| 1. |
- Ahl, Helene, 1958-, et al.
(author)
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From feminism to FemInc.ism : On the uneasy relationship between feminism, entrepreneurship and the Nordic welfare state
- 2016
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In: The International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1554-7191 .- 1555-1938. ; 12:2, s. 369-392
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Feminism in the Nordic countries was primarily formulated in terms of ‘state feminism’. The women’s movement cooperated with feminist government officials and politicians, resulting in societies that can be considered to be the most gender-equal societies in the world. Historically, the state provided for a large publicly-financed welfare sector which made it possible for many women to combine work and family through the state’s implementation of family-friendly policies, while simultaneously providing employment opportunities for many women. However, since the financial crisis of the 1990s, there has been a political change influenced by neo-liberal thought, in which politicians have handed over the welfare state’s responsibilities to the market, and, instead, the politicians have encouraged entrepreneurship, not least among women. Further to this development, there has been a change in emphasis from entrepreneurship (understood as starting and running a business) to entrepreneurialism which, in addition to a belief in the efficacy of market forces, also contains a social dimension where individuals are supposed to be flexible and exercise choice. In this article, we ask whether this entails a change in the feminist project in the Nordic countries, and if so, what the likely consequences are for this project, both in practice and in research. In order to answer this question, we reviewed existing Nordic research on women’s entrepreneurship and examined how this body of work conceptualizes entrepreneurship, gender, the state, and equality. We also considered whether any trends could be identified. We relate our findings to recent changes in government policy and conclude that the current discourse on entrepreneurship challenges, and possibly weakens, state feminism, but we also conclude that this discourse may also provide space for new forms of feminist action, in market terms. We coin the term FemInc.ism to denote feminist action through enterprise and we discuss a number of important challenges that research on this phenomenon is faced with.
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| 2. |
- Berglund, Karin, 1967-, et al.
(author)
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To play or not to play: that is the question : entrepreneuring as gendered play
- 2015
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0956-5221 .- 1873-3387. ; 31:2, s. 206-218
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- How can play be used to unravel the discourse of the gendered hero entrepreneur and instead describe mundane entrepreneuring? Further, how can the doing of gendered social orders be problematized when entrepreneuring is equated with play? In this article we answer these questions by engaging with the French social theorist Caillois’ (1961) conceptualization of play as being at the heart of all higher culture. Two ethnographic cases act as our vehicle in analysing play as entrepreneuring. From a rich description of these cases we find that it is not a question of playing or not playing, but about how to play. All four forms of play described by Caillois are present, which illustrates the variation of entrepreneuring and the richness of activities conducted in the ‘doing of entrepreneurship’. Further, both ways of playing discussed by Caillois are found. Whilst these two ways are interrelated on a continuum in the theory of play, they have been separated in entrepreneurship discourse, where they underpin the tendency to differentiate between the hero entrepreneur and ordinary people. Finally, we engage in a more interpretive and reflective discussion on entrepreneuring as performative acts through which social orders can be not only reproduced but also transformed.
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| 3. |
- Berglund, Karin, et al.
(author)
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Women's entrepreneurship, neoliberalism and economic justice in the postfeminist era : a discourse analysis of policy change in Sweden
- 2018
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In: Gender, Work and Organization. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0968-6673 .- 1468-0432. ; 25:5, s. 531-556
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Since the early 1990s, there has been investment in women's entrepreneurship policy (WEP) in Sweden, which continued until 2015. During the same period, Sweden assumed neoliberal policies that profoundly changed the position of women within the world of work and business. The goals for WEP changed as a result, from entrepreneurship as a way to create a more equal society, to the goal of unleashing women's entrepreneurial potential so they can contribute to economic growth. To better understand this shift we approach WEP as a neoliberal governmentality which offers women 'entrepreneurial' or 'postfeminist' subject positions. The analysis is inspired by political theorist Nancy Fraser who theorized the change as the displacement of socioeconomic redistribution in favour of cultural recognition, or identity politics. We use Fraser's concepts in a discourse analysis of Swedish WEP over two decades, identifying two distinct discourses and three discursive displacements. Whilst WEP initially gave precedence to a radical feminist discourse that called for women's collective action, this was replaced by a postfeminist neoliberal discourse that encouraged individual women to assume an entrepreneurial persona, start their own business, compete in the marketplace and contribute to economic growth. The result was the continued subordination of women business owners, but it also obscured or rendered structural problems/solutions, and collective feminist action, irrelevant.
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| 4. |
- Elg, Mattias, et al.
(author)
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Sustainable development in organizations
- 2015. - 1
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In: Sustainable development in organizations. - Cheltenham : Edward Elgar Publishing. - 9781784716882 - 9781784716899 ; , s. 1-15
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)
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| 5. |
- Elg, Mattias, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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Sustainable working life development through interactive research
- 2018
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In: PIN-C Conference Proccedings. ; , s. 1-5
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Interactive research has emerged as a new approach to collaborative research in working life research, and it is characterized by a continuous joint learning process between the researchers and the practitioners. In this paper we argue that interactive research is a way to advance scientific knowledge about the development of new types of work arrangements and development of sustainable working life. We present the basic ideas and benefits of the interactive research approach, illustrated through a practical case, the HELIX Competence Centre and discuss potential limitation and challenges associated with this form of collaborative research.
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| 6. |
- Högberg, Lena, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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Contextualising the coevolution of (dis)trust and control : a longitudinal case study of a public market
- 2018
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In: Journal of Trust Research. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2151-5581 .- 2151-559X. ; 8:2, s. 192-219
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Research into the dynamics of trust?control is still inconclusive. In this paper, we offer an in-depth understanding of how (dis)trust and control coevolve as embedded in multiple dimensions of context. The paper focuses on public markets, a context which is underrepresented in extant studies on trust and control. Our analysis is based on a longitudinal case study of interorganisational relationships (IOR) between boundary spanners representing purchaser and providers on a customer choice market for home care in a midsized municipality in Sweden. We identify, narrate and analyse critical incidents during seven years of the process. A conceptual framework contextualising the trust?control nexus of a public?private IOR is developed and utilised. We find that while the public?private IOR context requires control, control only enables deterrence trust from the municipal officers and only in individual providers. Interferential rather than symbiotic coevolution of trust and control is the dominating pattern. In addition, we find what we denote as mixed coevolution, where control simultaneously has positive and negative impact on trust. In our case in point, control enables trust in specific providers but this trust is not reciprocated due to experienced distrust on the category level.
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| 7. |
- Högberg, Lena, 1979-, et al.
(author)
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New forms of organization : new ways to organize
- 2015
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In: Sustainable development in organizations. - Cheltenham : Edward Elgar Publishing. - 9781784716882 - 9781784716899 ; , s. 169-184
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Organizations are central to our way of organizing society and understanding the phenomenon of organizing within and between organizations is hence important. In this chapter we focus on dimensions of mobility in efforts at organizing within and between organizations as well as between sectors. It is argued that the public sector is a good place to start if one wants to capture facets of contemporary society, as an understanding of the changes taking place in the public sector is also a means of grasping the increasing hybridisation of organizations taking place also in private and third sectors. In our analysis we highlight examples of intraorganizational, interorganizational and intersectoral organizing and how mobility can be a tool and a goal, as well as a problem and a solution. When it comes to gender, however, the striking image is one of immobility rather than mobility.
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| 8. |
- Johannisson, Bengt, 1942-, et al.
(author)
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Organizing Societal Entrepreneurship : A Cross-Sector Challenge
- 2015. - 1
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In: Handbook of Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development Research. - Cheltenham : Edward Elgar Publishing. - 9781849808231 - 9781849808248 ; , s. 130-154
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Allying and expanding the diverse fields of entrepreneurship and sustainable development research is a modern day imperative. The Handbook of Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development Research cuts through the different approaches and perspectives of the two fields to point the way ahead for research on sustainable entrepreneurship, outlining the motivation, intentions and impact of ecopreneurs in a local, national and global context.This Handbook paints an illuminating picture of the historic and current understanding of the bond between entrepreneurship and sustainable development. The authors explore the basic contradictions between the two fields and outline the transformative role entrepreneurship can play in achieving sustainable development. 45 expert researchers and their research communities from 16 countries across Europe, Africa, Australia and North America provide original and informative contributions on a variety of issues, from women’s empowerment to climate change and organic farmers to ecotourism.With current and authorative contributions spanning the globe, this Handbook will inspire researchers, teachers and policy-makers to compose their own understanding and contribution on the fast expanding field of entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
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| 9. |
- Nählinder, Johanna, 1973-, et al.
(author)
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Towards a gender-aware understanding of innovation : a three-dimensional route
- 2015
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In: International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1756-6266 .- 1756-6274. ; 7:1, s. 66-86
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose– The purpose of this study is to discuss the theory of gender bias in innovation studies, to illustrate the gender bias of innovation studies by using empirical means and to suggest what is needed to reduce such bias. Previous studies on innovation have primarily focussed on male-dominated industries. These studies have been biased and hence unable to capture the range of innovations covered by theoretical definitions.Design/methodology/approach– An innovation survey was conducted among entrepreneurs in the traditionally “female-labelled” health-care industry, avoiding the “male-labelled” concept of innovation itself in the questionnaire. The authors endeavoured to ascertain whether there is a significant difference between males and females in terms of innovativeness. Quantitative analyses were used to analyse the results and draw comparisons with an ordinary innovation survey.Findings– Using a gender-aware operationalisation of innovation, no significant difference in innovativeness was found between men and women. This suggests that more attention is needed to correct the prevailing gender bias in innovation studies. A research model is presented to further understand the gender-biased operationalisations of innovation. Each of its three dimensions has a clear impact upon perceived innovativeness: the gender-label of the sector studied, the gender-neutrality of the operationalisation used in the study and the gender of the actors involved. All dimensions should be taken into account in future innovation studies that aim for gender neutrality.Practical implications– Operationalisations for measuring innovations are usually biased. Therefore, women appear less innovative, which, in turn, leads to less visibility.Originality/value– Gender perspectives are very seldom employed in innovation studies. In quantitative studies of this sort, it is even rarer. Our empirical evidence from the quantitative study shows the urgency of the need to broaden the concept both in academic, political and public debates. This is not the least for efficiency reasons in resource allocation and public policy.
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| 10. |
- Pettersson, Katarina, et al.
(author)
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In the name of women? : Feminist readings of policies for women's entrepreneurship in Scandinavia
- 2017
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Management. - : Elsevier. - 0956-5221 .- 1873-3387. ; 33:1, s. 50-63
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Policy actors seeking to stimulate entrepreneurship sometimes give special attention to women. It is not given, however, that policy initiatives for women entrepreneurs necessarily contribute to gender equality, to social change for women - such as enhancing entrepreneurship as a means to women's wellbeing and financial or other independence - or to gendered change of society. We claim that the outcomes depend on the premises behind the policies. The purpose of this paper is to conduct an analysis of the feminist approaches that are taken in policies for women's entrepreneurship in the Scandinavian countries. We analyse how these policies argue for women's entrepreneurship, how they position women, and what assumptions they hold with respect to women and their businesses. We analyse and compare state-level polices that have been implemented by the national governments in three Scandinavian countries; Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, during the period 2005-2015. A comprehensive analytical tool, building on six different feminist theoretical approaches, is developed. We find that, even if a liberal feminist perspective is present, along with elements of other feminist approaches, polices give precedence to economic growth in a non-feminist fashion. Over time, economic growth becomes the key focus, while feminist approaches are silenced. We observe that, in the name of supporting women, the actual aim of policies for women entrepreneurs often seems to be economic growth, and women are seen merely as an untapped, and yet not fully adequate, resource. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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