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Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze if gained trust is intrinsically motivating and whether it is correlated to subjective person-job fit and occupational turnover intentions among Swedish real estate brokers. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical data was gathered via a survey targeting all real estate brokers in Sweden and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings: The results indicated that brokers are motivated by gained trust from their sellers and that gained trust is a vital part of person-job fit among brokers. In addition, the results show that higher levels of person-job fit reduce the occupational turnover intentions among brokers. Research limitations/implications: Being a real estate broker in Sweden might differ from being a broker in many other otherwise comparable countries. Another limitation is the lack of measurements of job satisfaction and/or intrinsic motivation connected to other job characteristics besides customer relations and gained trust. The high mean values of person-job fit, and intrinsic motivation connected to gained trust from customers are contributing to a more nuanced description of brokerage. Practical implications: This study gives insights about intrinsic motivation and its connection to person-job fit. Awareness of what drives brokes can be used by both workers and managers to reduce occupational turnover. Originality/value: This study is interesting from a person-job fit theory advancement perspective since the focus is given to the connection between specific situational work characteristics and person-job fit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe and analyze the occupational life cycle of Swedish real estate brokers. Design/methodology/approach: Voluntary turnover among real estate brokers could lead to occupational turnover and/or employee turnover and has been described as problematic by both practitioners and researchers alike. Most previous studies focusing on this issue have explored connections between real estate brokers' personality, economic and market conditions and turnover. Employee turnover involves shifting jobs within the profession (real estate brokerage), whereas occupational turnover concerns movement to a job not related to the real estate brokerage profession. Both perspectives on turnover are however lacking data about the average time spent as a broker. This study fills this gap by exploring real estate brokers' life cycle through data analysis using a cohort study consisting of a sample of 5,304 real estate brokers registered and/or deregistered over a ten-year period from 2010 to 2019. Findings: The analysis show that the decline is almost linear, resulting in 50% of the newly registered real estate brokers remain in the occupation eight years after registration. These findings are not in line with previous assumptions as the real estate brokers' life cycle is substantially longer. The results also reveal that there are differences in life cycles due to gender and year of registration. Originality/value: The analysis of longitudinal, aggregated data on the life cycle of real estate brokers is highly relevant as it serves as a point of reference for future longitudinal studies analyzing the motives for leaving the occupation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper focuses on medical device university spin-offs (USOs), taking into account the peculiarities of financial and nonfinancial support and intellectual property rights (IPRs). The authors declare that these parameters play a significant role in business development at the early stages. Design/methodology/approach: This empirical data consist of individual and group interviews in Finland and Sweden, which are later inductively analyzed. Findings: The results show that public financial support contributes to the formation and start of sales stages in small countries and local markets. However, at the validation stage, approaches for supporting entrepreneurship in the field of medical devices may differ. The ownership of IPRs assists in the development of entrepreneurship in the region due to the transfer of research results and researchers to the industry and increases the number of spin-offs and the cooperation of universities with business. Originality/value: This contribution is in the identification of the key parameters for the formation, support and development of the USOs from the point of view of the availability of financial resources and the ownership of IPRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the effect of local bank branch closures on new firm formation in Sweden is analysed using a panel database that captures the geographical locations of all Swedish bank branches in 2007 and 2013. The previous research has shown that the further a firm is located away from the bank, the higher the monitoring costs will be for the banks. Furthermore, an increase in the distance to the banks will also increase information asymmetry because of the banks' eroded ability to collect and analyse soft information. Due to the high risks associated with the lack of information and uncertainty, banks might not be as willing to extend credits to a distant firm compared to a nearby firm. Using spatial econometric analysis at a municipal level, it is shown that bank proximity to firms, unemployment rate, industry structures, income growth, change in housing price and percentage of immigrants are vital for new firm formation in Sweden. From the spatial Durbin model with fixed effects, an increase in the weighted distance to the nearest bank branches is shown to affect new firm formation negatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing demand for energy-efficient buildings has led to an increasing focus on predicted energy performance once a building is in use. Many studies have identified a performance gap between predicted energy use and actual measured energy use once buildings are in the user phase. However, none of the identified studies normalise measured energy use for both internal and external deviating boundary conditions. This study uses a Net-zero energy building (Net ZEB) building in Sweden to test two different approaches to the normalisation of measured energy use-static and dynamic methods. The normalisation of energy use for a ground source heat pump reduces the performance gap from 12% to 1-5%, depending on the method of normalisation. The normalisation of energy from photovoltaic (PV) panels reduces the performance gap from 17% to 5%, regardless of the method used. The results show that normalisation is important in order to accurately determine the energy performance of buildings. The most important parameters are the indoor temperature and internal loads, which have the largest effect on normalisation in this case study. Furthermore, the case study shows that it is possible to build Net ZEB buildings with existing technologies in a Northern European climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built environment accounts for a significant share of energy consumption and energy efficiency in this sector is important for the Swedish environmental objectives. Only a limited share of the total new construction of multifamily houses are constructed as low-energy buildings. Current building regulations lay down requirements for energy efficiency for new construction, and these will be tightened further in the future. Public housing companies often aim to be at the forefront, and the public housing sector has now built half of Sweden’s low-energy blocks of flats. Many public housing companies have tried, but it is uncertain if they will, or have, the possibilities to construct low-energy buildings on a large scale. Twenty public housing companies around Sweden have been interviewed with the aim of identifying obstacles and possibilities to be forerunners and build better than required by the building regulations. The study shows that the public housing companies build better than the law demands and intend to continue doing so. Low-energy buildings are particularly suitable in central locations where land is attractive and the required returns lower. The driving motivation is to be at the forefront and to build green. The new pressure to increase house building can lead to a risk of energy and quality issues being passed over. For the increase in the construction of low-energy buildings to continue, extended, shared and comparable decision making support for the public housing companies is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of small business entrepreneurs’ relinquishment of control aversion and the impact of their interaction with external financiers on market connection. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires were sent to the chief executive officers of small businesses in the manufacturing and professional services sectors. A total of 459 valid responses were analyzed in a structural equation model. Findings – The attitude of small business entrepreneurs in relying on financiers’ advice is marked by control aversion. This fear of losing control creates information asymmetry, which in itself leads to decreased financing opportunities for small business entrepreneurs. The results of the study suggest that small firms seeking the aid of financiers will be provided with substantial additional information about the market. Issues pertaining to supply seem to be less relevant than those relating to demand, thus indicating that greater focus should be placed on the investment readiness of small businesses. Originality/value – This study emphasizes the importance of the role of attitudes among SMEs in understanding capital market failure and credit rationing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correct version should be: "All the dependent and independent variables are logged except for I ChangeHP i to make the distribution of the transformed variables more normal. The I IncomeGrowth i variable is not logged because it includes negative values." Correction to: The Annals of Regional Science (2020) 65:319-350 https://doi.org/10.1007/s0016... The following are the typo errors I have found: A typo error on page 327 of the published paper: "Detailed calculations for the variables I TheilIndex i , I IncomeGrowth i , and I ChangeHP i can be found in the appendix" The correct version should be: "Detailed calculations for the variables I TheilIndex i , I SpecIndex i , and I IncomeGrowth i can be found in Appendix" Another typo error on page 334 of the published paper: "All the dependent and independent variables are logged except for I IncomeGrowth i to make the distribution of the transformed variables more normal. [Extracted from the article]

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The purpose of the paper is to analyze how different dimensions of the relationship between banks and small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) influence the SMEs’ loyalty towards the banks. A survey was administered to 1024 CEOs of Swedish SMEs. In the questionnaire, a number of aspects of the relationship with the bank were examined, especially how banks contribute to the development of the SMEs, and how this affects the SMEs’ loyalty. This paper posits The Close Relationship Strategy, which implies that by being more active in the relationship, banks could create more satisfied and loyal SME customers. The study has relevance for banks that are trying to develop their corporate brands through a closer relationship with SMEs. The paper provides a framework for understanding how banks can achieve customer loyalty and develop their brands by focusing on important aspects of the relationship with their SME customers. This study provides important insights into SMEs’ perceptions of their banks’ capacity to deliver meaningful advice, and how a positive relationship can create more loyal customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of social capital and bridging networks on entrepreneurial activity in three different regions in Sweden. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical base of the paper comprises 120 in-depth interviews with entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in three municipalities in Sweden, statistical data from Statistics Sweden and a large postal survey conducted by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprises. Findings – The bridging networks between local civil servants and local politicians on the one hand and entrepreneurs on the other are pivotal for the development of an entrepreneurial community. Research limitations/implications – Despite the same rational-legal framework, this paper shows how the cognitive dimension of social capital influences the level of entrepreneurship in three municipalities. The importance of bridging networks is also highlighted. Practical implications – An open channel of communication between politicians and entrepreneurs allows the former to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the latter. By widening the network, more actors are involved in local and regional development, thereby raising the level of competence and resources. Originality/value – Using three different sets of data, this paper offers a deeper understanding into the complex nature of bridging networks between politics and business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business angels play an important role in the development and growth of many entrepreneurial ventures. They provide not only capital, but also much needed business know-how and connections to customers and other financiers that are pivotal for the success of the firm. The relationship between the business angel and the entrepreneurial team evolves over time, starting with a due diligence process and the formulation of a contract. In this paper we are interested in the post-investment phase of the relationship, and how the business angel abstracts different cues that the relationship is experiencing problems. From interviews with experienced business angels in very different settings and from very different backgrounds, six different cues have emerged as indicators that something is amiss in the relationship. These cues have the following themes; the outright rebellion, the strange report, missing deadlines, history revision, changing information flows and going underground. The majority of the business angels that we have interviewed claimed that these cues have different meanings and that some are more detrimental to the relationship than other. For instance, the outright rebellion and the urge to re-negotiate the contract are looked upon as serious breaches of the trust in the relationship. Strange reports and missing deadlines on the other hand, tend to activate the business angel and trigger some kind of action on his part, but initially with sustained trust. Earlier studies have used either the agent-principal approach or the procedural justice perspective when they have studied the relationship between investor and entrepreneur. Usually papers take one or the other as their point of departure for a study, where the first focuses on control and monitoring and the other on trust building initiatives. However, from our interviews it seems as though they complement each other in the relationship over time. When everything is going as planned the control and monitoring activities are kept at a minimum, with weekly or monthly progress reports, instead the trust building activities dominate. When a cue emerges, the trust building process comes to a halt and the control and monitoring activities gain the upper hand. Before the business angel has identified the problem and together with the entrepreneurial team worked out a solution, everything else is put on hold. Some time after the incident, control and monitoring activities will be higher than usual, before everything gets back to normal. The findings in this paper fit well within the theoretical framework put forward by Shepherd and Zacharakis (2001). In their model, they see communication as a moderating factor on the other three; commitment and consistency, being fair and just and obtaining a good fit between investor and entrepreneur. In our interviews it is clear that an open and frequent communication is a necessary condition for the development of a trusting relationship. Hence, most cues of a deteriorating relationship have to do with problems in communicating with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has sought to better understand resource and housing market cycles longitudinally and define clear phases in order to understand interactions between the two over time. This is a necessary step forward in housing market knowledge for this under researched area, particularly in an economically unique context. This paper expands knowledge by undertaking a comparative study of town housing markets in Queensland's coal mining Bowen Basin and Sweden's northern municipalities—specifically Gallivare and Kiruna—where a long history of iron ore mining exists. This paper analyses these housing markets using longitudinal data spanning two decades, which includes two resources cycles in two geographically disparate locations. The results indicate that the housing market in Queensland, Australia, is far more volatile than the housing market in the Swedish municipalities. The regional housing market in Sweden's municipalities tend to be less dependent on resource price and output from mines than their Australian counterparts. Part of the explanation for this is that the Swedish towns examined are less of the traditional mining town known from previous studies, and more a town with mining. Developing and improving understanding of markets over the duration of a cycle is important. Particular value is apparent in the comparison and contrasting of two separate resource regions encompassing resource reliant communities in two different countries. Importantly, the linkage of research regions through resource relationships leads to groundbreaking research which will have practical benefit to multiple economies, housing markets and for policy-makers alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greatest challenges for the world today is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. As buildings contribute to almost a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, reducing the energy use of the existing building stock is an important measure for climate change mitigation. In order to increase the renovation pace, there is a need for a comprehensive technical documentation that describes different types of buildings in the existing building stock. The purpose of this study is to analyse and describe existing residential buildings in Sweden. The data are based on published reports from 1967 to 1994 that have not been publicly available in a database for other researchers to study until now. Data from the reports have been transferred to a database and analysed to create a reference for buildings and/or a description of building typology in Sweden. This study found that there is a rather large homogeneity in the existing residential building stock. However, it is not possible to use a single reference building or building technique to cover the majority of the existing buildings. In Sweden, common constructions for exterior walls in multi-dwelling buildings which should be used for further studies are insulated wood infill walls with clay brick façades, lightweight concrete walls with rendered façades and concrete sandwich walls. The most common constructions for one- and two-dwelling buildings are insulated wooden walls with clay brick façades or wooden façades. Furthermore, roof constructions with insulated tie beam and roof constructions where the tie beam is a part of the interior floor slab are frequently used and should be included in further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to minimize transmission heat transfer losses through the building envelope when designing and building energy efficient buildings in heating dominated climates. In such a climate, a large part of the space heating demand is caused by transmission heat transfer losses through the building envelope. Calculations of these losses must be carried out in a correct way to ensure a properly sized heating system and a good indoor climate. Furthermore, underestimating the transmission heat transfer may lead to energy costs that exceed expectations. A Swedish study was published five years ago which concluded that the state of knowledge was low and simplified methods used were not accurate. Five years has passed since the previous study. The purpose of this follow-up is to investigate whether the state of knowledge among Swedish consultants has increased and to review the progress within the international field. The study shows that little has changed in Sweden. The state of knowledge regarding different measuring methods and the effect on thermal bridges is still not satisfying. Furthermore, the review of recent research shows that the relative effect of thermal bridges vary greatly. More guidelines and education/training are needed. Further research should be carried out with a holistic approach where thermal bridges are investigated with varying construction types, energy efficiency of building envelopes and different measuring methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]