Targeting Regional Economic Development
Targeting Regional Economic Development

Author: Stephan J. Goetz

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2009-03-25

Total Pages: 663

ISBN-13: 1135972109

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Targeting regional economic development (TRED) has a long and rich tradition among academic economists and in the world of economic development practitioners. This book builds on a series of workshops and papers organized by The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD) at the Pennsylvania State University and the Rural Policy Research Centre (RUPRI) at the University of Missouri. Through the coordinated efforts of NERCRD and RUPRI, a network of university based researchers and Extension education specialists was developed and provides the foundation of this new edited volume. For the first time in a single book, Goetz, Deller and Harris present an innovative approach through a collection of chapters discussing industry targeting and the relevance of TRED as an important analytical tool for practical targeting purposes. The papers present issues surrounding community economic development, clusters in industry and rural communities and the role of agglomeration economies. The book provides the reader with insights into not only the theoretical foundations of targeting as well as empirical methods, but also approaches for using the community-level analysis to affect policy directions.

Extent of Cluster-based Economic Development Policies and the Political/institutional Context
Extent of Cluster-based Economic Development Policies and the Political/institutional Context

Author: Roberto Gallardo Estrella

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Regional economic development strategies such as cluster-based development are becoming increasingly popular with policymakers. Yet, the role of government in cluster development and sustainability is not clearly understood. However, network governance theory provides an ideal framework to better understand this role. This research attempts to fill the gap between cluster theory and public administration by testing a political/institutional context model developed by Miller (2006) that attempts to explain the extent of cluster-based economic development policies considering the political/institutional context. A collective case study focusing on the shipbuilding cluster in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi was conducted. A total of 24 in-depth interviews were completed with key informants from economic development organizations, government institutions, and the shipbuilding industry. The major findings of the study indicate that (1) civic entrepreneurs, tax structures, and elected officials are not correlated with the extent of cluster-based policies; (2) the traditionalistic political subculture in the region is a major limiting factor for the development of governance structures suitable for cluster-based economic development and upgrading; (3) participants were highly satisfied with workforce and infrastructure development policies while government activities and programs had the lowest satisfaction; (4) the findings of this study show no support for a clear factor policy grouping as argued by Porter; and (5) network governance theory provides an ideal framework to build governance structures focused on linkages and formal/informal relationships that are more suitable for cluster-based development ameliorating the effects of a traditionalistic political culture. The contributions of this study become more important because of recent threats to the shipbuilding cluster in the Gulf Coast. The ability of government to adapt and facilitate the development and upgrading of the cluster will prove critical for the overall economic and social vitality of the region.

The Economics of Regional Clusters
The Economics of Regional Clusters

Author: Uwe Blien

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2008-01-01

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 9781782542568

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This important new book takes a critical view on regional industry clusters, in particular their identification and formation, and the policies which help create and support them.

Reinventing Local and Regional Economies
Reinventing Local and Regional Economies

Author: Gerald L. Gordon

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2011-09-26

Total Pages: 395

ISBN-13: 146650871X

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Recent US economic history is rife with examples of cities and regions that have experienced significant decline. Many of those localities began to slide after decades, even generations, of feeling immune to economic disaster. Boeing and Kodak, the steel industry in Pittsburg, and the automotive industry in Detroit all expected to make it golden into the distant future. Tapping into the available body of knowledge as well as- through nearly 70 interviews—the experiences of those who lived and worked in those times in cities around the United States—to identify the most effective strategies, Reinventing Local and Regional Economies delineates the dos and don’ts to observe in order to sustain economic vitality in any community. Written by Dr. Gerald Gordon, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Authority in Fairfax County, Virginia, the book explores lessons learned and examines the messages communities must be mindful of in order to ensure future economic stability. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, Gordon identifies a set of foundational lessons that, while they are not guarantees of success, certainly portend failure if ignored by local planners. Each chapter explores a different prerequisite and then applies it to several case studies of the reinvention of local and regional economies. Each of these basic components of economic growth will then be examined against the backgrounds of the many communities studied, thus permitting comparisons and contrasts to be drawn. A comparative analysis of results from one community to another across a wide range of case studies, this book puts into clear context the observations about what works not only in one locale but in communities with common features facing common issues and getting similar results. Using case studies and real world examples of successes and failures, Dr. Gordon provides the tools to develop a proactive strategy that positions your community for surviving and thriving regardless of external stresses and adverse economic conditions that may be out of your control.

City in Transition
City in Transition

Author: Frank Akpadock

Publisher: FriesenPress

Published: 2012-03

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 1770972560

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In a climate of scarce financial resources, where federal and state fiscal assistance to cities has dwindled quantitatively, all civic leaders must somehow find a way to provide long-term vision, a good business climate, and diverse economic development planning strategies to grow their cities' economies. Such plans should be strategically flexible and adaptable to change, yet strong enough to withstand the whirlwinds and vicissitudes of the constantly changing national and global economies. Youngstown, Ohio, achieved its success through the visionary leadership of its city mayors, who partnered with local University leadership, tapping into their invaluable assets of knowledge capital and technology transfer capacities, while at the same time mobilizing public support from labor, businesses, foundations, and other entrepreneurial stakeholders to provide assistance with the city's economic recovery. City in Transition is a landmark testimonial assessment of tried and true economic development strategies of Youngstown mayors' visionary leaderships to revive and grow the city's declining economy following its steel mill closings in the late 1970s. Economic development strategies together with city-size reclassification into a smaller post-industrial city, created a classic leadership story of foresight that transcended the city's economic regeneration per se, to garner both national recognition and international attention.