Re-framing Regional Development: Evolution, Innovation and Transition (Regions and Cities)

by PhilipCooke (Editor), Philip Cooke (Editor)

• New

  Illustrated
  2014

  $71.57

  Turbulence characterises the current global scene. This book uses complementary theoretical approaches to understand and help prescribe policies to `re-frame' the regional development problem in turbulent times. These approaches are: evolutionary complexity; evolutionary economic geography; emergence theory; and resilience theory. From below, they address the four major crises creating a `perfect storm' for societies and economics involving: the climate change crisis; the energy crisis; the banking and financial crisis; and the global economic crisis.

  This book analyses and proposes ways in which regional economies, in particular, are having to be `reframed' to address these crises. First, many must evolve in new ways, possibly moving back from the `service economy' towards a new, greener form of manufacturing of goods as well as services. Accordingly, regional economies are innovating in new ways. Amongst these are the quest for `relatedness' within their own regional orbits, and promoting `modularity' as a mode of analysis and a policy stance to stimulate innovation across industry and geographical borders.

  Finally, regional economies and societies are discovering that, from a `resilience' perspective, they must find answers to the higher levels of governance with which they increasingly struggle. In this respect regional economies are in `transition' and regional processes are `emergent'. The transition seeks to address the four crises, involving re-balancing, re-directing and re-framing future policy and practice. This book describes many of the novel `framings' involved in understanding the new ways in which this major task is being addressed in theory, policy and everyday practice.