Citizens’ perceived value of locally-provided services : Empirical study of a rural population in Southeast Finland

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 influenced the perceived value of services. Research limitations/implications – The self-efficacy of future rural populations in adopting new services would also be a worthwhile topic. Further research should compare different living arrangements and cultures. Originality/value – The findings of this study highlight the importance of community-wide interventions. Governmental influence did not have a direct influence on perceived value of service but has significance for the subjective norm. The moderation effect, however, revealed that governmental influence is significant where community population density is high.