This article demonstrates how Swedish support organisations approach and target immigrant entrepreneurs in terms of categorisation and labelling. In their strategic positioning, and as a result of framing and communicating specific target groups for their activities, organisations simultaneously produce and reproduce categories of clients. We argue that despite its emancipatory intent, the process of categorisation runs the risk of reproducing an inferior Other. Adding prefixes in labelling entrepreneurs may replicate the societal hierarchies that business support initiatives were designed to counteract. This article questions the basis of business support for minority entrepreneurs and is a contribution to wider debates concerned with exposing the constructed nature of entrepreneurship.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the foundation of higher education policies that have promoted entrepreneurship in Sweden since the mid-1990s. Design/methodology/approach To do this, the authors use Bacchi’s (1999) “What’s the problem?” approach. A central assumption of which is that perceptions of a problem affect how its solution looks. Bacchi’s approach is described as a type of discourse analysis. Findings The authors show that problem definition within policies regarding the role and importance of entrepreneurship within higher education has explicitly been directed toward equipping individuals to develop action-orientated skills in the field of entrepreneurship. The equipment of action-oriented skills has implicitly been directed to individuals’ personal initiatives to meet explicit social and collective problems, fueling a neoliberal development and fostering an enterprising culture. The authors also show how policy creates a discourse, which may be characterized as “useful, unreflective citizens.” Research limitations/implications The study addresses the implicit steering that is being exercised through policies. This steering needs to be questioned and problematized in order to avoid blindly following the implied course of action. Originality/value The study contributes to current understanding of how entrepreneurship in higher education is both governed explicitly and implicitly, by policy, through the creation of new norms in society.

Purpose – In line with the growing emphasis on workplace learning, there has been a tendency to abandon traditional Tayloristic models of work organization in favor of more humanistic, flexible and integrated work systems. This study focusses on facilitators of learning in a company that is based on the principles of Toyota production system (TPS). In this paper, the authors are focussing on one central aspect of the TPS, that is, workplace learning. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of empowering leadership, teamwork, innovative climate as facilitators of learning in this specific context. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires (focussing on workplace learning, empowering leadership, teamwork and innovative climate) were distributed to 643 factory workers in the company Scania in Sweden. A total of 487 persons answered the questionnaire, which amounted to a response rate of 76 percent. Findings – The result indicates that empowering leadership was the best predictor, followed by teamwork and innovative climate. Originality/value – From this study, the authors can conclude that the already known predictors of learning can also be applied in a TPS setting. The key features in the TPS company constitute a foundation for learning.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze and contextualize the outcomes of competence development as a restructuring strategy in a company that was significantly affected by the economic recession in 2008. Design/methodology/approach – In the context of restructuring, increased globalization has expanded international competition that in turn has put additional pressure on organizational transformation, restructuring, reorganization and rationalization. Findings – The result indicates that the experience of learning, commitment and job satisfaction have decreased between T1 and T2 (no difference regarding self-efficacy). Originality value – From this study, the authors can conclude that the outcomes of competence development programs are not easily interpreted. Depending on the purpose of the intervention, the results can be interpreted in different ways. It is important to approach the issue of competence development with a wise degree of skepticism.