Public Policy for Social Innovations and Social Enterprise—What’s the Problem Represented to Be?

Social innovations and social enterprise have been seen as innovative measures to achieve sustainable development. Drawing on an evaluation of a development project creating enterprises in Sweden, this article analyzes policy area. The area is often described loaded with ideological contradictions. aim the explore underlying premises discourses implementation aimed at comparison between two ideal types sustainability—(1) individual activation strategy (responsibilization individual) (2) societal equilibrium (balancing values). research question inspired by Carol Bacchi’s theory asks what problem represented be? analysis carried out micro-level context-sensitive approach articulations made among actors entrepreneurs participating locally organized project. contribute better understanding how problems their solutions are discursively determined, implications for makers managers active findings indicate significant shift during process. Initially, idea consisted well-considered ambitions create long-term During project, problem’s representation changes gradually direction towards activation. This transition driven pragmatic difficulties defining area, separating means from ends, need make decisions based limited range information. We conclude emphasizing reflection dimension defined when implementing innovation strategies. Furthermore, there lack studies can be linked policies sustainability.