Studiens syfte var att undersöka fängelsereformsattityder i Sverige med syfte att utreda om dessa korrelerade med kön, politisk tillhörighet, ålder och urvalsgrupp. Detta utförs genom att replikera en tidigare amerikansk studie inom samma ämne. Resultaten från den svenska studien jämfördes även med den amerikanska. Urvalsgrupperna utgjordes av allmänheten(N=105), före-detta kriminella (N=48) och högskolestudenter vid Högskolan i Skövde (N=252). Respondenterna nåddes via en mailenkät.Resultaten visade att de svenska respondenterna hade mer positiva attityder gentemot fängelsereformer än deras amerikanska motparter.Före-detta kriminella var mer positivt inställda till fängelsereformer än studenter och allmänheten. Vad gäller politisk tillhörighet, hade vänsterblocket mer positiva attityder mot fängelsereformer än högerblocket. Ålder hade ett positivt samband med fängelsereformsattityder. Det framkom även att i Sverige har kvinnor till en högre grad än män, höll attityden att våldsbrottsförövare borde få en hårdare bestraffning än andra brottslingar. Det skulle kunna vara av intresse att en studie utförs med syfte att undersöka dessa attityder relaterat till kön, för att se ifall det rör sig om interkulturella skillnader. / The purpose of this study was to investigate prison reform attitudes to see if they correlated with gender, political affiliation, age and sample group. The sample groups were the general population (N=105), ex-criminals (N=48) and students at the University of Skövde (N=252). The respondents were reached by an email survey. This was done by replicating a previously done American survey study. The results from the Swedish study were reviewed in comparison with the American study. The results showed that Swedish respondents held more positive prison reform attitudes than did their American counterparts. Ex-criminals were more positive towards prison reforms than students and the general population. Regarding political affiliation, the Swedish left-wing had more positive attitudes towards prison reforms than did the right-wing. The study also found a positive correlation between age and prison reform attitudes. It was found that Swedish women had more punitive attitudes towards violent criminals than other criminals, than did the men. It would be interesting to research these attitudes and how they relate to gender, to see whether they are a product of intercultural differences.

During initial business-to-business encounters, salespeople try to enhance buyers’ future interaction intentions. A common belief is that increasing buyers’ similarity perceptions increases the chances of future interaction. This study assesses the impact of the similarity-attraction effect on future interaction. By synthesising social psychology and marketing literature, a conceptual framework is proposed, in which perceived similarity influences salesperson trust. This relationship is mediated by task-related and social assessments of buyers. Task-related assessments comprise willingness (benevolence and integrity) and competence (power and expertise). Social attraction is conceptualised as likeability. Salesperson trust drives anticipated future interaction, together with organisational trust and anticipated added value. The conceptual framework was empirically tested through a cross-sectional survey. Dutch professional buyers assessed recent initial sales encounters. A sample of 162 dyads was analysed, using PLS-SEM, including FIMIX segmentation. This study demonstrates support for a third willingness construct: willingness behaviour. This construct implies that buyers are more influenced by expectations regarding behaviour, than assessments of salespeople’s attitudes. A homogeneous analysis supports the influence of perceived similarity on salesperson trust, both directly and through willingness behaviour. However, model-based segmentation uncovers a segment of cost-oriented dyads and a segment of more profit-oriented dyads. In cost-oriented dyads, there is no significant direct effect between perceived similarity and salesperson trust, and willingness behaviour nearly fully mediates this relationship. In more profit-oriented dyads, the similarity-attraction effect is not present. Theoretical and methodological contributions and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

During initial business-to-business encounters, salespeople try to enhance buyers’ future interaction intentions. A common belief is that increasing buyers’ similarity perceptions increases the chances of future interaction. This study assesses the impact of the similarity-attraction effect on future interaction. By synthesising social psychology and marketing literature, a conceptual framework is proposed, in which perceived similarity influences salesperson trust. This relationship is mediated by task-related and social assessments of buyers. Task-related assessments comprise willingness (benevolence and integrity) and competence (power and expertise). Social attraction is conceptualised as likeability. Salesperson trust drives anticipated future interaction, together with organisational trust and anticipated added value. The conceptual framework was empirically tested through a cross-sectional survey. Dutch professional buyers assessed recent initial sales encounters. A sample of 162 dyads was analysed, using PLS-SEM, including FIMIX segmentation. This study demonstrates support for a third willingness construct: willingness behaviour. This construct implies that buyers are more influenced by expectations regarding behaviour, than assessments of salespeople’s attitudes. A homogeneous analysis supports the influence of perceived similarity on salesperson trust, both directly and through willingness behaviour. However, model-based segmentation uncovers a segment of cost-oriented dyads and a segment of more profit-oriented dyads. In cost-oriented dyads, there is no significant direct effect between perceived similarity and salesperson trust, and willingness behaviour nearly fully mediates this relationship. In more profit-oriented dyads, the similarity-attraction effect is not present. Theoretical and methodological contributions and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.