Introduction: Fear of crime is widely studied in the criminological field and refers to the individual's perception and evaluation of a potential danger. Fear of crime holds both direct and indirect causes where direct causes refer to feelings of fear after previous victimization. Indirect causes refer to those who are frightened by the possibility to be victimized. Aim: This study aimed to explore the feelings of safety among the population in a middle-sized town in Sweden. Method: Data was collected using a replica of the National Safety Survey. This study used a simple randomized sample and the questionnaire was sent to 1010 participants, 298 responded to the survey, which meant a response rate of 29.5%. Results: Most of the participants in the studied city (87%) reported concern about the criminality. The female gender and earlier victimization were associated with higher levels of concern. The majority of the respondents reported feeling safe in their own neighborhood, but almost half of them felt unsafe in another area; where the residential area Nacksta, bus station and train station were distinctive. The respondents felt quite big trust for the police and the authorities, but earlier victimization and higher levels of concern for criminality were associated with lower levels of trust. Discussion: A discussion of the results regarding the concern for criminality, unsafe feelings and trust in the police is provided. The differences and similarities were discussed from a theoretical perspective and a comparison with the National Safety Survey has been made. / <p>2017-06-01</p>

Entrepreneurship is in full-swing across the globe and it is widely regarded as a sustainable solution to long-unresolved economic issues like unemployment and poverty. Immigration is also a growing reality and the immigrating individuals can contribute to the new societies either by settling for a job or launching a business as an entrepreneur and in turn creating more jobs. However, social constraints are a key hurdle in the way of immigrant entrepreneurs. This paper aims to not only understand the social constraints faced by immigrant entrepreneurs but also provide a set of guidelines on how to overcome these social constraints. A qualitative research study focused on immigrant entrepreneurs in Sweden was designed around this purpose and was conducted in two cities of Sweden. Entrepreneurs in the study were from diverse nationalities of origin and business sectors. Key social constraints identified through the study are cultural differences, differences in business practices, and language – all acting as a wall for foreign entrepreneurs. Networking – both business and social – is regarded as the main solution to overcome these barriers and the weight for this lies equally on state, entrepreneurship industry, and the immigrant entrepreneurs. Immigrant entrepreneurs can overcome the social constraints by also researching their business area in detail as well as marketing themselves and their businesses especially by establishing a strong and trustable social media profile. Government needs to recognize the diversity of immigrant entrepreneurship communities and create tailor-made social interaction programs for different nationalities, educational backgrounds, and business sectors. It can also project positive image of successful immigrant entrepreneurs not only to inspire other immigrant entrepreneurs but also to increase trust regarding immigrant entrepreneurs among native population. Another important step by government could be early orientation for immigrant entrepreneurs to Swedish business market. Entrepreneurship advisory industry needs to understand immigrant entrepreneurs better and organize more multi-cultural events to lower the barriers between native and immigrant communities.

The goal of our thesis was to study the relation between trust and media. Therefore, we have introduced some selected theoretical approaches of trust in relation to society and we have also formulated our own theoretical implications on the basis of this review which we have later used in our research of trust in media. In the theoretical part we have defined the concept of trust in terms of two key principals of trust based on the rational and intuitive understanding of trust. We have described hierarchical levels of trust in society and then we have focused on interpersonal and system level. We have reviewed selected theoretical approaches to trust and we have outlined the development of trust within sociology. We have explained the function of media in society and pointed out the reasons of the interest in studying trust in media together with the review of the concepts of media effects. Then we have briefly summarized the empirical research and mentioned the situation in the Czech Republic. Finally we have suggested some phenomenons that may cause the decrease in trust are named. In the research part we have concerned with the analysis between media source popularity operetionalised as a frequency of using of the media source and its credibility perceived by recipients. Another research goal...

This dissertation consists of three essays exploring the heterogeneity of gender differences in behavior across contrasting societies. Are women naturally wired to behave differently than men or is it the social context in which the gender roles operate that motivate their behavior? I study this question in the contexts of risk, trust, and trustworthiness, moral hazard and repayment behavior in microfinance. I use the approach of conducting controlled field experiments in neighboring matrilineal and patrilineal societies in rural India. The two societies differ in gender roles but are comparable otherwise. Understanding the societal and cultural factors that drive gender differences in behavior helps to prescribe optimally-targeted policy designs. The first essay evaluates the universal policy of gender targeting to mitigate microfinance loan defaults and studies the reasons for such gender differences in default. I design and conduct microfinance field experiments with individual and group liability treatments in comparable matrilineal and patrilineal societies in India. I observe a reversal of gender effect on loan default across the two societies. I find that women have a lower default in the patrilineal society but higher default in the matrilineal society compared to their male counterparts. I also find that group liability leads to moral hazard among the individual group members but reduces overall default due to risk sharing among them. My results suggest that while women are better clients on average, a universal policy of gender targeting to reduce defaults in microfinance might be suboptimal. The second essay builds on the findings of the first essay that group liability contracts lead to moral hazard among the borrowers. In this essay, I evaluate the policy of gender targeting to mitigate moral hazard problems in microfinance and study the underlying reasons for such gender differences in moral hazard. I address this question by following a similar methodology to the first essay. My experimental design allows decomposing the different moral hazard channels through which default occurs in microfinance and interact them with gender and types of societies (matrilineal and patrilineal). I find that women in matrilineal society are more prone to exhibit moral hazard behavior than patrilineal women. Based on my findings, I argue that the gender differences in moral hazard is driven by the difference in social context, norms and the gender roles between the two societies. The final essay examines what drives gender differences in trust and trustworthiness, by conducting trust experiments in neighboring matrilineal and patrilineal societies in India. I find that on average the matrilineal subjects are more trusting as well as more trustworthy than the patrilineal subjects, but there is a significant heterogeneity in gender effects. Women in matrilineal society are both less trusting and less trustworthy than patrilineal women, compared to their male counterparts. This finding holds true even after controlling for risk preference and other individual characteristics. My findings suggest that societal structures are crucially linked to the observed gender differences in trust and trustworthiness.

Diesel scandal news (Dieselgate) in which Volkswagen fitted defeat devices on cars equipped with the EA 189-engine have appeared in media since September 2015. Sales of affected cars worldwide has led to globally seen consequences. Resulting in prosecutions and bad publicity, highlighting how Volkswagen have deceived their customers. In this thesis I have investigated what effects this scandal has had on Swedish customer’s perception of Volkswagen as a brand. My research method has consisted of different parts. I have received answers from structural questions to journalists, comments from owners and potential buyers online, interviewed customers and also had a dialogue with Volkswagen. I have found that most customer lack trust for Volkswagen as a brand, but their perception of Volkswagens products are generally good. They have throughout the ongoing scandal focused on delivering quality products. This having been the success formula that helped Volkswagen put a shade on “Dieselgate” and focus on the future. “Dieselgate” shows us that trust is not necessarily required to be able to increase sales.

D.Litt. et Phil. / With the emergence of what has been referred to as the "post-industrial" society, the last decade has seen employer-employee work relationships undergoing a high level of change, as organisations restructure in an attempt to survive in the emerging global economy. Largely due to this, the nature of work has changed, placing tension on intra-organisational trust. As organisations readjust in an attempt to face the future they often find that intra-organisational trust is in a crisis, at a time when emphasis is being placed on the need for trust-based relationships. This renewed focus, and paradox that intra-organisational trust faces, has, on a multidisciplinary basis, caught the attentions of numerous academics, resulting in numerous attempts to understand aspects of interpersonal trust. In this study some of these attempts are considered in proposing a model for intra-organisational trust and certain aspects of this model are tested empirically. To achieve this, a multifaceted approach is employed, within a South African financial institution, whereby triangulation is used through gathering both quantitative and qualitative data. A research instrument is developed, by means of which the facilitators of trustworthiness, as proposed in terms of a model for trust and percieved by respondents, are measured. An analysis of the data gathered in respect of the various biographical categories at the company investigated, is undertaken. In terms of this analysis the relationship between interpersonal trust and the facilitators of trustworthiness is assessed, and the implications of this study for theory and policy are considered.

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This thesis provides an interpretation about how wildland firefighters can experience risk by relations of trust. The author shows that the risk taking and wildland firefighting literatures inadequately account for how trust underpins self-construction processes among people who participate in risky activities. To supplement the literatures within these terms, the author uses interview data and personal stories about managing wildland fire to propose a general trajectory of being and becoming a wildland firefighter that details the significance of trust in self-construction processes. The author argues that in the process of being and becoming a wildland firefighter, risk is sometimes increased, decreased, concealed, revealed, and anticipatorily transformed through trust. The author provides a framework for viewing risk that can be used to understand danger to the self. / Graduate

Depuis leur création, les pôles de compétitivité prennent une importance croissante dans les discours et les études des chercheurs. Ils sont apparus comme un terrain d'étude pertinent et même la presse économique ou généraliste se fait quotidiennement l’écho des changements dans la pratique du management au sein de ces organisations.L'objectif de cette thèse est de mettre en exergue un modèle théorique d'intégration de la confiance inter-acteurs au sein des pôles. Afin que nous puissions développer ce modèle, nous avons exploré de nombreuses recherches menées dans le domaine de la confiance, des pôles de compétitivité et les relations inter-organisationnelles. Enfin, certaines questions liées à l'examen empirique de la construction de la confiance sont discutées. L’apport de cette étude repose essentiellement dans son analyse de la notion de confiance dans un contexte multilatéral. / Since their creation, poles of competitiveness are becoming increasingly important in speeches and research literature. They have emerged as a relevant field of study and even a daily echo in business or the general press which report about changes in management practice within these clusters. Currently this structure, which relatively nascent, focuses on the identification and dissemination of best practices among its actors. The aim of this thesis is to outline a theoretical model of integration of inter-actors trust within the clusters. So, in order to develop this model, we explored a wide array ofliterature dealing with trust, clusters and inter-organization relations. Finally, some issues related to the empirical examination of building trust are discussed. The contribution of this paper lies primarily in its study of the concept of trust in a multilateral context.

The thesis takes its first steps along previous theories of social capital based on the research of Bo Rothstein with colleagues contributed to the field. The thesis aims for a deeper investigation into the experiences that according to the theory have affected social trust in the minds of immigrant women in Sweden. The main aim of this thesis is to gain a better understanding and knowledge for groups that have lower social trust than others. According to earlier research on the field, immigrants that come to Sweden, especially those born outside of Europe, tend to have a lower social trust than people born in Sweden and Europe (Holmberg &amp; Rothstein, 2016:3). This thesis therefore probes the complex topic of “how contacts with public bodies, the service such institutions offer, affect social trust among citizens depending on the ability to provide justice” (Rothstein &amp; Kumlin, 2005:348). Two research questions are used to fulfil this purpose; the first being if immigrant women’s interpersonal trust is affected by experiences in personal contact with public bodies? The second question to be answered is how interpersonal trust can be seen to be affected by such experiences and contacts? This thesis aims to answer those questions through the method of interviews with immigrant women in Sweden. The empirical material concludes that contacts with public bodies influence the ability to trust other people and that it is possible to regain trust in another society, but also that there might be a lot more to consider for a greater understanding of immigrant women’s social trust.