To see what European business could become, look to the Nordics
The region produces an impressive number of corporate giants
Nordic countries have long been considered exemplars of good public policy. Politicians around the world admire Denmark’s social safety-net, Finland’s hospitals, Sweden’s system of parental leave and Norway’s prisons. What gets less attention is that these countries also excel at nurturing world-beating businesses. They have only 0.3% of the world’s population and generate about 1% of global GDP, but produce plenty of corporate giants, from IKEA, the world’s biggest furniture-seller, to Lego, its largest toymaker, and Novo Nordisk, Europe’s most valuable company.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Northern lights”
Leaders January 4th 2025
- Tech is coming to Washington. Prepare for a clash of cultures
- Finland’s seizure of a tanker shows how to fight Russian sabotage
- To see what European business could become, look to the Nordics
- Smarter incentives would help India adapt to climate change
- The Starmer government looks a poor guardian of England’s improving schools
From the January 4th 2025 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Leaders
How to improve clinical trials
Involving more participants can lead to new medical insights
Houthi Inc: the pirates who weaponised globalisation
Their Red Sea protection racket is a disturbing glimpse into an anarchic world
Donald Trump will upend 80 years of American foreign policy
A superpower’s approach to the world is about to be turned on its head
Rising bond yields should spur governments to go for growth
The bond sell-off may partly reflect America’s productivity boom
Much of the damage from the LA fires could have been averted
The lesson of the tragedy is that better incentives will keep people safe
Health warnings about alcohol give only half the story
Enjoyment matters as well as risk