In spite of Sweden´s lack of formal regions, the country is evolving towards regional administrations. The regional level are to a growing extent viewed as important bases for economic growth and development. The concept of the triple helix implies that interaction between the public sector, the industry and universities is a source to economic and social development. Research has though implied that the interaction between the triple helix actors could be problematic from a multi-level governance perspective. It has been shown that since the institutional setting is horizontal and vertical fragmented, cooperation between different institutions and actors becomes difficult. In year 2005-2006 the Värmland region was one of fourteen regions in twelve countries that was included in a OECD project, that was a response to the multiplicity of initiatives across the OECD countries concerning regional development. In the report that evolved from the project actors in Värmland was recommended to improve the cooperation concerning regional development in the county. This thesis investigates the cooperation between the triple helix actors for regional growth and development in the Värmland region 1998-2008. My research questions are: Is there evidence of a lack of cooperation between the university, the public sector and the industrial actors in Värmland? And if this is the case, could these problems be related to the fragmentation of the institutional setting? The thesis is a qualitative case study, conducted through elite-interviews and document analysis. My findings implies that the cooperation between the triple helix actors in Värmland has developed dramatically the last decade. From a strive for coordination that was pervaded by institutional fragmentation to an increased closeness and mutual involvement that has come to over-bridge the institutional fragmentation on the regional level. Although, it seems like the vertical fragmentation between the regional and national level, which could impede growth and development in the region, to a great degree remains.

This thesis examines the role of human capital in the growth and convergence of the Iberian countries. Using a newly computed series for human capital at the NUTS III level for the Portuguese regions, the comparison between Portugal and Spain suggests a positive role for human capital proxied by the average years of schooling in both Iberian countries regional growth, which supports the hypothesis that higher levels of education improved the regions‟ ability to adopt new technology; although the levels of education indicate that secondary schooling is important for technology adoption in Portugal, but not in Spain, and its effect is higher than that of tertiary education. Using Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA), two convergence clubs are identified within the Iberia Peninsula (Core and Periphery), but convergence occurs mainly in the Periphery group and education plays a positive and significant role only in the Core club.

This paper investigates the patterns and determinants of the co-movement of economic activity across regions in the European Union. Using a panel data of 208 EU-15 regions over the period 1989-2002 we estimate a system of four simultaneous equations to analyse the impact of regional trade integration, specialization and exchange rate volatility on correlations of regional growth cycles with the Euro area. We find that deeper trade integration with the Euro area had a strong direct positive effect on the synchronisation of regional growth cycles with the Euro area. Industrial specialisation and exchange rate volatility were sources of cyclical divergence. Industrial specialisation had however an indirect positive effect on growth cycles synchronisation via its positive effect on trade integration, while exchange rate volatility had an indirect additional negative effect on growth cycle correlations by reducing trade integration. Industrial specialisation had an indirect negative effect on growth cycle correlations by increasing the exchange rate volatility. The direct impact of trade integration on growth cycle correlations was stronger in the pre-EMU sub-period, while in the EMU subperiod, the negative direct effects of industrial specialisation and exchange rate volatility were stronger than in the pre-EMU sub-period. A distinct result is the positive and significant relationship between exchange rate volatility and growth cycle correlations in the pre-EMU sub-period, suggesting that over this period, country-specific exchange rate fluctuations acted as shock absorbers. Our analysis is relevant in the context of the discussion about the macroeconomic adjustment to region-specific shocks in the European Monetary Union. (authors' abstract) / Series: EI Working Papers / Europainstitut

O tema deste trabalho centra-se no desenvolvimento regional articulado em diferentes categorias de análise dentro de uma perspectiva econômica. Este enfoque apoia-se em dois aspectos: diversidade e convergência. A diversidade é verificada no campo dos agentes sociais, ou seja, a população, capital humano e suas formas de produção do território. Já a convergência é interpretada na perspectiva política através dos distintos interesses e negociações que viabilizam as dinâmicas regionais. O objeto de estudo constitui-se num contexto regional, o COREDE Norte, no RS, que tem como centro urbano estratégico Erechim, no período compreendido basicamente entre 1991 e 2010. A pesquisa tem como problema de investigação a análise de como tem ocorrido o processo de desenvolvimento na região do COREDE Norte e, mais especialmente, em Erechim. Parte-se da premissa de que o desenvolvimento regional está diretamente relacionado ao conjunto de variáveis capital, trabalho, capital humano e tecnologia, que tendem a adicionar valor e que potencializam os valores econômicos e sociais de uma dada região. Para as análises destas quatro variáveis, o trabalho foi decomposto em 14 indicadores, tendo sido utilizados 111 dados estatísticos, os quais serviram para ratificar a hipótese central da pesquisa. Este trabalho reforça a ideia de que deve ser considerada a criação, no Brasil, da figura jurídica da Região, pois principalmente dadas nossas dimensões territoriais, a divisão em Estados e Municípios tem se apresentado insuficiente para a gestão focada no desenvolvimento. Também mostra a necessidade de que se efetivem as atitudes em escala regional, visto que somente com o fortalecimento de um conjunto de municípios poderemos ver cidades com melhores índices de desenvolvimento e, por consequência, que ofereçam melhor qualidade de vida a seus habitantes. / This work’s theme focuses on regional development articulated in different categories of analysis within an economic perspective. This approach relies on two aspects: diversity and convergence. Diversity is verified in the field of social agents, ie, population, human capital and its forms of production of the territory. Already convergence is interpreted in political perspective through the different interests and negotiations that enable the regional dynamics. The object of study is constituted in a regional context, the COREDE North, in the RS, which has a strategic urban center, Erechim, in the period basically between 1991 and 2010. The research’s question problem is the analysis as has been the development process in COREDE North’s region and more particularly in Erechim. It starts with the premise that regional development is directly associated to the set of variables capital, labor, human capital and technology, which tend to add value and that maximize the economic and social values of a given region. For the analysis of these four variables, the work was broken down into 14 indicators have been used 111 statistics, which served to confirm the central hypothesis of the research. This work reinforces the idea that the creation should be considered, in Brazil, the legal concept of the Region, as especially given our territorial dimensions, the division into states and municipalities has presented insufficient for management focused on the development. It also shows the need to give effect to the actions at the regional level, since only the strengthening of a number of municipalities we see cities with better development indices and therefore providing better quality of life for its inhabitants.

Orientador: Rogério Gomes / Banca: Maria Inez Espagnoli Geraldo Martins / Banca: Sebastião Neto Ribeiro Guedes / Resumo: A agroindústria canavieira tem sido, ao longo da história do Brasil, uma das atividades mais importantes da economia brasileira. A perspectiva da introdução do álcool carburante como commodity mundial e fonte de energia renovável coloca novamente o setor em evidência. No entanto, pelas suas características técnico-produtivas e extensão, o setor tem sido alvo de muitas críticas. Apesar disso, como as perspectivas para o setor são de crescimento, há impactos econômicos e sociais sobre as cidades onde essa agroindústria está instalada. No passado recente, algumas cidades se desenvolveram baseadas na agroindústria de cana de açúcar, como, por exemplo, Ribeirão Preto, Piracicaba, Araraquara, Sertãozinho e Jaboticabal. Examinar o crescimento dessa agroindústria e o crescimento de renda e a qualidade de vida é o objetivo deste trabalho. O enorme crescimento recente do plantio de cana no Estado de São Paulo, em detrimento de outras atividades agrícolas, justifica este trabalho, que se atém à região de Jaboticabal, uma das principais regiões canavieiras do Estado de São Paulo / Abstract: The Complex of Sugar Cane Agri-industry has been along of the Brazil history one of the more important activities in the Brazilian Economy. The perspective of introduction of Ethanol as a global commodity, it places this sector on evidence again. However, because of their technical and productive characteristics and extension, the sector has been target of several critics. Nevertheless, as the sector perspectives are for growth, it has social and economic impact over the cities where it was established this agri-industry. At the no longer past some cities developed based over the sugar cane agri-industry as, for example, Ribeirão Preto, Piracicaba, Araraquara, Sertãozinho and Jaboticabal. Analyze the growth of this agriindustry and growth of the income and quality of life is the target of this job. The recent huge growth on the sugar cane plantation in the São Paulo State over another agriculture options justifying this job that is based on one of the more important sugar cane regions of the São Paulo State, the Jaboticabal region / Mestre

Abstract The purpose of this thesis is to estimate if imports of goods at the municipal level have an effect on labour productivity. The theoretical framework used in the thesis is based on the concept of accessibility, city growth in connection to imports, networks and nodes, clusters and economies of scale. Seven independent variables were chosen for the regression, three import accessibility variables to estimate if there is a connection between imports and productivity and Technology Gap, Population Density, Distance to Stockholm and Time. The regression model itself is built on the regression model in Fingleton (2001) but reformulated in this master thesis. Due to high collinearity between the accessibility variables they were added together to measure total accessibility. Regression results showed significant t-statistics for all variables included confirming that there is a relationship between imports of goods and labour productivity. / Sammanfattning Syftet i denna magisteruppsats är att analysera om import av produkter på kommunal nivå är korrelerad med kommunal arbetsproduktivitet. Det teoretiska kapitlet är baserat på konceptet tillgänglighet, tillväxt och import i stadsregioner, nätverk och noder samt skalekonomi. Sju testvariabler valdes för regressionsmodellen som är baserad på Fingleton (2001). De viktigaste variablerna i modellen är inomkommunal‐, inomregional‐, och extern tillgänglighet till import. Resterande variabler i regressionsestimeringen mäter skillnad i teknologi mellan kommuner, populationsdensitet, avstånd till Stockholm samt tid. På grund av hög multikollinearitet mellan tillgänglighetsvariablerna estimerades modellen om genom att använda total tillgänglighet. Regressionen visade signifikanta t‐värden för alla variabler vilket bekräftar att det finns ett samband mellan import av produkter och arbetsproduktivitet på kommunal nivå.

Coesione e competitività sono i principali obiettivi della politica regionale Europea. È però possibile che investimenti in competitività possano beneficiare maggiormente le regioni più sviluppate, a discapito della coesione. Si tratta di una contraddizione? In questo lavoro si risponde a questa domanda approfondendo tre argomenti. Il primo riguarda le determinanti della crescita regionale. Il secondo interessa il ruolo degli spillover di conoscenza per l’innovazione regionale. Il terzo è relativo al contributo delle infrastrutture di conoscenza all’attività innovativa regionale. I principali risultati possono essere sintetizzati in questa maniera. Una più alta crescita nella regioni meno sviluppate è importante ma non sufficiente a garantire convergenza. La crescita, nel lungo periodo, è determinata dagli investimenti in conoscenza, che producono rendimenti crescenti. La mancanza di sviluppo nelle regioni più arretrate può essere attribuita a questi divari di conoscenza, non sempre facili da colmare. Le esternalità alla base dei rendimenti crescenti sono estremamente localizzate e non si diffondono facilmente nelle economie. D’altra parte la conoscenza non si produce solamente con investimenti in ricerca. La promozione della ristrutturazione economica regionale verso modelli basati sulla conoscenza dovrebbe dedicare particolare attenzione alle fonti esterne di conoscenza, quali, accanto alle università, i servizi ad alto contenuto di conoscenza. / Cohesion and competitiveness are the two main objectives of the EU regional policy. It seems however that improving competitiveness will benefit developed regions more, implying a less cohesive Europe. Is that a contradiction? This work answers this question by studying three related topics. The first concerns the determinants of regional growth in Europe. The second is about the importance of interregional knowledge spillovers for the regional innovative activity. The third is related to the way knowledge infrastructures can shape regional innovative activity. The main results can be summarized as follows. The higher growth in least developed region is important but not sufficient to catch-up. Growth, in the long-run, is determined by investments in knowledge, which produce increasing returns. The lack of development of lagging regions could be accordingly ascribed to the existence of knowledge gaps which are not as easy to be filled. Knowledge externalities, the essence of the more than proportional returns, are extremely localized and do not necessarily spread across the economies. However knowledge is not only produced through R&D. The promotion of economic restructuring of lagging regions toward a knowledge-based economy should deserve special attention to external knowledge sources like, alongside universities, Knowledge Intensive Business Services.

The objective of this thesis is to explore the development strategy and location factors that affect on Taiwanese firms' investment in China's western region. In the first step of this research, we review literature and analyze China's strategy of western region. Main theories adopted in this study include "Regional Growth Theory", "Location Theory", and "Location Policy". In the second step, we adopt questionnaire survey to analyze the intention of Taiwanese firms' investment in China's western region. The statistical analysis of questionnaire data includes the use of t-test, ANOVA-test, Likert's summated scale analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis. They examine the relationship and effectiveness between the location selection and intention of Taiwanese firms' investment in China's western region. Through this research, the conclusions of this thesis are as following: firstly, the strategy " Spot-Axle Model" is adopted for the development of western region. Therefore, the location with railway has high priority in western development. Secondly, a total of 585 questionnaires were mailed to 12 industries of Taiwanese firms in China, out of which 78 firms were responding and 70 of them were valid questionnaires. The results of questionnaire survey are presented below: 1) In Taiwanese firms' views, the Sichuan Province, Chongging Municipality, Yunna Province, and Shaanxi Province are the best regions to investment for China's western region. And the best timing is during the period of 2001-2010s. 2) The certainty factors that affect on investment are labors, property policies, communications, and infrastructure. And market is an uncertainty factor. 3) They are different consideration by Taiwanese firm for the choice of locations between eastern region and western region. Taiwanese firms attach importance to market and labor factors in the eastern region. And the infrastructure, communication, preferential policies are the important factors in the western region. 4) According to the factor analysis, 76% of investment considerations can be explained by 10 factors, including quantity and price of labor and land, communications, public facilities, cultures, agglomeration, markets, minerals, policies, economics, and nature environment, which are selected from 36 factors included in this study. 5) We use cluster analysis to analyze the choice of location by Taiwanese firms. The results show that 58.6% samples belong to the category of "quantity and price of labor and land¡Vmarket oriented", and 18.6% samples belong to "nature¡Vinfrastructure oriented".

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p>The purpose of this thesis is to estimate if imports of goods at the municipal level have an effect on labour productivity. The theoretical framework used in the thesis is based on the concept of accessibility, city growth in connection to imports, networks and nodes, clusters and economies of scale. Seven independent variables were chosen for the regression, three import accessibility variables to estimate if there is a connection between imports and productivity and Technology Gap, Population Density, Distance to Stockholm and Time. The regression model itself is built on the regression model in Fingleton (2001) but reformulated in this master thesis. Due to high collinearity between the accessibility variables they were added together to measure total accessibility. Regression results showed significant t-statistics for all variables included confirming that there is a relationship between imports of goods and labour productivity.</p><p> </p><p> </p> / <p><strong><p>Sammanfattning</p></strong></p><p>Syftet i denna magisteruppsats är att analysera om import av produkter på kommunal nivå är korrelerad med kommunal arbetsproduktivitet. Det teoretiska kapitlet är baserat på konceptet tillgänglighet, tillväxt och import i stadsregioner, nätverk och noder samt skalekonomi. Sju testvariabler valdes för regressionsmodellen som är baserad på Fingleton (2001). De viktigaste variablerna i modellen är inomkommunal‐, inomregional‐, och extern tillgänglighet till import. Resterande variabler i regressionsestimeringen mäter skillnad i teknologi mellan kommuner, populationsdensitet, avstånd till Stockholm samt tid. På grund av hög multikollinearitet mellan tillgänglighetsvariablerna estimerades modellen om genom att använda total tillgänglighet. Regressionen visade signifikanta t‐värden för alla variabler vilket bekräftar att det finns ett samband mellan import av produkter och arbetsproduktivitet på kommunal nivå.</p>

This paper investigates the growth factors of EU regions in the 1990s. We test the hypothesis that regional growth is determined by endogenous growth factors, trade and technological catching-up in a growth accounting framework. Our estimations suggest that growth of EU regions is positively related to the accumulation of physical and human capital. Innovation activity as well as international technology transfer are important for growth. The latter is facilitated if a region is well endowed with human capital. Further, we observe that technological catching-up is promoted by intensive foreign trade, a result which underlines the importance of trade openness for EU regions. (authors' abstract) / Series: EI Working Papers / Europainstitut