So far little attention has been paid to the field of social entrepreneurship in Iceland. The concept is relatively unknown but at the same time the level of social entrepreneurial activity is rather high when compared to the 54 nations participating in GEM, a longitudinal comparative study on entrepreneurial activity. The GEM research uncovers who these individuals are but little is known about why they take the decision on becoming social entrepreneurs. In this research work the focus is placed on identifying the key dimensions behind the decision on social entrepreneurial behavior and on the evaluation of the causal relationship between these mechanisms, more underlying dimensions and the eventual decision.

Mrs Armannsdottir works as a Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Innovation Center Iceland. ICI is a leading R&D and business support institute with the mission to increase innovation, productivity and competitiveness of Icelandic business through innovative research, diffusing knowledge and support to entrepreneurs and start-ups.