The Nordic Municipal CEO

This book analyses the municipal chief executive officer (MCEO) of Nordic municipalities. The Nordic countries operate a distinct model of local government in the context of the welfare state. As there are some variations among the countries, it is important to analyse this model in comparative perspective. In the Nordic countries, the post-war expansion of the welfare state took place primarily in local government, which became the main provider of welfare services and one of the largest employers in these countries. In this chapter, we present the rationale for the book, the Nordic municipal context in which the MCEO works, our research questions, and basic theoretical approaches. Finally, we briefly present the research design, methodologies, and outline of the book.