Sustainable development and the local economy

This article sets out the divergence so far between the developing “environmental economics” and local authority “green strategies”. We propose a model of environmentally sustainable economic development. Our argument outlines “environmental efficiency” and more stringent “sustainability” objectives. It reviews current local authority activities and practices. All are within the “environmental efficiency” framework. It concludes by identifying opportunities created by recent government commitment to environmental improvement targets and argues that local authorities are well placed to take up the challenge of developing sustainable development in local economies. It suggests that this process will involve intervention in the market in a way not dissimilar to that adopted in the 1980s by local authorities concerned with developing socially progressive economic strategies and that this process might be termed “social environmentalism”.     

Integrating the economic and the social. Policy and institutional change in local economic strategy

Since the mid-1990s policy “integration” has become an increasingly salient theme within central government and local government policy-making. In this paper we report survey findings tracing the recent emergence of explicitly “integrated” local economic and social strategies, and the evolving position of ostensibly social themes in local economic strategies. These highlight some of the more important policy and institutional changes that have characterised local economic strategy in the post-Thatcher era. Subsequently, in the light of this initial data we outline a number of possible directions for further research.     

Judicial institutions,local protection and market segmentation: Evidence from the establishment of interprovincial circuit tribunals in China

A central challenge in economic development is market segmentation (MS) within countries, which largely arises from judicial local protection(JLP). By taking advantage of China's establishment of interprovincial circuit tribunals (ICTs) that separate the judicial system from local governments, we find that: (1) ICTs significantly rectify the JLP provided by lower-level courts. (2)A micro-mechanism analysis shows that ICTs decrease transportation costs of cases involving small and private enterprises as plaintiffs and increase their probability applying for retrials in the Supreme People's Court (SPC). In combination with the fact that these enterprises are more likely to be discriminated against by lower-level courts, the rectification effect of ICTs becomes significant after the reform. (3)Consistently, although ICTs significantly decrease the MS between provinces within the same circuit area, the MS between provinces of different circuit areas barely changes. Our paper provides timely implications and potentially actionable insights for countries facing similar concerns.     

Telecommunications and the local economy: Some emerging policy issues

This paper provides a brief overview of the issues which surround local economic development and telecommunications. The implications of telecommunications for urban and regional development in the present “information-based” era are outlined and the seven basic features of this development are described. Some necessary steps and conceptual approaches to developing specifically local development policies in this new area are then expounded by way of the development of a “framework for the local policy maker”. Finally, several leading attempts at developing locally controlled telecommunications infrastructures in the UK, as agents of economic and social development, are briefly analysed.     

Stakeholding and the local economy

During the 1980s local economic policy became an issue of major political concern. The polarisation of the New Right market-led strategies advanced by the Thatcher governments and the New Left-inspired counter-response, typified by the last years of the GLC, reflected the tenor of national political and economic debates at the time. Arguably, in the 10 years since the abolition of the GLC, local economic development has been devoid (some might say spared) of any “big idea” arising from wider political debates. Recently, however, there have been signs that a new political direction may be emerging at the national level with significant implications for local economic policy. That direction is the notion of stakeholding.     

Cable and local economic development: Local authority roles and responses

There has been much recent comment about the development of the “information superhighway” and the opportunities that this will create for economic development. Yet elements of such a superhighway are already in place through the activities of cable companies in the UK This paper outlines the development of cable to date and examines the response of local authorities to such developments.     

Rethinking the role of the service sector in local economic revitalisation

This article evaluates the role of the service sector in revitalising local economies. Using case study evidence from the Fens, the view that services are “parasitic” activities is refuted. Instead, services are shown to contribute positively to local economic rejuvenation not only as “basic” activities which bring income into local economies from outside but also, just as importantly, as locally-oriented activities which stop income from leaking out of the locality. The consequences of this reconceptualisation of services for the nature of local economic policy are addressed.     

Bringing cheer to a depressed economy — economic development in N. Ireland

In this, the first of two articles, the authors examine the particularly grim problems of the local economy in N. Ireland. They argue that such problems have to be understood in the context of N. Ireland's distinctive politics and administration. Following an assessment of economic development performance in recent decades, they conclude with a critical review of government strategies for the future. In the second article they intend to examine other local suggestions for economic policy, and to outline a “popular” alternative strategy.     

Small business service firms and the 1990s recession in the United Kingdom: Implications for local economic development

During the 1990s recession, the UK experienced a dramatic growth in employment in information-intensive business firms. This paper explores this growth with reference to small management consultancy and market research firms. Business service firms continued to be established and to grow during the recession because of three related attributes: professional expertise, an existing reputation and a network of client contacts. These attributes are related to the theoretical work of Granovetter (1973; 1982; 1985) who argues that “weak ties” operate to connect different groups of people together. The implications of these attributes for local economic development are considered. Success for all companies at the level of the local economy will be partially dependent on efficient and effective use of available business service expertise. The three attributes make it impossible to develop successful mechanisms to encourage the formation of business service companies in areas with underdeveloped service infrastructure. Mechanisms, however, may be developed at the local level to encourage the establishment of “weak ties” between local companies and regional and national providers of business service expertise.     

Rural development in Hertzog,Eastern Cape: Successful local economic development?

The government's recently released rural development strategy identifies the important role which local economic development can play in the rural areas of South Africa. This article examines the key features of local economic development and the degree to which recent initiatives in the rural village of Hertzog conform with the basic principles of local economic development. The recent establishment of an agriculture cooperative and smallholder farming on irrigated one‐hectare plots forms the basis of the initiative. Community structures, strategies and achievements are outlined and assessed.     

Neo-Corporatism and Territorial Economic Development: The Ecuadorian Indigenous Movement in Local Government

This article argues that the democratization of local governments that has been led by indigenous movements in Ecuador can best be described as “neocorporatist”. The article, based on the evidence from two cases of indigenous local governments in the Andes, argues that the forms of “neo-corporatism” created by the Ecuadorian indigenous movement on its entry into government are designed as participatory institutional frameworks that also serve as channels for the expression of social movements’ demands. The neocorporatist practices deployed by indigenous movements in these areas have had mixed results, both in terms of their implementation and of their capacity to foster viable income-generating activities for poor rural areas. On balance, while the forms of neocorporatist government fostered by the indigenous movement can have positive impacts on economic development, there are still two broad limitations. First, it continues to be difficult to foster a process of territorial economic development that effectively addresses the distinct interests that exist among different community organizations. Second, the negative effects of the wider economic context in which local territories find themselves remain beyond the control of the local government.     

Managed workspace. Do tenants stay too long?

The managed workspace format rose to prominence as a tool for local economic development during the 1980s, Its popularity has continued into the 1990s, offering support for new and small firms in their early stages of operation through the provision of suitable premises and a “protected environment”. In this article, evidence is presented to indicate that a significant proportion of tenant firms are, in fact, remaining in managed workspace well beyond the early stages of operation for which it is primarily intended, and we examine the reasons for this. Most significantly, this examination reveals that the added costs associated with the provision of the “protected environment” often appear to produce little in the way of added value for these more mature tenant firms, and on this basis we conclude with a call for a reappraisal of the role for managed workspace in local economic development policies.     

Why isn't Wales Richer? Economic change and GDP per capita

This paper examines the extent to which economic changes in Wales during the 1980s and early 1990s have impacted upon the main indicator of regional prosperity (GDP per head). The paper shows that the economic “successes” of Wales, in terms of inward investment attraction, infrastructure development and manufacturing growth, are yet to be translated into sustained improvements in relative GDP per capita. The general implications of the Welsh case for regional development strategy are examined in the conclusions.     

Local economic strategy and local coalition-building

This paper considers the increasing prevalence of coalition-building in urban politics, associated characterisations of local public-private relations, and the developing function of local economic strategy in such processes. It concludes with a discussion of local economic strategy-making by Norwich City Council, which emphasises the distinctiveness of local policy and the limits of coalition politics.     

Greening the local economy

While there has been a growing awareness of environmental issues in recent years, there has been little attempt to integrate environmental policy with economic development issues. This paper argues that this is an issue which should be addressed by local authorities and suggests ways in which local authorities could begin to move towards sustainable local economic development.     

地方金融工作与地方经济发展的关系探析

发展经济是地方政府工作的重中之重,地方经济的发展离不开地方金融的发展。实现地方经济又好又快发展的关键是做好地方金融工作。地方政府与金融业应建立起一种相辅相成、共同发展的关系,如何让地方金融变得更有效率,更有力的推动当地经济的发展,需要重新审视和研究地方政府金融工作与地方经济发展的关系。     

Economic development and local authorities: The Scottish case

The economic development activities of local authorities have expanded considerably over the last decade. This paper considers the range of such activities and presents an overview of the results of a survey of local authorities, taking Scotland as a case study. It discusses the differences between the institutional environment for supporting economic development, contrasting it with the rest of the UK. It then considers the reasons for involvement by the local authorities in economic development and their priorities. The results of the survey, with over 90 per cent of local authorities responding, show the range and level of economic development activities directly carried out by them to be considerable. Generally, the role of partnership with other public, private and third-sector bodies in the development and implementation of policies and initiatives was found to be significant. Finally, the level of resources devoted to economic development was substantial with expenditure of over £90 million per year.     

The Scottish development agency: Market consensus, public planning and local enterprise

The absence of a coherent industrial strategy embracing sectoral enterprise development at the level of national government in the UK has meant a shift to regional and local levels as far as concerted intervention is concerned. But whilst there has been considerable interest in the activities of the local authority enterprise boards there has not been the same attention given to the regional development agencies like the SDA. The ideologies of intervention of this agency and GLEB, for example, are in theory very different, yet each confronts a series of opportunities and constraints at the level of economic sectors.     

The new local economics: A reply to John Benington

Attempts are being made to construct a “new local economics” and important claims are being made on its behalf. In present circumstances, its contribution, though with some valuable achievements as John Benington has shown, must nevertheless be marginal. The task is to gain the maximum leverage from minimal resources, and this article suggests that the key priorities should be to use local authorities' influence as purchasers, employers and investors.     

Tourism and local economic development. Beyond the conventional view

The relationships between tourism and local economic development extend beyond conventional notions of jobs, diversification and income. The drive for tourism by local authorities and linked agencies, often through the creation of a local action plan, provides a valuable self-appraisal opportunity that may raise the awareness of local economic potentials. Moreover, it also nurtures productive team-building and partnership development within and between local authorities and outside agencies and organisations, and spins off into wider local economic benefits such as image enhancement and the attraction of inward investment. Ultimately, it may boost the local policy machine in ways that enhance and extend the status and strength of the local economy.