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Abbasian, Saeid
Publications (10 of 24) Show all publications
Abbasian, S. (2016). The anthropology of climate change: an integrated critical perspective, by Hans A. Baer and Merrill Singer [Review]. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 24(7), 1062-1064
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The anthropology of climate change: an integrated critical perspective, by Hans A. Baer and Merrill Singer
2016 (English)In: Journal of Sustainable Tourism, ISSN 0966-9582, E-ISSN 1747-7646, Vol. 24, no 7, p. 1062-1064Article, book review (Refereed) Published
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2016
National Category
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-23742 (URN)10.1080/09669582.2014.990730 (DOI)000382391000011 ()
Note

Book review

Available from: 2014-12-15 Created: 2014-12-15 Last updated: 2020-09-03Bibliographically approved
Abbasian, S. & Yazdanfar, D. (2015). Attitudes towards participation in business development programmes: An ethnic comparison in Sweden. European Journal of Training and Development, 39(1), 59-75
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Attitudes towards participation in business development programmes: An ethnic comparison in Sweden
2015 (English)In: European Journal of Training and Development, ISSN 2046-9012, Vol. 39, no 1, p. 59-75Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose – The aim of the study is to investigate whether there are any differences between the attitudes towards participation in development programmes of entrepreneurs who are immigrants and those who are native-born. Design/methodology/approach – Several statistical methods, including a binary logistic regression model, were used to analyse a unique, firm-level dataset collected by the Swedish Small Business Forum in October and November 2012. The dataset was based on a questionnaire composed of 60 closed questions that was completed by 531 participants representing 395 companies. Findings – Based on the analysis of 15 different attitude variables, the empirical findings are that immigrant managers/owners are more likely to show a positive attitude to participation in development programmes, in terms of nine of those attitude variables, than their native counterparts. Because there are no data about second generation of immigrants in the sample, thus, this category may have had an impact on the results. However, there is no possibility to identify any impact on the results. Originality/value – There is no prior research focusing specifically on this question, and to the authors' knowledge, this study is the first that has attempted to deal with the issue. This study is based on a recent and unique database, and provides new evidence on the relationship between ethnicity and attitude towards participation in development programmes among entrepreneurs. Its context is different from that of prior research.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2015
Keywords
Business development programmes, Ethnicity, Enterprise education, Binary logistic regression
National Category
Social Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-22526 (URN)10.1108/EJTD-02-2014-0012 (DOI)000215135400004 ()2-s2.0-84921044473 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2014-07-28 Created: 2014-07-28 Last updated: 2020-09-21Bibliographically approved
Yazdanfar, D., Abbasian, S. & Brouder, P. (2015). Business Advice Strategies of Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Sweden. Baltic Journal of Management, 10(1), 98-118
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Business Advice Strategies of Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Sweden
2015 (English)In: Baltic Journal of Management, ISSN 1746-5265, E-ISSN 1746-5273, Vol. 10, no 1, p. 98-118Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there are any significant differences between native Swedish and immigrant entrepreneurs in business advice sought at start-up.

Design/methodology/approach – The study, based on a unique and large database consisting of 304 immigrant and 2,512 native-owned firms, applies several univariate and multivariate statistical methods including ANOVA and regression analysis.

Findings – According to the results there are certain similarities and differences between Swedish native- and immigrant-owned firms concerning the type of external business advice they seek. The results suggest there are significant differences between native and immigrant-owned firms for four of 20 types of advice received. Native-owned firms, on average, tend to seek more advice on accounting and on the choice of business form as well as the help of a knowledgeable person. On the other hand, immigrants seek, on average, more advice on export questions than their native counterparts.

Research limitations/implications – This research contributes to policy-making by helping authorities gain a better understanding of the impact of immigrant background on business network decisions at the nascent stage of development. Immigrant access to good advice in the nascent stage should increase new firm survival. This study does not, however, measure performance. As this research is based on aggregate level secondary data, more specific analysis has been impossible. This is an important limitation of this paper. In addition, immigrants are not homogenous groups and they differ in age, education, work experiences, etc. The results should therefore be interpreted carefully.

Originality/value – This paper is one of the first and few empirical studies investigating the issue of immigrant business advice strategies in the Swedish context. The study provides a detailed overview of how ethnicity influences entrepreneurs’ use of external business advice in the firm formation stage for micro and small firms.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2015
Keywords
ANOVA, Ethnicity, External business advice, Small firms, Sweden
National Category
Social and Economic Geography Economics and Business
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-23158 (URN)10.1108/BJM-01-2014-0018 (DOI)000349641300005 ()2-s2.0-84921056687 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2014-10-08 Created: 2014-10-08 Last updated: 2017-12-05Bibliographically approved
Yazdanfar, D. & Abbasian, S. (2015). Gender and the use of external business advice: A Swedish study. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 7(1), 105-124
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Gender and the use of external business advice: A Swedish study
2015 (English)In: International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, ISSN 1756-6266, E-ISSN 1756-6274, Vol. 7, no 1, p. 105-124Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose – The aim of this study is to examine whether there are significant differences betweenfemale and male entrepreneurs’ use of consultation during business start-ups.Design/methodology/approach – Using several statistical tools, including ANOVA and seeminglyunrelated regressions, empirical analyses are conducted on a unique and firm-level panel database of837 female- and 1926 male-owned active small firms.Findings – The results indicate that gender may be an important variable in the use of advice amongsmall business owners in Sweden. Female owners in this study are shown to be more eager than maleowners to use external business advice, and do so to a higher extent.Practical implications – One implication of this study is that firms may not be able to use allbusiness advice types simultaneously during their start-up stage, so an ordered list of consultancyservices would help them prioritize and adjust their needs accordingly. Because the use of businessadvice is context-based, the findings of this study may not be generalized to firms in othercountries. This paper shows some gender-based attributes/features relating to the use of businessadvice, which need to be better integrated into policymaking for the future assistance of smallbusinesses.Originality/value – This article focuses on an important issue and is unique partly because fewstudies have examined the relationship between gender and external business advice. By explicitly andempirically examining this issue, this article makes a contribution to the small- and medium-sizedenterprises’ literature.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2015
Keywords
Business Advice, Gender, Small firms, SUR model
National Category
Business Administration Human Geography
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-24036 (URN)10.1108/IJGE-05-2014-0016 (DOI)000214083100006 ()2-s2.0-84924292350 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2015-01-07 Created: 2015-01-07 Last updated: 2020-09-21Bibliographically approved
Abbasian, S. & Yazdanfar, D. (2015). Gender as a determinant of informal capital in the financing of small firms' start-ups: Swedish data. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 24(2), 249-267
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Gender as a determinant of informal capital in the financing of small firms' start-ups: Swedish data
2015 (English)In: International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, ISSN 1476-1297, E-ISSN 1741-8054, Vol. 24, no 2, p. 249-267Article in journal, Meeting abstract (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This research explores the differences in informal capital acquisition between female- and male-owned firms in the start-up stage in Sweden. A binary logistic regression model is used to analyse a sample including 836 female- and 1928 male-owned firms in 2008, providing 47,022 observations. The results indicate that the main explanatory variable, gender, is significant in distinguishing between female- and male-owned firms with regards to the use of informal capital in terms of loans from family members. Thus, female-owned firms tend to rely more on loans from family members than male-owned firms. The findings also indicate that one control variable, namely owners previous experience of starting up a company, negatively influences the use of loans from family members as a financing source in the start-up stage. This study is based on a unique and large sample including many different variables compared with previous research. Knowledge on the differences between Swedish female- and male-owned firms in using informal capital in the start-up stage is limited and ambiguous. The presented results contribute to research into small firm financing by adding insight into the relationships between informal capital acquisition, gender, and other relevant variables.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Switzerland: InderScience Publishers, 2015
Keywords
Female-owned firms, Small business finance, Source of funding, Gender
National Category
Economics and Business Social and Economic Geography
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-22660 (URN)10.1504/IJESB.2015.067290 (DOI)2-s2.0-84961290817 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2014-08-24 Created: 2014-08-24 Last updated: 2017-07-04Bibliographically approved
Kremel, A., Yazdanfar, D. & Abbasian, S. (2014). Business Networks at Start-up: Swedish Native-Owned and Immigrant-Owned Companies. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 22(3), 307-325
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Business Networks at Start-up: Swedish Native-Owned and Immigrant-Owned Companies
2014 (English)In: International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, ISSN 1476-1297, E-ISSN 1741-8054, Vol. 22, no 3, p. 307-325Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The aim of this study is to examine the differences between native Swedish and immigrant entrepreneurs' business networks at start-up stage. The study is based on a database consisting of 261 immigrant- and 2,463 native-owned companies, applying several univariate and multivariate statistical methods. Immigrant entrepreneurs' business networks are less likely to include mainstream contacts at the start-up stage than native born entrepreneurs. Thus, ethnicity is an important variable explaining differences in such networks at the start-up stage. A combination of both mainstream and immigrant networks has the potential to give rise to more growth for immigrant-owned businesses. As a result, these businesses may have potential to create new jobs for unemployed immigrants. This study provides a deeper understanding of how ethnicity may influence the entrepreneurs' use of business networks. It may lead to policy makers considering access to mainstreaming networks as an important issue in the social and economic integration.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
UK: InderScience Publishers, 2014
Keywords
business networks, ethnicity, start-up, immigrant network, Sweden, integration
National Category
Economics and Business Social and Economic Geography
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-20898 (URN)10.1504/IJESB.2014.063778 (DOI)2-s2.0-84904765025 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2013-12-26 Created: 2013-12-26 Last updated: 2017-12-06Bibliographically approved
Yazdanfar, D., Abbasian, S. & Hellgren, C. (2014). Competence development and performance among Swedish micro firms. European Journal of Training and Development, 38(3), 162-179
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Competence development and performance among Swedish micro firms
2014 (English)In: European Journal of Training and Development, ISSN 2046-9012, Vol. 38, no 3, p. 162-179Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: This study examines the association between performance and competence development among Swedish micro firms, measured as number of hours per person a company allocates annually to competence development. Design/methodology/approach: A panel dataset consisting of around 395 firms will be analyzed using seemingly unrelated regression-model (SUR-model) for relationships between the hours allocated to competence development and various proxies for business performance, and the relationship between attending a business training program and various proxies for business performance. Findings: The empirical results are mixed showing a positive association between owners' attendance on a business training program and company performance merely with regard to four performance variables: better job satisfaction within a company, increased number of employees, organizational improvements and increased exports. However, the findings provide no evidence to suggest that there is a link between competence development and other performance variables. Practical implications: The present study provides a better understanding of the relationship between company performance and competence development. An investment in entrepreneur training and education could ensure the improvement of the performance of micro firms. This implication is especially relevant to firms in such industries as the service sectors, which are highly competitive. Originality/value: This study is based on a unique sample including many relevant variables, compared to previous researches. To the authors' best knowledge, this study is the one of the first empirical investigations focusing on this issue in the Swedish context.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2014
Keywords
Performance, Micro firms, Business training, SUR model
National Category
Social Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-19980 (URN)10.1108/EJTD-10-2013-0106 (DOI)2-s2.0-84899747660 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2013-10-05 Created: 2013-10-05 Last updated: 2020-10-27Bibliographically approved
Yazdanfar, D. & Abbasian, S. (2014). Debt financing among native- and immigrant-owned firms: empirical evidence from Swedish small business at start up stage. World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 10(4), 422-434
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Debt financing among native- and immigrant-owned firms: empirical evidence from Swedish small business at start up stage
2014 (English)In: World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, ISSN 1746-0573, E-ISSN 1746-0581, Vol. 10, no 4, p. 422-434Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This paper provides evidence on ethnic differences in bank debtfinancing among small Swedish firms at the start-up stage. The empiricalanalysis is carried out on a sample of small firms consisting of 2,814native- and immigrant-owned firms for year 2008. The method of binarylogistic regression analysis was mainly performed to analyse the data. Theempirical results suggest that immigrant-owned firms tend to use less bank debtthan their native counterparts. Moreover, the variables related to human capital,previous experience of starting a business, university education and anadditional job beside the business have a positive impact on the use of bankdebt. There is also a positive influence of personal start capital and the size offirm in terms of number of employees on access to debt capital. However, firmcharacteristics, legal form and industry affiliation affect the debt fundingnegatively, indicating that firms with less formalised legal status operating inless developed market segments and with less physical capital are less likely tohave access to debt capital.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Switzerland: InderScience Publishers, 2014
Keywords
Bank debt, Ethnicity, Small business finance, Credit Constraints
National Category
Social Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-17464 (URN)10.1504/WREMSD.2014.064950 (DOI)2-s2.0-84907585420 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2012-11-28 Created: 2012-11-28 Last updated: 2017-12-07Bibliographically approved
Abbasian, S., Yazdanfar, D. & Hedberg, C. (2014). The determinant of external financing at the start-up stage: Empirical evidences from Swedish data. World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 10(1), 124-141
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The determinant of external financing at the start-up stage: Empirical evidences from Swedish data
2014 (English)In: World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, ISSN 1746-0573, E-ISSN 1746-0581, Vol. 10, no 1, p. 124-141Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Small firms in general have limited access to funding, which is a major problem for entrepreneurs. In particular, this problem is evident for women and ethnic minority groups. The purpose of the study is to examine empirically the impact of gender, ethnicity and other relevant variables on the access to external financing of new small firms. A sample of 2,764 female- And male-owned small businesses, based on a unique and large database gathered through interviews, was investigated employing binary logistic regression models. The results suggest that both gender and ethnicity are significant explanatory variables influencing the access to external capital at the start-up stage. Entrepreneurs' age, experience of starting businesses and education, as well as additional jobs beside their own business, are other variables that influence the way in which entrepreneurs finance their business. Moreover, firm characteristics in terms of personal start-up capital, firm size and legal form have an impact on financing behaviour at start-up. Since the knowledge about this issue is limited, the results of this study add to our understanding of the variables affecting the behaviour of small business endeavours in seeking funding at start-up.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Switzerland: InderScience Publishers, 2014
Keywords
Gender, ethnicity, small business finance, informal capital, start-up capital
National Category
Social Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-17359 (URN)10.1504/WREMSD.2014.058042 (DOI)2-s2.0-84889643425 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2012-11-16 Created: 2012-11-16 Last updated: 2020-09-10Bibliographically approved
Yazdanfar, D. & Abbasian, S. (2013). Ethnicity and the pattern of capital acquisition at start-up stage:: differences between small Swedish native and immigrant-owned firms. International Journal of Business and Globalisation, 10(4), 357-371
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Ethnicity and the pattern of capital acquisition at start-up stage:: differences between small Swedish native and immigrant-owned firms
2013 (English)In: International Journal of Business and Globalisation, ISSN 1753-3627, E-ISSN 1753-3635, Vol. 10, no 4, p. 357-371Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The aim of the study was to explain empirically the differences in external financing between native– and immigrant–owned small businesses in terms of ethnicity and other relevant variables. A sample of 2,814 native– and immigrant–owned small businesses, based on a unique and comprehensive database gathered through interviews, was analysed employing several univariate and multivariate methods. The results suggest that ethnicity is an important explanatory variable differentiating between acquisitions of external capital at start–up stage. Owner characteristics such as age, experience of starting businesses and education also have an impact on finance–seeking behaviour and thereby on the acquisition of external capital. The findings indicate that characteristics of the firm, such as personal start–up capital, firm size, legal form and industrial sector, do partly influence access to external capital. Since knowledge about this issue is limited, the results of this study add to our understanding of variables affecting the behaviour of small business endeavours in seeking funding at start–up.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Switzerland: InderScience Publishers, 2013
Keywords
immigrant-owned firms; informal capital sources; ethnicity; smallbusiness finance factor analysis
National Category
Economics and Business Social and Economic Geography
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-19015 (URN)10.1504/IJBG.2013.054383 (DOI)2-s2.0-84879201082 (Scopus ID)ETOUR (Local ID)ETOUR (Archive number)ETOUR (OAI)
Available from: 2013-05-30 Created: 2013-05-30 Last updated: 2017-09-18Bibliographically approved
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