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This review is part of a series of OECD Territorial Reviews created in 2001 to support regional development at the multi-country, country, regional and metropolitan scales. The OECD Territorial Review series examines a range of policies that have the potential to propel economic growth in regions and improve the quality of life for their residents from a place-based perspective. Policies for economic growth, jobs, human capital and environmental sustainability have greater impact when they recognise the different economic and social realities where people live and work.
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This report monitors progress since the 2012 OECD Territorial Review of Småland-Blekinge. Located in South-East Sweden, Småland-Blekinge is composed of Region Jönköping, Region Kronoberg, Region Kalmar County and Region Blekinge. The population in Småland-Blekinge amounts to around 948 120 people, which is equal to 9.5% of Sweden’s population. Småland-Blekinge economy is dominated by manufacturing and is renowned for being the region where Ikea originated.
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In 2011, the OECD conducted a Territorial Review of Småland-Blekinge, Sweden, which was approved in the 13th session of the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee and was published in 2012. The report provided 12 recommendations and 32 sub‑recommendations to the region and its 4 counties (OECD, 2012). The review highlighted the need to shift towards higher value-added and knowledge-intensive industries and businesses; stronger links between the regional education system and the private sector; more support for entrepreneurship and enhanced attractiveness to residents, migrants and tourists.
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This chapter provides a diagnosis of Småland-Blekinge, identifying major trends, strengths and bottlenecks to development. It first explores how conditions have changed since the 2012 Territorial Review of Småland-Blekinge, including population and demography, economic performance and inter-regional disparities. Following this, it examines some of the main factors of growth and bottlenecks to development including: accessibility, mobility and digitalisation; innovation; and human capital and skills.
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This chapter assesses the extent to which Småland-Blekinge has met the recommendations of the 2012 OECD Territorial Review of Småland-Blekinge across the 12 thematic areas. It focuses on where the region has seen the greatest accomplishments since 2012; where there is need for further progress; and where there has been a change in regional priorities.
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Between 2011-16, the four counties of Småland-Blekinge (Blekinge, Jönköping, Kalmar and Kronoberg) experienced an unprecedented population increase, recording among the highest net migration rates per capita in Sweden. This chapter examines the processes of recent migrant settlement and integration in Småland-Blekinge, and offers a number of recommendations on how they could be strengthened. The chapter briefly outlines trends in migration in the four counties of Småland-Blekinge and explores a territorial approach to migrant integration around four key themes: i) multi-level governance; ii) community integration policies; iii) capacity for policy formulation and implementation; and, finally, iv) sectoral policies, with a focus on labour market integration.