Citizens’ perceived value of locally-provided services

Purpose – Ageing and population movement from rural regions to regional centres have raised new questions regarding the value of locally available services. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of individuals’ functioning status, housing arrangements and social context on services value. The authors approach the topic with the following research question: how do the personal capabilities and social spheres of rural residents influence demand for local services? Design/methodology/approach – Results are based on a postal survey conducted in southeast Finland. Data were collected using a random sample of 3,000 people from age 60 to 90 years in rural areas surrounding a regional centre. A total of 1,121 valid responses were received. Findings – The influence of individuals’ mobility on value depended on the travel distance between services and living arrangements. The authors find that subjective norms and social interactions influenced attitudes; meanwhile, the government indirectly influen...