New chief economist wants to shine a spotlight on society's wild problems
What's new:
The think tank INVI was created to develop visions and tools for society's wild problems - and now a strong profile from central government will lead the think tank's mission. Jannie H. G. Kristoffersen, currently Head of Office at the Ministry of Children and Education, is the new Chief Economist at INVI.
In Denmark, we have always been good at solving big societal problems. That's why we are in the super league of prosperity. But as many have noticed, we no longer achieve the same results as before. We debate, we work, we stress, we set up commissions and expert groups. But the big changes in society are not happening.
It's not because we've gotten worse at solving problems. It's because the problems we face are cross-border and intractable. Just think about climate change, unhappiness or the lack of hands in the labor market. These are wild problems and they require new approaches.
It will now be Jannie H. G. Kristoffersen will lead the mission of the think tank INVI: to develop new tools and visions for society's wild problems. Because not everything can be solved by a commission, an expert panel or tax reform.
"I've always been driven to develop creative solutions and new ways of investigating problems. Until now, I've done this in one area at a time and from the inside. Now I want to expand my knowledge and creativity by contributing to new solutions to society's wild problems from the outside," says Jannie H. G. Kristoffersen, who takes up her new position on November 1.
"For me, INVI is the right place to do just that. And I'm looking forward to shining a spotlight on society's wild problems and finding solutions together," she continues.
Change is not happening
Kristoffersen comes to INVI with a research background as a PhD in economics and almost eight years in central administration. She has a background in the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, the Ministry of Finance and most recently as Head of Analysis and Structure in the Ministry of Children and Education. Kristoffersen has been in charge of the secretariat of the Reform Commission from the Ministry of Children and Education, and most recently and quite recently on the knowledge and analysis part of the Well-being Commission.
Many are left with the feeling that even though they formulate lots of policies, change is not happening. They are not alone in this feeling. Economics professor Nina Smith's Reform Commission was born because our approaches to reform no longer work the way they did in the last century.
Jannie H. G. Kristoffersen, whose PhD thesis was supervised by Nina Smith, will contribute to devising, collecting and testing visions and tools on key players in the state, municipality, civil society, foundations, politics, the press and business so that they work in reality.