Background: Within capitalistic economies the notion persists that only the most efficient and profit-maximizing companies and industries, that withstand the market mechanisms, should sustain. However, market mechanisms currently do not sufficiently consider non-monetary value creation such as social and environmental contributions. Thus, the notion of “survival of the fittest” drives industries that deliver social and environmental contributions, but are not as profitable, into extinction. One such industry whose viability is currently challenged is the indigenous Sami reindeer industry in Fennoscandia. Reindeer herding carries great social, cultural, and environmental value beyond economic terms. It is an essential part of Sami culture and does not only provide income but preserves traditional knowledge, practices, and identity. The reindeer industry, however, exists under pressure-like conditions and is facing multiple social, economic and environmental challenges. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the interrelations that constitute the struggle faced by the Swedish reindeer industry in which its viability is challenged. Method: This study is a grounded theory case study of the reindeer industry in Sweden. Following a qualitative theory building approach, key stakeholders were interviewed as part of fieldwork in Norrbotten County, Sweden. Through data analysis a theory was developed which is mapping out the struggle of the reindeer industry in its context. Conclusion: The study highlights the struggle of the Swedish reindeer industry from an inside-out perspective. The theoretical contribution is in the form of a process map which shows the interrelations and context of the struggle. Three conditions affecting the struggle were identified (missing value recognition, power asymmetry, and clashing cultures and values) whereas needs, challenges and adaptation strategies and the interrelations between them constitute the struggle. Overall, for the reindeer industry to be viable long-term, the political and economic systems need to recognize and respect the real value it is creating. / Bakgrund: I kapitalistiska ekonomier finns det en föreställning om att endast de mest effektiva och vinstmaximerande företagen och branscherna, som klarar marknadsmekanismerna, bör bestå. Marknadsmekanismerna tar dock för närvarande inte tillräcklig hänsyn till icke-monetärt värdeskapande, t.ex. skapande av sociala och miljömässiga värden. Därför driver begreppet "den starkaste överlever" industrier som ger sociala och miljömässiga bidrag, men som inte är lika lönsamma, till utrotning. En sådan industri vars livskraft för närvarande ifrågasätts är den inhemska samiska rennäringen i Fennoskandia. Renskötseln har ett stort socialt, kulturellt och miljömässigt värde som går utöver de ekonomiska aspekterna. Den är en viktig del av den samiska kulturen och ger inte bara inkomster utan bevarar också traditionell kunskap, praxis och identitet. Renskötseln lever dock under pressade förhållanden och står inför flera sociala, ekonomiska och miljömässiga utmaningar. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att bidra till förståelsen av de samband som utgör den kamp som den svenska rennäringen står inför, där dess genomförbarhet utmanas. Metod: Denna studie är en fallstudie med grundad teori om rennäringen i Sverige. Efter en kvalitativ teoribildning intervjuades nyckelaktörer som en del av fältarbetet i Norrbottens län i Sverige. Genom dataanalys utvecklades en teori som kartlägger rennäringens kamp i sitt sammanhang. Slutsats: Studien belyser den svenska rennäringens kamp ur ett inifrån-och-ut perspektiv. Det teoretiska bidraget är i form av en processkarta som visar på kampens inbördes relationer och sammanhang. Tre villkor som påverkar kampen har identifierats (bristande erkännande av värden, maktasymmetri och kolliderande kulturer och värderingar) medan behov, utmaningar och anpassningsstrategier och deras inbördes relationer utgör kampen. För att rennäringen ska vara långsiktigt livskraftig måste de politiska och ekonomiska systemen erkänna och respektera det verkliga värde som den skapar.

Title: Real Estate Agent – A profession or a lifestyle? Authors: Erik Bogren & Ulrika Carlsson Heie Supervisor: Michal Lysek Background: Research has shown that the real estate brokerage industry is complex, and the context of the industry consists of a demanding work climate. Stressful factors for new as well as old real estate brokers lead to the real estate brokerage industry having a high turnover of personnel, which mean high direct and indirect costs for the real estate brokerage agency. One of the biggest and most perplexing problems sales managers face is retaining sales talent as the brokerage industry can involve long irregular working hours, psychological stress, and burnout. The research has thus found several different factors that make up parts of the industry's context, but the research is still lacking when it comes to creating a composite picture of what the context for today's brokerage industry looks like and the concrete guidance that can be given to leaders in the brokerage industry for a lower staff turnover. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how leaders in the brokerage industry can, through their leadership, prevent real estate agents from leaving the industry based on a found context. What is the context of the brokerage industry and how does it influence real estate agents to stay or leave the industry? How can leaders in the brokerage industry through their leadership influence real estate brokers' choice to stay or leave the industry based on the context found? Method: This research study has been carried out as a qualitative study with an inductive approach based on classic grounded theory. Ten respondents from Halland and Skåne (counties in southern Sweden) participated in the study and were then interviewed through physical meetings. The respondents consist of four managers and four employed real estate agents active in the brokerage industry, as well as two deregistered real estate agents who have left the brokerage industry. Result & Discussion: Through a model, the result is presented which shows that the context of the brokerage industry consists of challenging working conditions. This can be managed through leadership actions that can help real estate agents achieve industry survival. The result is discussed based on a frame of reference and empirical evidence. Keywords: Leadership, the brokerage industry, working conditions, leadership actions, industry survival.