Landsbygdskommunen och jakten på nästa företagsetablering : En kvalitativ fallstudie om näringslivet i Heby kommun

Sammanfattning

Rural municipalities in Sweden face structural challenges such as population decline, a shrinking tax base and difficulties in attracting and retaining businesses. However, knowledge of the factors influencing business establishment decisions in this type of municipality is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the factors influencing business establishment in rural municipalities. This is done using Heby Municipality as an empirical case study. The study was conducted as a qualitative case study between April and May 2026. The empirical data consists of 15 semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs, local municipal officials and other stakeholders active in the municipality of Heby. This is supplemented by municipal documents from the municipality of Heby. The analysis is based on Porter’s Diamond Model. The results show that business establishment in Heby municipality is influenced by several interrelated factors. The municipality’s geographical location and the low costs of land and real estate are factors that attract businesses to set up in the municipality. The supply of labour is, to some extent, good, but in some cases there is a lack of specialist skills. The fact that there is, to some extent, a housing shortage can be seen as a negative factor in this regard, as it makes it difficult for people who wish to move to the municipality. The customer base in Heby municipality is generally insufficient for businesses, meaning they must also sell outside the region. The local government offers a basic range of services, which can be seen as conducive to business establishment. The business park in Morgongåva is particularly highlighted as a favourable cluster, where businesses come together and can thus benefit from one another. The local government is generally perceived as helpful and supportive when contacted, which is highlighted as a much-appreciated factor by business owners. At the same time, there are also factors relating to business establishment that lie beyond the local government’s control, such as the power capacity of the electricity grid. Overall, the findings suggest that business establishment in rural municipalities is not determined by a single factor, but rather by how well physical conditions, municipal support organisations and external market links work together.