Geography of Service Networks — Smart Communities and Possibilities for Location-independent Work

Smart solutions help to solve societal challenges and solutions that are similar regardless of the place. The transformation is fast, and resilience towards change is called for especially in rural areas, and smaller cities and municipalities. The challenges are related, for instance, to concerns about maintaining services and work places, having skilled employees, and preserving the overall vitality of the regions. Differentiating regions necessitate different solutions. Changes in the world and society also bring opportunities that can be seen in technology and megatrends such as climate change, energy solutions and the circular economy. Location-independency and multi-locality are key issues in this dialogue as well.   

There are already plenty of smart solutions to help everyday life. Another question is, how effectively their possibilities are recognised, understood, and applied in practice – or is it understood why openness, trust, communality, collaboration, networks, partnerships, a strategic approach, and allocating resources are needed also in this context. It is essential to understand that solutions can be also made together and at a regional level, instead of being done alone and point by point. A "Smart Community" should be defined as a community ranging from a neighborhood to a nation-wide community of common or shared  interest, as stated already in the 1990’s. A smart community in itself consists of residents, associations, companies, public authorities, or their various combinations, and collaboration among them.  

The importance of the discourse about a smart region increases when smart concepts are in use on multiple levels of regional hierarchy. Then we are talking about a regional ecosystem of factors having an influence on each other. “Smart” is a cross-cutting question in regional development.

The specialisation of regions and their needs pose a challenge for being able to organise education, employment, and services, and that challenge cannot be solved with just one model anymore.

• Maaseutuverkosto (rural.fi), Smart Village thematic working group, Coordinator (2019–2020)
• European Educational Research Association (EERA/ECER) ”Communities, Families, Schooling” Network (2011–)
• European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) Network, Smart Village thematic working group (2017–2020)
• Varsinais-Suomen Kylät, Chair (registered association, 2013–)
• Maaseutupolitiikan neuvosto (MANE), networking
• Maaseutupolitiikan tulevaisuuden tiennäyttäjä, recognition (2018, MANE)
• Suomen Kylät, Board (registered association, Deputy member 2018–2019, Member 2020–2021)