Essays on Personnel Economics and Gender Issues

This thesis consists of four self-contained essays in economics. Tournaments and unfair treatment. This paper introduces the negative feelings associated with the perception of being unfairly treated into a tournament model and examines the impact of these perceptions on workers’ efforts and their willingness to work overtime. The effect of unfair treatment on workers’ behavior is ambiguous in the model in that two countervailing effects arise: a negative impulsive effect and a positive strategic effect. The impulsive effect implies that workers react to the perception of being unfairly treated by reducing their level of effort. The strategic effect implies that workers raise this level in order to improve their career opportunities and thereby avoid feeling even more unfairly treated in the future. An empirical test of the model using survey data from a Swedish municipal utility shows that the overall effect is negative. This suggests that employers should consider the negative impulsive effect of unfair treatment on effort and overtime in designing contracts and determining on promotions. Late careers in Sweden between 1970 and 2000. In this essay Swedish workers’ late careers between 1970 and 2000 are studied. The aim is to examine older workers’ career patterns and whether they have changed during this period. For example, is there a difference in career mobility or labor market exiting between cohorts? What affects the late career, and does this differ between cohorts? The analysis shows that between 1970 and 2000 the late careers of Swedish workers comprised of few job changes and consisted more of “trying to keep the job you had in your mid-fifties” than of climbing up the promotion ladder. There are no cohort differences in this pattern. Also a large fraction of the older workers exited the labor market before the normal retirement age of 65. During the 1970s and first part of the 1980s, 56 percent of the older workers made an early exit and the average drop-out age was 63. During the late 1980s and the 1990s the share of old workers who made an early exit had risen to 76 percent and the average drop-out age had dropped to 61.5. Different factors have affected the probabilities of an early exit between 1970 and 2000. For example, skills did affect the risk of exiting the labor market during the 1970s and up to the mid-1980s, but not in the late 1980s or the 1990s. During the first period old workers in the lowest occupations or with the lowest level of education were more likely to exit the labor market than more highly skilled workers. In the second period old workers at all levels of skill had the same probability of leaving the labor market. The growth and survival of establishments: does gender segregation matter? We empirically examine the employment dynamics that arise in Becker’s (1957) model of labor market discrimination. According to the model, firms that employ a large fraction of women will be relatively more profitable due to lower wage costs, and thus enjoy a greater probability of surviving and growing by underselling other firms in the competitive product market. In order to test these implications, we use a unique Swedish matched employer-employee data set. We find that female-dominated establishments do not enjoy any greater probability of surviving and do not grow faster than other establishments. Additionally, we find that integrated establishments, in terms of gender, age and education levels, are more successful than other establishments. Thus, attempts by legislators to integrate firms along all dimensions of diversity may have positive effects on the growth and survival of firms. Risk and overconfidence – Gender differences in financial decision-making as revealed in the TV game-show Jeopardy. We have used unique data from the Swedish version of the TV-show Jeopardy to uncover gender differences in financial decision-making by looking at the contestants’ final wagering strategies. After ruling out empirical best-responses, which do appear in Jeopardy in the US, a simple model is derived to show that risk preferences, the subjective and objective probabilities of answering correctly (individual and group competence), determine wagering strategies. The empirical model shows that, on average, women adopt more conservative and diversified strategies, while men’s strategies aim for the greatest gains. Further, women’s strategies are more responsive to the competence measures, which suggests that they are less overconfident. Together these traits make women more successful players. These results are in line with earlier findings on gender and financial trading.

Sea level measurement using single GNSS antenna SNR signals

This thesis presents a possible method to calculate sea level variation using geodetic-quality Global Navigate Satellite System (GNSS) receivers. Three antennas are used: two small antennas and a choke ring one, analyzing only Global Positioning System signals. The main goal of the thesis is to test a modified configuration for antenna set up. In particular, measurements obtained tilting one antenna to face the horizon are compared to measurements obtained from antennas looking upward. The location of the experiment is a coastal environment nearby the Onsala Space Observatory in Sweden. Sea level variations are obtained using periodogram analysis of the SNR signal and compared to synthetic gauge generated from two independent tide gauges. The choke ring antenna provides poor result, with an RMS around 6 cm and a correlation coefficients of 0.89. The smaller antennas provide correlation coefficients around 0.93. The antenna pointing upward present an RMS of 4.3 cm and the one pointing the horizon an RMS of 6.7 cm. Notable variation in the statistical parameters is found when modifying the length of the interval analyzed. In particular, doubts are risen on the reliability of certain scattered data. No relation is found between the accuracy of the method and weather conditions. Possible methods to enhance the available data are investigated, and correlation coefficient above 0.97 can be obtained with small antennas when sacrificing data points. Hence, the results provide evidence of the suitability of SNR signal analysis for sea level variation in coastal environment even in the case of adverse weather conditions. In particular, tilted configurations provides comparable result with upward looking geodetic antennas. A SNR signal simulator is also tested to investigate its performance and usability. Various configuration are analyzed in combination with the periodogram procedure used to calculate the height of reflectors. Consistency between the data calculated and those received is found, and the overall accuracy of the height calculation program is found to be around 5 mm for input height below 5 m. The procedure is thus found to be suitable to analyze the data provided by the GNSS antennas at Onsala.

Formula Zero: Traduzione trilingue inglese-italiano-spagnolo di un policy statement sulla sicurezza stradale della Federazione Internazionale dell'Automobile (FIA)

The aim of this dissertation is to provide a trilingual translation from English into Italian and from Italian into Spanish of a policy statement from the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) regarding road safety. The document, named “Formula Zero: a strategy for reducing fatalities and injuries on track and road”, was published in June 2000 and involves an approach about road safety inspired by another approach introduced in Sweden called ‘Vision Zero’. This work consists of six sections. The first chapter introduces the main purposes and activities of the Federation, as well as the institutions related to it and Vision Zero. The second chapter presents the main lexical, morphosyntactic and stylistic features of the institutional texts and special languages. In particular, the text contains technical nomenclature of transports and elements of sport language, especially regarding motor sport and Formula One. In the third chapter, the methodology is explained, with all the resources used during the preliminary phase and the translation, including corpora, glossaries, expert consultancy and specialised sites. The fourth chapter focuses on the morphosyntactic and terminology features contained in the text, while the fifth chapter presents the source text and the target texts. The final chapter deals with all the translation strategies that are applied, alongside with all the challenging elements detected. Therefore, the dissertation concludes with some theoretical and practical considerations about the role of inverse translation and English as Lingua Franca (ELF), by comparing the text translated into Spanish to the original in English, using Italian as a lingua franca.

Incidence of severe reproductive tract complications associated with diagnosed genital chlamydial infection: the Uppsala Women's Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cumulative incidence of severe complications associated with genital chlamydia infection in the general female population. METHODS: The Uppsala Women's Cohort Study was a retrospective population based cohort study in Sweden, linking laboratory, hospital, and population registers. We estimated the cumulative incidence of hospital diagnosed pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility, and used multivariable regression models to estimate hazard ratios according to screening status. RESULTS: We analysed complete data from 43 715 women in Uppsala aged 15-24 years between January 1985 and December 1989. Follow up until the end of 1999 included 709 000 woman years and 3025 events. The cumulative incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease by age 35 years was 3.9% (95% CI 3.7% to 4.0%) overall: 5.6% (4.7% to 6.7%) in women who ever tested positive for chlamydia, 4.0% (3.7% to 4.4%) in those with negative tests, and 2.9% (2.7% to 3.2%) in those who were never screened. The corresponding figures were: for ectopic pregnancy, 2.3% (2.2% to 2.5%) overall, 2.7% (2.1% to 3.5%), 2.0% (1.8% to 2.3%), and 1.9% (1.7% to 2.1%); and for infertility, 4.1% (3.9% to 4.3%) overall, 6.7% (5.7% to 7.9%), 4.7% (4.4% to 5.1%), and 3.1% (2.8% to 3.3%). Low educational attainment was strongly associated with the development of all outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of severe chlamydia associated complications estimated from ours, and other population based studies, was lower than expected. Studies that incorporate data about pelvic inflammatory disease diagnosed in primary care and behavioural risk factors would further improve our understanding of the natural history of chlamydia. Our results provide reassurance for patients, but mean that the benefits of chlamydia screening programmes might have been overestimated.

Urinary diversion: how experts divert

OBJECTIVE To determine the rates of the available urinary diversion options for patients treated with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer in different settings (pioneering institutions, leading urologic oncology centers, and population based). METHODS Population-based data from the literature included all patients (n = 7608) treated in Sweden during the period 1964-2008, from Germany (n = 14,200) for the years 2008 and 2011, US patients (identified from National Inpatient Sample during 1998-2005, 35,370 patients and 2001-2008, 55,187 patients), and from Medicare (n = 22,600) for the years 1992, 1995, 1998, and 2001. After the International Consultation on Urologic Diseases-European Association of Urology International Consultation on Bladder Cancer 2012, the urinary diversion committee members disclosed data from their home institutions (n = 15,867), including the pioneering institutions and the leading urologic oncology centers. They are the coauthors of this report. RESULTS The receipt of continent urinary diversion in Sweden and the United States is <15%, whereas in the German high-volume setting, 30% of patients receive a neobladder. At leading urologic oncology centers, this rate is also 30%. At pioneering institutions up to 75% of patients receive an orthotopic reconstruction. Anal diversion is <1%. Continent cutaneous diversion is the second choice. CONCLUSION Enormous variations in urinary diversion exist for >2 decades. Increased attention in expanding the use of continent reconstruction may help to reduce these disparities for patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. Continent reconstruction should not be the exclusive domain of cystectomy centers. Efforts to increase rates of this complex reconstruction must concentrate on better definition of the quality-of-life impact, technique dissemination, and the centralization of radical cystectomy.

The Fully Electronic Library; the Swedish Project

The research that led to the development of plans for the first fully electronic library in the United States subsequently was adapted for application in Sweden. This paper outlines the original research and details that Swedish application.

Post-harmonised European National Travel Surveys

Look-up tables are collected and analysed for 12 European National Travel Surveys (NTS) in a harmonized way covering the age group 13-84 year. Travel behaviour measured as kilometres, time use and trips per traveller is compared. Trips per traveller are very similar over the countries whereas kilometres differ most, from minus 28% for Spain to plus 19% and 14% for Sweden and Finland. It is shown that two main factors for differences are GDP per capita and density in the urban areas. The latter is the main reason for the low level in Spain. Mode share is except for Spain with a very high level of walking trips rather similar with a higher level of cycling in the Netherlands, more public transport in Switzerland, and more air traffic in Sweden. Normally kilometres per respondent/inhabitant is used for national planning purpose and this is very affected by the share of mobile travellers. The immobile share is varying between 8 and 28% with 6 NTS at a 15-17% level. These differences are analysed and discussed and it is concluded that the immobile share should be a little less than 15-17% because it is assessed that some short trips might have been forgotten in these 6 countries. The share has a downward tendency with higher density. The resulting immobile share is very dependent on data collection methodology, sampling method, quality of interviewer felt-work etc. The paper shows other possibilities to improve local surveys based on comparison with other countries.

Nitrous oxide emissions from European agriculture - an analysis of variability and drivers of emissions from field experiments

Nitrous oxide emissions from a network of agricultural experiments in Europe were used to explore the relative importance of site and management controls of emissions. At each site, a selection of management interventions were compared within replicated experimental designs in plot-based experiments. Arable experiments were conducted at Beano in Italy, El Encin in Spain, Foulum in Denmark, Logarden in Sweden, Maulde in Belgium CE1, Paulinenaue in Germany, and Tulloch in the UK. Grassland experiments were conducted at Crichton, Nafferton and Peaknaze in the UK, Godollo in Hungary, Rzecin in Poland, Zarnekow in Germany and Theix in France. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured at each site over a period of at least two years using static chambers. Emissions varied widely between sites and as a result of manipulation treatments. Average site emissions (throughout the study period) varied between 0.04 and 21.21 kg N2O-N ha−1yr−1, with the largest fluxes and variability associated with the grassland sites. Total nitrogen addition was found to be the single most important deter- minant of emissions, accounting for 15 % of the variance (using linear regression) in the data from the arable sites (p<0.0001), and 77 % in the grassland sites. The annual emissions from arable sites were significantly greater than those that would be predicted by IPCC default emission fac- tors. Variability of N2O emissions within sites that occurred as a result of manipulation treatments was greater than that resulting from site-to-site and year-to-year variation, highlighting the importance of management interventions in contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation

Menos no es siempre más, ni mucho menos = Less isn't always more, not by any means

"Think rationally, but cultivate an artistic sensibility" recommended Henry van de Velde in 1903. This is the direction chosen by three young architects, Marten Claesson, Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune, who have their own practice in Stockholm since 1993. Architects, interior designers, furniture designers and teachers, they entered the professional world with Vila Wabi, an elongated box, temporarily set into the Sergel square (Stockholm), designed to house a family of four. Since then, they have designed a big number of shops, showrooms, bars and restaurants, offices and houses mostly in Sweden but also abroad. Despite an international outlook and appeal the practice makes part of an ongoing tradition of Scandinavian design.

Lewerentz en Malmo: Intersecciones entre arquitectura y paisaje

El Cementerio Este de Malmo (1916-1973) ha sido analizado en el ámbito internacional sólo en contadas ocasiones, aunque en este lugar el arquitecto sueco Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975) realizó un proyecto experimental a gran escala, rechazando los trazados de cementerios pintorescos que se habían popularizado en Europa en aquella época y proponiendo una disposición más ortogonal, vinculada con el lugar de distintas maneras. Después de que Lewerentz ganase el concurso, el proyecto se desarrolló durante casi sesenta años. El Cementerio Este de Malmo ofrece una lente única a través de la cual se puede examinar la forma en la que se establecieron relaciones entre el proyecto de arquitectura y diversos aspectos del paisaje: con el entorno urbano y diversas circunstancias del entorno social mediante la vegetación como límite, con la topografía a través de la escala y los materiales de construcción, con la tradición organizando plantas, secciones y construcción, con el ámbito internacional a través de los paramentos constructivos, con las técnicas constructivas habituales en Suecia por medio de materiales cotidianos y con los alrededores a través del planteamiento de los detalles. La hipótesis de trabajo plantea que el concepto de límite en la obra de Lewerentz y en el Cementerio Este de Malmo en particular tiene un carácter dual, produciendo simultáneamente separaciones y relaciones con distintos aspectos del lugar y del tiempo. Esta investigación documenta y examina la construcción del Cementerio Este de Malmo apoyándose en planos y escritos originales de distintos archivos, datos recogidos en el proyecto así como en otros cementerios de la época y en análisis previos ya publicados. Proporcionando un estudio detallado de la evolución del enfoque de Lewerentz respecto a la relación entre arquitectura y paisaje, se define un marco en el que la obra de este arquitecto puede entenderse de una manera más completa. Lewerentz mantuvo una postura crítica con algunos modelos de su época, al tiempo que planteó vínculos con aspectos de la vida cotidiana de las personas. Este conjunto de referencias redefine, un conjunto de circunstancias vinculadas con el proyecto, que redefinen el lugar de forma abstracta. En esta doble cualidad del límite se da lugar a un espacio de intersección, entendido como un lugar de convergencia de personas. En estas relaciones, el usuario siempre es el centro, ya sea para crear un pórtico para resguardar, una avenida de árboles para crear un espacio más tranquilo o una ventana simplificada. Esta tesis contribuye a la investigación en el ámbito de la integración del proyecto de arquitectura en el lugar, describiendo una metodología de proyectar, en la que los elementos que sirven para separar espacios, también se emplean para vincularlos a un conjunto seleccionado de referencias a distintas escalas, lugares y tiempos. Este doble proceso que implica la construcción de los límites permite favorecer la proximidad a algunos aspectos del entorno y al mismo tiempo rechazar otros, permitiendo una perspectiva crítica y pudiendo proponer situaciones alternativas. ABSTRACT Malmó Eastern Cemetery (1916-1973) has received little international attention, despite the fact that Swedish architect Sigurd Lewerentz (1885-1975) led a large-scale experimental project, rejecting picturesque cemetery plans, popular in Europe at that time, and developing a more orthogonal layout, which was linked to the site in different ways. After Lewerentz won first prize in the competition to develop Malmó Eastern Cemetery, the project unfolded over a period of nearly sixty years. Malmó Eastern Cemetery project offers a unique lens through which to examine how different relationships were established between the architectural project and various features of the landscape: with the urban environment and various social circumstances using greenery as a boundary; with topography using the scale of construction and materials; with tradition by designing plans, sections and construction; with the international architectural arena by building walls; with common construction methods in Sweden using ordinary materials and with the surroundings by using detail. The hypothesis of this thesis explores the dual nature of the notion of limit in Lewerentz's work, and in Malmó Eastern Cemetery in particular, through the simultaneous creation of separations and connections with various aspects of place and time. This research documents and examines the construction of Malmó Eastern Cemetery by examining original drawings and writings from various archives, field exploration into the project and other cemeteries of the time, and the existing literature. By providing a detailed study of Lewerentz's evolving approach to the relationship between architecture and landscape, this thesis defines a framework in which Lewerentz's work may be understood in a more comprehensive way. Lewerentz was critical of some of the models of his time, although he established different connections with aspects of people's everyday lives. This set of connections defines a particular setting or set of circumstances for the project, which are more of an abstract notion. Within this double role of limits, a space of intersection is generated, which can be understood as a place of convergence for people. In this set of connections, the user is always at the centre of the design. For example, Lewerentz designed a portico that would provide shelter, an avenue of trees to produce a tranquil space of commemoration or a simplified window. This thesis contributes to research in the field of integration of an architectural project in a site, by describing a methodology of design, in which the elements used to subdivide spaces are also used to connect a set of selected references for different scales, locations and times. The dual process involved in building limits encourages proximity to some aspects of the environment, while rejecting others, thereby allowing for a critical perspective and the proposal of alternative situations.

James Turrell and the Northern romantic tradition

"This paper discusses the work of contemporary artist James Turrell as framed by the philosophy of the sublime. Focusing on the artist’s use of the medium of light, it addresses Turrell’s scientific approach to creating artworks and discusses his resolution of the problematic relationship between science and spirituality. This relationship is discussed through the examination of the artist’s use of total visual fields known as ganzfelden and other perceptual phenomena, such as those encountered while piloting aircraft"

Should the ‘outs’ join the European banking union? Bruegel Policy Contribution Issue 2016/03 February 2016

For political reasons, European Union member states’ opinions on joining banking union range from outright refusal to active consideration. The main stance is to wait and see how the banking union develops. The wait-and-see positions are often motivated by the consideration that joining banking union might imply joining the euro. However, in the long term, banking union’s ultimate rationale is linked to cross-border banking in the single market, which goes beyond the single currency. This Policy Contribution documents the banking linkages between the nine ‘outs’ and 19 ‘ins’ of the banking union. We find that some of the major banks based in Sweden and Denmark have substantial banking claims across the Nordic and Baltic regions. We also find large banking claims from banks based in the banking union on central and eastern Europe. The United Kingdom has a special position, with London as both a global and European financial centre. We find that the out countries could profit from joining banking union, because it would provide a stable arrangement for managing financial stability. Banking union allows for an integrated approach towards supervision (avoiding ring fencing of activities and therefore a higher cost of funding) and resolution (avoiding coordination failure). On the other hand, countries can preserve sovereignty over their banking systems outside the banking union.

Jordbruk och boskapsskötsel ...

Earlier statistics published in Sweden. Statistiska centralbyrån. Bidrag til Sveriges officiella statistik. N. Jordbruk- och boskapsskötsel.

Registrerade sjukkassor.

1892-1910 have title: Registrerade sjukkassors verksamhet.