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Sweden was one of the few countries in the EU that in most cases decided to keep their elementary schools open during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential outcomes COVID-19 has had on students´ average merit scores as well as group-specific effects across genders and school types. To further estimate which factors might have also influenced students´ success, we decided to consider the share of higher educated parents and the municipality income for compulsory schools in our research. Using the fixed effects method, a few models were constructed to analyze the different effects. We found that in general, COVID-19 had a significant and positive effect on the average merit score of students across all elementary schools in Sweden, suggesting that there have been other factors influencing their academic performance. Furthermore, it was found that gender disparities and the share of higher educated parents have affected the average academic performance, whereas the municipality income for compulsory schools did not. Lastly, private schools were found to perform less positively compared to public schools.

This study explores the possibility that cheep credit, provided to firms when profit opportunities on real investments are low, and when opportunities of financial investments are present, will loose some of it’s stimulus effect due to a crowding out effect of financial investments on real investments. Analyzing the changes in debt, and it’s channels of use during the recession of the covid19 pandemic, between firms with a history of stock buybacks, and firms without such a history, the study finds a significantly higher increase in debt for firms with a history of doing stock buybacks. The study concludes that this effect is due to firms finding financial uses of more cheap credit, which does crowd out real investments.

No description available.

The unexpected outbreak of Covid19 that came in 2020 affected the entire world's population, industries and companies overnight. The auditing industry and its auditors have also been affected by the pandemic and the following crisis. Due to the crisis caused by the pandemic, many company managements have had to rethink and develop new strategies for continued operations. The audit companies and their auditors have been forced to make a digital transition and work remotely using digital tools to continue the audit work. The purpose of the study is to try to assess auditors' perceived change in the audit process and quality in connection with the digital transition that took place during Covid 19. We also want to see if the effects can be explained based on IT application and use depending on agency affiliation, as previous research indicates that smaller audit firms are better at IT implementation, use and are quicker to change. The study uses a qualitative research method in the form of semistructured interviews. The results were obtained by seven authorized auditors from audit firms of various sizes in Sweden. The conclusion that can be drawn from the study is that the pandemic has been a catalyst for digitization in t he auditing industry. Of the three parts of the audit process, the review phase was the most affected part, where the exchange of information was made more difficult, which led to longer lead times. The quality has not suffered to a large extent. It can be noted that there is a certain difference in digital conditions between audit firms.

This thesis set out to examine news habits among Swedish 15-20 year olds during the spring of 2020 but then the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Following the events and its possible implications on news consumption, the focus shifted towards also looking at how young people’s news habits might change during the pandemic. This study was primarily aimed at better understanding the relationship between young people and news by implementing theories relating to their motivations and how they connect to society. The method used to examine this was online surveys. Additionally, by building on research from the 2009 Swine flu pandemic the survey aimed at improving the understanding of news’ relevance in the context of the digitized media landscape and evolved use of social media. From the results it seems respondents had a bigger need for news and information during Covid-19. Results showed that young people have an interest in news and care about what goes on in society. Factors such as political interest and education level indicated higher news consumption but not as much in relation to the pandemic. Social media was important for the overall news consumption. Those discussing current events with friends and family were also more likely to consume news to a greater extent than those who did not. This study concludes that the decline in youth news consumption previously observed, might not be as severe and that the role of social media is a crucial element. It is also evident that the Covid-19 pandemic increased young people’s news consumption and they turn to the news for information and to better understand what goes on in the world around them.

Syftet med denna studie är att genom intervjuer med företrädare för svenska elitidrottsklubbar, inom fotboll och ishockey, beskriva vilka ekonomiska åtgärder som vidtagits på grund av intäktsbortfallen till följd av Covid19-pandemin, samt vilka konsekvenser det har haft för klubbarnas finansiering och deras syn på risker med finansieringen. Pandemin har medfört ekonomiska påfrestningar med stora intäktsbortfall, vilket har satt klubbarnas finansiella verksamhet på prov. En verksamhet som redan präglas av idrottens ekonomiskt destruktiva konkurrens. Studien utfördes genom kvalitativ metod med en abduktiv ansats. Empiriinsamling skedde via fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med representanter från svenska elitfotbolls- och elithockeyklubbar, samt kringliggande organ som har direkt samröre med klubbarna. Intäktsbortfallen har framkallat ekonomiska åtgärder hos klubbarna i form av kostnadsbesparingar och alternativa intäkter, samt en mer kontinuerlig budgetering utifrån olika scenarion, baserade på eventuella restriktioners omfattning. Klubbarna anser att de har klarat sig bra rent ekonomiskt under pandemin. Detta härleds dock främst till stöd och bidrag från intressentgrupper som bidragit till deras ekonomiska motståndskraft. Trots att elitidrottsklubbarnas finansieringssätt visar sig vara riskfyllt, framför studien att klubbarna inte tar detta i beaktning då de kan förlita sig på stöd från intressentgrupperna vid tider av finansiella svårigheter. / The purpose of this study is to describe, through interviews with representatives of Swedish elite sports clubs in football and ice hockey, what financial measures have been taken due to loss of income as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and what consequences it has had for the clubs financing and their view of the risks with their financing. The pandemic has brought economic constraints on the sports clubs, due to large losses of income, which has put their financial activities to the test. Activities that are already characterised by the economically destructive competition of sport. The study used a qualitative method with an abductive approach. The empirical data was collected by conducting five semi structured interviews with representatives from the sports clubs themselves, and also from surrounding organisations with direct association with the clubs. The loss of income has resulted in measures such as cost reduction, finding alternative income sources and a more continuous budgetary planning, based on scenarios of possible restrictions. The clubs consider themselves to have endured the economic constraints, brought by the pandemic, fairly well. However, the main contributing factor to the clubs economic resilience is support from interest groups. Even though the way elite sports clubs are financed is considered to be risky, the findings of this study show that the clubs do not take this into consideration because they can rely on economic support from these interest groups in times of financial distress.

Under slutet av 2019 påträffades det en virustyp (COVID-19) i Kina som kommer att förändralivet för majoriteten av människor och de organisationer dem arbetar hos. Den globala katastrofen har gjort att många har blivit av med sitt arbete och den ekonomiska trygghetensom skapar ett frodande land. COVID-19 har varit förödande för majoriteten av sektorer i hela världen där verksamheterna har varit tvungna att antingen permittera eller hitta en lösning till distansarbete för sina anställda. Denna omställning har gjort att många organisationer och anställda har fått ändra sina arbetsvanor över natt, där flera för första gången antar distansarbete i stor utsträckning som det nya normala. Verksamheterna som har gjort det möjligt för deras medarbetare att arbeta på distans har även haft problemet med att få allt att fungera som vanligt. Dock har den tekniska framgången inom kommunikationsenheter och system gjort det möjligt för organisationer att kunna bedriva sin verksamhet online med samma precision som innan vilket har gett förutsättningarna för att fler kan arbeta på distans. Nu behövs aktuell forskning om faktorer som gör distansarbete hållbart. Mycket forskning har gjorts kring distansarbete och dess påverkan på arbetstillfredsställelse, där arbetstillfredsställelse setts som en central del i ett fungerande distansarbete. Dock har få studier sett på personlighetens effekt på arbetstillfredsställelse, ännu färre under kontexten aven pandemi. Studien undersöker relationen mellan arbetstillfredsställelse och personlighet vid distansarbete under en pandemi. En kvantitativ metod användes i form av en webbenkätstudie med ett snöbollsurval på (N=91) respondenter. Resultatet tyder på en signifikant positiv korrelation mellan extraversion och arbetstillfredsställelse vid distansarbete under enpandemi. Skillnader urskildes i resultatet från tidigare studier utförda innan pandemin vilket motiverar att tidigare kunskap behöver ses över under kontexten av en pandemi. Äve nobserverades en generellt hög arbetstillfredsställelse bland respondenterna som indikerar på en lyckad övergång från kontorsarbete till distansarbete. Resultaten från studien bidrar till existerande litteratur, ger praktiska implikationer i form av förslag till organisationer för hantering av anställda på distansarbete samt förslag på viktig framtida forskning utifrån resultaten. / In late 2019 a virus type (COVID-19) was found in China which would change the lives of most people and the organizations they work for. The global catastrophe has caused many to lose their jobs and the economic security that creates a thriving country. COVID-19 has been devastating to many sectors around the world where businesses have had to either lay off employees or find a way to operate teleworking. This change has meant that many organizations and employees have had to change their work habits overnight, with many for the first time adopting telework to a large extent as the new normal. The organizations that have made it possible for their employees to work remotely have also had the problem of making everything work as usual. However, the technical success in communication units and systems has made it possible for organizations to conduct their business online with the same precision as before which has made it viable for more people to work remotely. Up-to-date research is now needed on factors that make teleworking sustainable. Much research has been done on telework and its impact on job satisfaction, where job satisfaction is seen as a central part of functioning telework. However, few studies have looked at the effect of personality traits on job satisfaction and even fewer in the context of a pandemic. The study examines the relationship between job satisfaction and personality in teleworking during a pandemic. A quantitative method was used in the form of a web survey with a snowball sample of (N = 91) respondents. The results indicate a significant positive correlation between extraversion and job satisfaction during teleworking in a pandemic. Differences were distinguished in the results from previous studies conducted before the pandemic, which justifies that previous knowledge needs to be reviewed in the context of a pandemic. A generally high level of job satisfaction was also observed among the respondents, which indicates a successful transition from office work to telework. The results from the study contribute to existing literature, yield practical implications in the form of suggestions for organizations on how to handle employees that are teleworking and proposals for important future research based on the results.

<p>  </p> <p>My dissertation is composed of three independent chapters in the field of labor economics and international trade. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The first chapter studies marriage market signaling and women’s occupation choice. Despite the general closure of gender disparities in the labor market over the past half century, occupational segregation has been stubbornly persistent. I develop a new model that explains these occupational outcomes through marriage market signaling. Vertically differentiated men have preference over women’s unobservable caregiving ability. Heterogenous women choose caregiving occupations to signal their ability to be caregivers. My model generates unique predictions on the influence of marriage market conditions on women’s occupational choices. I find empirical support for these predictions using longitudinal data on marriage rates, policy shocks to divorce laws, and shocks to the marriage market sex ratio driven by waves of immigration. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The second chapter investigates Covid19 and consumer animus towards Chinese products. Covid19 has tremendously affected all areas of our lives and our online shopping behaviors have not been immune. China is the first country to report cases of Covid19 and suffers from rising animus in the U.S. In this paper, we study consumer animus towards Chinese products post Covid19 using Amazon data. We tracked all face masks sold on Amazon between Sep. 2019 to Sep. 2020, and collect product information that is available to a real consumer, including reviews. By analyzing both seller-generated (e.g., product name, description, features) and user-generated (e.g., reviews and customer Q&A) content, we collect information on the country-of-origin as well as consumer animus for the products. Under a fully-dynamic event study design, we find that the average rating drops significantly after a product is identified as made in China for the first time, while no such drop is found for products with other countries-of-origin. This negative impact is U-shaped, which quickly expands in the first five weeks, and then gradually fades out within six months. An informative-animus review affects the average rating of a Chinese product both directly (through its own rating) and indirectly (through other future ratings), with both mechanisms supported in data. We also provide strong evidence that the drop in average rating is driven by consumer animus instead of product quality. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The third chapter explores how cultural transmission through international trade affects gender discrimination. In this paper, I propose that international trade helps alleviate gender discrimination. With imperfect information on workers’ ability, there is statistical discrimination towards female workers. Through international trade, culture transmits asymmetrically between firms located in countries with different gender cultures. This cultural transmission benefits women because it transmits only in one direction from more gender-equal cultures to less gender-equal cultures. I prove this by linking the Customs data to the Industrial Firms data of China in 2004, and find that Chinese firms trading with more gender-equal cultures hire a higher fraction of female workers and enjoy higher profits. Similar patterns are not found in Chinese firms trading with less gender-equal cultures. The impact of cultural transmission goes beyond the firms engaged in international trade to have spillover effects onto purely domestic firms. Comparing across skill groups, cultural transmission benefits high-skill female workers more.</p>