BI Open (Norwegian Business School)
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Agile transformation in the energy sector: empowering autonomous teams
Full text linkThis study aims to explore how to structure an energy organization to be more agile in the context of digitalization and find the common success factors and challenges the organizations face to transform. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative multiple-case study of an energy company and an online market company, both from the Nordic countries, was conducted in 2023. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews with 16 participants. Findings This research provides valuable insights into the challenges and critical success factors crucial for a successful digital transformation. The study illuminates the interplay between technological advancements and organizational shifts, the adoption of agile methodologies, the importance of inclusive leadership and the integration of autonomous teams in realizing digital transformation goals. The research emphasizes the profound impact of these factors on the transformational journey within organizations. In particular, the adoption of agile methodologies takes on heightened significance in the swiftly evolving business landscape of today, calling for a transition from project-centric approaches to more adaptive and sustainable product-centric models.acceptedVersio
Neural perspectives on morality due to beguiling mechanisms
Full text linkWe consider deception an example of behavior that challenges traditional explanations of moral behavior. Beguiling mechanisms, by which we mean deceptiveness with charming seduction for diversion, subtly influence moral sensitivity and judgment in moral dilemma situations. The duality of beguiling mechanisms is important to grasp, including how they relate to the ambiguity of situations. Further, we view moral behavior as quasi-adaptive, affectively based, and reliant on the processes of social cognition, arising out of a set of domain-general primitive predispositions that aggregate to produce moral “mindsets” and increasingly complex moral actions. Building on recent theoretical developments, contend that morality involves a complex heterarchical-hierarchical neurological architecture, where activity is dynamically and contextually dependent, as well as dependent on evolved brain structures and early life year socialization. We contribute to conceptualizing moral behavior from an integrated modern neural perspective. This provides a balance between moral decisions as situational, emotional, and genetically completed non-conscious processes, and the more traditional view of conscious reasoning. Beguiling mechanisms illustrate an integrative model of morality, consistent with emerging insights from affective and cognitive neuroscience.publishedVersio
On the Importance of Social Status for Occupational Sorting
Full text linkModels of self-selection predict that occupations with flat wage schedules attract workers of lower average ability. However, in certain prominent occupations such as academia and the civil service, wages are flat yet the average skill level is high. In this paper, I examine whether social status concerns can explain this puzzle. I find that within-occupation status allows flat wage occupations to attract predominantly high-skilled workers, but only at the cost of attracting few workers overall. If, however, workers care about both within- and between-occupation status then occupations paying flat wages can be arbitrarily large and attract workers of high average skill. I conclude that within- and between-occupation status concerns act as complements.publishedVersio
Advice taking when the stakes are high: Evidence from a game show
Full text linkResearch on advice taking has demonstrated a phenomenon of egocentric discounting: people weight their own estimates more than advice from others. However, this research is mostly conducted in highly controlled lab settings with low or no stakes. We used unique data from a game show on Norwegian television to investigate advice taking in a high stakes and highly public setting. Parallel to the standard procedure in judge–advisor systems studies, contestants give numerical estimates for several tasks and solicit advice (another estimate) from three different sources during the game. The average weight of advice was 0.58, indicating that contestants weighted advice more than their own estimates. Of potential predictors of weight of advice, we did not detect associations with the use of intuition (e.g., gut feeling, guessing) and advice source (family, celebrities, average of viewers from hometown), but own estimation success (the proportion of previous rounds won) was associated with less weight of advice. Solicitation of advice was associated with higher stakes. Together with the relatively high weight on advice, this suggests that participants considered the advice valuable. On average, estimates did not improve much after advice taking, and the potential for improvement by averaging estimates and advice was negligible. We discuss different factors that could contribute to these findings, including stakes, solicited versus unsolicited advice, task difficulty, and high public scrutiny. The results suggest that highly controlled lab studies may not give an accurate representation of advice taking in high stakes and highly public settings.publishedVersio
Hva driver boligprisene, og eksisterer det en boligboble i Oslo?
Full text linkBacheloroppgave i Økonomi og administrasjon fra Handelshøyskolen BI, 2024Denne bacheloroppgaven undersøker hvilke faktorer som påvirker boligprisene i Norge. Den vurderer om dagens boligpriser reflekterer en bærekraftig utvikling eller indikerer en boligboble. Oppgaven er strukturert i to hoveddeler: Del 1 analyserer boligprisdrivere i Norge, mens del 2 vurderer om det finnes tegn på en boligboble i Oslo ved hjelp av teoretiske og empiriske verktøy.
Første del av oppgaven tar for seg boligprisdrivere for boligmarkedet i Norge. Tilbud og etterspørsel står sentralt og er også grunnpilaren i boligmarkedet. Teorien om tilbud og etterspørsel tar utgangspunkt i Jacobsen og Naug (2004), som fremhever fire boligprisdrivere: rente, nybygging, husholdningenes inntekt og arbeidsledighet. Modellen viser at husholdningenes inntekt har en sterk og positiv effekt på boligprisene, mens rente og arbeidsledighet viser mer komplekse sammenhenger. Nybygg har begrenset innvirkning på kort sikt grunnet tregheten i byggeprosesser, men på lang sikt kan økt byggeaktivitet bidra til å dempe prisveksten. En annen modell, IS-MP-modellen, brukes for å illustrere hvordan Norges Banks rentepolitikk påvirker etterspørselen etter boliger og boligprisene. Økte renter reduserer husholdningenes lånekapasitet, men kan samtidig reflektere sunn økonomisk vekst som opprettholder etterspørselen.
Andre del av oppgaven fokuserer på Oslo, som har et mer effektivt boligmarked og bedre tilgjengelig data. I denne delen vurderes det hvorvidt boligprisene i Oslo er bærekraftige ved hjelp av Case og Shillers syv kriterier for boligbobler, P/R-indikatoren (price-to-rent ratio) og Tobin’s Q. Analysen peker på at boligmarkedet i Oslo viser tendenser til spekulativ prisvekst, særlig gjennom økte forventninger, samt et sterkt fokus på bolig som investeringsobjekt.
I oppgaven konkluderes det med at boligprisene i Norge, og spesielt Oslo, er sterkt påvirket av makroøkonomiske faktorer som rente, inntekt og tilbud. Selv om Oslo-markedet viser noen tendenser til spekulativ prisvekst, gir ikke analysene noe entydig bevis for en boligboble. Det fremheves i oppgaven at fortsatt overvåking av nøkkelindikatorer som P/R og Tobin’s Q er nødvendig for å vurdere markedets bærekraft
Modeling CSF circulation and the glymphatic system during infusion using subject specific intracranial pressures and brain geometries
Full text linkBackground
Infusion testing is an established method for assessing CSF resistance in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). To what extent the increased resistance is related to the glymphatic system is an open question. Here we introduce a computational model that includes the glymphatic system and enables us to determine the importance of (1) brain geometry, (2) intracranial pressure, and (3) physiological parameters on the outcome of and response to an infusion test.
Methods
We implemented a seven-compartment multiple network porous medium model with subject specific geometries from MR images using the finite element library FEniCS. The model consists of the arterial, capillary and venous blood vessels, their corresponding perivascular spaces, and the extracellular space (ECS). Both subject specific brain geometries and subject specific infusion tests were used in the modeling of both healthy adults and iNPH patients. Furthermore, we performed a systematic study of the effect of variations in model parameters.
Results
Both the iNPH group and the control group reached a similar steady state solution when subject specific geometries under identical boundary conditions was used in simulation. The difference in terms of average fluid pressure and velocity between the iNPH and control groups, was found to be less than 6% during all stages of infusion in all compartments. With subject specific boundary conditions, the largest computed difference was a 75% greater fluid speed in the arterial perivascular space (PVS) in the iNPH group compared to the control group. Changes to material parameters changed fluid speeds by several orders of magnitude in some scenarios. A considerable amount of the CSF pass through the glymphatic pathway in our models during infusion, i.e., 28% and 38% in the healthy and iNPH patients, respectively.
Conclusions
Using computational models, we have found the relative importance of subject specific geometries to be less important than individual differences in resistance as measured with infusion tests and model parameters such as permeability, in determining the computed pressure and flow during infusion. Model parameters are uncertain, but certain variations have large impact on the simulation results. The computations resulted in a considerable amount of the infused volume passing through the brain either through the perivascular spaces or the extracellular space.publishedVersio
Preferring to work from home
Full text linkWhat sort of people like to work from home (WFH)? In this study 1185 adults from different sectors and countries completed a work-related personality test (HPTI) and a self-esteem measure as well as indicating their preference for WFH. Correlations showed that those who were less Adjusted, Conscientious, and Risking Taking showed a preference for WFH. The regression suggested the strongest indicator was sex, degree status, and trait Conscientiousness. We split the sample by sex, age and education and reran the six regressions. Conscientiousness was consistently significant, though other personality factors were important for non-graduates. Explanations and implications of this finding are discussed. The limitations of a cross-sectional study using only self-report data is acknowledged.publishedVersio
Fragmented markets for older antibiotics and child formulations, Denmark, Norway, Sweden
Full text linkAntibiotic resistance is one of the most urgent threats to public health. The development of antibiotic resistance can be reduced by the use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics that target specific bacteria, meaning that fewer non-harmful bacteria are killed and other harmful bacteria are not exposed to selection pressure. However, many narrow-spectrum antibiotics were introduced decades ago and therefore lack regulatory documentation in line with current standards. An additional problem for a reliable supply is that of market fragmentation, where countries with similar resistance patterns and prescribing cultures (e.g. Norway and Sweden) prioritize different formulations and strengths. For example, over half of Sweden’s highest priority paediatric antibiotics are not marketed in Denmark or Norway in the same formulations
or dosages. Such market fragmentation, which can result in the annual demand of a country being smaller than batch production sizes, means that specific strengths and formulations may no longer be economical to supply. Further, once an antibiotic has been withdrawn from the market, it is difficult to attract a new supplier because of the cost of the clinical trials required to update approval of the drug. However, as resistance to antibiotics increases among populations, clinicians need access to the maximum possible range of antibiotics. Regional collaboration, that is, the harmonization of essential medicines lists (including strengths and formulations for older antibiotics) between countries, is a recommended first step towards reliable access to the necessary range of antibiotics.publishedVersio
Positive self-beliefs mediate the association between body appreciation and positive mental health
Full text linkPrevious work has supported direct, positive associations between body appreciation and positive mental health, but has largely neglected to examine possible indirect mechanistic pathways. Here, we propose one relevant mediational pathway, wherein body appreciation is associated with positive mental health via positive self-beliefs (i.e., cognitions that lead individuals to view themselves, their lives, and/or their futures under a positive outlook). To test this hypothesis, we asked an online sample of 496 adults (249 women, 247 men) from the United Kingdom to complete measures of body appreciation, positive self-beliefs, and positive mental health. Participants also completed measures of self-efficacy and resilience, and provided their demographic information. Correlational analysis revealed significant, positive, and strong associations between body appreciation and facets of positive self-beliefs and positive mental health, respectively. Structural equation modelling showed that positive self-beliefs mediated the association between body appreciation and positive mental health after controlling for self-efficacy and resilience. This model was robust across women and men separately, and the mediational effects remained intact in sensitivity and robustness analyses. We discuss ways in which greater body appreciation may help individuals develop and maintain positive self-beliefs, which in turn shape mental health outcomes.publishedVersio
What is a ship design firm, really?
Full text linkShip design is a creative process serving a defined objective. This is normally an iterative process with the design being corrected and adjusted many times until it satisfies this objective. Ship design is taking place in a broader business context consisting of stakeholders providing necessary resources and information to enable the realization of a vessel newbuilding project. Activities performed by different actors, such as customers, suppliers and brokers, are organized by and integrated into a ship design firm. This paper addresses and discusses different ways of organizing integrated design-related activities to deliver on the firm´s value proposition. A value proposition denotes the promised value to a selected customer, and through its value proposition, a ship design firm provides “superior” solutions to a customer’s needs. To enable this solution, a design firm draws on its current resources, including its past knowledge and experiences, and uses these resources in different types of processes, and – in different ways of collaborating with internal and external actors and specialists. In this paper, we draw on approaches from the field of business strategy to understand implications and trade-offs in different logics of value creation processes, how they can be applied in ship design firms, and their implications.What is a ship design firm, really?publishedVersio