Re-framing Regional Development: Evolution

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.