Search

Entrepreneurs are at the core of economic development in that they start new businesses or make existing firms grow. To fulfill this important role, entrepreneurs need access to finance. Owing to information asymmetry and the relatively high risk associated with business start-ups, many financiers shy away from engaging in relationships with firms during the early stages of their development. Based on the existing body of knowledge on the financing of entrepreneurship, we know that insider finance is of paramount importance in the early stages of firms’ development. We expand this knowledge base by analyzing the influence of house prices on business start-ups across municipalities in Sweden. In our analysis, we include data from all municipalities in Sweden. Our data on house prices and control variables are collected in period one, and our data on the frequency of start-ups are collected in period two. We find that rising house prices in a municipality lead to a higher frequency of start-ups. In our regression analysis, we find that a 1% increase in house prices leads to a 0.14% increase in start-ups. Our findings are in line with the limited international research that has been previously conducted, and for this reason, they could be seen as a vital addition to the existing body of knowledge within the area of entrepreneurship and regional development.

Entrepreneurs are at the core of economic development in that they start new businesses or make existing firms grow. To fulfill this important role, entrepreneurs need access to financing. Owing to information asymmetry and the relatively high risk associated with business startups, many financiers shy away from engaging in relationships with firms during the early stages of their development. Based on the existing body of knowledge on the financing of entrepreneurship, we know that insider finance is of paramount importance in the early stages of firms’ development. We expand this knowledge base by analyzing the influence of house prices on business startups across municipalities in Sweden. In our analysis, we include data from all municipalities in Sweden. Our data on house prices and control variables are collected in period one, and our data on the frequency of startups are collected in period two. We find that rising house prices in a municipality lead to a higher frequency of startups. In our spatial Durbin model, we find that a 1% increase in house prices leads to around 0.15% increase in startups. Our findings are in line with the limited international research that has been previously conducted, and therefore, our study might make a small but vital addition to this growing body of knowledge within the area of entrepreneurship and regional development., QC 20180411

The financing of entrepreneurial ventures has been at the forefront of academic debate as well as policy-making discussion for almost a century. In general, there seems to be an agreement that the risks associated with business startups are higher than for mature firms, hence, these ventures will have to pay a higher interest rate than more mature and large firms. In this paper the authors analyze the role of a relatively new form of financing for entrepreneurial ventures - crowdfunding - And how this form of financing is similar and different from traditional sources of finance. The authors are also presenting different forms and models of crowdfunding available on the market together with illustrations from the crowdfunding industry in Sweden. The analysis indicates that the positive effects with crowdfunding are numerous but that the size of the crowdfunding sector is relatively small in comparison with the banking and venture capital industry., QC 20161121

The Swedish higher educational system is under pressure. The competition from international universities is getting fiercer, and the demographical projections indicate that the number of students entering the university system is peaking right now. At the same time, the financial support from the government is decreasing. In order to stay competitive Swedish universities are trying to find strategies for using the scarce resources in the optimal way. The problem is to strike a balance between quality and efficiency.Over the past ten years a lot of improvement has been made within the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) regarding quality and innovation in education. Pedagogical courses are mandatory for the staff, and the merits of educational experience have been emphasized in hiring new staff members. Even though problem-based learning, constructive alignment and peer instruction are common in most courses today, some other aspects of education and learning remains the same. One such conservative trait has to do with written examinations. Since the founding of the university in 1827, all written examinations have been done using paper and pen at the Royal Institute of Technology. It is interesting to note that even the school of computer science is using paper and pen for their final written examinations. The problems with using paper and pen are numerous and includes; problems with reading and grading because of poor handwriting, distribution of exams between teachers in the same course, written exams getting lost, etc. In comparison with other parts of the educational system, little has happened to improve quality and efficiency when it comes to written examinations.During 2013 and 2014 a number of teachers initiated a project for increasing the efficiency in written exams. There was a general understanding that the final part of the courses consumed too much time and effort in relations to the other parts. Hence, new software for digital examinations was identif, QC 20160119

NV 20160119

QC 20160128

In this article empirical research on post-investment activities of business angels is reviewed and conceptualized as five distinct governance processes: boundary spanning, structuring, leadership, doing, and monitoring. These processes have the potential to reduce exposure to relational risk and market risk. The identification of these governance processes also contributes towards understanding the social processes of business angels’ post investment involvement. In particular, it is shown how the recognition of the cognitive/institutional dimension opens up for new questions about post-investment involvement. Finally it is proposed that venture performance can be enhanced in practice if business angels and venture members develop skills connected with the governance processes.

The paper reports on the utilization of the ‘good cop, bad cop’ negotiation strategy in ongoing investor-venture relationships. Four cases of business angel – venture involvement are studied over several years’ time. Earlier research on the good cop, bad cop strategy has described its efficiency in obtaining maximum distribution in short-term distributive bargaining. This has been explained as a result of the emotional contrast effect unlocked by the sequence of interaction with the bad cop followed by interaction with the good cop. In an ongoing investment relationship, other rules apply. The present findings suggest that only a business angel who is already trusted can become a good cop – by virtue of introducing a bad cop. This is explained as a way of conducting negotiations without destroying the trust that has been built over time in the business angel – venture relationship. The strategy provides a scapegoat for the negativity associated with the negotiations. The bad cop assumes the blame, while the good cop is still trusted and can remain in the relationship, with less risk of being the target of any retained hostility., QC 20161006

Business angels are very important for the growth and development of start–ups as they contribute much needed capital and competence to these firms. During the past decades the formation and growth of Business Angel Networks (BANs) has become an increasingly common phenomenon and an important issue for policy–makers in most Western economies. In this paper, we follow the inception and development of three local BANs. The data in this paper come from in–depth interviews with the founders of the networks as well as bankers, civil servants, entrepreneurs and local politicians. The results indicate that capital alone will not guarantee success in a BAN rather it is a combination of the financial capital, human capital and social capital among the founding partners of the network., QC 20140207

QC 20120119. QC 20160211

QC 20120119. QC 20160211

QC 20120217. QC 20160211

QC 20111208

QC 20120416

In this conceptual paper, it is argued that companies need to adapt to the impact globalized broadbandInternet has on the marketing of goods in terms of replicability, a concept based on consumer satisfactionand the cost of obtaining the same subjective consumption experience from another source (includingproducing it yourself). Three types of goods are defined: non-, semi- and completely replicable. Firmsoffering non- and semi-replicable goods will still make profits, while it is argued that in the long run, firmsoffering only completely replicable goods will not be competitive, and disappear. The theoretical argumentis illustrated by the recent development of the movie industry in terms of replicability of the goods offered.It is argued that firms need to perform an in-depth analysis of their current consumers in order to be ableto segment them in terms of their perception of replicability of the goods. Three strategies for handlingreplicability are presented: branding, bundling and pricing. These entail perceptual repositioning fromreplicability towards non-replicability in the mind of consumers, as well as directing differentiated pricing strategies towards each consumer segment., QC 20120203

The principal-agent relationship (Ross, 1973; Jensen & Meckling, 1976) has been analyzed extensively in economics, in political science and, increasingly, within sociology (Kiser, 1999). The majority of economic papers on the principal-agent relationship has focused on a single principal and a single agent, or in our context, a single investor and a single investee. There is an increasing interest in moving beyond this traditional investor-investee dyad (Lockett et al., 2006). The present paper represents such an attempt, as it studies the dynamics in a specific case with multiple investors and a single founder. The case shows that in agency situations, principals can cooperate to influence the agent by taking on different roles towards the agent. In the case, some principals are distanced from the agent, while the one responsible for communication with the founder decreases his principality in order to reduce perceived hierarchical distance and emphasize perceived goal congruence, QC 20120507

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 monitor, QC 20201021

QC 20120217

QCR 20120119

QC 20120203

In this paper, the effect of local entrepreneurial attitudes and proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in different industries is analysed using spatial Durbin models for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 on the municipal level. Previous studies have shown that a high level of regional social legitimacy increases the demand for entrepreneurship due to perceivably better access to resources and the entrepreneur has also higher confidence in his ability to run a business in the area (Kibler, Kautonen, and Fink 2014). Furthermore, previous studies has also shown that the proximity of banks is important for local entrepreneurial activity (Agarwal and Hauswald 2010; Backman 2015; Backman and Wallin 2018; Ho and Berggren 2020). It is also noted that every entrepreneurial ecosystem in each municipality is unique and can be industry specific. The results from our spatial models show that an increase in the local public attitudes has positive significant effects on new firm formation in these following industries: manufacturing, construction and ‘financial and business services’ industries. Our results also show that when weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch doubled, there is a 4.5% decrease in the total number of new firms formed. Weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch has also been shown to lower new firm formation especially in two industries — ‘financial and business services’ and ‘education, health and others’.

In this paper, the effect of local entrepreneurial attitudes and proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in different industries is analysed using spatial Durbin models for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 on the municipal level. Previous studies have shown that a high level of regional social legitimacy increases the demand for entrepreneurship due to perceivably better access to resources and the entrepreneur has also higher confidence in his ability to run a business in the area (Kibler, Kautonen, and Fink 2014). Furthermore, previous studies has also shown that the proximity of banks is important for local entrepreneurial activity (Agarwal and Hauswald 2010; Backman 2015; Backman and Wallin 2018; Ho and Berggren 2020). It is also noted that every entrepreneurial ecosystem in each municipality is unique and can be industry specific. The results from our spatial models show that an increase in the local public attitudes has positive significant effects on new firm formation in these following industries: manufacturing, construction and ‘financial and business services’ industries. Our results also show that when weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch doubled, there is a 4.5% decrease in the total number of new firms formed. Weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch has also been shown to lower new firm formation especially in two industries — ‘financial and business services’ and ‘education, health and others’.

This paper studies the effects of bank branch accessibility on new firm formation in different industries after the closures of bank branches between 2007 and 2013. Spatial Durbin models are used for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 — at the municipal level in all 290 Swedish municipalities. Potential endogeneity issues are controlled for by using an instrumental variable approach to estimate proximity to bank branches. Proximity to bank branches influences new firm formation in some industries in Swedish municipalities, with more pronounced effects in capital-intensive industries, such as manufacturing, ‘transport and communications’, and ‘education, health, and others’, as indicated by the results of using a proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by firm population. The results of using the proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by labour population show significant negative effects of proximity to bank branch on new firm formation in the ‘education, health and others’ industry. This study shows that it is important to consider the effects of proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in some industries that are more capital intensive. Policy-makers can use the findings of this research to design policies to increase entrepreneurship in certain industries., QC 20211124

This paper studies the effects of bank branch accessibility on new firm formation in different industries after the closures of bank branches between 2007 and 2013. Spatial Durbin models are used for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 — at the municipal level in all 290 Swedish municipalities. Potential endogeneity issues are controlled for by using an instrumental variable approach to estimate proximity to bank branches. Proximity to bank branches influences new firm formation in some industries in Swedish municipalities, with more pronounced effects in capital-intensive industries, such as manufacturing, ‘transport and communications’, and ‘education, health, and others’, as indicated by the results of using a proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by firm population. The results of using the proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by labour population show significant negative effects of proximity to bank branch on new firm formation in the ‘education, health and others’ industry. This study shows that it is important to consider the effects of proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in some industries that are more capital intensive. Policy-makers can use the findings of this research to design policies to increase entrepreneurship in certain industries., QC 20211124

This paper studies the effects of bank branch accessibility on new firm formation in different industries after the closures of bank branches between 2007 and 2013. Spatial Durbin models are used for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 — at the municipal level in all 290 Swedish municipalities. Potential endogeneity issues are controlled for by using an instrumental variable approach to estimate proximity to bank branches. Proximity to bank branches influences new firm formation in some industries in Swedish municipalities, with more pronounced effects in capital-intensive industries, such as manufacturing, ‘transport and communications’, and ‘education, health, and others’, as indicated by the results of using a proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by firm population. The results of using the proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by labour population show significant negative effects of proximity to bank branch on new firm formation in the ‘education, health and others’ industry. This study shows that it is important to consider the effects of proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in some industries that are more capital intensive. Policy-makers can use the findings of this research to design policies to increase entrepreneurship in certain industries., QC 20211124

In this paper, the effect of local entrepreneurial attitudes and proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in different industries is analysed using spatial Durbin models for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 on the municipal level. Previous studies have shown that a high level of regional social legitimacy increases the demand for entrepreneurship due to perceivably better access to resources and the entrepreneur has also higher confidence in his ability to run a business in the area (Kibler, Kautonen, and Fink 2014). Furthermore, previous studies has also shown that the proximity of banks is important for local entrepreneurial activity (Agarwal and Hauswald 2010; Backman 2015; Backman and Wallin 2018; Ho and Berggren 2020). It is also noted that every entrepreneurial ecosystem in each municipality is unique and can be industry specific. The results from our spatial models show that an increase in the local public attitudes has positive significant effects on new firm formation in these following industries: manufacturing, construction and ‘financial and business services’ industries. Our results also show that when weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch doubled, there is a 4.5% decrease in the total number of new firms formed. Weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch has also been shown to lower new firm formation especially in two industries — ‘financial and business services’ and ‘education, health and others’.

In this paper, the effect of local entrepreneurial attitudes and proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in different industries is analysed using spatial Durbin models for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 on the municipal level. Previous studies have shown that a high level of regional social legitimacy increases the demand for entrepreneurship due to perceivably better access to resources and the entrepreneur has also higher confidence in his ability to run a business in the area (Kibler, Kautonen, and Fink 2014). Furthermore, previous studies has also shown that the proximity of banks is important for local entrepreneurial activity (Agarwal and Hauswald 2010; Backman 2015; Backman and Wallin 2018; Ho and Berggren 2020). It is also noted that every entrepreneurial ecosystem in each municipality is unique and can be industry specific. The results from our spatial models show that an increase in the local public attitudes has positive significant effects on new firm formation in these following industries: manufacturing, construction and ‘financial and business services’ industries. Our results also show that when weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch doubled, there is a 4.5% decrease in the total number of new firms formed. Weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch has also been shown to lower new firm formation especially in two industries — ‘financial and business services’ and ‘education, health and others’.

In this paper, the effect of local entrepreneurial attitudes and proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in different industries is analysed using spatial Durbin models for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 on the municipal level. Previous studies have shown that a high level of regional social legitimacy increases the demand for entrepreneurship due to perceivably better access to resources and the entrepreneur has also higher confidence in his ability to run a business in the area (Kibler, Kautonen, and Fink 2014). Furthermore, previous studies has also shown that the proximity of banks is important for local entrepreneurial activity (Agarwal and Hauswald 2010; Backman 2015; Backman and Wallin 2018; Ho and Berggren 2020). It is also noted that every entrepreneurial ecosystem in each municipality is unique and can be industry specific. The results from our spatial models show that an increase in the local public attitudes has positive significant effects on new firm formation in these following industries: manufacturing, construction and ‘financial and business services’ industries. Our results also show that when weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch doubled, there is a 4.5% decrease in the total number of new firms formed. Weighted mean distance to the nearest bank branch has also been shown to lower new firm formation especially in two industries — ‘financial and business services’ and ‘education, health and others’.

This paper studies the effects of bank branch accessibility on new firm formation in different industries after the closures of bank branches between 2007 and 2013. Spatial Durbin models are used for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 — at the municipal level in all 290 Swedish municipalities. Potential endogeneity issues are controlled for by using an instrumental variable approach to estimate proximity to bank branches. Proximity to bank branches influences new firm formation in some industries in Swedish municipalities, with more pronounced effects in capital-intensive industries, such as manufacturing, ‘transport and communications’, and ‘education, health, and others’, as indicated by the results of using a proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by firm population. The results of using the proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by labour population show significant negative effects of proximity to bank branch on new firm formation in the ‘education, health and others’ industry. This study shows that it is important to consider the effects of proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in some industries that are more capital intensive. Policy-makers can use the findings of this research to design policies to increase entrepreneurship in certain industries., QC 20211124

This paper studies the effects of bank branch accessibility on new firm formation in different industries after the closures of bank branches between 2007 and 2013. Spatial Durbin models are used for a panel dataset of two years — 2007 and 2013 — at the municipal level in all 290 Swedish municipalities. Potential endogeneity issues are controlled for by using an instrumental variable approach to estimate proximity to bank branches. Proximity to bank branches influences new firm formation in some industries in Swedish municipalities, with more pronounced effects in capital-intensive industries, such as manufacturing, ‘transport and communications’, and ‘education, health, and others’, as indicated by the results of using a proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by firm population. The results of using the proxy for proximity to bank branches weighted by labour population show significant negative effects of proximity to bank branch on new firm formation in the ‘education, health and others’ industry. This study shows that it is important to consider the effects of proximity to bank branches on new firm formation in some industries that are more capital intensive. Policy-makers can use the findings of this research to design policies to increase entrepreneurship in certain industries., QC 20211124