samhällsekonomisk

Samhällsekonomisk is a Swedish term that describes phenomena, analyses, or policies that affect the economy and welfare of society as a whole, not only private actors. It relates to the study of how resources are produced, distributed, and consumed in a way that influences collective well-being.

It encompasses economic efficiency, equity, sustainability, and externalities. It differs from purely private profitability by incorporating social costs and benefits, such as environmental impact, health outcomes, and social cohesion.

In practice, samhällsekonomisk analysis is often used in public policy and procurement to guide decisions. Swedish agencies may perform a samhällsekonomisk analys or kostnad-nytta-analys (cost-benefit analysis) to quantify and compare consequences for society, including monetized values where feasible and qualitative assessments where not.

Methods include cost-benefit analysis, social impact assessment, and lifecycle thinking. Key considerations include discount rates, time horizons, distributional effects, and uncertainty. Outcomes are presented as net social welfare effects or socioeconomic profitability, indicating whether a project yields a positive societal return over its costs.

Examples include evaluating infrastructure investments, climate and environmental measures, or education programs, where private returns may differ from social returns. The term is common in policy contexts in Sweden and other Nordic countries, and is linked to welfare economics, public sector economics, and sustainability debates.