Iman Parsa and Antoaneta Momcheva. Photo: Angelika Klang

The call targets small teams of early‑career researchers with the aim of strengthening their ability to build long‑term collaborations and pursue ambitious, innovative research agendas. The strong results for SSE highlight both the depth and breadth of emerging scholarship across the School’s departments and research centers. 

Research project 1: Resource management in nonprofit organizations:
How volunteer management practices shape service quality and beneficiary satisfaction in nonprofit organizations

Researchers: 

• Antoaneta Momcheva, Assistant Professor, House of Innovation, Department of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology, SSE.
• Iman Parsa, Assistant Professor, House of Innovation, Department of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology, SSE.

Momcheva and Parsa’s four‑year project investigates how leadership practices within nonprofit organizations influence volunteer engagement, service quality, and beneficiary satisfaction.

Through a mixed‑methods approach, including interviews, observational studies, and large‑scale surveys, the researchers will generate new insights into how volunteer‑dependent organizations can operate more effectively. 

The research is highly relevant in a Swedish context, where nonprofits play an important societal role and are expected to maintain high standards of professionalism and accountability. The project is designed to produce both theoretical contributions and practical recommendations for organizations working with volunteers. 

Jay Eui Jung Lee, Jaakko Meriläinen and Céline Zipfel. Photo: Angelika Klang 

Research project 2: The Political Economics of Parity: Why Women’s Representation Stalls, and How to Move Beyond It

Researchers: 

• Céline Zipfel, Assistant Professor, House of Sustainable Society, Department of Economics, SSE. 
• Jaakko Meriläinen, Associate Professor, House of Governance and Public Policy, Department of Economics, SSE. 
• Jay Euijung Lee, Assistant Professor, Stockholm University. 

This project examines the persistent challenge of achieving equal representation for women in democratically elected assemblies. Although women’s political representation has increased over recent decades, it often plateaus before reaching full parity.

The research team will study the political, social, and institutional factors that contribute to this pattern and explore mechanisms that may enable progress beyond the current plateau. 

By combining insights from political economics, behavioral science, and public policy, the project seeks to deepen the understanding of gender representation dynamics and provide evidence‑based pathways for advancing gender equality in democratic institutions. 

Strengthening Early‑Career Research 

The Ragnar Söderberg Foundation emphasizes that the early stage of an academic career is often marked by uncertainty, limited resources, and high pressure to establish a research trajectory.

The Foundation’s multi‑year funding for small research groups is designed to bridge this gap and allowing promising scholars to focus on high‑quality research, build collaborative networks, and strengthen their competitiveness nationally and internationally. 

We extend our warm congratulations to Antoaneta Momcheva, Iman Parsa, Jaakko Meriläinen, Céline Zipfel, and Jay Eui Jung Lee and look forward to following the development and impact of their projects.