Research

A theoretical framework based on the "markets as networks" paradigm is a body that, in various ways, unites the majority of the researchers. Also other theoretical bases inspire the researchers, like other market theories (e.g. industrial economics including the Austrian school), market channel theories, transaction cost theory, other organisational and systems theories, e.g. traditional decision making theories as well as postmodernism.

Particular interest is nowadays directed towards so called Actor Network Theory (ANT). We identify six major applied areas within each of which several researchers actively contribute. We limit this section to on-going projects.

Under the presentation of each individual researcher a more extensive picture also of previous research related to every individual can be found. It is also possible to link to SSE’s research institute, EFI, to get a more descriptive presentation of each project including publications from each of them.

Further, a brief overview of the section’s research history can be found in the D-section history file.

It is also true that these areas are sometimes very much interwoven, a fact that could be illustrated like this:

• B/A
• F/C
• D/E

It also means that a project that somebody thinks should be under group A instead will be found under C, or any other combination. In the description of each researcher and their projects it will be a short description of each of them including what kind of project it is (e.g. a major research program, a book-chapter or an article).

 

A. Buyer-seller relationships, purchasing and sales

• Personal Selling and the Internet – effectiveness and efficiency in marketing channels (Daniel Grenblad)
• Marketing Channels and Customer Relationships (Daniel Grenblad)
• Customer portfolio management (Mats Vilgon)
• The burden of key customer relationships (Susanne Hertz)
• What is an important customer – and what impact does our view of the important customer have on corporate strategy? (Mats Vilgon)
• Exchange processes constructing the firm – or - the firm as an outcome of its customer interactions (Mats Vilgon)
• Forging the international market organisation to enable diversified market offerings– the case of the saw-mill industry (Björn Axelsson)
• Customer’s choice of Internet bank (Daniel Nilsson, Deo Sharma)
• The customer driven competition (Anders Liljenberg)
• Making the sale – a constructivist study of exchanges between buyer and seller (Hans Kjellberg, Katarina Aspenberg, Per Andersson)
• Advising customers in financial matters – a case of marketing advanced (professional) services (K-O Hammarkvist)
• Buying business services – towards a matured and B2B-adapted classification of services (Björn Axelsson)
• Effects of work-mode, organising and business development from the use of new mobile technologies (Per Andersson)
• New products and markets from recycled materials – packaging and recycling (Jenny Ählström, Susanne Sweet, Emma Sjöström) SuRe

B. Corporate strategy and business networks

 

• Purchasing – from sourcing to supply management (Björn Axelsson and Finn Wynstra)
• Effects of mergers & acquisitions on corporate relationships (Per Andersson)
• Timing of mergers & acquisitions (Lars-Gunnar Matsson, Per Andersson)
• Strategic alliances (Lars-Gunnar Mattsson, Susanne Hertz)
• Adaptations through environmental partnerships
• Drivers and barriers to increased integrations in the transatlantic defence industry – an American perspective (Martin Lundmark)
• Mergers & acquisitions in the Scandinavian Financial sector (K-O Hammarkvist)
• Sustainable building and living (Susanne Sweet) SuRe
• Social networks in the pharmaceutical industry (Camilla Steinby, visiting faculty)
• Leveraging resources by networking – the case of small tourism organisations networking repertoare (Björn Axelsson)

 

C. Transports, supply chains and distribution systems

• IT and supply chain management (Susanne Hertz)
• Third party logistics (Susanne Hertz, Monica Macquet) SuRe
• Overlapping supply chains (Susanne Hertz and Lars-Gunnar Mattsson)
• Supply chain integration among SME:s (Björn Axelsson)
• Innovations in distribution channels from e-business (Anna Nyberg)
• Changes and technological development in grocery retail (Anna Nyberg, Staffan Hultén)
• Distribution dynamics (Per Andersson, Mikael Kaplan)
• Distribution efficiency and effectiveness – a comparative study on the distribution of pharmaceuticals different countries (Christoffer Holmberg, Hans Kjellberg, Björn Axelsson)
• Refurbishing and recycling (Susanne Sweet) SuRe

D. Internationalisation of firms and markets

• Internationalisation of services and retailing (Deo Sharma) Inet
• Internationalisation of SME:s (Deo Sharma, Emilia Rovira, Sara Melén) Inet
• International centres of excellence – their creation and role in the international business process (Deo Sharma) Inet
• Re-organisation of distribution in globalisation of markets (Lars-Gunnar Mattsson)

E. Institutional and technological change as well as business and knowledge development

• The development of the Swedish Air-lane industry (Kristoffer Strandqvist)
• Market creation via network transformation – a study of the deregulation of the Swedish Mail monopoly (Susanna Mattsson)
• The establishment of new medicine practices – market and evidence (C F Helgesson)
• Innovations and R&D in the railway sector before and after the deregulation (Staffan Hultén)

F. Market practice and (the construction of) markets

• Defending positions in a deregulation processes – the case of bus- and train traffic (Gunnar Alexandersson)
• Deregulation and afterwards – the case of bus- and train traffic in Sweden (Staffan Hultén, Gunnar Alexandersson)
• The positioning of small air-lane firms in deregulated markets (Susanne Hertz)
• Shaping of markets (Lars-Gunnar Matsson)
• The ideas and practices of markets (Anders Liljenberg, Hans Kjellberg, C F Helgesson)
• The market court and the case of SAS (Anders Liljenberg)
• Artefacts as interactive locus (C F Helgesson)

Specific and ongoing projects in relation to each of these areas are listed under each heading. There are also links to individual researchers involved in each program.

It is also worth noticing that some we have some expertise in a number of specific industries and businesses. Among these we find the following:

• Manufacturing and defence (Susanne Hertz, Susanne Sweet, Kristoffer Strandqvist, Martin Lundmark)
• Pharmaceuticals and biotech (C F Helgesson, Sara Melén, Emilia Rovira, Camilla Steinby, Per Andersson, Katarina Arbin, and Mats Edenius)
• Agriculture (Susanne Sweet, Per Andersson)
• Public municipalities and governmental bodies (C F Helgesson, Susanna Mattsson)
• Health care (C F Helgesson, Mats Edenius)
• Transport (Monica Macquet, Gunnar Alexandersson, Staffan Hultén, Daniel Grenblad)
• Construction industry (Björn Axelsson. Susanne Hertz)
• The forest industry (Mats Vilgon, Hans Kjellberg, Björn Axelsson)
• Media and Music (Christopher Rosenqvist, Per Andersson, Daniel Grenblad)
• Telecom and IT, including e-services (Per Andersson, Katarina Arbin, Daniel Grenblad, Staffan Hultén, Bertil Thorngren, Ulf Essler)
• Bank and finance (Karl-Olov Hammarkvist, Daniel Grenblad, Daniel Nilsson, Lars-Gunnar Mattsson, Per Andersson, Deo Sharma)
• Research (C F Helgesson)
• Wholesaling and retailing (Anna Nyberg, Hans Kjellberg, Per Andersson, Lars-Gunnar Mattsson)