Mikael Holmqvist visits VRG five years later …

Mikael Holmqvist is Professor at the Stockholm Business School. His focus is work, organizations and society. He previously taught at Uppsala University and was a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University and a Visiting Fellow at Cornell University.

Author Mikael Holmqvist investigated the social environment of Djursholm for nearly five years.  He has summarized and published his findings in the book, Djursholm, Sveriges Ledarsamhälle.

Last week, Mikael visited our Sociology class to present his research, his book and also discuss the role of education in a society.  He explained how his background as an economics professor influenced his research. In his research, he has examined the morals-in-use, values and social norms of this particular community.

Students listened actively, asked good questions and debated both methodology and ideas presented in the book.

”We are more students at this school who do not live in Djursholm, how would that affect your research if you repeated the study today?” 

"You have grown up in a similar society/school as that described in Djursholm, do you think this has affected your findings/    analysis?"

”Analysis in the book is sometimes referring to what you, as an outsider, observed … in some cases ”the values of something” are not visible unless you know where to look?  Could you have missed important aspects?”

It is always interesting when we study research results that focus on our local environment.  To have the researcher/author here in person to answer our detailed questions makes the experience even more relevant and meaningful.

Thanks to Mikael Holmqvist for visiting VRG.

Thanks, also, to Tim for organizing this informative and engaging visit.