OECD Rural Policy Reviews: Strategies to Improve Rural Service Delivery

This book provides an overview of the underlying problems in delivering services to rural regions.
It contains a conceptual structure for thinking about rural service delivery problems and a strategy for thinking about the role of government in service delivery, as well as a discussion of the role that innovation and public management tools like co-design and co-delivery can play in designing better service delivery approaches.

Also included are examples of different, successful policy strategies drawn from OECD countries.



The delivery of services to rural regions is a key concern for both OECD and non-OECD countries.
The service sector, in aggregate, now dominates total employment and value-added in OECD countries, accounting for more than 70% of these two measures, and continues to increase in importance.
While services may play a slightly smaller role in rural regions than in urban areas, they are the dominant component of the rural economy.
It is clear that a vibrant service sector is both vital for a prosperous local economy and crucial for meeting the needs of rural citizens.