OECD Territorial Reviews: Småland-Blekinge 2019

Foreword
Acknowledgements
Executive summary
	Småland-Blekinge today has stronger common development priorities, a more cohesive tourism identity, and improved support for business…
	…however ongoing efforts are needed in a number of areas
	Authorities have adopted an active agenda implementing the recommendations – demonstrating progress in a short amount of time
	A recent rise in migration from asylum seekers and refugees has challenged the region to adapt
Assessment and recommendations
	The context of the review
	New realities in Småland-Blekinge
		Improving economic performance, administrative mergers and increased migration have changed conditions
		Current trends
	Measuring progress over the past five years
		Overall progress
		Assessing the implementation of recommendations
		Knowledge-intensive economy, SMEs and business development
			Business development and tourism branding: where the dynamics of improved collaboration are most visible
			The business retention strategy should focus more on existing businesses
		Labour market mismatches
			Poor labour market skills matching continues to be a drag on the region’s economy
		Quality of life and tourism
			Tourism branding among the three counties in Småland has increased but the focus on quality of life and regional attractiveness could be strengthened for local residents
		Accessibility
			Transport infrastructure continues to be an obstacle rather than a catalyst to the development of the region
		Regional development
			The existing framework for regional planning is evolving to take on a stronger form
		Inter-county planning
			Inter-county collaboration has taken on new forms
		Public-private partnerships
			More could be done to support the development of public-private partnerships – regionally and nationally
		Municipal co-operation and reform
			Increasing capacity at the municipal level remains an essential concern across the four counties of Småland-Blekinge
	Special focus on migration issues
		The recent wave of migration offers an opportunity to rebalance demography in the region
		The participation of migrants in the labour market is lower than native-born but there are encouraging results for newcomers after the introduction programme
		Migrant settlement and integration policies could be enhanced through improved vertical co-ordination and implementation at the relevant scale
Chapter 1.  Trends and challenges: An updated snapshot of Småland-Blekinge
	Adjusting to new conditions
		An evolving national context
		Population and demography
			Settlement patterns and population dynamics
			The four counties still face the pressures of an ageing population
			Net migration has been a driver of population change
		Economic performance of the four counties
			The labour market has been picking up, but large differences remain in the employment of native and foreign-born
			The gap between female and male participation rates has increased but more women have accessed managerial positions
		Inter-regional disparities and well-being
			Sweden and Småland-Blekinge show relatively high levels of well-being compared to other OECD regions
			Housing shortages remain a challenge
	Main factors of growth and bottlenecks in Småland-Blekinge
		Accessibility, mobility and digital connectivity
			There have been improvements in internal mobility via public transportation
			Jönköping improved its share of tonnes transported by road freight
			Digital connectivity across the region has improved
		Innovation
		Human capital and skills
			Skills mismatch in Sweden
			The counties of Småland-Blekinge are characterised by a lower stock of skills than the Swedish average…
			…however, progress is being made
			Compare to national levels Blekinge and Kronoberg have a similar share of high-skilled workers while Kalmar and Jönköping have lower levels
			Recent graduates have mixed success gaining employment post graduation
	Summary of findings
	Notes
	References
Chapter 2.  Assessing the implementation of the recommendations
	Accomplishments since 2012
		Co-ordination between governmental institutions and regional actors has significantly progressed – this is central to meeting all other recommendations
			Cross-institutional and county-wide co-operation has improved…
			…and so, has municipal co-operation and reform
		Business development and tourism branding: Where the dynamics of improved collaboration are most visible
			Tourism branding among the three counties in Småland has increased
			Public support for value-added creation in firms has increased but developing a knowledge-based economy remains a slow process
			Formal public-private partnerships have not materialised but public-private co-operation is more widespread than before
			Three of the counties co-operate in tourism with a common brand (Visit Småland) and all four have their own more operational strategies as well
		Internal mobility and broadband connectivity improvements will benefit regional well-being and attractiveness
			A strong emphasis is placed on expanding public transport
			There is a unanimous commitment towards enhancing digital connectivity
	Areas for further progress
		Poor labour market skills matching continues to be a drag on the region’s economy
			Local labour market forecasting needs to be improved and career guidance strengthened
		Effectively managing business succession and promoting youth entrepreneurship
			A comprehensive strategy should be developed to better manage business succession
			The previous youth and female entrepreneurship support priorities have been put on hold…
			…But employment opportunities have opened up for foreign residents
		Transport infrastructure continues to be an obstacle rather than a catalyst to the development of the region
			Railway
			Air transportation
			Road transportation
			Freight transportation
		Little focus has been given to raising the quality of life and attractiveness of the region
		Promoting an integrated approach to regional development
			Rural development is yet to find its place in regional development strategies…
			…this is a common problem faced by OECD countries
			Youth engagement in regional development planning has been slow to materialise
	Shifting priorities
		A new south-west orientation influences infrastructure planning
		The business retention strategy focus has shifted from supporting new businesses to helping existing ones
		Inter-county collaboration has taken on new forms
		The need to enhance regional planning: A (not so) new issue
			The existing framework for regional planning is weak…
			…. but is evolving to take on a stronger form
			Developing the regional planning competency
			With limited statutory authority over municipalities, regions will need to rely on dialogue and engagement
	Notes
	References
		Annex 2.A. Monitoring progress at a glance: Småland-Blekinge
Chapter 3.  Special focus on migrant integration
	Introduction
	Migration trends
		Migration as an opportunity to rebalance demography in the region
		The participation of migrants in the labour market is lower than native-born but there are encouraging results for newcomers after the introduction programme
	A territorial approach to migrant integration
		Migrant reception and integration: Multi-level governance dynamics
			Enhance the effectiveness of migrant settlement and integration policy through improved vertical co-ordination and implementation at the relevant scale
			Seek policy coherence in addressing the multi-dimensional needs of and opportunities for migrants at the local level
			Ensure access to and the effective use of financial resources that are adapted to local responsibilities for migrant integration
		Community integration
			Design integration policies that take into account migrants’ lifetimes and status evolution
			Create spaces where the interaction between migrant and native-born communities are physically and socially closer
		Policy formulation and implementation
			Ensure timely data to help anticipate and respond to migration
			Build capacity and diversity in civil service
			Strengthen co-operation with non-state stakeholders, including through transparent and effective contracts
		Sectoral policies
			Match migrant skills with education, training and job opportunities
			Secure access to adequate housing
	Notes
	References