Jimmy Gustafsson Receives Sten-Olof Palm Stipend 2012

The Sten-Olof Palm scholarship was founded by Göteborgs Köpmannaförbund (Gothenburg Merchant Society) in collaboration with the Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce (SACC-USA) and Centre for Retailing at the Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law. The stipend honoree is awarded 180 000 SEK and a 12 month internship at SACC-USA in Washington DC, meant to stimulate interest for, and give the scholar experience in, specific preconditions, challenges and opportunities within wholesale and retail.

Here is this year´s motivation for the scholarship:

”In 2012, the Göteborgs Köpmannaförbunds Sten-Olof Palm scholarship is awarded for the third time. This year´s scholarship has been awarded Jimmy Gustafsson. Jimmy has in the beginning of 2012 earned a bachelor in business administration at the Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law with great merits. Apart from his study merits he has great experience within trade and commerce and clear ambitions to pursue a career within that field. Altogether this makes Jimmy a worthy recipient of the scholarship. We are convinced that his time in Washington D.C. will be of great joy to both Jimmy and the Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce in the USA.”

During the year the scholar will acquire experience in marketing, business administration, sales and project management in an American environment. The intern will be expected to partake in all types of activities but will specifically be managing events, campaigns and other working groups.

“I look forward to learning more about the future challenges in the trade between Sweden and the United States,” said Gustafsson. “This internship gives me the opportunity to develop in an international environment and to get experience and connections for my future career. I am convinced that I will develop my sales, marketing and leadership skills over the time of the internship.”

“The Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce in the USA are key players in promoting trade between Sweden and the United States. We are very fortunate to be able to take part in this unique partnership, connecting academics and trade associations, which so far has provided us with driven and ambitious interns that make a huge difference in our volunteer organization,”  says Therese Linde, President of SACC-USA.

Sten-Olof Palm was a nestor within the trade community in Gothenburg. He earned his degree from the Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law in the early 1960´s. During 1965-1993 he was acting CEO of Göteborgs Köpmannaförbund. Furthermore, he was a driving force behind the foundation of the school research board in 1988 and extremely engaged in the development of connections and collaborations between the academic world and the trade community. Sten-Olof Palm passed away in 2010 at the age of 77.

Any student of the Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law student with a bachelor in Business Administration and a particular interest in trade can apply for the Sten-Olof Palm scholarship. Prior stipend honorees are Sara Dahlén (2010) and Emmy Melander (2011).

Contact information:
Johnolof Olsson, Göteborgs Köpmannaförbund
jannis.olsson@gillblads.se

Kenneth Odéus, Göteborgs Köpmannaförbund
kenneth.odeus@gmail.com

Jimmy Gustafsson, scholar
jimmy.gustafsson1@gmail.com

Johan Hagberg, Centre for Retailing, Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law
johan.hagberg@handels.gu.se