Name: Mattias Nordqvist
Title: Professor in Business Administration with a focus on Entrepreneurship at the House of Innovation

Dr. Mattias Nordqvist is a Professor in Business Administration with a focus on Entrepreneurship at the House of Innovation, Stockholm School of Economics. His work concentrates on entrepreneurship, strategic renewal, and governance in private companies, particularly family businesses.

Hi, nice to meet you! Who are you?

My name is Mattias Nordqvist. I teach entrepreneurship at the House of Innovation, Stockholm School of Economics. I focus on a course called Entrepreneurial Family Firms, which looks at family businesses from an entrepreneurship perspective. This involves understanding how family dynamics and entrepreneurship intersect and influence business practices.

How did you get in contact with SSES?

I’ve known about SSES since its start and have always been interested in its development. When I joined the Stockholm School of Economics in January 2020, I was asked to develop a course on this topic, which was a great opportunity to engage more deeply with SSES and contribute to its mission of fostering entrepreneurship education.

What kind of responsibility does an entrepreneurial school have in society?

Entrepreneurship is about a mindset and a way of acting. Schools have a crucial role in providing a toolbox of skills, examples, and inspirational stories from various entrepreneurs. This helps create a lively entrepreneurial ecosystem. If we believe in the importance of entrepreneurship, we should also believe in the value of entrepreneurship education, which can inspire and equip future entrepreneurs.

Is it possible to teach entrepreneurship?

Yes, though it involves more than just teaching someone to start a business quickly. It’s about nurturing a mindset, thinking proactively, and acting on opportunities. Entrepreneurship education introduces tools and frameworks that help organize thoughts and activities, and also provides role models and inspirational stories that students can learn from. While you can’t guarantee success, you can certainly teach ways to think and act entrepreneurially.

What is your view on entrepreneurship?

Entrepreneurship involves a proactive, creative way of thinking and a commitment to action. It’s about seeing opportunities and creating new things—whether improvements or entirely new ideas. My view has been influenced by my time at Babson College, which focuses heavily on entrepreneurship. It’s not just about thinking but also about acting and putting ideas into practice to create change.

Has your view of entrepreneurship changed over the years?

Yes, it has broadened significantly. Initially, I saw entrepreneurship mainly as starting a new business. Over the years, I have researched corporate entrepreneurship, or intrapreneurship, and non-profit entrepreneurship, like social entrepreneurship, which combines social and business goals. I’ve also explored interdisciplinary approaches, like learning about entrepreneurship through fiction, which can stimulate entrepreneurial imagination.

Are you more diverse in your view on entrepreneurship today than 20 years ago?

Yes, my experiences and research have expanded my understanding of entrepreneurship. While clear definitions are necessary for teaching and research, it’s important to revisit and revise these definitions to embrace diverse perspectives and broaden our horizons.

When you research, you were talking about fiction, how do you capture that in a research context?

Fiction can serve as empirical material, providing historical and ideological insights into entrepreneurship. Many novels focus on entrepreneurs or business families, offering valuable perspectives. Additionally, methods from literary studies help analyze narrative texts, enriching our understanding of entrepreneurial thinking and imagination.

What differentiates you most from your peers? Whether it’s educators or researchers. My focus on long-term business creation and entrepreneurship within family settings sets me apart. I emphasize sustainability and responsibility, looking beyond short-term gains to understand the dynamics of family businesses and their long-term entrepreneurial capacity.

Talkning about SSES: Should today’s students be more entrepreneurial? If so, why? Today’s students are more entrepreneurial because they have grown up valuing entrepreneurship positively. They see it as a viable and respected path, which encourages them to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors.