Mobility as a Service: Comparing Developments in Sweden and Finland

Paper in proceeding, 2017

This paper examines how institutional factors influence developments in the field of Mobility as a Service (MaaS). We draw upon neo-institutional theory in order to describe drivers and barriers of MaaS developments in Sweden and Finland. By analyzing similarities and differences across the cases, we identify a set of general implications for MaaS policymakers and practitioners. Developments in Finland demonstrate the importance of top-level support, of inter-organizational collaboration and of trust among key stakeholders. The Swedish case reiterates the need for inter-sectorial collaboration, particularly with regard to creating the right conditions for commercialization, and to involving stakeholders on both strategic and operational levels of the transport sector in developing the vision for MaaS. Lastly, we also assess the utility of the applied theoretical framework, and comment on the necessity of recognizing that both practice-based and structural changes are needed in order to facilitate institutional change.