Tillväxtstrategier i Simrishamns kommun - Regional utveckling och flerkärnig delaktighet

This paper looks into Simrishamn municipality in the southeastern part of the Scania region, Sweden. The investigation starts with the polycentric ideas of Scania that identifies 7 cities of certain criteria that are considered growth poles. The idea is that the smaller municipalities and cities will get the benefits after, e.g. Trickle down effects. This investigation tells us that Simrishamn reaches only 2 out of 3 criteria and therefore is not considered a growth pole. This due to the small number of inhabitants and with no outlook to reach the requested amount in the near future. Instead, this paper investigates the internal strengths of the municipality and the opportunities for development without regional participation. Three strategies are presented and discussed; firstly is development through trickle-down effects, from innovative centers like Malmö and Lund where Simrishamn is in the role of recipient supposed to make the environment as developed as possible. Secondly I discuss cooperation between municipalities in southeastern Scania where four small municipalities together can make a stronger case and a force to reckon with. Thirdly is the questioning of the urban interpretative prerogative where I see the agenda as set by the bigger cities. Here we can see how Simrishamn can offer an alternative to the urban agenda