Hanna Astner

Hanna is a dedicated researcher and Excellent Teacher in the research group EIS - Entrepreneurship & Innovation for Sustainability. She has a strong background in qualitative research with a focus on entrepreneurship. Hanna teaches at the bachelor’s and master’s levels in courses on organization theory, marketing, sustainable development, and research methodology. She supervises doctoral candidates and provides support and guidance to bachelor’s and master’s students in their theses and projects. With a passionate interest in developing and sharing knowledge, she actively contributes to academic research, teaching, and public debate.

Hanna conducts qualitative research with a focus on entrepreneurship, often adopting an interdisciplinary approach that moves between organization theory, marketing, and sociology. She has worked with concepts such as context, agency, embeddedness, identity work, and hope to understand how actors can collaborate and contribute to sustainable development. By applying critical perspectives, she challenges conventional views of entrepreneurship and opens up for new ways of thinking and change.

She is a member of the EIS research group, which focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation for sustainable development. The group examines how different actors collaborate to drive change and the importance of context in these processes.

Hanna is currently involved in the research project “Keys to Navigating Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Rural Areas,” funded by the Kamprad Family Foundation (2024–2027). In this project, she collaborates with fellow researchers, public officials, and local stakeholders to develop knowledge on how entrepreneurial ecosystems can be strengthened and developed in rural areas.

She is also involved in the research project “FoodTriggers,” funded by FutureFoods (2026–2028). The project brings together researchers from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain to investigates societal tipping points for sustainable diets that are healthy for both people and the planet. Within the project, Hanna focuses particularly on how grocery retailers can collaborate to achieve more sustainable and healthy food choices, exploring how retail food environments can be redesigned to support transformative change.

In addition, over a long period (2010–2022), Hanna studied and followed the development of the meal kit market in Sweden. Through this work, she developed ideas about how new markets are formed and how identities, brands, and different forms of value are co-created in dynamic processes.

Hanna has a strong commitment to sustainability issues, food production, and rural development, which permeates her research, teaching, and contributions to public debate.

Hanna has been awarded the title Excellent Teacher and is a dedicated and experienced university educator. She has developed and led courses across a broad range of subjects at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, including organization theory, marketing, research methodology, sustainable development, and ethics. She is currently responsible for the courses Organization Theory I (FÖ0473) and Quality and Environmental Management – Advanced Theory in Organization and Marketing (FÖ0480).

Appointed Excellent Teacher, 2021

External Engagement

• Member of the Swedish Rural Network’s Analysis Group for Sustainable Green Industries, Jordbruksverket (2023–ongoing).
• Member of Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (2015–ongoing).
• Contributed to Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet’s work on the Rural Policy Bill (2024).

Academic Leadership and Service
Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU)

• Member of the Faculty Programme Board, NJ Faculty (2025–ongoing).
• Chair of the Teaching Team in Marketing and Organization Theory, Department of Economics (2018–ongoing).
• Internal Auditor of SLU’s Environmental and Quality Management System (2018–ongoing).
• Environmental Representative, Department of Economics (2023–ongoing).
• Member of the Programme Committee for Rural Development, NJ Faculty (2017–2025).
• Environmental Coordinator, Department of Economics (2010–2011).
• Member of the Education Committee for Economics, Environment & Technology, NJ Faculty (2009–2013).

Hanna serves as co-supervisor for two doctoral candidates and provides guidance to bachelor’s and master’s students in their theses and projects.
 

Selected publications

Astner, H. (2026). A Guide to Reflexive Qualitative Interviews: Loosening the Reins When Researching Corporate Sustainability. SAGE Research Methods: Business. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781036243487

Jonsson, J. & Astner, H. (2025). Exploring the Echo Chambers in Entrepreneurship: Embedding in Social Media and its Implications on Resources, Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy,  Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-06-2024-0114 

Karlsson Potter, H., Astner, H., Karlsson, J., Slijper, T. & Säll, S. (2025). Evaluating the Impact of the Proposed Dietary Guideline on Red and Processed Meat: Agricultural, Environmental, and Economic Perspectives. Mistra Food Futures Report #28, Sweden. 28-Evaluating-the-Impact-of-the-Proposed-Dietary-Guideline-on-Red-and-Processed-Meat-Agricultural-Environmental-and-Economic-Perspectives-3.pdf 

Astner, H., & Gaddefors, J. (2025). Founders and Their Brands: How Founder Identity Matters in Small Firm Branding. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 28(1), 101-121. https://doi.org/10.1108/QMR-06-2023-0085

Astner, H. & Roos, A. (2024). Approaching the Rural – Uncovering Rural Context in Entrepreneurship. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. [A head of print.] https://doi.org/10.1177/14657503241267746

Astner, H. (2022). Exploring Entrepreneurial Processes in New Markets: Towards Sustainable Food Systems. Doctoral Thesis, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Vol. 2022, No: 28. https://pub.epsilon.slu.se/27587/1/astner-h-220421.pdf

Astner, H. (2022). The Marionette: Embeddedness in a Community of Family-Controlled Firms. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 16(2), 260-277. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-01-2020-0011

Astner, H., and Gaddefors, J. (2021). Identities at Work in Developing a New Market. Journal of Research in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. 23(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRME-07-2018-0038

Astner, H., Stigzelius, I., Andersson, H. & Mark-Herbert, C. (2011). Managing Procurement of Food with Added Value: A Case Study of Beef in the Catering Sector. Problems of Management in the 21st Century, Vol. 2, pp. 19-35. https://www.scientiasocialis.lt/pmc/files/pdf/Astner_Vol.2.pdf

Selected Conference Contributions

Astner, H., Jonsson, J. & Melin, E. (2025). Rural Development at the Crossroads: The Role of Value Conflict in the Shaping of Entrepreneurial Processes. ISBE conference, Glasgow, 2025.

Grabs, F. & Astner, H. (2025). When Less is Enough: Rethinking Rural Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Through Community. ISBE conference, Glasgow, 2025.

Jonsson, J., Astner, H., & Melin, E. (2025). The Web of Ties: How Non-Profit Organizations Shape Rural Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. ISBE conference, Glasgow, 2025.

Melin, E., Astner, H. & Jonsson, J. (2024). A Beacon of Light in the Darkest of Times: Exploring Hope in Entrepreneurship. RENT conference, Nantes 2024.

Astner, H., Melin, E. & Jonsson, J. (2024). 'Hope' in Education. TrEE conference "Branching Out”, Stockholm 2024.

Jonsson, J. & Astner, H. (2023). Exploring the Echo Chambers as Context in Entrepreneurship, ISBE conference, Birmingham 2023.

Astner, H. & Roos, A. (2023). How is Rural Context Special? - Investigating the Rural in Rural Entrepreneurship. ISBE conference, Birmingham 2023.

Ferguson, F., Astner, H., Gaddefors, J., Melin, E. & Roos, A. (2023). Pooled entrepreneuring: how small, low-productive ventures persevere in rural place. Rural Entrepreneurship in Times of Transformation 2023. 

Astner, H. (2022). Getting the windmills to turn: creating sustainable food markets. Nordic Conference for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (NCSB), Kolding 2022.

2025 – The Alistair Anderson ERD Publication Prize for an ECR, ISBE Conference, Glasgow.
2025 – Best Paper Award, Rural Enterprise Track, ISBE Conference, Glasgow.
2025 – Nominated for Best Paper Award, Family and Community Business Track, ISBE Conference, Glasgow.

2023 – Nominated for Best Paper Award, Rural Enterprise Track, ISBE Conference, Birmingham, UK.

2021 – SLU Pedagogical Team Award, as part of MOTT (Marketing and Organisation Theory Teaching Track), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet.

2020 – Best Paper Award, Entrepreneurship & Innovation for Sustainability Conference, Uppsala.

2018 – Nominated for the President’s Award, ISBE Conference, Birmingham, England.
2018 – Nominated for Best Paper Award, “Business Creation, Early Stage Development and Business Closure” Track, ISBE Conference, Birmingham, England.

2017 – Best Paper Award, “Business Creation, Early Stage Development and Business Closure” Track, ISBE Conference, Belfast, Ireland.

2015 – Best Paper Award, “Rural Entrepreneurship” Track, ISBE Conference, Glasgow, Scotland.
2015 – Best Student Paper Award, ICEIRD Conference, Sheffield, UK.

2009 – Award for Exemplary Contributions to Pedagogy and Teaching, Kungliga Skogs- och Lantbruksakademien.