Regional economics deals with the factors and conditions that drive the socioeconomic change of places in different times and settings. It is related to Land use Planning and Urban Economics courses.

This course introduces main theoretical concepts that explain the economic determinants of localities and regions, and proposes a set of tools for regional analysis and planning.

In order to do so, the course provides a critical examination of the main theories and models developed by regional economics, including: location and territorial distribution of economic activities, processes of agglomeration and dispersal, clustering, industrial networks, local and regionl innovation systems, the role of institutions and regional policies. The course also covers some of the tools used for regional analysis and planning, both quantitative (Mapping, Location Quotients, Idenifying clusters) and qualitative (Institutional Analysis, Stakeholder Analysis). Students will learn and practice these tools in computer sessions.

The course has a strong practical focus. After studying the main theories and analytical tools, students will have to plan a regional development strategy in which they will have to apply the theoretical and practical skills developed throughout the course.

Transversal competences:

1. Competence for the analysis and synthesis of contents

2. Computer skills related to the topics covered

3. Capacity to manage information

4. Competence in oral and written expression



Specific competences:

1. Knowledge of regional economic theories, objectives and practice

2. Ability to relate and identify problems and processes in different regional contextss

3. On the basis of regional analysis, the ability to plan and implement regional policies

Chapter 1. What is local and regional development?

- Introduction: What is local and regional development?

- Globalization and territorial competition

- What kind of local and regional development?

- Scale, territory and place

- Urbanization and agglomeration economies

- The politics of development



Chapter 2: Regional Development Theories

- Introduction: regional theory from a development perspective

- Development as location

- Development as convergence / divergence

- Development as industrial organisation

- Development as innovation

- Development as resilience

- Post-development: the social and solidarity economy



Chapter 3. Regional policies

- Introduction

- Institutions and regional development

- Territorial governance

- Agents and agendas: from the local government to the European Regional policy



Chapter 4. Tools for regional analysis and planning

- Understanding regionl data

- Mapping the local economy

- Identifying the strengths of the local economy: LQ and Clusters

- The rules of the game: Institutional Analysis

- The key actors: Stakeholder Analysis



Chapter 5. Planning regional economic development

- The stages of local economic planning

- A case study of local economic planning



(See the Students Guide for further details)

The methodology combines theory and exercises.

During lectures,the fundamental theoretical contents will be presented. Students will be required to keep a portfolio (cuaderno de bitácora) in which they will answer questions and do readings to reinforce theoretical concepts. Readings will be corrected and discussed in class to guarantee feedback and support the learning process.

In computer sessions, students will have to do exercises using the tools for regional analysis and planning.

Students will also have to do a guided exercise in which they will plan a local economic development strategy for a locality or region.



Assistance to classes is required because of the significance of the portfolio, computer practices and the local economic planning exercise in the course curriculum and evaluation.



(See the Students Guide for further details)

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Individual works (%): 20
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 50
  • Portfolio (%): 30

The evaluation in the ordinary evaluation will be continuous and it will consist of:

- Porfolio (individual): 30%. Short exercises and readings covering theoretical concepts

- Computer exercises (individual and collective): 20%. Computer exercises covering the tools for regional analysis and planning.

- Planning local economic development exercise (collective): 50%. In group, a proposal of economic development for a locality.



In order to have access to continuous evaluation of the subject, regular class attendance is mandatory.



Although the evaluation system is continuous, students hold the right to a final exam. Those students not following continuous evaluation, will have to take a final exam that will count 100% of the grade. The exam will cover all the course contents, i.e. theoretical explanations (Chapters 1-3), analytical tools (Chapter 4) and Planning local development (Chapter 5), and it will combine theoretical and practical questions.



In order to renounce to continuous assessment, it is necessary to follow the steps established in the general regulations of the UPV/EHU in this respect (Regulations regulating the Assessment of Students in official Grade degrees).



The materials presented in class and additional resources available through the e-Gela platform.



(See the Students Guide for further details)

Students who do not pass the ordinary evaluation have the right to an extraordinary evaluation. For the extraordinary evaluation, students will be required to take a final exam that will count 100% of the final grade. The exam will cover all the course contents, i.e. theoretical explanations (Chapters 1-3), analytical tools (Chapter 4) and Planning local development (Chapter 5), and it will combine theoretical and practical questions.



The materials presented in class and additional resources available through the e-Gela platform.



(See the Students Guide for further details)

Available through the platform e-Gela

Basic bibliography

CAMAGNI, R. (2005) Economía Urbana. Barcelona: Antoni Bosch



POLESE, M. y RUBIERA, F., (2009) Economía Urbana y Regional. Introducción a la Geografía Económica. Ed. Civitas, Thomson Reuters.



BLAKELY, E.J.; GREEN LEIGH, N. (2013). Planning local economic development. Sage.



PÁSZTO, V. (2020). Economic geography. In V. Pászto, C. Jürgens, P. Tominc & J. Burian (Eds.), Spationomy: Spatial exploration of economic data and methods of interdisciplinary analytics (pp. 173-192). Cham: Springer International Publishing. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-26626-4



PIKE, A., RODRÍGUEZ-POSE, A., TOMANEY, J. (2016). Local and regional development. London: Routledge.



PIKE, A., RODRÍGUEZ-POSE, A., TOMANEY, J. (Eds.) (2010). A Handbook of local and regional development. London: Routledge.

In-depth bibliography

Capello, R. y Nijkamp, P. 2009. Handbook of Regional Growth and Development Theories. Ed. Edward Elgard.

Comisión Europea (2017). Séptimo reporte de la Cohesión económica, social y territorial. Mi región, mi Europa, nuestro futuro. Política Urbana y Regional. Disponible en: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/official/reports/cohesion7/7cr_es.pdf

Comisión Europea. Estrategias nacionales y regionales para la especialización inteligente (RIS3).https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/es/information/publications/brochures/2014/resea rch-innovation-strategies-for-smart-specialisation. Descargado en junio de 2019

Economía Industrial. Año 2006. Número 359, dedicado a: El distrito industrial Marshalliano. Un balance crítico de 25 años. Disponible en: https://dialnet.unirioja.es/ejemplar/134272

European Union (2008). "Convergence of EU Regions. Measures and Evolution". Working Paper No1. Regional Policy. Disponible en: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/work/200801_convergence.pdf

Fischer, M.M., Nijkamp, P. & SpringerLink (Online service) 2014, Handbook of Regional
Science, 2014th edn, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg.
Disponible en: https://link.springer.com/referencework/10.1007%2F978-3-642-23430-9

Vázquez Barquero, A. (2005) Las nuevas fuerzas del desarrollo, Barcelona: Antoni Bosch KRUGMAN, P. (1995) Desarrollo, Geografía y Teoría Económica. Barcelona: Antoni Bosch

Journals

- INVESTIGACIONES REGIONALES
- CIUDAD Y TERRITORIO-ESTUDIOS TERRITORIALES
- REVISTA DE ESTUDIOS REGIONALES
- EKONOMIAZ-REVISTA VASCA DE ECONOMÍA
- REGIONAL STUDIES
- EUROPEAN PLANNING STUDIES
- URBAN STUDIES
- EUROPEAN URBAN AND REGIONAL STUDIES
- INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH

Web addresses

http://www.ine.es
http://www.eustat.eus
http://www.europa.eu/eurostat