Private Enterprises as Actors in Integration Processes in Denmark

Sammanfattning: Within integration policies in Denmark, something new has happened. Private enterprises have been included in the delivery of a public policy in a Public-Private Partnership that aims at integrating refugees into society. The current issue of the welfare state is to provide public services without increasing the cost for the taxpayers. Public-Private Partnerships can be seen as a solution to this issue. Public-Private Partnership is not a new process in public policies, however it is a new process dealing with integration policies. Through the theoretical perspectives of sociological institutionalism and partnership theories, this thesis uncovers how imitation and roles affect the behavior of institutions and their willingness to partner up in a Corporate Social Responsibility program. Moreover, the structural practice of the partnership is investigated to uncover how the partnership is structured between the two actors. This thesis adopts a qualitative approach and interviews key representatives of the case to generate data for the analysis. The conclusion displays that institutional roles and traditions affect the structure of the partnership and the responsibility for the process of integration. Moreover, the conclusion emphasizes that more structure in organizing a Corporate Social Responsibility program in the integration process in Denmark is needed. Suggesting that further research must be ensured to evaluate the integration program when more time has gone by and results of the program can be seen in a more longitudinal perspective. Furthermore, upscaling the interview sample will be crucial to investigate whether the structural issues found in this thesis are common for all municipalities and private enterprises in the process of the integration program in Denmark.