Planning for Local Economic Development: Research into Policymaking and Practice

Evan Cleave,Godwin Arku

doi:10.17645/up.v5i3.3679

Abstract

This thematic issue of <em>Urban Planning</em> brings together a collection of seven articles that explore and critically engage with contemporary issues with local economic development and connect with the broader fields of urban development and planning. The articles presented here provide a complementary mix of broader conceptualizations and research and narrower case-studies which draw from a range of geographies. Contributions include the development and application of a vulnerability and risk measures for economic prosperity; examinations of how urban planning and zoning are used as tools to address industrial decline and spur new forms of economic production; complementing investigations into the role of innovation within local economic development examining the role of public and private institutions as well as broad and targeted policy interventions; and the relationship between ‘big-tech,’ economic development and urban planning and governance.

Highlights

IntroductionThis thematic issue of Urban Planning examines the current state of local economic development planning and policymaking
Issue This editorial is part of the issue “Planning for Local Economic Development: Research into Policymaking and Practice” edited by Godwin Arku (University of Western Ontario, Canada) and Evan Cleave (Ryerson University, Canada). This thematic issue of Urban Planning examines the current state of local economic development planning and policymaking
Urban Planning, 2020, Volume 5, Issue 3, Pages 319–322 new sectors—such as creative and knowledge industries, advanced manufacturing, and high-tech—as the backbones of future growth. This redefining of local economic development has emphasized a shift away from traditional, managerial forms of governance towards urban entrepreneurial approaches, where power has been decentralized and engaged by both private and public institutions. This transition is needed by cities in the advanced economies of Europe and North America— where the research presented in this thematic issue is situated

Summary

Introduction

This thematic issue of Urban Planning examines the current state of local economic development planning and policymaking. This transition is needed by cities in the advanced economies of Europe and North America— where the research presented in this thematic issue is situated These regions have faced a number of economic challenges over the past half-decade, including increased global competition and stiff competition from new markets (Wolfson & Frisken, 2000), which has resulted in the closure of large production facilities and the loss of manufacturing jobs (Cleave, Vecchio, Spilsbury, & Arku, 2019), declining tax bases and fiscal shortages (Arellano & Bai, 2017), which have led to severe austerity-focused policies and reduced government capacity (Donald, Glasmeier, Gray, & Lobao, 2014), greater polarization and disparity within cities (Walks & Bourne, 2006), and demographic change and stunted population growth in smaller, more peripheral cities (Hall & Hall, 2008). Many of the articles in this issue contemplate how effectively the issues, policies and approaches they are discussing contribute to fostering positive economic change for the city as a whole

Overview of the Thematic Issue

Future Research and Conclusions