The New Industrial Geography: Regions, Regulation and Institutions (Routledge Studies in the Modern World Economy, 22)

Drawing on the theoretical resources of institutional economics, The New Industrial Geography opens new perspectives in economic geography. In its focus on historical and geographical context, institutional embeddedness, and tacit rules and formal regulations, institutional economics is shown to be the perfect basis for understanding the profound economic and geographical changes of the last two decades, and on which also to build a new kind of industrial geography. Issues covered include: the retheorization of the geography of industrial districts; the analysis of institutional 'thickness', and the economic-geographical effects of institutional rigidity and sclerosis; the economic-geographical consequences of new regulatory bodies and policies; and the geographically situated character of institutions and regulatory frameworks, and the effects of separating them from their originating context; the development of new strategies for achieving more equitable forms of regional development. Drawing on the theoretical resources of institutional economics, the book opens new perspectives in economic geography. In its focus on historical and geographical context, institutional embeddedness, and tacit rules and formal regulations, institutional economics is shown to be the perfect basis for understanding the profound economic and geographical changes, and on which also to build a new kind of industrial geography. Issues covered include: the retheorization of the geography of industrial districts; the analysis of institutional "thickness", and the economic-geographical effects of institutional rigidity and sclerosis; the economic-geographical consequences of new regulatory bodies and policies; the geographically situated character of institutions and regulatory frameworks, and the effects of separating them from their originating context; and the development of new strategies for achieving more equitable forms of regional development Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 Illustrations......Page 13 Contributors......Page 14 Preface......Page 16 Acknowledgements......Page 22 1 Industrial Geography, Institutional Economics And Innis......Page 24 2 The Resurgence Of Regional Economics......Page 46 3 The Co-operative Advantage Of Regions......Page 77 4 Reversing Attrition?......Page 97 5 Sticky Places In Slippery Space......Page 121 6 Harnessing The Region......Page 150 7 Rules As Resources......Page 178 8 Continentalism In An Era Of Globalization......Page 199 9 The Firm In The Region And The Region In The Firm......Page 228 10 The Production Of Industrial Processes......Page 248 11 Does Nationality Still Matter?......Page 261 12 Capital And Creative Destruction......Page 288 13 Institutional Issues For The European Regions......Page 315 Index......Page 338 1. Industrial Geography, Institutional Economics And Innis / Trevor J. Barnes -- Pt. I. Regions. 2. The Resurgence Of Regional Economics: Ten Years Later / Michael Storper. 3. The Co-operative Advantage Of Regions / Philip Cooke. 4. Reversing Attrition? The Auto Cluster In Baden-wurttemberg / Kevin Morgan. 5. Sticky Places In Slippery Space: A Typology Of Industrial Districts / Ann Markusen -- Pt. Ii. Regulation. 6. Harnessing The Region: Changing Perspectives On Innovation Policy In Ontario / David Wolfe. 7. Rules As Resources: How Market Governance Regimes Influence Firm Networks / Susan Christopherson. 8. Continentalism In An Era Of Globalization: A Perspective From Canada's Resource Periphery / Roger Hayter And John Holmes. [edited By] Trevor J. Barnes And Meric S. Gertler. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This interdisciplinary volume brings together some of the prominent scholars writing on the topic of contemporary industrial and economic geographical change. They are Ash Amin, Trevor Barnes, John Britton, Susan Christopherson, Philip Cooke, Richard Florida, Meric Gertler, Roger Hayter, John Holmes, Ann Markusen, Kevin Morgan, Mark Samber, Erica Shoenberger, Michael Storper, Nigel Thrift and David Wolfe. It should be of interest to students and researchers of economic and industrial geography, industrial and regional economics, political science, industrial sociology and urban and planning studies Since the end of the 1970s, the economies of North America and Western Europe have undergone massive industrial-geographical transformations. This book focuses on three of the most important: on the heightened importance of the region as a generator of both technological innovation and economic wealth; on the contingent effects of new local, national and international forms of regulation; and on the emergence of new institutions, and the reworking of old ones The New Industrial Geography focuses on the most important industrial-geographical transformations that have taken place in North America and Western Europe over the last twenty years. This interdisciplinary volume brings together some of the most prominent writing on the topic of contemporary industrial and economic geographical change. This text focuses on the most important industrial-geographical changes that have taken place in Europe and North America since the end of the 1970s. Drawing on the theoretical resources of institutional economics, the book opens new perspectives in economic geography The New Industrial Geography focuses on the most important industrial-geographical changes that have taken place in Europe and North America over the last twenty years. It brings together some of the leading scholars in the field When seeing Niagara Falls for the first time, Oscar Wilde made two quips: 'It would be more impressive if it ran the other way' and 'It is the second disappointment of the honeymoon.'