How hybridity has evolved in the governance of state-owned enterprises: evidence from Danish and Swedish passenger rail services from 1990 to 2015

This paper focuses on the evolution of the governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in passenger rail services. Two opposite cases are presented: one from Sweden and the other from Denmark. Using institutional change theory, the paper shows how the SOEs’ hybrid character changed over time. The political responsibility for the Danish SOE expanded, while the Swedish SOE’s political role was gradually reduced. The research approach is new and the results have lessons for those managing and researching SOEs.