ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book outlines the position of the regional level in Nordic countries is becoming increasingly ambiguous. It explores policy preferences of politicians for regional development in a competitive world. The book analyses the extent to which regions actually engage in cross-border networks and what motivates them to do so. It shows that policy-makers in Nordic regions are still, 10 years on, decidedly in favour of and prepared to take on extended roles in European structures of decision-making on behalf of their regions. The book explains how cities and regions seek to enhance how they relate to citizens through reforms of service provision and procedures for participation, information and communication. It highlights how access to ICTs influences role formation among and communication patterns of politicians. The book takes us from quantitative analysis of network patterns to dynamics of networking in the European arena.
