This thesis examines social entrepreneurship in the three Scandinavian countries Sweden, Denmark and Norway, and studies the scientific, political, and practical approach to entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship. Through comparative study of economic theories, and field survey with 27 respondents from Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, the thesis explains how and why social entrepreneurship is important for the economic development in Scandinavia. Findings reveal that there has been considerable activity in the field of social entrepreneurship for the last 25 years. The thesis contributes to the ongoing discussions on social entrepreneurship and its role in development of the Scandinavian countries. Nadina Helen Bakos is an Honorary Research Fellow at Fil. Dr. Jan-U. Sandal Institute in Norway. She has studied social entrepreneurship since 2009.

Preface
I discovered social entrepreneurship and social innovation for the first time in 2008. I was curious about entrepreneurship with impact because as an entrepreneur myself, it wasn’t enough for me to only focus on the financial part of entrepreneurship, I wanted my activity to have a broader impact on society in addition to monetary profit and creating jobs. My ambition to learn more led me and my previous business partner, Merete Grimeland, to interview people who called themselves social entrepreneurs from 2009 to 2012. Many of the interviews can be found online and on YouTube.
Through this work, I came into contact with Professor Fil. Dr. Jan-Urban Sandal and I participated in SUMMITs - Conversations on Emerging Issues in SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP organized by the Fil. Dr. Jan-U. Sandal Institute. The conversations and discussions at the summits made me realize that political policies and regulations dating back to the 19th Century had a huge impact on entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship in Scandinavia, and this propelled me to approach social entrepreneurship and innovation from a scientific perspective.
I have studied entrepreneurship, innovation, the welfare state, financial systems, and management. I have spent a significant part of my time reading works by other scientists. The result of my work is available here. The 9 articles listed in this thesis have been published in international journals and are available for free online.
The world develops, welfare states change, new and efficient innovations are presented, and entrepreneurs create. I hope this scientific study will be a valuable contribution to the field of social entrepreneurship, both in Scandinavia and globally.
I would like to extend my thanks to Professor Fil. Dr. Jan-Urban Sandal for invaluable help and guidance, and to the other honorary research fellows at Fil. Dr. Jan-U. Sandal Institute for engaging discussions on social entrepreneurship and innovation. I would also like to thank Kleng Bråtveit, my test subject for the article “Social Entrepreneurship in Scandinavia: a field survey”, and thanks to the 27 respondents who participated in the field survey.
Last but not least, I want to thank my family and friends, colleagues in my professional network, and entrepreneurs who inspire and support me every day.
Oslo, December 2024.
Nadina Helen Bakos