findings reveal that Lubbi’s popularity stems from strategic cultural alignment, effective marketing, and systemic pressures linked to neoliberal educational reforms. However, the dominance of pre-packaged programs like Lubbi raises concerns about the erosion of teacher autonomy and the prioritization of formalized literacy instruction over play-based learning. This study contributes to the discourse on neoliberalism in early childhood education, highlighting the tensions between market-driven solutions and pedagogical integrity.