OECD Territorial Reviews: Småland-Blekinge 2019 was prepared by the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, led by Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Director. It was produced as part of the programme of work of the Working Party on Rural Policy of the Regional Development Policy Committee.
This report was co-ordinated and drafted by Tamara Krawchenko and Elodie Isabel De Oliveira under the supervision of José Enrique Garcilazo, Head of the Regional and Rural Policy Unit in the Regional Development and Tourism Division led by Alain Dupeyras. Additional contributions were made by Ana Moreno Monroy (OECD), Stephano Marta (OECD) and Simon Falck (Swedish Agency for Growth Policy Analysis) for Chapter 1.
This report was made possible through the support of the Region Jönköping, Region Kronoberg, Region Kalmar County and Region Blekinge. The OECD Secretariat wishes to extend warm thanks to Mattias Nylander, Innovation/business strategist in Region Kalmar County for the day-to-day co-ordination of the project and overall advice and guidance. Special thanks are also extended to Anna-Lena Cederström, Head of Regional Development Region Blekinge; Helena Nilsson, Head of Regional Development, Region Kalmar County; Christel Gustafsson, Head of Regional Development, Region Kronoberg; Kristina Athlei, Head of Regional Development, Region Jönköping County as well as Emil Hesse, Infrastructure Strategist, Region Jönköping County; Robin Rikardsson, Analyst, Region Kronoberg; and Simon Ljungqvist, Analyst, Region Blekinge for their high level of engagement throughout the project.
The report was strongly enriched by the engagement of: Agneta Jansmyr, Elisabet Eriksson, Mikaela Billström Dinu, Lena Bohman, Julia Sandwall, Ola Götesson, Ola Olsson, Mikael Gustafsson, Jelena Tupina, Sofia Wixe, Åslög Kantelius, and Johanna Sjöström (Region Jönköping); Lars Sandberg, Nina Elmsjö, Niklas Aronsson, Leila Aalto and Josefin Andersson (Jönköping County Administrative Board); Sinom Jonegård, Stefan Lind, Åsa Thörne-Adrianzon, Andreas Zeidlitz and Sven Rydell (Jönköping Municipality); Anna Samuelsson (Federation of Swedish Farmers); Magnus Färjhagen (Vetlanda Municipality); Anders Wilander (Tranås Municipality); Linda Danielsson (Mullsjö Municipality); Lina Bjerke, Mats Jägstam, Lars Pettersson and Charlotta Mellander (Jönköping University); Christian Lagerqvist, Carina Lindgren, Greg Golding and David Fridlund (Swedish Employment Service); Frida Boklund (The Swedish Federation of Business Owners); Ingalill Ebbesson (Gnosjö Municipality); Claes Johansson and Stina Granberg-Lindor (Nässjö Municipality); Carl Nyström, David Lengström, Catarina Värend and Martin Åkesson (Almi Business Development Agency); Anna Lindqvist, Anders Borgehed and Micael Forsmyr (The Chamber of Commerce); Gustav Österström (Jönköping Science Park); Thomas Lindén, Peter Sieurin, Bo Svensson, Malin Dahlberg, Helen Nilsson and Veronika Sörvik (The Swedish Transport Administration); Christine Leppänen (JLT - Public Transport Authority); Mikael Karlsson (Värnamo Municipality); Rony Forsberg (Jönköping Airport); Jenny Andersson (Vaggeryd Municipality); Anna Fransson, Susanne Frank, Mikael Öberg, Joakim Pohlman, Carina Bengtsson, Martin Myrskog, Sven Sunesson, Agatha Uhlhorn, Anders Unger, Patrik Tidåsen and Peter Freij (Region Kronoberg); Nina Englund (Coompanion); Pär Sandberg (Växjö Municipality); Christina Mattisson, Lennarth Förberg, Anna-Lena Cederström, Anna Nyström, Johan Holmgren, Marika Nilsson, Malena Sandgren, Johanna Olofsson, Lisa Andersson, Ingrid Ljungqvist, Katarina Johansson, Elisabeth Landen, Per-Ola Mattsson, Mathias Roos, Monika Oredsson, Catharina Rosenquist, Jenny Rydquist, Leif Wictorén, Marie Wik, Peter Hermansson and Rikard Svensson (Region Blekinge); Andreas Larsson (Blekinge Institute of Technology); Lena Ekroth and Emma Mejer (Blekinge County Administrative Board); Samuel Henningsson (Netport Science Park); Magnus Forsbrand (Blue Science Park); Lena Axelsson (Karlshamn Municipality); Tina-Mari Eriksson (Karlskrona Municipality); Tomas Kronståhl (Västervik Municipality); Henrik Yngvesson (Mörbylånga Municipality); Camilla Håkansson, Nina Öhrn Karlsson, Cilla Ilhammar, Carolina Gunnarsson, Irene Tallhage, Per Ålind, Lina Andersdotter and Charlotte Brynielsson (The Regional Council in Kalmar County); Pär Hansson, Martina Almqvist and Åsa Everbrand (Kalmar County Administrative Board); Rickard Bucksch (Linnaeus University); Kent Karlsson and Jenny Bellinger Lesko (Unionen Trade Union); Johnny Rönnfjord (Confederation of Swedish Enterprise); Johann Malmström (Kalmarsund Business Promotion); Louise Östlund and Mats Olsson (Kalmar Science Park); Dennis Åström (Drivhuset - Student Entrepreneurship); Karl-Johan Bodell (KLT -Public Transport Authority); Ronny Lindberg (Kalmar Öland Airport); Magnus Forsbrand (Blue Science Park); and Lena Axelsson (Karlshamn Municipality).
Many thanks are also given to Trane Jensen Torbjørn, Senior Adviser Finance and Control at the Department of Economic Development in Nordland County Council, Norway and Yancy Vaillant, Toulouse Business School, who acted as peer reviewers for the report. Claire Charbit and Anna Piccini (OECD) provided valuable comments and review for the chapter on migration. Thanks are also extended to Pilar Philip (OECD) who led the publication process, to Eleonore Morena (OECD) who prepared the manuscript for publication and to Gabriella Agnér for the cover art.