Trade, Knowledge and Income Distribution

This thesis consists of four independent essays which address two main areas of research. The first area deals with the role of income distribution in economic transactions. The first paper in the thesis, Knowing me, Knowing you, suggests a new method of incorporating income distribution into international trade analysis. The method suggested provides a way to compare the distribution of income between two countries, and this is used to proxy demand similarities between the countries in question. The article Income Distribution and the diffusion of networks analyzes the impact of income distribution on the diffusion of fixed telecommunications in Brazil by showing how income distribution affects aggregate demand. The second line of research has to do with the impact of information on international trade. Insufficient information generates transaction costs, and in order to reduce costs it may be preferable to trade with known partners. The article Everybody knows? focuses on news flows as an explanatory variable in trade models. The determinants of news flows are estimated in a gravity model and subsequently in a structural equation model of international trade. The results suggest that information flow is an important determinant of international trade, but that traditional variables used in gravity models, such as income level and distance, also can be interpreted as taking information into account. Finally, the chapter Stranger in a strange land addresses the effects of international migration on explaining international trade patterns. The results reveal that immigration to Sweden has had a positive and robust effect on Swedish exports

Same, same but different? : Neighbourhood effects of accessibility on housing prices

A growing research literature is focusing on how effects from increased accessibility may differ according to socio-economic aspects of neighbourhoods and households. This has raised concerns of whether areas with high accessibility may became unaffordable for low-income households, who, at the same time, may depend on public transport accessibility more than average households. We use difference-in-difference estimates of hedonic price models to study the distribution of effects around the new stations provided by a railway tunnel in Malmo center dot, Sweden. The study finds that the lower-price segments are the most affected by the improved accessibility, which becomes clearer when different control groups are used for different market segments. Accessibility is therefore interpreted as highly important for households in the lower-price segments. From a housing accessibility perspective, this is described as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the owners of the apartments in these neighbourhoods, who benefit from the price increase, are typically low-income households. On the other hand, low-income households who are not owners may find the area prohibitively expensive due to price increases. Tenure of the catchment area is thus an important factor in understanding the distributional effects of accessibility. Integrating transport and housing-related planning, and specifically addressing the issue of affordability in early assessments, are therefore recommended

Income distribution and the diffusion of networks: An empirical study of Brazilian telecommunications

Telecommunications is often considered to be an important contributor to economic growth, and most countries have therefore adopted several initiatives to improve coverage of fixed as well as mobile telephones. This paper focuses on the role of income distribution on the diffusion of fixed telecommunications in Brazil. The focus is on how the distribution of income may affect affordability and thereby the market size. The result is that an uneven income distribution may result in higher coverage for the poorest municipalities in the study since the uneven distribution allows for at least some consumers to reach the critical level of income. For municipalities above a certain average income level, the effect is reversed and coverage will be adversely affected by high inequality. The findings are robust to different measures of inequality.Income distribution Telecommunications Universal access Affordability

Tenant Voice – As Strong as It Gets : Exit, Voice and Loyalty in Housing Renovation

This article applies Hirschman’s model of exit, voice and loyalty to a Swedish case of housing renovation in a building with comparatively well-off tenants. Hirschman’s framework is particularly well suited for understanding the housing market with its heterogeneity and high transaction and attachment costs, and accordingly strong loyalty and voice. Our study indicates that the exit-voice-loyalty framework is a useful tool for analysing renovation processes, since these trigger both voice and exit behaviour. We argue that renovations can be considered as critical junctures to an existing tenant–landlord relation, thereby exposing power relations on the housing market. In the case studied, tenants were not able to affect the scope of the renovation directly, but tenant voice did affect the process as well as the outcome in other respects. The capable tenant group makes this a ”most likely case” for testing the limits of tenant influence in housing renovation processes

Midwives' experiences of covid-19 in patient-centered care : A web survey

Bakgrund: Covid-19 är en luftburen infektionssjukdom med hög smittorisk som främst överförs via droppsmitta. Nationella samt internationella försiktighetsåtgärder har framtagits i syfte att minska smittspridningen av viruset. Folkhälsomyndigheten har skärpt rekommendationerna för gravida samtidigt som omprioriteringar görs inom hälso- och sjukvården. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka barnmorskors erfarenheter av att arbeta i patientnära vård under virusutbrottet covid-19. Metod: Studien var en tvärsnittsstudie med kvantitativ ansats. Datainsamling har gjorts via en webbenkät som besvarats anonymt. Resultat: Av de 159 respondenter som svarat på studien upplevde majoriteten en ökad stress samt en oro att bli smittad av covid-19 och föra smittan vidare. En femtedel av barnmorskorna upplevde ett nedsatt psykiskt välbefinnande. Slutsats: Riktlinjer på nationell nivå för simulering, skyddsutrustning och tydlig information för barnmorskor kring arbetet i patientnära vård under covid-19 efterfrågas. Detta i syfte att skapa trygghet i arbetet, att inte bli smittade eller föra smittan vidare.Background: Covid-19 is a highly contagious airborne infectious disease which primarily spreads via droplets when throat or nasal secretions are released into the air. Precautions have been implemented worldwide with the intent to minimize the spread of the disease. The Public Health Agency of Sweden has implemented new and improved recommendations. Purpose: The aim for this study was to investigate the midwife’s firsthand experiences working intimately with patients during the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. Method: The study was a cross- sectional study with a quantitative method. The data was gathered throughout anonymous online questionnaires answered by midwives in Sweden. Result: Of the 159 respondents in the study, the majority reported an increased level of stress and anxiety related to becoming ill or transferring the virus to others. One in five respondents experienced a decrease in mental wellbeing. Conclusion: National guidelines for midwives regarding practice simulations, protective gear and comprehensive information concerning the work in near proximity to the patient was desired. Midwives called for this to ensure a safe working environment, and to avoid transferring the virus to their colleagues and patients.

Tenant voice - as strong as it gets. Exit, voice and loyalty in housing renovation

This article applies Hirschmans’ concepts exit, voice and loyalty to a Swedish case of housing renovation in an estate with comparatively strong tenants. Renovations can be considered as shocks or critical junctures to an existing tenant-landlord relation, and therefore expose power relations on the housing market. Renovation processes are complex both technically and socially, and our study indicates that the exit, voice and loyalty framework is a useful tool for analysing such processes. In the case studied, tenants were not able to affect the renovation process per se, but tenant voice did affect the outcome in other respects. We argue that this strong tenant group represents an extreme ‘most likely’ case, making it possible to test the limits of tenant influence

Borrowed sizes : A hedonic price approach to the value of network structure in public transport systems

Property prices are known to be higher in places with high accessibility, such as in proximity to train stations and especially to commuter rail, than in places without this access. This study provides a better understanding of how regional accessibility, through the structure of railway networks, can influence local agglomeration economies by providing accessibility to large labor markets. Previous literature has shown a positive impact of proximity to railway stations on housing prices, and our study adds to the literature by analyzing the impact of network structure. We argue that public transport systems can support the benefits of city networks in line with Alonso’s concept of borrowed sizes (1973). Using network theory to measure accessibility provided by the network, we show that stations that provide accessibility to large labor markets across the region are perceived as more attractive by households. Cities in proximity to other cities are strengthened through their public transport links, which allow agglomeration benefits to be exploited by residents

Tenant voice - as strong as it gets. Exit, voice and loyalty in housing renovation

This article applies Hirschmans’ concepts exit, voice and loyalty to a Swedish case of housing renovation in an estate with comparatively strong tenants. Renovations can be considered as shocks or critical junctures to an existing tenant-landlord relation, and therefore expose power relations on the housing market. Renovation processes are complex both technically and socially, and our study indicates that the exit, voice and loyalty framework is a useful tool for analysing such processes. In the case studied, tenants were not able to affect the renovation process per se, but tenant voice did affect the outcome in other respects. We argue that this strong tenant group represents an extreme ‘most likely’ case, making it possible to test the limits of tenant influence

Auditor choice in real estate firms : a quality signal?

PurposeReal estate is a capital-intensive industry for which the asset values tend to be highly volatile and uncertain. Transaction costs in the industry are therefore high, and transparency for investors may be low. The need to signal reliable estimates of property assets, in the communication to external stakeholders, can therefore be expected to be of extra importance in this sector. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how real estate firms use big four auditors to signal quality.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use Swedish firm level data containing all limited liability real estate companies in the country to determine the determinants of big four auditors. The data set consists of 34,306 observations and is analyzed through logit regressions.FindingsThe results show that big four companies are primarily contracted by large and mature companies, rather than new firms or firms with volatile financial records, although the latter could be expected to have a large need to signal quality. The authors also find that firms listed on the stock market and firms targeting public use real estate are more inclined to use big four companies.Originality/valueReal estate is a capital-intensive industry for which the asset values tend to be highly volatile and uncertain. Transaction costs in the industry are therefore high, and transparency for investors may be low. The need to signal reliable estimates of property assets, in the communication to external stakeholders, can therefore be expected to be of extra importance in this sector. No prior study of this area has been detected

Midwives' experiences of covid-19 in patient-centered care : A web survey

Bakgrund: Covid-19 är en luftburen infektionssjukdom med hög smittorisk som främst överförs via droppsmitta. Nationella samt internationella försiktighetsåtgärder har framtagits i syfte att minska smittspridningen av viruset. Folkhälsomyndigheten har skärpt rekommendationerna för gravida samtidigt som omprioriteringar görs inom hälso- och sjukvården. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka barnmorskors erfarenheter av att arbeta i patientnära vård under virusutbrottet covid-19. Metod: Studien var en tvärsnittsstudie med kvantitativ ansats. Datainsamling har gjorts via en webbenkät som besvarats anonymt. Resultat: Av de 159 respondenter som svarat på studien upplevde majoriteten en ökad stress samt en oro att bli smittad av covid-19 och föra smittan vidare. En femtedel av barnmorskorna upplevde ett nedsatt psykiskt välbefinnande. Slutsats: Riktlinjer på nationell nivå för simulering, skyddsutrustning och tydlig information för barnmorskor kring arbetet i patientnära vård under covid-19 efterfrågas. Detta i syfte att skapa trygghet i arbetet, att inte bli smittade eller föra smittan vidare.Background: Covid-19 is a highly contagious airborne infectious disease which primarily spreads via droplets when throat or nasal secretions are released into the air. Precautions have been implemented worldwide with the intent to minimize the spread of the disease. The Public Health Agency of Sweden has implemented new and improved recommendations. Purpose: The aim for this study was to investigate the midwife’s firsthand experiences working intimately with patients during the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. Method: The study was a cross- sectional study with a quantitative method. The data was gathered throughout anonymous online questionnaires answered by midwives in Sweden. Result: Of the 159 respondents in the study, the majority reported an increased level of stress and anxiety related to becoming ill or transferring the virus to others. One in five respondents experienced a decrease in mental wellbeing. Conclusion: National guidelines for midwives regarding practice simulations, protective gear and comprehensive information concerning the work in near proximity to the patient was desired. Midwives called for this to ensure a safe working environment, and to avoid transferring the virus to their colleagues and patients.