Sparbankernas vara eller icke vara - En kvantitativ studie av sparbankernas bidrag till attraktivitet, företagande och regional tillväxt i de kommuner de verkar i.
This thesis investigates the 200 year old phenomena of savings banks and if they increase the economic growth (GDP) in the local region they act in. That is being done by testing three hypotheses; the savings banks increase the attractiveness of the region they act in; the savings banks increase the entrepreneurship in the region they act in; and the savings banks increase the economic growth in region they act in. This quantitative cross-sectional study with data from the year 2010, finds that the savings banks increase the attractiveness of the local region, most likely through the efforts and financials they put into different local projects. A positive result is also found for increased entrepreneurship in the regions that have a local savings bank. The result is explained by the savings banks relationship lending, which increase the likeliness for a company to get the credit they need to start and develop. Even though the above positive results were found, no signs can be seen that the savings banks increase the economic growth (GDP) in the regions they act in. This result questions the theories that state the importance of entrepreneurship and attractiveness for a region to get economic growth.