PhD student in Employment Relations and Organisational Behaviour
Biography
Originally from Sweden, I trained as a clinical/organisational psychologist (MSc), and worked towards a qualification in psychotherapy. I decided to educate myself further here in London, and whilst working I completed an MA in consultation to the organisation at the University of East London and Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust.
Over the past years I have worked as a research associate at London Business School, where recent research projects include the development of a psychometric measure for use in family firms; a qualitative study of the next generation and a case study series of UK family firms. On the teaching side, I develop and deliver education programmes for family firms. It is my aim to strike a balance between theory and practice. I consult to family firms and operate as an executive coach at London Business School and independently, working with clients such as Société Générale, Deutsche Bank, DeBeers and the NHS.
Research Interests
Subject areas: Close relationships, Exchange and communal relationships, Family business, Personality, Leadership and culture.
My research interests focus on close relationships, personality and leadership. I have a particular interest in how these phenomena manifest themselves in family businesses. These organizations face a particular challenge in managing the dynamic interaction between family and business. Family firms that are able to intelligently strike a balance between the two can utilise the 'family factor' to create a competitive advantage. My interest is in finding out what the preconditions are that enable this to happen – from a family, leadership and organisational behaviour point of view.
My dissertation focuses on companies that are run and/or owned by husband and wife teams; so-called "copreneurs". I use the lens of social exchange theory to investigate the antecedents and outcomes of different types of exchange and communal relationships that operate in the copreneurial relationship. My research is also designed to test propositions about the outcomes of complementarity and similarity on individual difference variables that each partner brings to the copreneurship; and how these variables interact to create satisfaction and commitment to the partnership.
Teaching
-
Family Business: A Guide for Owners, Managers & Advisors (delivery and co-design of the first family business elective offered at the school) London Business School. Block week April 19th-23rd 2010.
-
British Journal of Industrial Relations Teaching Fellowship 2009/2010: MSc; Organisational Change, London School of Economics.
-
MBA; Global Leadership Assessment for Managers training workshop, London Business School, London, September 2008, 2009
-
Masters in Management; Understanding Personality in Teams, London Business School, London Sept 3rd and 4th 2009.
-
HSBC Legacy Programme, Centre for Management Development (custom designed for executive education; CMD) at London Business School. London, June 13th 2009.
-
Ringtons Next Generation Education Programme (custom designed for the Institute for Family Business, UK). London, 27th and 28th September 2007.
Supervisor
Publications and Papers
-
Björnberg, Å. & Coyle-Shapiro, J. (2009). The role of exchange and communal processes in understanding entrepreneurial relationships. Awarded Best Paper, AoM 2009, Entrepreneurship Division. Academy of Management Annual Meeting August 2009, Chicago, Ill.
-
Nicholson, N. & Björnberg, Å. (2008). 'The shape of things to come – Emotional ownership and the next generation in the family firm'. In: J. Tapies & J. Ward (Eds.) Family values and family creation. How do family-owned businesses foster enduring values? London: Palgrave.
-
Björnberg, Å. & Nicholson, N. (2008). Emotional ownership - The critical pathway between the next generation and the family firm. London: The Institute for Family Business, Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie.
-
Björnberg, Å. & Nicholson, N. (2007). Family climate: The development of a new measure for use in family business research. Family Business Review, 20 (3) 229-246.
-
Nicholson, N. & Björnberg, Å. (2006). 'Critical leader relationships in family firms'. In: P. Poutziouris, K.X. Smyrnios & S. B. Klein (Eds.). Handbook of Research on Family Business. Cheltenham (UKJ) and Northampton (Mass.): Edward Elgar Publishing.
-
Shams, M. & Björnberg, Å. (2006). 'Issues in Family Business: an International Perspective'. In: P. R. Jackson & M. Shams (Eds.) Developments in Work and Organizational Psychology: Implications for International Business. London: Elsevier.
-
Nicholson, N. & Björnberg, Å. (2005). Case Reports of the 2005 Family Business Honours: Walkers Shortbread, Bestway, Ringtons, OCS Group. London: JPMorgan Private Bank.