In this study I analyse the performance of a democratic decision-making rule: the weighted majority rule. It assigns to each voter a number of votes that is proportional to her stakes in the decision. It has been shown that, for collective decisions with two options, the weighted majority rule in combination with self-interested voters maximises the common good when the latter is understood in terms of either the sum-total or prioritarian sum of the voters’ well-being. The main result of my study is that this argument for the weighted majority rule — that it maximises the common good — can be improved along the following three main lines. (1) The argument can be adapted to other criteria of the common good, such as sufficientarian, maximin, leximin or non-welfarist criteria. I propose a generic argument for the collective optimality of the weighted majority rule that works for all of these criteria. (2) The assumption of self-interested voters can be relaxed. First, common-interest voters can be accommodated. Second, even if voters are less than fully competent in judging their self-interest or the common interest, the weighted majority rule is weakly collectively optimal, that is, it almost certainly maximises the common good given a large numbers of voters. Third, even for smaller groups of voters, the weighted majority rule still has some attractive features. (3) The scope of the argument can be extended to decisions with more than two options. I state the conditions under which the weighted majority rule maximises the common good even in multi-option contexts. I also analyse the possibility and the detrimental effects of strategic voting. Furthermore, I argue that self-interested voters have reason to accept the weighted majority rule.

Persuasive appeals posted to United States presidential candidates’ YouTube videos were coded using a grounded theory mixed-methods design. 37,562 comments about education, energy, Iraq, health care, the economy, and the presidential debates were randomly collected by date and time for three studies using coding analysis: pilot, presidential primaries, and the presidential election. Seven argument types were identified and theoretically refined according to dual process models of persuasion: reason-based, candidate-based, emotion-based, endorsements, enthusiasmheuristic, other-interest and self-interest. Theoretical comparisons and hypothesis testing of argument types were conducted by issue and election event. Consistent with impression involvement, reason-based appeals were more frequent during the primaries, whereas consistent with value and outcome involvement, emotion- and candidate-based appeals were more frequent during the election.

Bakgrund: Under flera år har några av Sveriges största banker kritiserats under den så kallade “penningtvätts-härvan”. Media har till stor del uppmärksammat skandalen utifrån ett företagsperspektiv men desto mindre ur ett kundperspektiv. Skandalernas relevans och aktualitet öppnar upp för att undersöka på vilket sätt bankkunder reagerar till följd av penningtvättsskandaler. Syfte: Syftet är att undersöka vilken effekt penningtvättsskandaler har på konsumenters befintliga attityder gentemot banker. Med anledning av de senaste årens uppmärksammade bankskandaler i Sverige görs undersökningen för att avgöra om attitydförändringen vidare har någon påverkan på konsumenters beteende i förhållande till bankerna. Tidsperspektivet gör denna studie relevant för att undersöka i vilken utsträckning konsumenter påverkas av denna typ av skandal vilket ger viktiga insikter för finansföretag. Metod: För att uppfylla vårt informationsbehov bestod vår empiri av kvantitativ data som samlades in genom enkäter. Vi var intresserade av att undersöka om det fanns ett samband mellan studenters attitydförändringar och beteende gentemot bankerna. Urvalet bestod av studenter som läser någon form av ekonomisk inriktning vid Högskolan i Borås. I enkäterna presenterades ett fiktivt fall där en penningtvättsskandal illustrerades samt information om hur studenterna skulle påverkas av skandalen. I det ena fallet drabbades studenterna ekonomiskt negativt av skandalen medan de inte drabbades i det andra fallet. Vi skickade således ut tvåenkäter, där hälften av urvalet fick den ena enkäten medan den andra hälften fick den andra. Resultat: Många av studenterna har relativt stabila relationer till sina banker innan skandalerna. Efter skandalerna värdesatte studenterna främst det egna intresset vilket medförde att de inte längre var lika lojala gentemot sina banker. Det skedde en tydlig attitydförändring blandstudenterna efter skandalerna oavsett ekonomisk påverkan. Slutsatser: Utifrån undersökningens modifierade modell kan vi dra slutsatserna att studenternas värderingar, egenintresse och lojalitet till banken tillsammans bidrar till en attitydförändring till följd av skandalerna. Det innebär att penningtvättsskandalen i de fiktiva fallen visade sig ha en effekt på studenternas befintliga attityder gentemot deras banker. Denna attitydförändring mynnar vidare ut i ett beteende orsakat av skandalerna. / Background: For several years, some of Sweden's largest banks have been criticized during the so-called “money laundering scandal”. The media has largely drawn attention to the scandal from a business perspective, nevertheless from a customer perspective. The scandal's relevance and timeliness opens up to investigate how bank customers react due to money laundering scandals. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of money laundering scandals on consumers' existing attitudes towards banks, based on the recent banking scandals in Sweden in recent years. This is to determine if the change in attitude further has any effect on consumerbehavior in relation to the banks. The time perspective makes this study relevant to examining the extent to which consumers are affected by this type of scandal, which provides important insights for financial companies. Methodology: To fulfill the purpose of the study, our empirical data consisted of quantitative data collected through surveys. We were interested in investigating whether there was a connection between students' attitude changes and behavior towards the banks. The sample consisted of students who study some form of financial orientation at the University of Borås. The survey presented a fictitious case in which a money laundering scandal was illustrated as well as information on how the students would be affected by the scandal. In one case, the students were financially negatively affected by the scandal while in the other case they were not affected financially. Half of the students received the survey were they were negatively affected and the other half, the one where they weren´t affected. Findings: Many of the students seemed to have relatively stable relationships with their banks before the scandals. Following the scandals the students seemed to value their self-interest which meant that they were no longer as loyal, as before, to their banks. There was a clear change in attitude among the students following the scandals regardless of financial impact. Conclusions: Based on the study’s modified model, we can conclude that the students' values, self-interest and loyalty to the bank contribute to a change in attitude towards the bank as a result of the scandals. This means that in the fictitious cases, the money laundering scandal had an effect on the students' existing attitudes towards their banks. The change in attitude further leads to a behavior caused by the scandals.

Syfte: Studien syftar till att förstå hur hållbara produktattribut kan verka i samklang eller kombineras med produktattribut som tillfredsställer konsumentens egennytta. Det möjliggörs genom kartläggning av vilken produktinformation om hållbara produktattribut som svenska modekonsumenter efterfrågar i digitala sammanhang för att kunna göra miljömedvetna val, och som då kan bidra med positiva köpintentioner. Detta för att kunna minska avståndet mellan intresse och handling vad gäller hållbar konsumtion. Metod: Metodansatsen som användes var induktiv och för datainsamling användes blandad metod. Litteratursökning följdes av en kvantitativ webbaserad enkät, vilken kompletterades med kvalitativa, semistrukturerade intervjuer. Urvalet för både enkät och intervjuer var svenska modekonsumenter i åldrarna 18–35. Kvantitativa och kvalitativa data jämfördes och analyserades sedan mot teoretiska perspektiv om att detaljerad produktinformation kan fungera som substitut till fysisk interaktion och att konsumenter inte prioriterar hållbara produktattribut som inte uppfyller egennytta. Resultaten diskuterades och kunde slutligen presenteras som slutsatser. Studien fokuserade endast på modekonsumtion i en online kontext. Den avsåg heller inte att se till vilka hållbara produktattribut som är bättre eller sämre ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. Resultat: Resultaten visar att produktattribut som kan anses tillfredsställa egennytta prioriteras framför hållbara produktattribut vid konsumtion av mode, men att hållbar information kring modeprodukter ökar köpintentioner. Konsumenter upplever dock att företag inte kommunicerar tillräckligt kring hållbarhet och efterfrågar transparens och mer detaljerad information. Resultatet visar en potential till hur konventionella och hållbara produktattribut tillsammans med detaljerad information kan sammanföras till positiva köpintentioner i digitala sammanhang. Originalitet / Värde: Tidigare forskning utreder konsumenters inställning till hållbara produkter, gapet mellan hållbart intresse och handling samt hur konsumenter behandlar produktinformation. Mängden tidigare forskning som visar dock vilka hållbara produktattribut som kan sammanföras med produktattribut som tillfredsställer egennyttan hos konsumenter är sparsam. Det kan därför anses finnas ett behov för denna studie, då den ger företag insikter om hur kundfokus kan inkluderas i den hållbara utvecklingen. Särskilt relevant blir den för företag som riktat sig mot digitala försäljningskanaler och ämnar uppmuntra till hållbar konsumtion. / Purpose: This study aims to understand what sustainable product attributes that can be combined with attributes that fulfill consumer's self-interest. This is done by an examination of which product information about sustainable product attributes Swedish fashion consumers demand in a digital context to be able to make environmentally conscious decisions. Furthermore, which sustainable product information that can contribute with positive purchasing intentions. The purpose of this study is to be able to get an insight in how to reduce the distance between interest and action in terms of sustainable consumption.  Method: The method used for the study was inductive and the data was collected through a mixed method. Search of literature was followed by a quantitative survey, which was supplemented with qualitative semi-structured interviews. Participants were Swedish fashion consumers in the age range of 18-35. Quantitative and qualitative data were then compared and analysed against theories concluding that detailed product information can function as a substitute to physical interaction and that consumers do not prioritize sustainable product attributes which do not meet self-interest. The results were discussed and could then be presented as conclusions.  Results: The results show that product attributes which can be considered to satisfy self-interest are prioritised before sustainable product attributes, but sustainable information regarding fashion products might still increase buying intentions. Consumers experience, however, that companies do not communicate enough about sustainability and requests transparency and more detailed information. The results show a potential on how conventional and sustainable product attributes together with detailed information can be combined into positive buying intentions in a digital context. The study only focuses on fashion consumption on an online kontext. Neither did it evaluate the environmental impact of the different sustainable product attributes that were examined.  Originality / Value: Previous research investigates consumers’ attitudes towards sustainable products, the gap between interest and action as well as how consumers process information. There is a sparse amount of previous research that shows which sustainable product attributes consumers appreciate, which then can be combined with product attributes that satisfy the self-interest of consumers. There may therefore exist a need for this study, as it provides insights on how companies can include customer focus into their sustainable development. It will be particularly relevant for companies that have targeted digital sales channels and intend to encourage sustainable consumption.

In einem wichtigen Beitrag „on self-interest and greed“ hat Gebhard Kirchgässner im Journal of Business Economics die zu beobachtende Verhaltensvielfalt von Wirtschaftssubjekten hinterfragt. Die ökonomische Standardannahme rationalen, egoistischen Verhaltens trifft die Realität nicht immer. Menschen handeln auch irrational, teils sozialorientiert und teils sozial desinteressiert, teils unmoralisch-gierig, teils aber auch altruistisch-großzügig. Welches Modell erklärt die Vielfalt? In diesem Beitrag wird die von Kirchgässner aufgezeigte Verhaltensvielfalt mit den Erkenntnissen abgeglichen, die sich aus der Hamiltonschen Fitnessthese und den Ergänzungen durch Trivers, Fiske und de Botton ergeben. Damit kann gezeigt werden, dass sich je nach Gruppe, in welcher sich ein Mensch bewegt, Verhaltensweisen einstellen, die von extrem prosozialem Verhalten (z.B. zur Statussicherung durch Vorbild oder aus Angst vor Sanktionen) bis zu sehr unsozial „gierigem“ Verhalten reichen. Der Nutzen dieser Sichtweise für die Ökonomik wird aufgezeigt. Es sind nur drei exogene Mechanismen nötig, die Verhaltensvielfalt zu erzeugen. / In an important article „on self-interest and greed” in the Journal of Business Economics, Gebhard Kirchgässner questioned the variety observed in the behavior of economic subjects. The economic standard assumption of rational, egoist behavior does not comply with reality in many cases. People act irrationally, socially oriented as well as socially uninterested, immorally-greedy as well as altruistically-generously. The variety is immense. The question occurs: which model is capable of explaining the diversity? In this article, the variety of human behavior is being compared to findings that emerge from Hamilton’s Fitness Thesis and extensions by Trivers, Fiske and de Botton. The Fitness Thesis lays the ground. Depending on the social group to which an individual belongs in a certain situation, behavior can vary from extremely prosocial (e. g. to maintain status or to avoid sanctions) to very unsocial-greedy. As any individual is part of many groups he or she can act prosocially with respect to one group and unsocially-greedy with respect to another, will say: greed and altruism is not a question of character but a consequence of the specific situation in which an individual acts. Merely three exogenous mechanisms are required to create the observed variety in behavior.

No description available.

This thesis investigates volunteering as performance. In exploring this topic I discuss a dynamic between self-interest and selflessness in the observable performance of service through the social mechanisms of volunteerism. I argue that self-interest is a prominent motivation for volunteering, but its overt performance is kept in check by norms that emphasize selflessness. My argument centers on addressing this lack of acknowledgement toward self-interest within vernacular culture. My research draws examples from an individual, organizational, and global volunteer perspective. Ethnographic research was conducted for this study with a student group that organizes one of the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life fundraisers. Within this organization, I conceptualize volunteering as a performance that requires a social actor to not just “do” service, but also “show do” and/or “explain show do” their behavior in front of an audience. This presentation culminates in a cultural performance where participants at Relay For Life perform a narrative of selflessness. Expanding my discussion of volunteering to a global perspective, my last chapter addresses volunteer tourism. I argue that the self-interest of both volunteers and volunteer travel companies reduces the recipients of volunteer tourism to essentialized and exociticized cultural "Others." I advocate for the overt acknowledgement of self-interest not only because self-interest is present, but also because it is a central dynamic that constructs volunteerism as performance.

v Abstract This thesis proposes a theoretical framework for application of ethics in banking and analyses effects of such application on financial performance of banks. A sentiments-adjusted economic motivation enables employment of ethical concepts, such as universality and humanity, in economics as well as banking. Then, using Bankscope data of more than 80,000 bank-year observations for the years 2003-2013, it is shown that banks applying ethics have higher exposure to real economy and less volatile Return on Equity. A consequent analysis revealed that in comparison with their closest peers those banks have lower profitability caused by higher relative costs that conversely result in lower loan losses. JEL Classification A13, B12, B16, G21, Q56 Keywords banking, ethics, economic motivation, Smith, self-interest, sentiments, Kant, sustainability, Bankscope, banking business models, within- between model, profitability, volatility, ethical, sustainable, values-based, social Length 115 862 characters Author's e-mail radek.halamka@gmail.com Supervisor's e-mail teply@fsv.cuni.cz

Essay 1: (with Henrik Jordahl and Panu Poutvaara) We present and test a theory of prospective and retrospective pocketbook voting. Focusing on two large reforms in Sweden, we establish a causal chain from policies to sizeable individual gains and losses and then to voting. The Social Democrats proposed budget cuts affecting parents with young children before the 1994 election, but made generous promises to the same group before the 1998 election. Since parents with older children were largely unaffected we use a difference-in-differences strategy for identification. We find clear evidence of prospective pocketbook voting. Voters respond to campaign promises but not to the later implementation of the reforms. / Essay 2: This essay presents a detailed analysis of voters' response to municipality and regional level unemployment and economic growth, in Swedish general elections from 1985 to 2002, using data on 284 municipalities and 9 regions. The preferred specification suggests that an increase in regional growth or a reduction in regional unemployment by one percentage point is associated with an increase in the support for the national government by about 0.6 and 1.0 percentage points. Changes in unemployment and growth at the municipality level seem to have muchsmaller effects on government support. / Essay 3: One prediction from cognitive dissonance theory is that the act of voting makes people more positive toward the party or candidate they have voted for. Following Mullainathan and Washington (2008), I test this prediction by using exogenous variation in turnout provided by the voting age restriction. I improve on previous studies by investigating political attitudes, measured just before elections, when they are highly predictive of voting. In contrast to earlier studies I find no effect of voting on political attitudes. This result holds for a variety of political attitudes and data from both Sweden and the United States. / Essay4: (with Niclas Berggren and Henrik Jordahl) We conduct an extensive robustness analysis of the relationship between trust and growth by investigating a later time period and a bigger sample than in previous studies. In addition to robustness tests that focus on model uncertainty, we systematize the investigation of outlier influence on the results by using the robust estimation technique Least Trimmed Squares. We find that when outliers (especially China) are removed, the trust-growth relationship is no longer robust. On average, the trust coefficient is half as large as in previous findings.

No description available.