Darush Yazdanfar

Tell us - who is Darush Yazdanfar?

I obtained my Ph.D. in Business Administration from the Stockholm School of Economics in 2004. In my free time, I enjoy watching football matches, and I read a lot of philosophical and historical books.

What is your research about?

My research interest revolves around financing issues, particularly small business financing and risk management. I often use quantitative methods and econometrics in my studies, and I collaborate primarily with Peter Öhman at CER. Research in the field of finance has resulted in over 35 published articles, and I have published a total of over 50 research articles in international journals.

How did you become interested in this area?

My background in business administration has motivated me to focus on small business financing and their profitability and growth. The reason is that small and medium-sized enterprises constitute the largest portion of Swedish businesses and therefore play a crucial role in terms of employment and growth. I have a particular interest in quantitative methods and econometrics in relation to panel data and time series analysis. In my studies, I prefer to use large datasets to draw general conclusions.

Why is your research needed?

Research on corporate finance, business development, entrepreneurship, and new financing forms is essential, especially from a regional growth perspective. The extensive restructuring taking place in the banking sector and the new priority rights law affecting bank lending make the research area even more relevant.

How do you divide your time between research and teaching?

Currently, I teach part-time and dedicate the remaining time to research.

Dream scenario in terms of your job?

I hope to have more time for my research and thus build upon the already established collaborations with other business administration researchers, both at CER and at other institutions.