SWOT-analysis as a basis for regional strategies - EUROlocal

KVARKEN-MITTSKANDIA
INTERRERG III A
BALTIC
INTERREG III B
DENMARK OBJECTIVE 2
VESTFOLD
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME
(NORWAY)
SØR-TRØNDELAG
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME (NORWAY)
1. Infrastructure and transport
2. Expertise and markets
3. Shared values
1. Promotion of balanced territorial structures,
supporting sustainable development
2. Institution building and co-operation
between regional and local authorities
1. Regional development, prerequisites for
economic development
2. Development of SMEs
3. Development of human resources and
competence
4. Investments to information and technical
assistance
1. Welfare and values
2. Territorial administration
3. Sustainable energy
4. Competence development
5. Employment
1. Quality of life
2. Working life
3. Land use and physical infrastructure
4. Regional development and co-operation
1.1.1 Swedish Regional Growth Agreements (’tillväxtavtal’)
The aim of the Regional Growth Agreements is to promote growth and employment
in the Swedish Counties. Agreements are the result of a governmental bill, “Regional
Growth – for Employment and Welfare” (1997/98: 62) passed in spring 1998. The bill
outlined a proposal for regional industrial policy, which could be adapted to local
conditions, integrating various actors from different sectors in the regional society in
the form of regional partnerships. The partnership is to begin at the planning stage and
extend over the whole process cycle to include financing and implementation. The
idea was that “on the basis of the unique features of each region, sustainable
economic growth should be stimulated which will contribute to more expansive
enterprises and to an increased in employment” (ibid.). (See also: Nordregio,
Ledningskonsulterna, SIR, 2000)
The novelty of the Growth Agreements lies largely in the strongly emphasised
partnership approach, including increased connections between private and public
sector organisations. This novelty has been viewed positively in the counties
implementing the agreements, though certain fears have been expressed that the actual
undertaking of the concrete measures, which is more traditionally divided between
various sectors will result in a traditionally organised, rather fragmentary field of
actors. (Promemoria, 2000-07-24).
The actors involved in the preparation of the programme represent a wide variety of
interests, from County level and municipal administration to local educational
institutions, trade unions, chambers of commerce and other social and economic
organisations across the region. The partnership principle was thus taken seriously,
with each of the approximately 40 different institutional representatives signing the
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