SWOT-analysis as a basis for regional strategies - EUROlocal

1. Introduction
The aim of this pilot-project has been to assess the utilisation and usefulness of
SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) in strategic
planning associated with regional programmes across the Nordic countries. Within
this context this project has focused on both national development projects
(tillväxtavtal in Sweden, regionale utviklingsprogrammer in Norway and
aluekehittämisohjelmat in Finland) and Structural Funds programming (Objectives 1
and 2, as well as Interreg Community Initiatives). The central questions to be
addressed here are:
• What is the methodological background behind the introduction of SWOT
analysis into these programmes?
• What are the consequences of these methodological choices for actual strategy
formation?
• Can we determine a significant value added from the utilisation of SWOT
analysis as a strategic instrument? Does the utilisation of SWOT contribute to
learning in the regions in question?
• Does SWOT function as an instrument, which brings out and accentuates the
regional specificities in a sufficient manner in order that the region in question
is actually identifiable by this analysis and SWOT contributes to enhancing the
potential for competitiveness and endogenous regional development in the
region in question?
As well as providing an analysis of the current situation in terms of the utilisation of
SWOT, the conclusions section will offer some further indications as to how this
policy instrument could be better utilised for regional programming processes.
1.1 Programmes chosen for analysis
The programmes chosen for analysis here share the common characteristic of
functioning as a strategic policy instrument for the purposes of planning and regional
development. As a general rule programmes were chosen on a representative basis:
those included in the study can be seen as “ideal types” of regional development
programmes in the country in question, in that they present key characteristics of
programming work in general, i.e. factors such as programming and partnership.
Another factor considered in choosing the programmes was their location, both in
terms of the north-south/east-west dimension within the country in question and on
the basis of the functional and political role of the region, in an attempt to choose a
selection of programmes that would allow some general conclusions to be drawn on
the nature of programming documents (and the SWOT analysis they included) as
policy instruments of Nordic regional development.
In addition to the national context, elements of synergy between the national and
European level were sought. For instance, the fact that the Finnish and Swedish
domestic programmes represent regions also included in the EU’s Objective
programmes allows for a more comprehensive approach to the question of regional
development programming in these countries. As one of the constituent parts of EU
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