<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<p>This study explores officials’ perspectives on Swedish policies for rural digital transformation (RDT). Through the lens of Social Acceleration and systems thinking, employing Critical Systems Heuristics collecting empirical data, we explore how officials perceive that Swedish digitalisation policies impacts inclusive RDT. We investigate whether the possibility to implement Swedish digitalisation policies support or hinder inclusive RDT. Our results emphasize the importance of Social Acceleration based on the aspirations of rural residents, encompassing technical acceleration, social change, and the pace of life. The rapid societal acceleration driven by digitalisation impacts the implementation of digital services in rural areas. Policies do not address the needs of tailored digital services; officials strive to manage this through creative methods despite inherent challenges.</p>
</abstract>

This study explores officials’ perspectives on Swedish policies for rural digital transformation (RDT). Through the lens of Social Acceleration and systems thinking, employing Critical Systems Heuristics collecting empirical data, we explore how officials perceive that Swedish digitalisation policies impacts inclusive RDT. We investigate whether the possibility to implement Swedish digitalisation policies support or hinder inclusive RDT. Our results emphasize the importance of Social Acceleration based on the aspirations of rural residents, encompassing technical acceleration, social change, and the pace of life. The rapid societal acceleration driven by digitalisation impacts the implementation of digital services in rural areas. Policies do not address the needs of tailored digital services; officials strive to manage this through creative methods despite inherent challenges.

Bridging the Gap. Policies to Accelerate Social Change for an Inclusive Rural Digital Transformation in Sweden

European Countryside

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

This study explores officials’ perspectives on Swedish policies for rural digital transformation (RDT). Through the lens of Social Acceleration and systems...

Bridging the Gap. Policies to Accelerate Social Change for an Inclusive Rural Digital Transformation in Sweden

Published Online: Apr 02, 2024

Page range: 26 - 42

Received: Jun 05, 2023

Accepted: Sep 19, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2024-0003

Keywords
Inclusive Rural Digital Transformation, digitalisation of rural areas, Social Acceleration, digital policy

© 2024 Johanna Lindberg et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Bridging the Gap. Policies to Accelerate Social Change for an Inclusive Rural Digital Transformation in Sweden

Published Online: Apr 02, 2024

Page range: 26 - 42

Received: Jun 05, 2023

Accepted: Sep 19, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2024-0003

KeywordsInclusive Rural Digital Transformation, digitalisation of rural areas, Social Acceleration, digital policy

© 2024 Johanna Lindberg et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Inclusive Rural Digital Transformation, digitalisation of rural areas, Social Acceleration, digital policy