Local and Regional Development

El objetivo del artículo es establecer las condiciones actuales que favorecen o dificultan los procesos de inserción internacional de gobiernos territoriales. En primer lugar, se presentan los cambios surgidos dentro del Estado-nación por fenómenos como la globalización y muestra la relevancia que ha alcanzado la internacionalización en los ámbitos local y regional, como estrategia para el desarrollo de sus territorios. En segundo lugar, se hace una descripción de las competencias que tienen las entidades territoriales frente a este proceso y el marco normativo por el que se rigen. En tercer lugar, se señalan algunos casos internacionales y nacionales considerados como relevantes con el fin de mostrar los procesos que se han adelantado en torno al tema. La evidencia recogida, a partir de la revisión documental, permite concluir que la internacionalización territorial es un proceso que apenas comienza para el conjunto de los países latinoamericanos, en los cuales, paradójicamente, ha...

La provincia de San Luis ha implementado el programa NUEVAS EMPRESAS DE JOVENES SANLUISENOS que integra emprendimientos de desarrollo territorial, alternativos, integrales, sustentables, a escala humana, con enfasis en lo local, tal como consta en los fundamentos de elaboracion de dicho programa. Conociendo que la economia solidaria es una vision y una practica que reivindica la economia como medio –y no como fin– al servicio del desarrollo personal y comunitario y como instrumento que contribuya a mejorar la calidad de vida, afianzando a las personas en su terruno. La hipotesis de este trabajo es que el programa de Empresas de Jovenes Sanluisenos presenta una alternativa valida para el desarrollo de nuevas empresas y el fomento del emprendedurismo en los jovenes de la provincia en la medida que el diseno del programa contemple el apoyo durante la formulacion del proyecto y el seguimiento a posteriori. El programa gubernamental es necesario, pero ademas de ello se precisa la existen...

To rethink the model, the methodologies and the projects that gave origin to digital cities and regions, in order to improve results.  To analyse the institutional and social factors, as well as the technological ones, that have contributed to different outcomes in the Portuguese digital cities and regions, focusing into the governance issue.  To deepen the acquaintance about the knowledge society.  To outline recommendations that can reinforce a knowledge-based development also in other EU territories.

To rethink the model, the methodologies and the projects that gave origin to digital cities and regions, in order to improve results.  To analyse the institutional and social factors, as well as the technological ones, that have contributed to different outcomes in the Portuguese digital cities and regions, focusing into the governance issue.  To deepen the acquaintance about the knowledge society.  To outline recommendations that can reinforce a knowledge-based development also in other EU territories.

O turismo costeiro é a actividade turística mais relevante em Portugal. Este facto devese essencialmente à extensa e diversificada linha de costa e à amenidade do clima do nosso país. No entanto, o turismo que se tem vindo a praticar nas áreas costeiras portuguesas não responde às questões da sustentabilidade que cada vez mais estão na base da competitividade dos destinos turísticos. A garantia de sustentabilidade e a atracção pelo novo e pelo diferente são factores essenciais à capacidade de atracção e competitividade de um determinado território. O sector turístico não foge à regra. Como tal é necessário inverter o modelo massificado que caracteriza o turismo costeiro e inovar nas formas e nos modelos propostos. O Centro Litoral de Portugal é uma região com fortes potencialidades turísticas, mas que se encontram subaproveitadas ou incorrectamente geridas. Nota-se, cada vez mais, uma quebra significativa da procura pela falta de qualidade que é oferecida aos turistas. Para tornar estas áreas atractivas é urgente torná-las inovadoras, apostando nas suas singularidades e oferecendo o que os outros não conseguem oferecer, através da exploração sustentável dos recursos endógenos. Pretendemos com este trabalho compreender de que forma o conceito de regiões inovadoras pode potenciar o desenvolvimento do turismo sustentável no Litoral Centro de Portugal.

This paper presents the results of a comparative study of 23 urban or regional high-technology clusters (media, ICT, energy, biotechnology) all over the world, analyzing how they were created, how they are managed and how they operate, and the strategies followed to improve and excel in their fields of action. Special attention is given to issues related to descriptive aspects, R&D, performance of the clusters, location factors and incentives to attract companies. The empirical analysis applied to the identified clusters was done through a questionnaire sent to the representatives of the cluster's management. When analyzing the data, the study has combined quantitative and qualitative methods, depending on the information to be processed. The data collection was done through a selection of indicators chosen in order to cover the different elements that cluster literature coincide in consider essential to develop a competitive economic cluster in urban regions. The main obstacle we find with the information available to carry out this study has been its heterogeneity and different quality of the data. 22@Barcelona appears to be in a good position to compete with other excelling clusters, but it still needs to improve in areas such as financial supply for R&D and start-ups and coordination between the different actors involved in urban economic development. Our research also contributes to the discussion on the role of public institutions in the cluster development policies. In the clusters studied here, especially in 22@Barcelona, we have seen that a capable and resourceful public administration can determine the success of the cluster initiative.

This paper presents the results of a comparative study of 23 urban or regional high-technology clusters (media, ICT, energy, biotechnology) all over the world, analyzing how they were created, how they are managed and how they operate, and the strategies followed to improve and excel in their fields of action. Special attention is given to issues related to descriptive aspects, R&D, performance of the clusters, location factors and incentives to attract companies. The empirical analysis applied to the identified clusters was done through a questionnaire sent to the representatives of the cluster's management. When analyzing the data, the study has combined quantitative and qualitative methods, depending on the information to be processed. The data collection was done through a selection of indicators chosen in order to cover the different elements that cluster literature coincide in consider essential to develop a competitive economic cluster in urban regions. The main obstacle we find with the information available to carry out this study has been its heterogeneity and different quality of the data. 22@Barcelona appears to be in a good position to compete with other excelling clusters, but it still needs to improve in areas such as financial supply for R&D and start-ups and coordination between the different actors involved in urban economic development. Our research also contributes to the discussion on the role of public institutions in the cluster development policies. In the clusters studied here, especially in 22@Barcelona, we have seen that a capable and resourceful public administration can determine the success of the cluster initiative.

O turismo costeiro é a actividade turística mais relevante em Portugal. Este facto devese essencialmente à extensa e diversificada linha de costa e à amenidade do clima do nosso país. No entanto, o turismo que se tem vindo a praticar nas áreas costeiras portuguesas não responde às questões da sustentabilidade que cada vez mais estão na base da competitividade dos destinos turísticos. A garantia de sustentabilidade e a atracção pelo novo e pelo diferente são factores essenciais à capacidade de atracção e competitividade de um determinado território. O sector turístico não foge à regra. Como tal é necessário inverter o modelo massificado que caracteriza o turismo costeiro e inovar nas formas e nos modelos propostos. O Centro Litoral de Portugal é uma região com fortes potencialidades turísticas, mas que se encontram subaproveitadas ou incorrectamente geridas. Nota-se, cada vez mais, uma quebra significativa da procura pela falta de qualidade que é oferecida aos turistas. Para tornar estas áreas atractivas é urgente torná-las inovadoras, apostando nas suas singularidades e oferecendo o que os outros não conseguem oferecer, através da exploração sustentável dos recursos endógenos. Pretendemos com este trabalho compreender de que forma o conceito de regiões inovadoras pode potenciar o desenvolvimento do turismo sustentável no Litoral Centro de Portugal.

Re sumo Este artigo aborda a questão das relações entre cidades pela perspectiva da competitividade, da competição e da cooperação entre elas, pelo relato de uma experiência em planejamento regional que toma como pressuposto básico a identificação de complementaridades e sinergias existentes em um grupo de quatro

The aim of this paper is to present the results of comparative case study research concerning the impact of the interplay between formal and informal institutions on the development of innovation networks of the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs). The primary contribution this article makes is to link the literature on the interplay between institutions related to innovation networks in a broad range of economies in transition like CEECs. This paper provides an understanding of how interplay between these institutions may influence the development of innovation networks of CEECs. Practical policy recommendations are to introduce a risk guarantee mechanism, which may promote the innovation process at different levels and influence the development of innovation networks later.

Stavovi izraeni u radovima u ovoj seriji publikacija stavovi su autora i nuno ne odraavaju stavove Ekonomskog instituta, Zagreb. Radovi se objavljuju s ciljem poticanja rasprave i kritièkih komentara kojima aee se unaprijediti buduaee verzije rada. Autor(i) u potpunosti zadravaju autorska prava nad èlancima objavljenim u ovoj seriji publikacija.

Knowledge-intensive services (KIS) are assuming an increasing importance in innovation, to such an extent that they have even classified as "key agents" within innovation systems (Fischer, 2001). As one of the major features of KIS is coproduction, location is expected to play a significant role on the effects of KIS on regional innovation systems. The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between the location of KIS and the innovation performance of the European regions. Starting from the results reached by previous studies: Makun and McPherson (1997) for three New York regions, Muller and Zenker (1998) for five German and French regions, Drejer and Vinding (2003) for Danish urban areas or Simmie and Strambach (2006) for large cities of England and Germany, our aim is to widen the traditional scope of the analysis and evaluate the relationship between location of KIS and innovation performance on an European basis. More concretely we try to show that the spatial concentration of KIS in some regions (and particular in capital cities) contributes to foster innovation. To do so we carry out an exploratory spatial analysis for more than 100 European regions. We take as a proxy for the location of KIS the share of employment in KIS in every region. The results obtained support the hypothesis that KIS exert a positive impact on regional innovation performance, an impact that could spill over into the neighbouring regions.

The importance of Santo André Lagoon (SW Portugal) for the conservation of biodiversity has been recognized over the last few years (Ramsar, SPA, Natura 2000). This is well demonstrated by its inclusion, since 2000, in the Portuguese Network of Protected Areas (Reserva Natural das Lagoas de Santo André e Sancha). In this circumstance, birds clearly stand out. Its avifauna includes a significant number of migratory species and/or a high conservation value, being the main reason for its choice as a site for regular bird ringing campaigns for nearly 30 years. Due to their relevance, waterbird species deserve special attention from management rules established in this protected area. During 2005 and 2006 the presence of aquatic birds was monitored monthly in different sectors of the lagoon. The results, besides showing high abundances of several species, confirm the importance of the area for the coot (Fulica atra), at a national level. Also important is the regular occurrence of the re...

Currently, cluster concept is one of the most important tools for governments to enhance competitiveness and innovations through sectoral specialization and cooperation. The paper focuses on applications of the cluster policy in the distinct territorial context of Europe and Asia so that to perform a comparison between different approaches to the cluster concept application in real practice. The paper introduces a comparative study of the cluster policy concepts based on the characteristics defined by the authors, such as scope, approach, targeting, autonomy, institutional coordination, policy instruments and evaluation system studied for the selected European and Asian countries such as Denmark, France, Germany, China, Japan, and South Korea. The research draws upon processing the secondary data obtained through content analysis of the related literature, government documents and strategies, and also cluster funding programmes. The findings demonstrate the diversity of cluster policies implemented in the context of European and Asian conditions at the current stage of their development.

Microfirms play a significant role in the Central/Eastern European economies, comprising 86% of the total amount of active firms. Development of microfirms is influenced by the local entrepreneurial environment. This article discusses the role of the local formal (regulations, local acts of law) and informal (customs, social norms and values) institutions in the development of microfirms. Synthetic exploration of the coexistence of formal and informal institutions on the example of Masovian and Swietokrzyskie voivodeships in Poland has been carried out. To present a multifaceted perspective, the following research methods were used: a survey among formal local institutions, individual indepth interviews with microfirms' owners and Regional Chambers of Commerce and also a case study on the local law acts. The findings suggest that the development instruments used by formal local institutions are inadequate for the needs of MF's. Furthermore, the crucial role of family support, and the importance of knowledge sharing has been found.

espanolEl sector vitivinicola ocupa una destacada posicion en el conjunto de la industria agroalimentaria espanola. La importancia demostrada por esta actividad se traslada tambien al mercado internacional donde Espana ostenta una posicion de liderazgo tanto en terminos de produccion, como de ventas al exterior. Buena parte de las empresas elaboradoras de vino de nuestro pais se ubican en distritos industriales, o lo que es lo mismo, en entornos geograficos caracterizados por la elevada concentracion de pequenas y medianas empresas cuya organizacion productiva responde a un esquema basado en la especializacion flexible. En anteriores trabajos, se ha podido constatar como las empresas elaboradoras de vino ubicadas en este tipo de enclaves industriales presentan una mayor eficiencia respecto de competidores localizados en otro tipo de entornos. El objetivo de este articulo es profundizar en la investigacion de los rasgos especificos de los distritos industriales que podrian explicar e...

The wine sector holds a prominent place within the whole Spanish food and agriculture industry. The importance given to this activity has also been transferred to the international market where Spain holds a position of leadership, both in terms of production as in overseas sales. A large number of the wine-producing firms in our country are located in industrial districts, which is to say in geographical areas characterised by a high concentration of small and medium-sized companies whose productive organisation corresponds to a model based on flexible specialisation. In previous papers, it has been possible to verify how wine-producing industries located in industrial areas show greater efficiency in relation to rivals located in other types of environments. The aim of this article is to further research on the specific features of industrial districts which could explain their firms’ increase in efficiency. For the identification and quantification of these determining factors af...

To rethink the model, the methodologies and the projects that gave origin to digital cities and regions, in order to improve results.  To analyse the institutional and social factors, as well as the technological ones, that have contributed to different outcomes in the Portuguese digital cities and regions, focusing into the governance issue.  To deepen the acquaintance about the knowledge society.  To outline recommendations that can reinforce a knowledge-based development also in other EU territories.

Since 1990, governments have put more emphasis on the evaluation of regional policies but, as we will argue, limited lessons can be learnt from these works and their capacity to facilitate the accumulation of knowledge and learning has been restricted. The objective of this paper is to explore the potential of new evaluation models such as the 'theory of change' approach. For this reason, we summarise the limitations of the current approach to evaluating these policies (mainly value for money studies), and we explore the potential advantages that the use of a 'theory of change' evaluation model applied to the assessment of regional development policy is able to introduce. Finally, at the moment of writing, we are working on the design for the evaluation of the Plan for Rural Sustainable Development (PDRS) in the Basque Country using a 'theory of change', participatory approach. The final part of this paper aims to show the work carried out to date. It is, however, not yet possible to present real evidence, but we hope to do so in the near future.

This work analyses the economic impact of the creative industry in the European Union. The paper quantifies the direct and indirect impacts of the creative industry, concluding that they not only have a direct impact on the employment and the production, but also contributes to the technological progress and long-term development of the European Union. Most of this contribution is due to the creative service industries, whereas the direct contribution of the creative manufacturing industries is smaller.

A agricultura familiar possui relevada importância socioeconômica em Mato Grosso do Sul, sendo responsável por uma parcela expressiva na geração de empregos e renda no estado. Destaca-se no quesito desenvolvimento local, minimizando o êxodo rural e promovendo a segurança alimentar e nutricional. Mesmo assim, no entanto, diferentes organizações representativas dos agricultores relatam que esse segmento enfrenta sérios problemas em diferentes elos das cadeias produtivas. É nesse contexto que se desenvolveu este estudo e com o intuito de identificar as principais atividades produtivas desenvolvidas para a geração de renda, alguns aspectos sobre agregação de valor à produção e canais de comercialização, bem como procurando visualizar soluções para melhorar a venda dos produtos produzidos pela agricultura familiar no estado. O estudo foi realizado em julho de 2014, envolvendo 30 agricultores oriundos de diferentes regiões de Mato Grosso do Sul. Os dados foram obtidos a partir de entrevis...

Knowledge-intensive services (KIS) are assuming an increasing importance in innovation, to such an extent that they have even classified as "key agents" within innovation systems (Fischer, 2001). As one of the major features of KIS is coproduction, location is expected to play a significant role on the effects of KIS on regional innovation systems. The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between the location of KIS and the innovation performance of the European regions. Starting from the results reached by previous studies: Makun and McPherson (1997) for three New York regions, Muller and Zenker (1998) for five German and French regions, Drejer and Vinding (2003) for Danish urban areas or Simmie and Strambach (2006) for large cities of England and Germany, our aim is to widen the traditional scope of the analysis and evaluate the relationship between location of KIS and innovation performance on an European basis. More concretely we try to show that the spatial concentration of KIS in some regions (and particular in capital cities) contributes to foster innovation. To do so we carry out an exploratory spatial analysis for more than 100 European regions. We take as a proxy for the location of KIS the share of employment in KIS in every region. The results obtained support the hypothesis that KIS exert a positive impact on regional innovation performance, an impact that could spill over into the neighbouring regions.

El objetivo principal de este trabajo es el de analizar la política turística de la provincia de San Luis durante el denominado neodesarrollismo, atendiendo a los principales condicionamientos de dicho patón de acumulación, así como a la dinámica del sector turístico a nivel nacional durante el período. Por otro lado, otro objetivo de relevancia es estudiar qué visión del territorio subyace a esa política turística, y qué relación tiene con la concepción del territorio provincial del gobierno sanluiseño, y con su proyecto político.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

O turismo e as viagens representam uma das mais importantes indústrias do nosso século, sendo mesmo considerada pela Organização Mundial do Turismo (OMT/WTO) a maior indústria e a que maior crescimento terá nos próximos anos. A região da Ria de Aveiro, composta por 11 municípios, apresenta um forte potencial para a prática de um turismo sustentável, valorizando os recursos naturais e culturais que possui. É uma região que tem como ponto de conexão a "Ria de Aveiro", sendo uma das principais zonas húmidas do território português. Além da Ria, possui variadíssimos recursos turísticos, que vão desde as praias litorais às montanhas existentes nos concelhos mais interiores. Esta variedade de recursos constitui uma excelente oportunidade para os municípios que compõem a região, porque podem ajudar a definir e a sustentar estratégias de desenvolvimento turístico mais competitivas e associadas ao quadro de recursos naturais disponíveis. No entanto, é fundamental existir vontade po...

A agricultura familiar possui relevada importância socioeconômica em Mato Grosso do Sul, sendo responsável por uma parcela expressiva na geração de empregos e renda no estado. Destaca-se no quesito desenvolvimento local, minimizando o êxodo rural e promovendo a segurança alimentar e nutricional. Mesmo assim, no entanto, diferentes organizações representativas dos agricultores relatam que esse segmento enfrenta sérios problemas em diferentes elos das cadeias produtivas. É nesse contexto que se desenvolveu este estudo e com o intuito de identificar as principais atividades produtivas desenvolvidas para a geração de renda, alguns aspectos sobre agregação de valor à produção e canais de comercialização, bem como procurando visualizar soluções para melhorar a venda dos produtos produzidos pela agricultura familiar no estado. O estudo foi realizado em julho de 2014, envolvendo 30 agricultores oriundos de diferentes regiões de Mato Grosso do Sul. Os dados foram obtidos a partir de entrevis...

Microfirms play a significant role in the Central/Eastern European economies, comprising 86% of the total amount of active firms. Development of microfirms is influenced by the local entrepreneurial environment. This article discusses the role of the local formal (regulations, local acts of law) and informal (customs, social norms and values) institutions in the development of microfirms. Synthetic exploration of the coexistence of formal and informal institutions on the example of Masovian and Swietokrzyskie voivodeships in Poland has been carried out. To present a multifaceted perspective, the following research methods were used: a survey among formal local institutions, individual indepth interviews with microfirms' owners and Regional Chambers of Commerce and also a case study on the local law acts. The findings suggest that the development instruments used by formal local institutions are inadequate for the needs of MF's. Furthermore, the crucial role of family support, and the importance of knowledge sharing has been found.

This thematic issue of Studies in Agricultural Economics is composed of papers that examine human and social capital in rural development. The idea behind this choice of topic is to get a picture of the kind of research currently being undertaken in this fi eld, how this research covers the important issue of rural development, in a world where there is “a shift toward a service orientated and knowledge-based economy based on individuals creativity in using accessible information to benefi t and create values for themselves and others” (Salenbacher, 2015, p46), where there are “changes brought by technology, connectivity” (ibid. p.44), and an added challenge: climate change. Luthans et al. (2004) also underline that “The rising recognition of human resources as a competitive advantage in today’s global economy, human capital and, more recently, social capital are being touted in both theory, research, and practice” (p.45). There are many different defi nitions of human and social ca...

This work analyses the economic impact of the creative industry in the European Union. The paper quantifies the direct and indirect impacts of the creative industry, concluding that they not only have a direct impact on the employment and the production, but also contributes to the technological progress and long-term development of the European Union. Most of this contribution is due to the creative service industries, whereas the direct contribution of the creative manufacturing industries is smaller.

This work analyses the economic impact of the creative industry in the European Union. The paper quantifies the direct and indirect impacts of the creative industry, concluding that they not only have a direct impact on the employment and the production, but also contributes to the technological progress and long-term development of the European Union. Most of this contribution is due to the creative service industries, whereas the direct contribution of the creative manufacturing industries is smaller.

This work analyses the economic impact of the creative industry in the European Union. The paper quantifies the direct and indirect impacts of the creative industry, concluding that they not only have a direct impact on the employment and the production, but also contributes to the technological progress and long-term development of the European Union. Most of this contribution is due to the creative service industries, whereas the direct contribution of the creative manufacturing industries is smaller.

Il termine networking, metafora concettuale per descrivere forme diverse di cooperazione fra imprese appartenenti alla stessa area territoriale, ha invaso, in anni recenti, la letteratura delle scienze sociali. Esiste il pericolo che l'uso eccessivo di tale concetto lo renda privo di significato per l'analisi di agglomerazione Pmi (piccole e medie imprese) in alcune regioni o in parte di essi. Questo articolo cerca, quindi, di ricostruire il significato originale del termine [...]. Non vengono presentati dati empirici. La discussione sui networks di sviluppo regionale sarà limitata ad un ipotetico esempio: il network per lo scambio di informazioni in Emilia-Romagna. Seguendo questo esempio ipoteticamente costruito, il potere analitico del metodo viene quindi introdotto facendo riferimento ad alcuni semplici calcoli matematici. Il piano generale dell'articolo è il seguente: dopo una breve introduzione che considera alcuni dei più recenti contributi al dibattito sul "networking", viene presentato un contesto concettuale che sarà usato per circoscrivere l'intera complessità dei diversi livelli di centro decisionale [...] in forma di "scambio politico territoriale". L'analisi del network è quindi introdotta come il metodo più appropriato per misurare empiricamente le conclusioni analitiche della teoria dello scambio. I network "regionali e subregionali" della cooperazione fra aziende, tradizionalmente descritti come distretti industriali, sono quindi reinterpretati come faccenti parte di circuiti di "scambio politico funzionale". (Contributo per il XII Corso del Programma di istruzione permanente del Cnr "Prgrammare in un'economia di mercato: sistemi locali, competizione e strategie di sviluppo nell'Europa che cambia; Isola di Capri, 5-11 maggio 1991).

This work analyses the economic impact of the creative industry in the European Union. The paper quantifies the direct and indirect impacts of the creative industry, concluding that they not only have a direct impact on the employment and the production, but also contributes to the technological progress and long-term development of the European Union. Most of this contribution is due to the creative service industries, whereas the direct contribution of the creative manufacturing industries is smaller.

resumen | En este trabajo identificamos y localizamos los sistemas productivos locales (spl) que existen en la actualidad en Portugal. Para ello utilizamos la metodología propuesta por Lainé (2000), ajustada y revisada con las aportaciones posteriores que realizaron Giner, Santa María y Fuster (2006) para el análisis del caso valenciano y con la incorporación de nuevos criterios de detección de aglomeraciones industriales que han sido utilizados en otros trabajos. Se adopta como unidad territorial de análisis para la localización de spl el concelho, y como clasificación estadística para el análisis cuantitativo, la Clasificación Portuguesa de Actividades Económicas, Revisión 3 (cae Rev. 3), específicamente información relativa a 2012. Se concluye en la detección de 25 spl en Portugal, dos de ellos poliespecializados, concentrados mayoritariamente en la mitad norte del país y próximos a la costa atlántica. Estos representarían, aproximadamente, el 15% de la industria portuguesa en términos de empleo generado y número de establecimientos. palabras clave | concentración espacial, desarrollo regional y local, distritos industriales. abstract | In this paper we attempt to identify and locate the local production systems (lps) that exist today in Portugal. We use the methodology proposed by Lainé (2000), adjusted and revised with subsequent contributions made by Giner, Santa María and Fuster (2006) for the analysis of the Valencian case and with the incorporation of new detection criteria of industrial agglomerations that have been used in other studies. The concelho is adopted as the basic unit for the lps location analysis, and the Portuguese Classification of Economic Activities, Revision 3 (cae Rev. 3), taking the information relative to 2012, as statistical classification for quantitative analysis. We conclude in detecting 25 lps in Portugal, some of them specialized in more than one activity, concentrated mainly in the northern half of the country, in particular near the Atlantic coast, which represent approximately 15% of the Portuguese industry in terms of employment and number of establishments.

In this paper we attempt to identify and locate the local production systems (LPS) that exist today in Portugal. We use the methodology proposed by Laine (2000), adjusted and revised with subsequent contributions made by Giner, Santa Maria and Fuster (2006) for analysis of the Valencian case and with the incorporation of new detection criteria of industrial agglomerations that have been used in other studies. It is adopted as the basic unit for the LPS location analysis the concelho, and as statistical classification for quantitative analysis the CAE Rev. 3, taking the information relative to 2012. We conclude in detecting 25 LPS in Portugal, some of them specialized in more than one activity, concentrated mainly in the northern half of the country, in particular near the Atlantic coast, which represent approximately 15 per cent of Portuguese industry in terms of employment and number of establishments.

The relatively weak performance of sparsely populated areas has been given substantial attention in many regional, national and European Union initiatives. Many rural areas are struggling with development problems such as depopulation, advanced ageing, industrial restructuring and high levels of structural unemployment. In Sweden these issues are mainly associated with the difficulties in the non-metropolitan sparsely populated areas in the northern and southeastern parts. Here, the issue of implementing general cluster policies in sparsely populated regions in order to enhance their economic development is in focus. This research includes an overview of existing Swedish regional growth and development programmes that exemplify the current regional policies. It is found that the concepts of clusters and innovation systems have become important for policy on national and regional levels of government, but the understanding of the concepts is poor. In spite of regional variations in preconditions for cluster development, there are no clear regional modifications in the interpretation of clusters as described in the documents. One conclusion is that regional and local strategies to develop businesses in sparsely populated areas would benefit from using examples from non-metropolitan regions as a point of departure rather than using experiences drawn from high-tech industries located in metropolitan areas usually referenced in the international literature. The routine use of cluster and innovation systems in policy on the regional level underlines the need for more empirically based research on the preconditions for cluster development in sparsely populated areas.

Triple helix interactions as a universal institutional matrix of the future world The paper is devoted to the emergence of network economic order and Triple Helix pattern of social collaboration. Triple Helix is treated as universal institutional matrix for innovation-led growth in post-industrial. From this angle the author analyses ongoing transition of economies to a cluster-based structure, configuration of clusters themselves, design of innovation systems and emanation of new model of economic integration. Underlying complementarity between Triple Helix and Porter"s cluster concept, the paper considers Russia"s modernization prospects.

There is a long lineage in neighbourhood research that has underpinned sustained academic and policy interest in the UK centred on understanding how spatial 'clusters' of neighbourhood-based deprivation might be destabilised. This has seen the privileging of composite indices in the analysis of deprivation which have been criticised for fostering a common perception that deprived neighbourhoods are homogeneous in terms of their compositions and underlying structures. Such indices have also been criticised for being ineffective at capturing temporal change, providing only static snapshots of deprivation at particular points in time. This paper focuses on patterns of deprived neighbourhood change in the Greater Manchester city-region between 2001 and 2007. It develops a typology of neighbourhood change that is triangulated with three complementary typologies capturing the socioeconomic and demographic compositions of deprived neighbourhoods; the functional roles played by deprived neighbourhoods in redistributing population through migration; and the spatial contexts in which deprived neighbourhoods are located. The analysis reveals that an overreliance on static indices to measure deprivation has longserved to conceal complexities in the way that deprived neighbourhoods change, owing to their variable structures and contexts. It illustrates the danger that lies in treating all deprived neighbourhoods in the same way.

En el presente trabajo se indaga sobre las causas de la pérdida de posicionamiento de la economía mendocina en el concierto nacional. En primer lugar, se describe el fenómeno; posteriormente, se reflexiona sobre los distintos significados del término "competitividad" como posible causa. Se distingue, además, entre dos fuentes de competitividad: una externa (tipo de cambio real) y otra interna (inversiones para aumentar la productividad), y se estima la cuenta de "Formación Bruta de Capital Fijo" (inversiones) para la economía mendocina. Finalmente, se hace una prueba estadística para la hipótesis señalada. Las principal conclusión a la que se arriba en el presente trabajo es que, tanto la competitividad que proviene de los precios relativos con el exterior (tipo de cambio real) como la que proviene del aumento de productividad por mayor inversión, han afectado la tasa de crecimiento de la economía de Mendoza. Se afirma, además, que la performance económica proviene de factores externos e internos asociados a la política económica provincial. En cuanto a los factores externos, puede mencionarse la política cambiaria (y seguramente comercial), la que está fuera del ámbito de la política provincial; y en cuanto a los factores internos, se destaca la política de inversiones. En este sentido, se concluye que es de vital importancia la creación de incentivos presupuestarios

6ο Διαπανεπιστημιακό Σεμινάριο Βιώσιμης Ανάπτυξης, Πολιτισμού και Παράδοσης, με θέμα : “Η ανάδειξη της φυσιογνωμίας του τόπου”, εκδόσεις SYROS INSTITUTE, σελ. 54-63. [ISBN 978-618-81312-2-4] _ Προσκεκλημένη Εισηγήτρια

Αστική και περιφερειακή ανάπτυξη : ζητήματα τα οποία δεν έχουν πάψει να απασχολούν, να προβληματίζουν και να διχάζουν τη διεθνή επιστημονική κοινότητα και τους φορείς άσκησης πολιτικής των χωρών και των περιοχών τους. Η πολλαπλότητα των επιπτώσεων σε όλες τις γεωγραφικές κλίμακες της πολύπλευρης ύφεσης, που είναι σε εξέλιξη, επιβάλλει την αναζήτηση πρακτικών σχεδιασμού και τον προσδιορισμό καινοτόμων μηχανισμών για τη διατύπωση νέων αναπτυξιακών αξόνων δράσης, ικανών να απαντήσουν στις σύγχρονες ανάγκες και προκλήσεις. Το ερευνητικό, έτσι, ενδιαφέρον των τελευταίων ετών εστιάζει στην αναζήτηση στρατηγικών παραγωγικής αναδιάταξης με στόχο τη μετάβαση της οικονομίας σε μια νέα εποχή. Αναγνωρίζοντας ότι η οικονομική ανάπτυξη δεν αποτελεί μια χωρικά ουδέτερη διαδικασία, η αντιμετώπιση των επιπτώσεων στην κλαδική διάρθρωση της παραγωγής και απασχόλησης δεν μπορεί, και δεν πρέπει, να επιχειρείται ανεξάρτητα από το χώρο και τις τοπικές κοινωνίες. Ειδικά σε μια εποχή όπως αυτή που διανύουμε (δικτυακής οργάνωσης των υποδομών και λειτουργιών) όπου κυριαρχεί η οικονομία της γνώσης. Σε συνθήκες δηλαδή όπου το ανθρώπινο δυναμικό και η φυσιογνωμία των τόπων αποκτούν ιδιαίτερη κρισιμότητα στην ρύθμιση του χώρου. Σ’ αυτό το πλαίσιο, συνεκτιμώντας τις σύγχρονες αντιλήψεις για χωρική ανάπτυξη και δεδομένων των μεταβολών που έχει υποστεί το ελληνικό οικονομικό σύστημα, εκτιμάται ότι η απάντηση στην επιχειρούμενη παραγωγική ανασυγκρότηση της χώρας και στην ενδυνάμωση των περιοχών της θα μπορούσε να αναζητηθεί μέσα από την συγκρότηση δικτύων συνεργασίας με αναπτυξιακό συντελεστή κλειδί την άυλη πολιτιστική κληρονομιά και την στήριξη της δημιουργικής επιχειρηματικότητας, εστιάζοντας σε στρατηγικές ανάκτησης, εκσυγχρονισμού και επαναφοράς της στα ιστορικά κέντρα των πόλεων και σε ιστορικούς οικισμούς της περιφέρειας.

Λέξεις κλειδιά : “ιστορικά κέντρα / οικισμοί”, “άυλη πολιτιστική κληρονομιά”, “δημιουργική επιχειρηματικότητα”, “δίκτυα συνεργασίας”, “τοπική και περιφερειακή ανάπτυξη”, “αστική αναγέννηση”

El objeto de este trabajo es indagar sobre la realidad política, económica y social de la Provincia de San Luis, tratando de dar una explicación a un distrito que en estos momentos necesita ser explicada, si no es en todos sus términos, por lo menos de manera global. Para ello se partirá de un análisis estructurado en torno a cuatro ejes centrales: "Ideas", "Imágenes", "Resultados" y "Éxito: ¿Realidad o Construcción?". El primero de los ejes, pretenderá desarrollar cuál es el cuerpo de ideas y preceptos básicos en los que se ha amparado el Gobierno Puntano para poder llevar adelante todas las medidas que hasta el momento han implementado, ya sea en materia económica, social, política, cultural, etc. Por medio de un análisis comparativo entre el peronismo puntano actual y el peronismo tradicional, pretenderemos comprender cómo es que el peronismo puntano se posiciona frente a las materias anteriormente mencionadas. El segundo de los ejes, intentará analizar de qué manera las ideas y principios del eje anterior se han corporizado en las distintas políticas públicas que se han llevado adelante desde 1983 hasta 2013. El tercer eje, buscará establecer cuáles han sido, y son, los resultados de las políticas públicas y medidas políticas que ha implementado el Gobierno de San Luis en estos años, para terminar definiendo, ya en su cuarto eje, si la idea de "Éxito" que se maneja respecto del Gobierno Provincial, es una "Realidad", siendo que la provincia a podido crecer y desarrollarse a lo largo de estos treinta (30) años o es una "Construcción", entendiendo que la idea de "gobierno exitoso", "provincia exitosa" es una imagen construida por parte del oficialismo puntano; o comprender, en su defecto, cuánto es lo que hay de "exitoso" y cuánto de "construcción" en dicho Gobierno.

Pembangunan local dan regional telah menjadi kegiatan yang semakin penting bagi pemerintah nasional maupun local dan regional di seluruh dunia sejak tahun 1960an dan 1970-an. Konteks pembangunan local dan regional dalam pola kegiatan perekonomian telah mengalami perubahan dengan lebih mendalam dan secara signifikan menjadi lebih menantang. Perubahannya meliputi: 1. Adanya dugaan pergeseran kualitatif kearah yang lebih 'refleksif' kapitalisme dicirikan oleh kompleksitas yang tinggi, ketidakpastian, risiko dan perubahan ekonomi, sosial, politik dan budaya yang cepat; 2. Perkembangan struktur pemerintahan dan tatakelola; 3. Terdapat intervensi, melalui instrument dan kebijakan publik; 4. Fokus pembangunan bergeser dari kuantitas ke kualitas.

Artykuł prezentuje wyniki badań przeprowadzonych w połowie 2014 r., mających na celu identyfikację oczekiwań władz małych miast wobec polskiej państwowej polityki rozwoju lokalnego. Jako źródło informacji o tych oczekiwaniach wybrano grupę 46 burmistrzów małych miast, natomiast jako metodę badawczą zastosowano sondaż diagnostyczny oparty na długim wywiadzie osobistym. Zidentyfikowane oczekiwania dotyczyły reformy systemu stałego finansowania gmin, zmian systemów dystrybucji środków unijnych, wyposażenia samorządów lokalnych w nowe instrumenty oddziaływania na ponadlokalne relacje ich gmin, redukcji antywzorców prowadzenia polityki, usuwania sprzeczności i niejasności prawa, a także zmian zasad funkcjonowania organu stanowiącego i wykonawczego władz lokalnych. Oczekiwania te można i należy traktować jako współczesne wyzwania państwowej polityki rozwoju lokalnego, ponieważ dotyczą one jej gruntownych, wielowymiarowych zmian. Ponadto rozpatrywane łącznie tworzą dla tej polityki wyzwanie, które można określić jako jej współczesne wyzwanie generalne. Jest nim oczekiwanie władz lokalnych, że władze państwowe zwiększą ich podmiotowość w definiowaniu i kreowaniu rozwoju kraju, pogłębiając swoją aprobatę dla paradygmatu rozwoju lokalnego.

[The article presents the results of research carried out in mid-2014 to identify the expectations presented by the authorities of small cities in the light of Polish state local development policy. 46 mayors were selected as the source of information about these expectations and a diagnostic survey based on long personal interviews was chosen as the research method. The expectations concerned the reform of the municipalities’ permanent funding system, changes in the systems governing EU funds distribution, providing local authorities with new instruments for shaping their municipalities’ supra-local relationships, reducing anti-patterns in policy and politics, eliminating contradictions and ambiguities in law, and changes in the rules governing both decisive and executive bodies of local authorities. The expectations discussed should be approached as contemporary challenges for state policy on local development, since the mayors refer to thorough and multidimensional alterations to that policy. Furthermore, if analysed jointly, the expectations constitute a challenge for this policy, which can be referred to as its general contemporary challenge. Local authorities expect that the state government will increase its subjectivity in defining and creating local development by extending its approval for the local development paradigm.]

The article presents how local authorities of Polish small towns perceive and form at the strategic level, these supra-local relations of their towns, which are connected with local culture. The article begins with key categories explanation: local system (LS), local development (LD), local culture, supra-local relations of local system, local development strategic governance (LDSG) and its supra-local perspective. The next part presents rationale, objects, goals, questions, methods of research and information sources. It is followed by discussing the research results divided into 4 parts, corresponding to types of supra-local relations of local systems and activities for their pro-developmental formation.