Clusters In Urban And Regional Development

Going beyond the celebrated 'hot-spots' of economic development, this book draws upon evidence from a broader range of cities and regions to help fill some important gaps in our knowledge of how clusters operate within the contemporary global economy. This book was previously published as a special issue of the journal Urban Studies.

Using international examples, leading scholars present the first critical analysis of cluster theory, assessing the cluster notion and drawing out, not only its undoubted strengths and attractions, but also its weaknesses and limitations. Over the past decade the ‘cluster model’ has been seized on as a tool for promoting competitiveness, innovation and growth on local, regional and national scales. However, despite its popularity there is much about it that is problematic, and in some respects the rush to employ ‘cluster ideas’ has run ahead of many fundamental conceptual, theoretical and empirical questions. Addressing key questions on the nature, use and effectiveness of cluster models, Clusters and Regional Development provides the missing thorough theoretical and empirical evaluation.

Analyses the economic development of cities from the 'cultural economy' and 'creative industry' perspectives.

The effects of spatial location on socio-economic development is a critical issue in urban and regional planning. This comprehensive work examines the success or failure of an urban place in relation to the spatial characteristics of the urban cluster to which it belongs. Employing case studies from a variety of countries, it analyzes relationships between the clustering of towns and their attractiveness to migrants and investors. In addition it provides a fundamental overview and critical analysis of basic concepts in the field of urban and regional location, introducing new methods for assessing the sustainability of urban growth in central and peripheral regions. The book also proposes planning strategies designed to enhance the potential of urban growth.

The life sciences is an industrial sector that covers the development of biological products and the use of biological processes in the production of goods, services and energy. This sector is frequently presented as a major opportunity for policy-makers to upgrade and renew regional economies, leading to social and economic development through support for high-tech innovation. Innovation, Regional Development and the Life Sciences analyses where innovation happens in the life sciences, why it happens in those places, and what this means for regional development policies and strategies. Focusing on the UK and Europe, its arguments are relevant to a variety of countries and regions pursuing high-tech innovation and development policies. The book’s theoretical approach incorporates diverse geographies (e.g. global, national and regional) and political-economic forces (e.g. discourses, governance and finance) in order to understand where innovation happens in the life sciences, where and how value circulates in the life sciences, and who captures the value produced in life sciences innovation. This book will be of interest to researchers, students and policy-makers dealing with regional/local economic development.

Clustering as an economic policy concern has become increasingly fashionable. The authors of this book shed light on this subject of which there remains remarkably little understanding, and even less agreement, regarding what clusters are, what they require for success and what impacts they are likely to have in different contexts, locally, nationally and globally. Clusters and Globalisation brings together scholars with different perspectives and theoretical groundings, and from different disciplines, to consider conceptual arguments and case study material. In doing so the volume identifies key characteristics and requirements of the forms of cluster that are especially significant for the attainment of economic success in a globalising world. This unique critical analysis of clusters in the framework of globalisation will strongly appeal to students and academics with an interest in economic development, public policy and globalisation. The book will also be of great interest to researchers in policy agencies concerned with local economic development and the design of cluster policies.

This title was first published in 2001. The effects of spatial location on socio-economic development is a critical issue in urban and regional planning. This comprehensive work examines the success or failure of an urban place in relation to the spatial characteristics of the urban cluster to which it belongs. Employing case studies from a variety of countries, it analyzes relationships between the clustering of towns and their attractiveness to migrants and investors. In addition it provides a fundamental overview and critical analysis of basic concepts in the field of urban and regional location, introducing new methods for assessing the sustainability of urban growth in central and peripheral regions. The book also proposes planning strategies designed to enhance the potential of urban growth.