The Scandinavian route to sustainability: A thematic content analysis of policy measures within Sweden and Denmark’s innovation ecosystems

Sustainability has emerged as a central tenet of contemporary corporate strategy. Over time, organizations have evolved from neglecting sustainability to embedding it as a critical component of their strategic frameworks. Embracing sustainability generates numerous opportunities, including alternative product and service development, optimized resource utilization, job creation, and innovative managerial practices. This study examines the role of regional policymakers within selected Innovation Ecosystems (IEs) by analysing the policies and measures contained in Operational Programmes (OPs) aligned with Goal 9 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adopting a qualitative methodology, the research focuses on the regional contexts of Stockholm (Sweden) and Hovedstaden (Denmark)—two Scandinavian regions recognized for their excellence in innovation and sustainability according to the Regional Innovation Scoreboard (RIS). The analysis employs Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) to systematically evaluate and compare the programmes and measures included in the 2014–2020 OPs. TCA provides a structured approach to organizing, describing, and interpreting qualitative data (Braun & Clarke, 2006), thereby facilitating an in-depth understanding of regional policy orientations. Goal 9 of the 2030 Agenda, which emphasizes resilient infrastructure, sustainable industrialization, and innovation, serves as the analytical lens for codifying and interpreting the OPs. Accordingly, the study adopts the “Triple-I” paradigm—Infrastructure, Industrialization, and Innovation—as the framework for classification. Policies and measures resonating with these objectives are coded and grouped into thematic families, which are then categorized under the Triple-I macro-areas. This structured analysis offers insights into how regional policymakers promote sustainability within Innovation Ecosystems. The expected results will highlight a range of sustainability-related measures implemented by the selected regions, particularly those linked to SDG 9’s Triple-I framework. By categorizing policymakers’ approaches based on the scope and nature of the adopted measures, the study hypothesizes the existence of two distinct policy orientations: 1)Balance-Oriented: Characterized by an even allocation of resources across infrastructure, industrialization, and innovation objectives. 2) Business-Oriented: Focused primarily on industrialization and innovation, aiming to foster entrepreneurship, stimulate business growth, and enhance technological advancement. This typology is intended to shed light on policymakers’ strategic orientations towards sustainability and to provide insights into the effectiveness and implications of differing regional policy approaches.