Begreppen regionförstoring, lokal arbetsmarknad samt pendling är centrala både för denna studie och den regionala samt lokala planeringen som idag genomförs. När större lokala arbetsmarknader bildas genom regionförstoringen så ökar kravet på arbetskraften gällande mobilitet och pendling. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur regionförstoringen har påverkat den lokala arbetsmarknaden i Örebro län, för att göra detta kommer studien även undersöka hur förändringar gällande regionförstoring och pendling har sett ut över tid inom Örebro län. För att konsekvenserna av regionförstoringen ska kunna sättas i en lokal kontext så kommer Askersunds kommuns förhållande till Örebro regions lokala arbetsmarknad att diskuteras. Studien visar även på hur begreppet regionförstoring används nationellt samt internationellt, detta för att skapa förståelse för begreppets uppkomst samt användning. Denna studie är kvalitativ och innehåller intervjuer med kollektivtrafikchefen på Region Örebro Län, utvecklingsdirektören på Region Örebro Län samt utvecklingschefen i Askersunds kommun. De frågor som ställts behandlar de problem och utmaningar kopplat till regionförstoring, pendling och förhållandet till den lokala arbetsmarknaden som de olika tjänstepersonerna ställs inför. Studiens slutsatser visar på att regionförstoringen, den lokala arbetsmarknaden i Örebro län samt pendling är fenomen som inte bara påverkar varandra utan snarare koexisterar. Regionförstoringen har i Örebro län bidragit till skapandet av en större lokal arbetsmarknad, något som i sin tur leder till ökad ekonomisk tillväxt för Örebro region samtidigt som arbetskraften får en ökad tillgång till arbetstillfällen. Regionförstoringen är dock inte enbart positiv, utan kan även leda till ökade sociala och ekonomiska skillnader mellan Örebro läns invånare. Av denna anledning tar studien upp hur regionförstoringen i Örebro län ska kunna ske på ett hållbart sätt. Vidare tas även frågan om distansarbete upp i studien, detta för att se vilken påverkan denna arbetsform kan ha haft på regionförstoringen samt pendlingsmönster. Slutsatserna förstärker främst den tidigare forskningen som finns inom området samtidigt som de ger en bild över hur regionförstoringen och pendlingsmönster ter sig inom Örebro län.

This thesis aims at analyzing why the municipality of Flen, in the eastern part of Sweden, has experienced strong depopulation for the last forty years in spite of its relative vicinity to Stockholm. The study uses current theories on regional developement, population theory and theories on regional enlargment to help explain and to evaluate the different regional factors that affect the developement of Flen on the local level. The thesis is primarily focused on the subject of regional policy and strategies to meet regional depopulation. The study also gives a presentation of the strategies of major regional institutions as well as analyzing what impact regional policy have on local policy in the municipality of Flen. Interviews with local officials, politicians and other people representing the population of Flen were carried out to achieve a better understanding of the specific challenges that the municipality faces and of the measures that are taken to meet them. Regional policy in Sweden prioritises measures that promote regional enlargment to link the housing and labour markets together with the regional infrastructure. Each region should promote and develop its own unique qualities as a way of stimulating growth. This disregards the former notion that the state should strive for regional growth to be achieved equally distributed within its boundaries. The thesis puts forward the view that this development could lead to an allowance for some regions to be neglected by the state. The findings in this study show that the measures that are put in to curb the stagnation in the municipality of Flen are made with difficulty and cannot be financed without external aid. The challenges are to a growing extent no longer managable by the municipality itself which brings me to a final conclusion that predicts that Flen could befavoured in a future municipal reform in which there are clearer connections to Stockholm and to other larger towns in the region, as well as a new delimitation that better takes the functional relationships of the population into account.

Along the northern coast of the Bothnian Gulf between Umeå and Luleå live 65 percent of northern Norrland's population, yet there is no coastal railway that connects these cities with each other. In 2010, Botniabanan was completed, partially a new coastal railway between the cities of Sundsvall and Umeå. This was the first railway construction in Norrland in 80 years. Now it's time again, 2018 started the first construction phase of the Norrbotniabanan from Umeå in direction towards the city of Luleå. When the railway is completed, the line will pass through places that have not previously had a railway connection, including the small town Robertsfors. Robertsfors, with its strategic location between Umeå and Skellefteå, has a unique opportunity to expand its local labor market and increase its population when the railway arrives and shortens the time distance to Umeå and Skellefteå. This essay addresses how Robertsfors may change and develop with the establishment of a train station inside Robertsfors' central town. The result is based on assumptions by politicians and officials in the municipality and addresses issues such as work commuting and what makes Robertsfors attractive. The results show that the establishment of the railway raises hopes for an increase in population and has much to do with the increased freedom of movement and proximity to a larger labor market. However, there are also major challenges such as investment opportunities and accessibility to labor resources. Changes in Skellefteå and Umeå with increased housing prices and a shortage of housing and building land also open up opportunities for Robertsfors municipality as people can be expected to apply for housing in Robertsfors but work in Umeå or Skellefteå and commute to work by train.

There is an urbanization trend in the world. Sweden is no exception. Today, approximately 85 percent of Sweden's population live in urban areas, which means that urbanization has grown considerably since the beginning of the 19th century when 90 percent of Sweden's population lived in rural areas. At the same time as urbanization has grown stronger, employment commuting, both within and across municipal boundaries, has increased. Improved infrastructure in the form of better road networks, faster and denser public transport and an increased number of passenger cars are all contributing factors to this. As an effect of the increased commuting, local labour markets have been expanded in many places and so-called regional enlargement has been created.   The aim of this study is to map and analyse the development pattern, with the focus on the population, in the Umeå region during the period 2000 to 2015. The purpose is also to discuss the development in the region and it’s connection to theories and the general development.   The study is a descriptive quantitative study based on municipal statistics from SCB. The study describes population development in different demographic dimensions for all municipalities in the Umeå region.   The study's results indicate that the Umeå region has had a positive development between 2000 and 2015, but the differences within the region are high. Umeå municipality is the municipality that had the strongest growth, while the surrounding municipalities had a weak, and in some cases also a negative development. You can see clear traces of urbanization in the region, not only Umeå municipality has had a positive development, but primarily Umeå city.     Keywords: population development, urbanization, local labor markets, regional enlargement, growth poles

No description available.

Passenger traffic for train journeys has been limited in northern Sweden due to the fact that the railway has mainly been used in industrial business. The establishment of Botniabanan enabled passenger traffic by train and created a train connection between the cities in the region. A continuation of Botniabanan quickly began to be planned so that the railway would continue along the Norrland coast, and the so-called Norrbotniabanan came into being. Today, northern Norrland is also facing one of the largest industrial investments in Sweden's history, which will require an increased workforce and supply of skills. In order to meet the demand for labor, Norrbotniabanan can provide a good opportunity for increased work commuting. An efficient and improved transport supply can in turn increase work commuting without people having to move to work. This in turn can create regional enlargement.  The purpose of the study is to investigate and analyze the effects Botniabanan had on commuting and further analyze and compare these with the effects that can be expected to occur with commuting through the establishment of Norrbotniabanan. The study is based on predictions about Norrbotniabanan and whether these can be expected to be achieved. This is then compared with whether the expected effects of Botniabanan were fulfilled. The establishment of Norrbotniabanan is then presented in a context of regional enlargement. The study has been carried out based on a quantitative method by processing quantitative data (register data) as well as carrying out literature studies and content analysis.  The study found that commuting has increased since the establishment of Botniabanan and that commuting mostly increased to Umeå municipality but also to Kramfors, which may be due to the municipality not belonging to Umeå's area of influence. In relation to this, commuting can be expected to increase with the establishment of Norrbotniabanan and in the same way that commuting mainly takes place to the larger municipalities such as Umeå, Luleå and Skellefteå. In order for Norrbotniabanan to achieve a greater increase in commuting than Botniabanan, the travel times need to be well planned. Provided that Norrbotniabanan has taken into account the reasons why the journey times for Botniabanan were not achieved, Norrbotniabanan has a good opportunity for a greater increase in commuting. Botniabanan can be declared to have achieved a regional enlargement, which Norrbotniabanan also makes possible. With the industrial investments in northern Sweden, Norrbotniabanan can create a stronger regional expansion than what Botniabanan did.