Developments in the regulation of economic crime in Norway

Purpose - The aim of the paper is to describe and explain the developments in the regulation of economic crime in Norway the last 20‐30 years. This can help us better understand changes in regulation and the control of problematic economic activity and the consequences this might have for society at large. Design/methodology/approach - It is mainly based on a research study published in Norwegian in 2002 by the author on four central regulatory authorities. The methodology of this study was qualitative expert interviews and analysis of a wide range of publications on the work of these authorities. Findings - It documents that there has been a substantial growth in the resources, laws and regulations that goes into the regulation of economic crime for the last two decades in Norway. There has been a shift in regulation from general agreements and incentives by the state towards a market‐based regulation backed by the threat of penal and civil sanctions. Segments of the economy have gone from being conceived as a producer of value to being a crime scene. Originality/value - The paper describes and explains developments that have not been systematically studied in Norway. It gives sociological and criminological interpretations and provides concepts of important developments in the society and the economy.