Introduction: Each year thousands of micro firms are established in Sweden, not all firms will survive and grow; instead many will be forced out of business. Possible explanations of this phenomena could lie in the personality of the entrepreneur, the network of the micro firm as well as support from society and so on. Problem: Prior research has showed that networks and networking are important for the establishment, development and growth of micro firms. The majority of prior research has been of a quantitative nature, which has resulted in great knowledge about structural dimensions while less is known about the interactional dimensions. It is because of the lack of qualitative knowledge that little is known about interactional dimensions in networks and networking activities. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of networks and networking activities for micro firms. Method: The research has the character of a qualitative case study. Data gathering has been done through six in-depth interviews with the founder or manager of six micro firms located in the facilities of Science Park in Jönköping. All information obtained from the interviews were transcribed and then analysed with a model developed by O’Donnell (2004). Summary of analysis: The role of networks and networking activities for micro firms are of great importance for generating business. Our analysis show that many of the micro firms are proactive towards their customers while their relationship with suppliers and competitors varies in characteristics.

<p>Introduction: Each year thousands of micro firms are established in Sweden, not all firms will survive and grow; instead many will be forced out of business. Possible explanations of this phenomena could lie in the personality of the entrepreneur, the network of the micro firm as well as support from society and so on.</p><p>Problem: Prior research has showed that networks and networking are important for the establishment, development and growth of micro firms. The majority of prior research has been of a quantitative nature, which has resulted in great knowledge about structural dimensions while less is known about the interactional dimensions. It is because of the lack of qualitative knowledge that little is known about interactional dimensions in networks and networking activities.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the role of networks and networking activities for micro firms.</p><p>Method: The research has the character of a qualitative case study. Data gathering has been done through six in-depth interviews with the founder or manager of six micro firms located in the facilities of Science Park in Jönköping. All information obtained from the interviews were transcribed and then analysed with a model developed by O’Donnell (2004).</p><p>Summary of analysis: The role of networks and networking activities for micro firms are of great importance for generating business. Our analysis show that many of the micro firms are proactive towards their customers while their relationship with suppliers and competitors varies in characteristics.</p>

The governance field is well studied. However, small family firms do not receive their fair amount of coverage, despite their importance. In this work the field of governance in small family firms is qualitatively explored, using a sample of eight Swedish firms with a total of ten interview partners. Using a Constructivist Grounded Theory, informed by previous literature, we find nine key themes characterizing governance in small family firms: (1) Ownership &amp; Board, (2) Holding Company, (3) Advisor &amp; External Help, (4) Responsibility, (5) Formality, (6) Informality, (7) Conflict, (8) Succession and (9) Discussion &amp; Conversation. Our findings suggest that all small family businesses employ some form of governance, however, this is not always recognized as such in previous literature, showing that corporate governance is too narrowly defined. We also investigate why governance structures are (not) implemented and how this is done. In connection to this, we visualize the factors influencing whether or not a small family firm implements formal governance structures. Additionally, we discuss what actually makes a family firm small. We contribute by investigating governance concepts in another context, namely the one of small family businesses, and seeing to what extent they hold up. The work allows us to conclude that some findings confirm existing theory, while others question it or cannot be found therein at all.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att beskriva och analysera hur slopandet av revisionsplikten har påverkat låneräntan för mikroföretag. För fem år sedan avskaffades revisionsplikten för småföretag, så kallade mikroföretag, vilket gör det intressant att studera vilka effekter denna lagändring har medfört. Syftet med lagändringen var att det skulle leda till en minskad administrativ börda och öka konkurrenskraften. Tidigare forskning har dock kommit fram till att denna lagändring medfört ökade kostnader så som ökade lånekostnader. En kvantitativ studie med en deduktiv ansats har genomförts på aktiva svenska mikroföretag. Datainsamlingen har skett från databasen Retriever Business och enbart fokuserat på finansiell data. Genom linjär multipel regression har företag studerats under perioden 2013-2012 samt 2010-2009. Studien har ett eklektiskt angreppssätt. Hypotesen har framställts utifrån teorier som agentteorin, intressentteorin, institutionell teori samt tidigare forskning. Det finns ett flertal bakomliggande faktorer som påverkar låneräntan. Studien har kunnat konstatera både signifikanta och icke-signifikanta samband. Det generella svaret på studiens frågeställning är att det finns andra faktorer än revisorn som påverkar låneräntan. Den individuella effekten av revisorn på låneräntan kunde inte konstateras. / The purpose of the thesis is to describe and analyze how the abolition of the statutory audit has affected the interest rate for micro firms. It has passed five years since the abolition of the statutory audit for small firms, also called micro firms, which makes it interesting to study the effects of this legislative act. The purpose of this legislation was to decrease the administrative burden and increase the competitiveness. Although, prior research has concluded that this legislative change has led to increased costs such as increased costs of borrowing. A quantitative study with a deductive approach has been made on operating Swedish micro firms. The dataset has been retrieved from the database Retriever Business and has only been focusing on financial data. Companies have been studied through a multiple linear regression for the time period 2013-2012 and 2010-2009. The thesis has an eclectic approach. The hypothesis has been developed through theories such as agency theory, stakeholder theory and institutional theory together with prior research. There are several underlying factors that affect the interest rate. The study has established both significant and non-significant relationships. The general answer to the study’s problem is that there are other factors than the auditor that affects the interest rate. The individual effect of the auditor on the interest rate could not be established.

Mikroföretag skiljer sig från små och stora företag. Ägaren är en central del i mikroföretag och oftast även den enda beslutsfattaren. Detta innebär att ägaren som person inverkar på de beslut som tas i företaget. I beteendeteori diskuteras objektivitet och rationalitet vid beslutsfattande. Där betonas det att individer har mycket svårt att bortse helt ifrån sig själva. Med andra ord är det de egenskaper och erfarenheter ägaren bär på som utgör grunden för hur man fattar beslut. Detta leder in på uppsatsens syfte vilket är att förklara hur egenskaper och erfarenheter hos ägaren i mikroföretag påverkar användningen av informationskällor vid investeringsbeslut. För att svara på syftet utgick uppsatsen från epistemologin och en positivistisk ansats. En kvantitativ forskningsmetod användes för att utnyttja den korta tidsplan som fanns. Genom en kvantitativ forskningsmetod fanns det möjlighet att samla en större mängd data på kort tid. Detta mynnade ut i en webbaserad enkät som kunde analyseras statistiskt. Resultatet visade att utifrån uppsatsens datamaterial förklarar inte egenskaperna och erfarenheterna hos ägaren i mikroföretag antalet informationskällor de använder vid investeringsbeslut. Det gick inte heller att förklara vilka informationskällor ägarna använder beroende på vilka egenskaper och erfarenheter de har. Däremot visar den att ägarna i mikroföretag är flexibla, innovativa, har kontrollbehov och är riskvilliga, vilket kan vara av värde vid fortsatt forskning. Uppsatsens modell förkastas inte, däremot borde den testas igen. / Micro firms are different from small and larger companies. The owner is a central part of the micro firm and often the sole decision maker. This implicates that the owner as an individual affect the decisions made through the company. Being objective and rational is discussed in behavioral theory, where it is highlighted that for an individual it is very hard to entirely overlook from himself. In other words it is the personal characteristics and experiences of the owner that affects how the company makes decisions. This leads us to the purpose of the dissertation which is to explain how personal characteristics and experiences of the owner manager in micro firms affect use of information sources when making investment decisions. The purpose is answered using a positivistic approach. A quantitative research method was used to take advantage of the short amount of time given. Through a quantitative research approach the possibility to get at big sample was higher. This resulted in a web-based questionnaire that could be analyzed statistically. The result based from the collected data showed that the personal characteristics and experiences of the owner manager in micro firms do not explain the number of used information sources. Nor does it explain which sources of information the owner managers use depending on what personal characteristics and experiences they have. However, it shows that owner managers in micro firms is flexible, innovative, need to have control and are willing to take risk. This finding could be used in future research. The model presented in this dissertation is not rejected; future research could make a contribution by testing it again.

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