This research inquiry asked, "How can the District of Mission involve leaders in private industry in creating strategies to develop the local workforce and economy?" An action research approach was used to engage local employers and employment service providers in an inquiry in the District of Mission. This study drew upon literature on entrepreneurial leadership, job creation, social capital, and knowledge transfer. Two qualitative methods, in-depth interviews and a conversation café, were used to uncover the essential factors and conditions that facilitate entrepreneurial leadership and workforce development on a regional basis. These findings were triangulated against the experiences of exemplar entrepreneurs. The findings revealed that effective leaders cultivate a culture of high performance and that systems integration and personal relationships are key to entrepreneurial leadership and workforce development. The recommendations enable people from diverse backgrounds to identify shared concerns and common interests to support community economic development.

The present study investigated whether cluster potentials could be identified in the geographical area within the boundaries of Samsun province, and if identified, how such a potential could be promoted through corresponding support measures. Development of policy recommendations for promotion of identified cluster potential was the principal goal of the study. The course of the study was characterized by a cluster-based policy-making process in the policy environment, i.e. Samsun province. The process includes a descriptive part, i.e. cluster analysis, and a prescriptive part, i.e. determining policy goals and designing policy instruments. In the literature review, a guide to the field study was developed by review of various approaches to cluster concept / common features of clusters and the competitive advantages these give rise to / various practices in cluster-based policy development, and various cluster analysis methods. The field study starts with the initial identification of need for policy intervention, at which stage the rationale for pursuing a cluster-based policy in the specific conditions of Samsun and Turkey was discussed. The &ldquo / clusters as sectors&rdquo / approach was utilized in the identification of region&rsquo / s (potential) clusters and selection of the cluster as the subject of analysis and policy development. The analysis of industrial sectors in Samsun&rsquo / s economy was followed by selection of the target sector via employing various criteria assessing the importance of these sectors in terms of value added to the regional economy, and the clustering potential. Accordingly, furniture sector was selected, and the agglomeration of furniture sector enterprises in Kutlukent locality was identified as the potential cluster to be the subject of analysis and policy development. Following the identification of the potential cluster, the descriptive part was completed by second-stage micro-level analysis of the identified potential cluster, by which detailed information about the potential cluster was presented. At that phase, cluster potential of the structure was assessed by examining the elements in cluster value and production chain / public and private business support infrastructure / the flow of materials and goods in the chain / untraded relationships between the elements / characteristics of enterprises and workforce / and innovation performance. This comprehensive in-depth analysis of the cluster provided the required information to identify the specific needs of the cluster for cluster-based policy intervention. In the last part of the thesis, i.e. prescriptive part, cluster-oriented policy recommendations were developed including the determination of policy goal and the design/selection of policy instruments. The necessary information was collected by two-stage expert interviews, and by overall scan of the enterprises involved in the cluster via enterprise survey, which was realized in interviews with all of the enterprises. Six experts and 283 enterprises participated in the study. The results of the analysis showed that, while Kutlukent furniture cluster had some features, which are common in effective cluster models, the cluster lacks some critical features, which are crucial for effective functioning of a successful cluster. Hence, Kutlukent furniture cluster was defined as a &ldquo / potential&rdquo / cluster, which should be promoted by utilizing the existing potentials and strengths, and by addressing the weaknesses and obstacles identified in the analysis of the cluster, via appropriate cluster-oriented policy measures, which were proposed in the prescriptive part of the policy-making process. By these measures, the elements of Kutlukent potential cluster would be able to realize competitive advantages associated with clustering as in successful cluster models.

The stories we tell about "the economy" in discourses of regional economic development play an active role in shaping our economic realities. The construction of more equitable, democratic and ecologically-sound economies must involve an interrogation of our assumptions about what “the economy” is, how it works, and how these conceptions shape our senses of agency and possibility. I argue in this thesis that key texts in regional economic development present a concept of economy that renders the interrelationships between social, economic and ecological processes invisible or beyond ethical contestation, restricts the field of economic possibility, and generates a problematic sense of necessity in the pursuit of endless growth and competition. Effectively enacting different forms of economic relationship requires different economic ontologies. After exploring in some detail, through engagement with the work of Butler, Laclau and Mouffe and Latour, the proposition that "the economy" is socially-produced and that economic ontologies can be "performative,” I investigate the alternative economic ontologies of Karl Polanyi, Stephen Gudeman and J.K. Gibson-Graham. Offering a conceptualization of economy as a process of actively constructing livelihoods in which human and more-than-human participation are recognized and the ethical nature of this interdependence is placed at the forefront of economic negotiation and construction, I distill a provisional toolbox of economic questions, concepts and coordinates which might become sites of new learning, imagination and construction when placed in the hands of communities who seek a different kind of development.

No description available.

Owing to the significant structural changes that have occurred in the global marketplace over the past 2 decades, a corresponding increase of public-private partnerships have been established among the business sector, local governments, and public community colleges. This qualitative project sought to identify and substantiate key elements that may be common to the formation, implementation, and maintenance stages of public-private partnerships. Who or what minimum conditions are necessary to the successful navigation of each stage? What obstacles typically arise during each stage, and how are they managed or circumvented? What sorts of benefits are generated through these partnerships and what measures may be applied to determine whether a partnership is meeting its mission objectives or not? To investigate these elements, the researcher interviewed 18 key stakeholders directly involved with 1 or more partnerships between 1 or more divisions of a community college located in Tennessee (CCTN) and their respective for-profit private sector concerns. Data collected were entered into the NVivo8 program for qualitative coding, analysis, and interpretation. Data analysis suggested that visionary and innovative leadership was critical to the formation and implementation of partnerships; key themes of "people," "training," "business," and "need" influenced the life cycle of the partnership; persons identified as "champions" formed the "critical mass" necessary to create and sustain partnerships; and both public and private sectors implemented informal and formal assessments, but differences existed in how and what they measured to determine the efficacy of each partnership. By substantiating, uncovering, or affirming common elements relevant to the establishment and maintenance of public-private partnerships as described in existing literature and this study, partnership stakeholders may find additional perspectives that may assist and guide the creation, implementation, and assessment of effective, mutually-beneficial public-private partnerships.

Firm competitiveness is no longer an industry-specific or regional phenomenon, but it has evolved to have global impacts. The increase in intensity of regional and international competition, ineffectiveness of regional development policies and models has led to the focus on regional economic development. In particular, a focus on industrial cluster promotion, both in developed and developing countries has proliferated owing to their increased success as a sustainable source of economic growth and development. Industrial clusters are a geographically proximate group of inter-connected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalities and complementarities. In addition to industrial cluster formation, firms can also maintain competitiveness through internationalisation. Internationalisation ensures that firms are able to serve many markets from existing manufacturing bases without having to establish production plants in other markets. It reduces the over dependence on domestic markets and business risks associated with dependence on one market. This study identified industrial clusters for the North West Province (NWP) of South Africa using the Structural Path Analysis (SPA) method, as a strategy to enhance firm competitiveness. It contributes to the methods to identify industrial clusters by applying the Power of Pull (PoP) method to prioritise the number of clusters for the NWP. The ten identified industrial clusters and their respective PoP rankings were (i) communication; (ii) real estate; (iii) grain mill, bakery and animal feed products; (iv) building and other construction; (v) basic metal products; (vi) other food products; (vii) agriculture; (viii) non-metallic mineral products; (ix) trade; and (x) dairy products. This study identified the most important centres, in terms of the most contributions to output, employment and profit at the local municipal level across all the ten identified clusters. These centres were Madibeng, Rustenburg, City of Matlosana, Mafikeng and Ditsobotla. This indicates that efforts to stimulate cluster formation in this sector should be focused in these regions. This study also determined whether any association exists between the identified industrial clusters‟ products and services and the realistic export opportunities according to the DSM for products and the DSM for services. Four of the six product clusters were found to have REOs according to the DSM for products, namely grain mill, bakery and animal feeds products, agriculture, non-metallic mineral products and the basic metal products clusters. In terms of services, only two service clusters, namely communication and building and other construction services clusters, were found to have with REOs according to the DSM for services. This study further demonstrated the effects of industrial cluster formation on the regional economy, using social accounting matrix (SAM) multipliers. SAM multiplier analysis was used to demonstrate the output, employment, employment income and gross domestic product (GDP) supported by cluster formation for the NWP. The supported activity for the agriculture and trade clusters was less than the actual activity. The following clusters‟ supported activity was greater than the actual activity; communication; real estate; grain mill, bakery and animal feed products; building and other construction; basic metal products; other food products; non-metallic mineral products; and dairy products. The identified industrial clusters‟ REOs were explored further to provide more details on the products or services identified as having REOs. In addition, the countries to which the identified REOs (products and services) can be exported were discussed. In terms of product clusters identified to have REOs, the export potential values, cell classifications and market accessibility index scores were discussed. In terms of the service clusters identified as having REOs, countries, market access, market openness, import demand and cell classifications were discussed. / PhD (International Trade), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Firm competitiveness is no longer an industry-specific or regional phenomenon, but it has evolved to have global impacts. The increase in intensity of regional and international competition, ineffectiveness of regional development policies and models has led to the focus on regional economic development. In particular, a focus on industrial cluster promotion, both in developed and developing countries has proliferated owing to their increased success as a sustainable source of economic growth and development. Industrial clusters are a geographically proximate group of inter-connected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalities and complementarities. In addition to industrial cluster formation, firms can also maintain competitiveness through internationalisation. Internationalisation ensures that firms are able to serve many markets from existing manufacturing bases without having to establish production plants in other markets. It reduces the over dependence on domestic markets and business risks associated with dependence on one market. This study identified industrial clusters for the North West Province (NWP) of South Africa using the Structural Path Analysis (SPA) method, as a strategy to enhance firm competitiveness. It contributes to the methods to identify industrial clusters by applying the Power of Pull (PoP) method to prioritise the number of clusters for the NWP. The ten identified industrial clusters and their respective PoP rankings were (i) communication; (ii) real estate; (iii) grain mill, bakery and animal feed products; (iv) building and other construction; (v) basic metal products; (vi) other food products; (vii) agriculture; (viii) non-metallic mineral products; (ix) trade; and (x) dairy products. This study identified the most important centres, in terms of the most contributions to output, employment and profit at the local municipal level across all the ten identified clusters. These centres were Madibeng, Rustenburg, City of Matlosana, Mafikeng and Ditsobotla. This indicates that efforts to stimulate cluster formation in this sector should be focused in these regions. This study also determined whether any association exists between the identified industrial clusters‟ products and services and the realistic export opportunities according to the DSM for products and the DSM for services. Four of the six product clusters were found to have REOs according to the DSM for products, namely grain mill, bakery and animal feeds products, agriculture, non-metallic mineral products and the basic metal products clusters. In terms of services, only two service clusters, namely communication and building and other construction services clusters, were found to have with REOs according to the DSM for services. This study further demonstrated the effects of industrial cluster formation on the regional economy, using social accounting matrix (SAM) multipliers. SAM multiplier analysis was used to demonstrate the output, employment, employment income and gross domestic product (GDP) supported by cluster formation for the NWP. The supported activity for the agriculture and trade clusters was less than the actual activity. The following clusters‟ supported activity was greater than the actual activity; communication; real estate; grain mill, bakery and animal feed products; building and other construction; basic metal products; other food products; non-metallic mineral products; and dairy products. The identified industrial clusters‟ REOs were explored further to provide more details on the products or services identified as having REOs. In addition, the countries to which the identified REOs (products and services) can be exported were discussed. In terms of product clusters identified to have REOs, the export potential values, cell classifications and market accessibility index scores were discussed. In terms of the service clusters identified as having REOs, countries, market access, market openness, import demand and cell classifications were discussed. / PhD (International Trade), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Há vantagens e desvantagens associadas à constituição de áreas monetárias. De um lado, a formação dessa área reduz custos de transação e incertezas econômicas; de outro, dificulta a adequação de políticas às especificidades regionais e impede o funcionamento do mecanismo cambial, perdendo a flexibilidade e seus benefícios sobre os termos de trocas. Essa é questão tratada neste trabalho aplicado ao Brasil. As diferenças regionais no Brasil são associadas principalmente ao desenvolvimento econômico e à renda per capita (Norte e Nordeste possuem baixa renda per capita) e, ainda, ao tipo de atividade econômica desenvolvida (o Centro Oeste possui a dimensão relativa da agropecuária grande enquanto que o Sudeste é uma região industrializada). A análise empírica realizada neste estudo buscou verificar o comportamento das regiões tanto em relação às diferenças na atividade econômica regional (verificação da Teoria de Área Monetária Ótima) quanto em relação ao comportamento da renda regional (termos de troca regionais). Partindo da observação de que o Brasil é um país de grande dimensão geográfica e que, portanto, possui regiões distintas, por exemplo, em relação ao clima, recursos naturais e cultura, procurou-se verificar se as regiões brasileiras são integradas a ponto de ser considerada uma área monetária ótima através da observação do grau de sincronismo da flutuação da atividade econômica regional com a nacional. Através da utilização de auto-regressão vetorial observou-se a magnitude da flutuação econômica regional explicada por choques comuns e choques idiossincráticos e a resposta regional a esses choques, utilizando-se as variáveis ICMS e consumo de energia elétrica industrial regional e nacional (como medidas do nível de atividade econômica) e a taxa de juros e produtividade. Conclui-se que o Brasil não é uma área monetária ótima. Sendo assim, o comportamento das flutuações econômicas regionais pode distanciar-se da nacional e/ou as políticas implementadas nacionalmente podem ter impactos diferenciados nas regiões. Portanto, avaliaram-se, também, os termos de troca das regiões domesticamente e em relação ao exterior como proxies das taxas de câmbio entre regiões e entre cada uma delas e o resto do mundo - a fim de observar se sua tendência tem favorecido uma convergência no desenvolvimento entre regiões brasileiras. Conclui-se que a região Nordeste apresentou ganhos nos termos de troca inter-regionais e perdas internacionais, enquanto que a região Sul apresentou perdas tanto inter-regionais quanto internacionais. Esta última região coeteris paribus é onde se verificaria maior perda de renda. Porém, o saldo da balança comercial do Sul se manteve positivo e crescente durante todo o período em análise, indicando que, apesar da queda dos preços relativos, a região tem conseguido um aumento de renda provavelmente devido a aumentos de produtividade. Tais aumentos seriam necessários para evitar perda de renda principalmente por aquelas regiões que apresentam concomitantemente deterioração nos termos de troca interregionais e internacionais. / There are advantages and disadvantages associated with the establishment of a currency area. On the one hand, the formation of currency areas reduces transaction costs and economic uncertainties; the other, complicates the adequacy of policies to the specific regional and prevent the functioning of the exchange rate mechanism, losing its benefits and flexibility on the terms of trade. This is addressed in this study applied to Brazil. Regional differences in Brazil are mainly related to economic development and per capita income (North and Northeast have low per capita income) and, in addition, to the type of economic activity developed (the Central West produces mainly agriculture products while Southeast is an industrialized region). The empirical analysis in this study was to verify the behavior of regions for differences in regional economic activity (verification of the Theory of Optimum Monetary Area) and in relation to the conduct of regional income (regional terms of trade). Starting from the observation that Brazil is a country of great geographic dimension and therefore has different regions, for example, in relation to climate, natural resources and culture, tried to ascertain whether the Brazilian regions are integrated to the point of being considered an optimum currency area through the observation of the degree of synchronization of the fluctuation of regional economic activity with the national. Through the use of Vector Auto-regression it was observed if the magnitude of regional economic fluctuation was explained mainly by common shocks or idiosyncratic shocks and also the regional response to such shocks, using the variable ICMS and consumption of electric power in regional and national industry (as measure in the level of economic activity) and interest rate and productivity. The conclusion is that Brazil is not an optimum currency area. Thus, the behavior of regional economic fluctuations can distance itself from the national and/or the policies implemented nationally may have a differential impact in the regions. So were evaluated, too, the domestic terms of trade of domestic and the regions in relation to the outside - as proxies of exchange rates between regions and between each of them and the rest of the world - to see if the trend has favored a convergence of development between regions of Brazil. It was concluded that the Northeast gained inter-regional terms of trade and lost the international, while the South had lost both inter-regional as international. The latter region coeteris paribus is where there is greater loss of income. However, the South trade balance remained positive and growing throughout the period under review, indicating that despite the drop in prices for the region has achieved an increase in income due to increases in productivity. Such increases would be needed to avoid loss of income especially for those regions that have concomitant deterioration in the terms of trade inter-regional and international.

This paper draws on evidence from Victoria to examine why more innovation takes place in some areas than in others. In so doing, it explores the relationship between innovation and networks. / Despite a large number of recent government policy statements on innovation, there has been very little attention paid to the spatial dimensions of innovation. / The literature on innovation increasingly points to the important role played by local and regional networks in driving innovation. Innovation is the result of the production, use and diffusion of knowledge, and this demands collaboration involving networks of individuals, organisations and institutions. / To test the theory of a connection between networks and innovation across regional Victoria, patent data is used as a proxy measure for innovation. This data is then cross-referenced with various social and economic data sets. / The analysis reveals that innovation in Victoria is substantially concentrated in ‘hot spots’ such as inner Melbourne. In some parts of Victoria very little innovation takes place at all. / This research has found that all things being equal, more innovation will take place in those areas in which there is a greater density of informal networks. However, not all types of networks are positive, and they are more important in provincial areas than in big cities. Innovation clearly has a spatial aspect, and innovation policy needs to give particular attention to the requirements of provincial areas.

Há vantagens e desvantagens associadas à constituição de áreas monetárias. De um lado, a formação dessa área reduz custos de transação e incertezas econômicas; de outro, dificulta a adequação de políticas às especificidades regionais e impede o funcionamento do mecanismo cambial, perdendo a flexibilidade e seus benefícios sobre os termos de trocas. Essa é questão tratada neste trabalho aplicado ao Brasil. As diferenças regionais no Brasil são associadas principalmente ao desenvolvimento econômico e à renda per capita (Norte e Nordeste possuem baixa renda per capita) e, ainda, ao tipo de atividade econômica desenvolvida (o Centro Oeste possui a dimensão relativa da agropecuária grande enquanto que o Sudeste é uma região industrializada). A análise empírica realizada neste estudo buscou verificar o comportamento das regiões tanto em relação às diferenças na atividade econômica regional (verificação da Teoria de Área Monetária Ótima) quanto em relação ao comportamento da renda regional (termos de troca regionais). Partindo da observação de que o Brasil é um país de grande dimensão geográfica e que, portanto, possui regiões distintas, por exemplo, em relação ao clima, recursos naturais e cultura, procurou-se verificar se as regiões brasileiras são integradas a ponto de ser considerada uma área monetária ótima através da observação do grau de sincronismo da flutuação da atividade econômica regional com a nacional. Através da utilização de auto-regressão vetorial observou-se a magnitude da flutuação econômica regional explicada por choques comuns e choques idiossincráticos e a resposta regional a esses choques, utilizando-se as variáveis ICMS e consumo de energia elétrica industrial regional e nacional (como medidas do nível de atividade econômica) e a taxa de juros e produtividade. Conclui-se que o Brasil não é uma área monetária ótima. Sendo assim, o comportamento das flutuações econômicas regionais pode distanciar-se da nacional e/ou as políticas implementadas nacionalmente podem ter impactos diferenciados nas regiões. Portanto, avaliaram-se, também, os termos de troca das regiões domesticamente e em relação ao exterior como proxies das taxas de câmbio entre regiões e entre cada uma delas e o resto do mundo - a fim de observar se sua tendência tem favorecido uma convergência no desenvolvimento entre regiões brasileiras. Conclui-se que a região Nordeste apresentou ganhos nos termos de troca inter-regionais e perdas internacionais, enquanto que a região Sul apresentou perdas tanto inter-regionais quanto internacionais. Esta última região coeteris paribus é onde se verificaria maior perda de renda. Porém, o saldo da balança comercial do Sul se manteve positivo e crescente durante todo o período em análise, indicando que, apesar da queda dos preços relativos, a região tem conseguido um aumento de renda provavelmente devido a aumentos de produtividade. Tais aumentos seriam necessários para evitar perda de renda principalmente por aquelas regiões que apresentam concomitantemente deterioração nos termos de troca interregionais e internacionais. / There are advantages and disadvantages associated with the establishment of a currency area. On the one hand, the formation of currency areas reduces transaction costs and economic uncertainties; the other, complicates the adequacy of policies to the specific regional and prevent the functioning of the exchange rate mechanism, losing its benefits and flexibility on the terms of trade. This is addressed in this study applied to Brazil. Regional differences in Brazil are mainly related to economic development and per capita income (North and Northeast have low per capita income) and, in addition, to the type of economic activity developed (the Central West produces mainly agriculture products while Southeast is an industrialized region). The empirical analysis in this study was to verify the behavior of regions for differences in regional economic activity (verification of the Theory of Optimum Monetary Area) and in relation to the conduct of regional income (regional terms of trade). Starting from the observation that Brazil is a country of great geographic dimension and therefore has different regions, for example, in relation to climate, natural resources and culture, tried to ascertain whether the Brazilian regions are integrated to the point of being considered an optimum currency area through the observation of the degree of synchronization of the fluctuation of regional economic activity with the national. Through the use of Vector Auto-regression it was observed if the magnitude of regional economic fluctuation was explained mainly by common shocks or idiosyncratic shocks and also the regional response to such shocks, using the variable ICMS and consumption of electric power in regional and national industry (as measure in the level of economic activity) and interest rate and productivity. The conclusion is that Brazil is not an optimum currency area. Thus, the behavior of regional economic fluctuations can distance itself from the national and/or the policies implemented nationally may have a differential impact in the regions. So were evaluated, too, the domestic terms of trade of domestic and the regions in relation to the outside - as proxies of exchange rates between regions and between each of them and the rest of the world - to see if the trend has favored a convergence of development between regions of Brazil. It was concluded that the Northeast gained inter-regional terms of trade and lost the international, while the South had lost both inter-regional as international. The latter region coeteris paribus is where there is greater loss of income. However, the South trade balance remained positive and growing throughout the period under review, indicating that despite the drop in prices for the region has achieved an increase in income due to increases in productivity. Such increases would be needed to avoid loss of income especially for those regions that have concomitant deterioration in the terms of trade inter-regional and international.