Committing to a tramway through policy development

Sammanfattning: This thesis researches a decision-making process culminating in the building of a tramway in Lund, Sweden drawing on theories of institutionalism and isomorphism (DiMaggio & Powell, 1991; Chien 2008; Czarniawska, 2015), and policy development (Flyvbjerg, Skamris holm, & Buhl, 2003). Discourse analysis and a case study is used as methodology to interpret and analyze collected empirical data. The overall objective of this thesis is to find out what role policies play in decisions of urban infrastructure investments. A case study will help to find out if the decision to build a tramway in Lund was influenced by the global phenomenon of cities growing more alike. More specifically, the thesis researches the driving factors behind the decision to build a tramway in Lund and how policies influenced the decision. By doing this, the thesis uncovers and break down what influenced the decision to build a tramway to reveal potential risks or benefits for decision-makers in Lund municipality. The empirical data mostly consists of documents found on the official website (sparvaglund.se) for finding information about the tramway in Lund.The analysis of the empirical data over the tramway project uncover a certain level of local development isomorphism in the decision-making process. The municipality singled out a tramway to be the only feasible public transport mode, that could solve the city’s anticipated capacity problem. The decision formed a sort of singular truth because it is, empirically, the only appropriately investigated alternative. The decision to build a tramway is supported by a couple of policy documents which creates a narrative for a certain political intent. Then, findings in these essential policy documents reveal an intentional or unintentional commitment to a certain degree of local development isomorphism. The thesis concludes that the decision to build a tramway in Lund has been reinforced by consultancy involvement by adopting strategies that are perceived as successful in eliminating risks and abide to external pressures. Resulting in municipalities forming similar, if not identical, solutions to potential problems. Inclusion of consultancy groups may therefore reinforce the tendency of imitation phenomena outlining the future for municipalities in Sweden.