This research deals with microfinance. Microcredit means giving people access to financial resources to borrow a small amount of money to invest in income generating context related to business activities. The study analyzes how microfinance is structured and its influence on business development in Sweden. A multiple case study is applied for data collection. Qualitative data have been collected in form of semi-structured interviews. Direct observation and documents have also been used as data source. The study shows that microfinancecontributes to development of sustainable enterprises and innovative product and services development. It is argued that microfinance leads to sharing risk and financing projects in social enterprises, cooperative businesses and associations. It provides people with social networks, enhances their independence, empowers them and improves the quality of their life by generating economic resources. We suggest future comparative studies on the influence of microfinance on business development and women empowerment in emerging economies and developed countries.

The aim of the study was to explore leadership in social enterprises. It examined how leaders in social enterprises operate by considering insights in their experiences and opinions on the importance of motivation and empowerment of employees. Qualitative data have been gathered using interviews with the leaders of five Swedish social enterprises and research observations. The result shows leaders motivate employees by giving them responsibility, indicating that they are needed and their opinion matters and increasing their self-confidence. Leaders in social enterprises construct a democratic empowering leadership that is context related and adapted to the qualifications of the workforce. They empower employees through delegating duties, supervising them when it is needed; supporting them by giving feedback and encouraging them through open communication, participation and team work. Research on leadership in social enterprises can contribute to the literature by providing an alternative model of successful leadership that empowers employees and seeing the person behind a situation. Leadership descriptors and how succesful leaders function is a vital ethical issue for the development of a democratic participatory leadership. The developed model can be useful for the sustainable development of Social Enterprises, the creation of value for stakeholders and to increase the welfare of the society. For future studies comparative research from the perspective of employees and social enterprises in other countries is suggested to observe aspects important and relevant for the empowerment of employees.

This study analyses the perceptions of consumers with regard to local produced and organic food in the region of Gävleborg, Sweden. The aim of the study is to investigate consumers` attitudes by giving insight in why consumers buy local produced and organic food and how they conceive them. Quantitative data was collected through the use of structured questionnaire. We approached six hundred seventeen consumers outside twelve grocery stores directly after their shopping.  The study shows consumers have the opinion that local produced and organic food have higher quality than other kind of food,  their production supports sustainable environmental development and promotes the local society and local business. Consumers older than 65 years are more positive than younger ones to local produced and organic food and women are willing to pay more for purchasing the food.

The results illustrate that consumers think it is difficult to allocate local produced and organic food in the stores, the assortment is poor and the prices of organic food are high. The correlations between attitudes regarding Organic, Organic Local produced, and Local produced foods show that the consumers consider them as related, but not identical. It also indicates that consumers have vague attitudes about Local Produced foods and lack knowledge to define them.

Differences in price sensitivity demonstrate that consumers are willing to pay more for Organic and Local produced foods, showing there is value in, and demand for reliable guarantee label systems such as KRAV. We suggest a cooperation between public authorities and business organizations to develop trustworthy guarantee label system for Local produced foods.

We see a need for marketing and information campaigns to develop knowledge of what Organic and Local produced foods stand for to increase trust and awareness. By emphasizing on positive partial characteristics such as non-Genetically modified organisms (GMO) in marketing/information campaigns, negative connotation to organic as expensive may be avoided when educating consumers about the definition of organic foods.

We propose comparative studies in other regions and countries as well as studies about visibility and availability of organic and/or local produced foods in the shops.

This paper deals with a comparative study between Brazil, China and Philippines on services marketing. By focusing on culture, standardization/adaptation, trust and network, attempt is made to illustrate how impact of service characteristics can be handled to smooth marketing of health care services internationally. Data has been collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with 21 respondents from Brazil, China, Philippines and Sweden. The result shows that culture has much effect on the operations of Elekta Philippines and China while Brazilian establishment is run by following general marketing practices. Standardization has been common regarding treatment and service quality but some adaptation has taken place in Philippines to treat new diseases not included in the Gamma knife tradition. Trust is found necessary in all the cases but has been built in different ways. In China, guanxi has been used to develop informal relationships with the customers to ensure trust. Trust in Philippines is developed by recruiting relatives and friends and relying on experience in work with old Gamma knife facility. In Brazil, long-term relationships with the customers have been stressed and are built on understanding, business facts, competence and customers' access to Elekta reference centers.

This research analyzes how culture impacts on the international marketing strategy of a Swedish health service provider in India. It examines how confidence in the market is achieved to establish and maintain trust and relationships, which influence the level of standardization and adaption in the market. A case study was conducted and an inductive qualitative research method applied. Data have been collected in the form of semi-structured interviews, direct observation and company documents. We found that the cultural dimensions of power distance, individualism/collectivism and masculinity and femininity imact on trust development, relationships and standardization and adaptation. The study highlights the importance of the cultural context in marketing health services. It reveals that respect for the human face and social responsibility in regional development are required to cultivate relationships and to develop trust and networks. The research contributes to international services marketing literature by developing a model of health services marketing from a cultural context. For future study it is suggested a comparison be made between more culturally distant countries to observe how culture influences the development of marketing strategy in international business.

The purpose of this study is to examine how multinational firms deal with challenges in marketing of health services in emerging markets (EMs). To conduct this study, a qualitative method has been used to focus on the marketing process. A single European health services firm operating in seven EMs and in four continents is studied to highlight the role of context. A theoretical framework is developed for service marketing in EMs based on three levels. The macro level deals with infrastructural factors, while the micro level reflects on the marketing process. The meso level, reflecting the local culture, is interconnected with the other two levels.

This research explores Social Enterprises focusing on Social Marketing.It analyses how social marketing is used and its impact on social enterprises.Multiple cases were applied for data collection and semi-structured interviews, direct observation and written sources of information have been used to collect qualitative data.Cases on Swedish Social Enterprises developed with the aim to create employment and to empower disable people have been conducted in their real life context.The results reveal that social enterprises use relationship marketing and are people oriented.They develop networks with public authorities, businesses and they approach the general public to market the cause of their existence.It is indicated that social cause is important to be embedded in social enterprises marketing to develop positive image, influence public attitude and change behaviors in the society.It is argued that to succeed with social marketing the management of social enterprises should concentrate on the three relational P: s that is People, Process and Physical Evidence to develop relationships with stakeholders in their internal and external environment. The research advances theoretical understanding of social enterprises and social marketing by analysing work integrated Swedish cases and pointing out the importance of communicating the social cause of the business.Managers should recognise that networking with stakeholders is imperative for marketing of the aim of the social enterprise and can contribute making the cause of their presence and their vision visible and thus develop trust and legitimate the business.

The purpose of this research is to investigate how culture impacts on international marketing strategy of a Swedish health service in India, a culturally distant country to Sweden. It is examined how confidence in the market is achieved to establish and maintain trust and relationships, and the level of standardization and adaptation for the acceptance of the service in the foreign market is suggested. A case study was conducted in its real life context. An inductive qualitative research method has been applied and data has been collected in the form of semi-structured interviews, direct observation and company documents. We found that the cultural dimensions of power distance and individualism/collectivism have an impact on trust development, relationships and standardization and adaptation. The study shows that innovative image of the service offering and after service maintenance act as means for competition on the private and public market. Standardization of prices and service processes comprising maintenance of service quality, support contracts and service contracts develop commitment and trust. Personal relationships with the government, doctors and involvement with customers are regarded important and should be adapted to and follow local traditions. It is further demonstrated that moral and emotional issues, respect to the human face, hierarchy and social responsibility for regional development are required to develop relationships, trust and networks. It is argued that word of mouth, tactics and diplomacy sustain the possibility of success for service providers and the acceptance of the health service by local customers. The research contributes to the International services marketing literature by developing a model and extending understanding of internationalization of health services marketing from a culture context. For future studies, it suggests a comparison between more culturally distant countries to observe how culture influences development of marketing strategy in international business. The research shows how managers can establish relationships and networks to gain trust and legitimacy in the local market.

We examine how culture influences the international marketing of health services. This is done by analyzing how culture affects trust, networks and standardization/adaptation and how trust develops and operates in relation to culture, networks and standardization and adaptation. Using qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews and researcher observations, we find that the cultural dimensions of power distance, individualism/collectivism and uncertainty avoidance have an impact on trust, network development and standardization/adaptation. This finding helps in deciding what parts of the service to standardize and what to adapt for successful services marketing. We conceptualize three interrelated levels of trust comprising country-, company- and individual trust. This multilevel trust offers an important understanding of how to manage cultural complexity in the international marketing of services. The theoretical model developed based on cultural dimensions can be useful when marketing services in other countries.