Network Strategies for Regional Growth

The year 2001 saw the initiation of the Strategic Networks project at Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall, Sweden. Its aims were to study inter-firm networks founded in specific regions for regional development purposes, and to interact with practitioners and businesspeople to provide feedback to participants in such initiatives. We have previously reported findings from the project in a book called Regionala strategiska nätverket i praktiken (Regional strategic networks in practice) in 2009.1 Over the years, we have extended the research team by establishing contact with other researchers, in Sweden and abroad, who were studying the same phenomena. We decided to publish some of our findings jointly, resulting in the present book. In the process we have enjoyed financial support from several organisations, and are grateful for the generous assistance of EU Mål 2 Regionala fonden, Framtidens bioraffinaderi, Landstinget och Länsstyrelsen i Västernorrland, Tillväxtverket, and Centre for Research on Innovation and Industrial Dynamics at Uppsala University (CIND).