Regional development

In the area of regional development, AKF conducts research into:

• Settlement and commuting patterns
• Urban and rural development

• Regional concentration and decentralisation – does regional development move into or away from economic centres?
• Regional development and trends in the international markets
• The regional distribution of taxes, user charge, etc. – e.g. property taxes and road tolls
• Regional development and the Danish local government structural reform
• Regional development and land use

Convergence/divergence

In Denmark, there are no major geographic differences in per capita disposable incomes. But if you examine what is earned and in which sectors, there are significant differences. These differences are evened out through the levying of taxes and transfer payments. AKF has followed these trends and conducted analyses of what contributes to changes in earnings and sectors.

Traffic and regional development

The regional effects of motorways, bridges and road tolls are interesting. The development of the traffic system has historical significance for the map of Denmark, but are transport facilities and traffic system regulations also important today? AKF conducts analyses of the regional consequences of transport systems and traffic regulations, e.g. the significance of the Great Belt Fixed Link and the proposed fixed link across the Fehmarn Belt between Denmark and Germany. AKF has also investigated who would ultimately pay in terms of workplaces when tolls are in all likelihood introduced on vehicles. Most recently, we have conducted a study of the effects of expansion of rail capacity between Copenhagen and Ringsted.

Labour market and regional development

When jobs are shed, what are the consequences for the local community, how can a new balance be re-established and how fast? Will new jobs be created, will jobs be found further away or will it be necessary to move in order to find employment? AKF conducts studies of the significance of job shed. Regional development projections based on AKF’s regional economic model, LINE, can shed light on the challenges regions face in connection with job shed.