Helge Svare

Helge Svare is a Research Professor at the Work Research Institute (AFI) at Oslo Metropolitan University, where he has worked since 2006. His primary research focuses on trust, dialogue, and innovation in organizational contexts, with particular emphasis on trust-based management reforms in the public sector.

Dr. Svare's research interests span multiple interconnected domains including gender equality, dialogue practices, learning organizations, and employee-driven innovation within the Norwegian working life model. His work examines how trust functions as a management principle in public organizations, particularly in Scandinavian contexts where trust-based governance reforms have been widely implemented but unevenly realized. He investigates the relationship between trust-based management and innovation, exploring how organizational cultures that emphasize dialogue and collaboration can foster more effective innovation networks.

His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory toward examining the practical implementation of trust reforms in public sector organizations, with a focus on Oslo's schools and home care services. The research reveals a significant gap between policy intentions and actual practice in trust-based management reforms, highlighting challenges in translating trust principles into day-to-day organizational operations while maintaining accountability.

Dr. Svare has been involved in several significant research projects including FIT4FOOD2030, which supports the European Commission's FOOD 2030 policy framework, and research on trust-based management in Nordic urban governance. His work with the PEPPER project examined positive experiences of public engagement in various innovation contexts.

As an active researcher, he regularly presents at conferences including EGPA (European Group of Public Administration) and NEON (Nordic Network for Organizational Research), contributing to both academic and practical discussions about trust, dialogue, and innovation in organizational settings.