Project strategy in the Swedish fiber infrastructure market: A private actor perspective : Navigating through the business environment competing for subsidies

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of the study is to fill the existing gap in the literature connected to project strategywithin the Swedish fiber infrastructure regarding the subsidy program announced by the Post- andTelecom Authority. To fulfill the purpose and address the research area two research questions have beendeveloped: RQ1: How do private companies design their project strategy competing for subsidies? RQ2:In what way does the business environment affect the design of the project strategy? Method: The study has used a qualitative research method based on a single private incumbent firmwithin the fiber infrastructure industry in Sweden. The study is based on existing literature on the subjectand complemented with 22 interviews divided into three stages to secure the quality of the data collection.The data were analyzed through a thematic analysis, which laid the foundation for the study's findings. Findings: The section presents four stages that intend to increase understanding of the subsidy program'sproject strategy and the business environment. The findings resulted in four parts, the Post- and TelecomAuthority subsidy program, the project in relation to the business environment, a life-cycle of the project,and lastly, a conceptual framework of the project strategy. The project strategy consists of sixcomponents: sub-goals, project organization and structure, risk, cost calculation, knowledge ofcompetition, and competitive tender. The strategy needs to include these components to create acompetitive tender and achieve the project goals and objectives. However, the competitive businessenvironment and Post- and Telecom Authority rules and regulations limit how the strategy can bedesigned and operationalized. Theoretical and practical implications: The study agrees with prior literature, which presents thatproject strategy is vital for project success (Shenhar et al., 2007), and that risk is a highly prominentcomponent affecting the strategy (Carbonara et al., 2015). However, the study presents new perspectiveson project strategy within public private partnerships on the Swedish fiber infrastructure and whichcomponents are the most prominent in the specific project. For managers, the study contributes with aframework intended to help assess these crucial components affecting the project strategy within theexisting context. This is to guide and assist managers in designing a more efficient project strategy andmitigates the risks associated with the subsidy program. Limitations and future research: This study is limited to investigating the project strategy related to thesubsidy program issued by the Swedish Post- and Telecom Authority. Further, the study is only based onone case company that does not present a holistic view of the project strategy of all actors involved. Thisindicating future research should investigate other companies within the market and especially publicfiber net owners with different goals and targets.