ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION IN SKÅNE, SWEDEN: HYPE OR HOPE?

Abstract: The entrepreneurship ecosystem in Skåne, Sweden is dynamic with many activities and support for new ventures, and it boasts a wide range of actors. However, there is a lack of empirical research on how the process leads to the success of entrepreneurs in terms of how productive ventures are, how beneficial it is to entrepreneurs and whether there is economic and social contribution to entrepreneurship or the region. Our thesis explores the following research question: How do the key actors of Skåne’s entrepreneurship ecosystem function interdependently to foster productive entrepreneurship? We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 key actors, complemented by analysis of public online information. Upon gathering empirical data, we then used the Gioia Research Methodology to find common themes and aggregate dimensions, derived through first and second order categorization. Our findings show firstly that the interdependence of key actors supports entrepreneurship with connectivity, approachability, and funding whereas there are several activities hindering entrepreneurship such as non-inclusion of different business areas, overlapping and unproductive steps, or lack of a directory of information. Secondly, cultural attributes supporting entrepreneurship include status characteristics, actors wanting to be a part of change, diversity, and inclusion. Lastly, we discover factors supporting productive entrepreneurship that include entrepreneurial outputs and ecosystem outcomes. As a result, our thesis suggests future research to address the issues of excessive unproductive activities and non-inclusion of diverse perspectives and business areas. It also proposes the investigation of the circularity of knowledge and resources, how it emerges and what its tangible effects are in the long run in entrepreneurial ecosystems.