David L. Barkley Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina
Roberto Camagni On the Concept of Territorial Competitiveness Urban Studies (2002)
weak and lagging territories risk exclusion and decline to a larger extent than in the past.
Definitions, conceptualizations, and measures Advantages and Disadvantages of Strategy Estimation of Indices of Competitiveness Benefits and Shortcomings of Indices
the ability of an economy to attract and maintain firms with stable or rising market shares in an activity while maintaining or increasing standards of living for those who participate in it. (Storper, 1997) ultimately competitive regions and cities are places where both companies and people want to locate and invest in. (Kitson, Martin, and Tyler, 2004)
Conceptualizations of Competitiveness Context for Firm Strategy and Rivalry Factor Conditions Demand Conditions Related and Supporting Industries The Porter Diamond Framework (Porter, 1998)
Source: National Competitiveness Council
Firm level COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE region nation Economy level COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE Enhanced productivity Localization economies Activity-complex economies REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS AND ITS DYNAMICS Urbanization economies Enhanced Economic efficiency X-Efficiency Source: Budd and Hirmis, 2004
Inputs (Development Report Card for the States) Human resources Financial resources Infrastructure resources Innovation resources Amenity resources and natural capital
Outputs (Krugman, Porter) Output per worker Output per unit of capital and labor in traded sectors Outcome (Kitson, et al. and Budd and Hirmis) High rate of employment among labor force High quality and high income job opportunities
Provides appreciation of current local economic environment Identifies weaknesses in the local economy Encourages a longer term perspective on economic development process May lead to new marketing and promotional programs for the region
May contribute to wasteful competition among regions May result in a re-allocation of resources from low-visibility programs to high-visibility programs May contribute to widening social inequalities Used as justification for policy makers pet programs
Development Report Card for the States (CFED) 67 measures 15 sub-indices 3 indices no weights State New Economy Index (Atkinson and Correa) 27 indicators 5 indices weights selected to reflect relative importance
Policom Economic Strength Rankings a Milken Best Performing Cities b BHI Metro Area Competitiveness Report c Washington, DC Riverside-San Bernadino, CA Boston, MA Charlotte, NC Phoenix, AZ Raleigh, NC Las Vegas, NV Orlando, FL Seattle, WA Nashville, TN Las Vegas, NV Denver, CO San Diego, CA Raleigh, NC Austin, TX Phoenix, AZ Salt Lake City, UT Minneapolis, MN Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Portland, OR Sacramento, CA Charlotte, NC Washington, DC Minneapolis, MN Sacramento, CA Salt Lake City, UT Orlando, FL Houston, TX Charlotte, NC a Rankings for 363 Metropolitan Statistical Areas. b Rankings for 200 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas. c Rankings for 50 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Policom Economic Strength Rankings a Milken Best Performing Cities b BHI Metro Area Competitiveness Report c Washington, DC Riverside-San Bernadino, CA Boston, MA Charlotte, NC Phoenix, AZ Raleigh, NC Las Vegas, NV Orlando, FL Seattle, WA Nashville, TN Las Vegas, NV Denver, CO San Diego, CA Raleigh, NC Austin, TX Phoenix, AZ Salt Lake City, UT Minneapolis, MN Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Portland, OR Sacramento, CA Charlotte, NC Washington, DC Minneapolis, MN Sacramento, CA Salt Lake City, UT Orlando, FL Houston, TX Charlotte, NC a Rankings for 363 Metropolitan Statistical Areas. b Rankings for 200 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas. c Rankings for 50 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Inclusion of relevant variables, and only relevant variables Selection of appropriate measures for the variables Selection of weights used to combine the variables Is the index a good predictor
Ignore the region s historical development process and industrial legacy Suggestive of formulaic solutions for complex economic development problems Provide little room for alternative visions in the policy discussion May stigmatize lagging regions
Ireland Portland Madison Raleigh/Durham Austin
Regional Scientists Conceptualizations and Models Discourse on Competitiveness Strategies Rankings and Indices Policy Makers and Economic Development Agencies Road Trips Best Practices Discourse on Rankings and Indices
1. Develop indices and benchmarking methodologies that more accurately reflect competitiveness - Variables selected - Measures/data used for variables - Weighting of variables in indices
Location Resource Endowments Institutions Industrial Structure Economic History Social Capital
% College Graduates % Creative Class Sci/Eng Grad Students Raleigh/Durham 39 48 44 Greenville, SC 25 37 16
% College Graduates % Creative Class Sci/Eng Grad Students Raleigh/ Durham 39 48 44 Lexington, 30 41 28 KY Greenville, SC 25 37 16
Provide interpretations of lessons learned on road trips Help identify characteristics unique to the visited region that enhanced competitiveness Provide insights into characteristics of home region that may impede or facilitate the transfer of policies Provide detailed analysis of the economies of the visited and home regions
Definition: an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomena within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomena and context are not clear. (Yin, 2003)
Development of theoretical model Research model design Data collection and analysis
Individuals associated with case Review of literature (industry, government, popular press, and academic papers Secondary data on regional economy Multiple cases, multiple units of analysis
Case studies are expensive and time consuming Skeptical of information collected through interviews Not confident in use of findings by policy makers Perceived to be more difficult to publish in journals
Case studies can be fun Provide new information and perspectives Useful in developing or refining hypotheses Useful in testing hypotheses Policy makers love case studies
Case studies and best practices will be used in developing policy We cannot attend every meeting of policy makers We can improve the pool of good case studies We can provide leadership in the design of case studies and interpretation of findings