The project took a holistic point of view to identify the role of retailing for (i) local labor markets, (ii) urban and rural development, and (iii) place attractiveness. In order to accomplish such a goal, the researchers build the empirical design on economic theory and exploited big data to apply a series of quantitative methods for Swedish regions, municipalities, and even for neighborhoods of major retail markets.
Some of the specific questions addressed:
- What are the employment opportunities and net employment effects associated with retail development in a municipality or a region in Sweden?
- What are the systematic variations in retail development and performance in rural and urban regions? How do differences in infrastructure shape the urban-rural dichotomy for retail markets?
- What is the relationship between “place attractiveness” and consumption possibilities in municipalities and regions in Sweden?
The project was financed by The Swedish Retail and Wholesale Council.