Macro-regional Level Research Articles

Spatial and temporal variability in the use of lithic raw materials for flaked stone technology in northeast Chubut Province (North Patagonia) during the Late Holocene

This work presents and discusses the results of the presence of changes in the selection and use of raw materials for flaked stone during the Late Holocene in two areas of northeast Chubut Province: the north coast and the lower valley of the Chubut river (VIRCH). We considered two temporal blocks: 3000–1200 BP, and 1100–400 BP. Three hypotheses were tested: (1) in both areas, there was an overriding exploitation of locally available rocks; (2) rock exploitation was more diversified in VIRCH; and (3) there was an increase in raw materials of extra-regional origin post 1000 BP. Rock sampling aimed at characterizing the regional lithic resource base, and the results of the lithological classification of fourteen lithic sets made it possible to verify the predominant presence of artifacts made of local rocks, including silex and basalt, in both areas and both temporal blocks, and an increment in the record of artifacts made of chalcedony in the second temporal block. At a macro-regional level, the observed temporal tendencies point to similarities and differences with respect to models formulated for the northern and central coast of Patagonia.

Spatial patterns of regional economic development in Central and Eastern European countries

The aim of the work described here has been to analyse the spatial patterns of regional economic development in the EU 10 New Member States located in Central and Eastern Europe. Its first hypothesis suggests that regional convergence observed at macroregional level should lead to a decrease in spatial dependency at theNUTS3 level, i.e. to overall diffusion of development across particular countries. However, a second hypothesis claims that diffusion processes from national growth centres to their regional surroundings would be still quite limited and negligible. The latter hypothesis relates to a different pattern of diffusion in selected economic secto rs that should largely explain the overall regional convergence process. To verify these hypotheses, the spatial autocorrelation method based on the Global Moran’s I Statistic and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) has been applied for the period 1995-2009/2010, with special emphasis put on particular sub-periods reflecting different stages of the transformation process, EU membership and the recent economic crisis. Furthermore, the analysis covers values of GDP per capita both absolute and relativised (to the national averages), as well as structural differences that allow for the presentation of the diverse dimensions to regional economic growth.

Measurement of Objective life Quality in the Context of Economically Developed Countries’ Quantification

Abstract In the last decades, the economic performance in the countries is very often compared to social development of a society. In this field, there exists a long-term disharmony between a rate of economic growth that is measured by the outputs and a rate of GDP growth and life quality and life conditions of citizens that are measured by different indices. There exist many factors that influence the objective life quality. The fundamental life conditions that may be compared are for instance availability of health care services and education, average wages, quality of natural environment, etc. The use of some indicators is often connected with methodological issues, such as in case of a corruption rate, setting of a legal system, functioning of democratic principles in a country, etc. In the social science, there prevails an opinion that a level of GDP is not automatically reflected into daily lives of people or that a rise of GDP is not linearly connected with a rise of a living standard and a better life of individuals. This article reflects on these aspects. The theoretical part presents a description of the most well-know indices that are used to evaluate life quality at the macro-regional level. The analytical part focuses on quantification of life quality by means of a composite index of a human development (Human Development Index), which is annually published in Human Development Report within the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) since 1990. There was evaluated a development of values of the HDI index in Slovakia over the last ten years and compared with a development in the countries of the EU on the basis of available data. The conclusion of the paper is devoted to a specification of methodological issues that are related to the HDI index application. These issues are partially eliminated by a complementary use of other indices to assess an objective life quality, which are recommended by the OSN initiatives that will conclude a complex of solved issues in the article.

Re-examining international development assistance to Southeast Europe: time for a post-functionalist approach?

In the last decade, a wide literature has critically analysed individual aspects related to the role and the impact of international aid to Southeast Europe (SEE), bringing to light both its successes and failures. However, 22 years after the communist collapse and the Yugoslav dismemberment, a broad re-examination of the aid policies pursued in SEE and of the rationale behind these policies is becoming increasingly necessary, in light of (a) the global financial and economic crisis, (b) the sharp decline of support from external bodies and (c) the persistence of controversial and unresolved conflicts and rivalries at the macro-regional level, particularly where reconciliation remains to be reached. Therefore, this article aims to discuss whether, under these new conditions, the support so far offered to SEE requires the most relevant donors to change their strategy and methods in order to achieve the proclaimed goals of stability, development and integration into the Euro-Atlantic framework, which appears to be still fragile in the region under scrutiny.

Территориальная организация социальной сферы Центральной России: особенности формирования и факторы развития

The paper considers several issues concerning spatial organization and
 development of social services at both macro- and meso-levels; reveals how
 various social services branches affect economic activities of territories of
 differing ranks, which plays a decisive role in human resources reproduction
 and helps to improve life quality of people, involved directly in shaping human
 capital of the society. The role of Central Russia and its constituent regions in
 shaping and running the national social services system is highlighted; drivers
 of social services territorial organization at the national state nucleus are
 examined. Also the author defines directions for further development of social
 services at the macro-region level, conducive to improving performance within
 all economic sectors.

Scientific Support by the BONUS+ Projects for the Sustainability of the Baltic Sea Region: The Case of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan

The synthesis of the BONUS+ research is introduced. The HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan is examined as a case to illustrate the potentials and challenges in building the science–policymaking interface on a macroregional level. The projects address environmental challenges in the Baltic Sea as defined by the Baltic Sea Action Plan, or consider the environmental governance and decision making within the Baltic Sea context in general. Eutrophication, biodiversity, hazardous substances, maritime activities, and the environment governance are addressed, as are crosscutting issues, such as the impact of climate change, maritime spatial planning and impacts of future development on ecosystem services. The projects contributed to relevant policy developments: 37 consultations carried out at EU level, 49 modifications to policy documents and action plans, 153 suggestions for the efficacy of pertinent public policies and governance, and in 570 occasions, scientists working in BONUS+ projects served as members or observers in scientific and stakeholder committees.

Does the onset of trends towards convergence within the differentiation of the global system confirm the general assumptions about the development of territorial and social hierarchies?

We are currently witnessing a significant turn in the evolution of the global system. The long term rise in the dominance of the “West” has been recently not only halted, but if fact reversed. Within the last two decades, close to a fifth of the world’s GDP has been transferred from the core to the semiperiphery, and increasingly also the periphery, of the global system. The hierarchic manner of the asymmetric geographic distribution of the world’s economy and population, and its transformation, remains a significant subject of scientific research and a key issue within the decision-making sphere of world politics. However, the discrepancy between the hierarchical differentiation of states and civilizations in terms of their size on one hand and their development (wealth) on the other remains an important issue. The degree of this discrepancy (or lack of) depends on the scale on which the differentiation is examined. At the macroregional level, it remains very pronounced, while it decreases in significance on the mezoregional and microregional levels – within the developed countries, a relative correspondence exists between both types of hierarchy. This article therefore intends to delineate the basic types of hierarchical differentiation to discuss the causal mechanisms of their formation and prospective change.

REGIONAL CLUSTER INITIATIVES AS A DRIVING FORCE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Regional cluster initiatives receive increasing interest from researchers and practitioners, as well as policy makers, although there is not consensus on a single definition on regional clusters. First authors discuss elements and dimensions of regional clusters that leads to the definition of regional clusters based on five dimensions- single sector enterprises, that cooperate and compete; supportive enterprises from a wide range of sectors; public and government institutions, interested in economic development of sector and region; other institutions, like research, education, finance and others and fifth is regional dimension, which combines all four previously mentioned dimensions into one region. The authors of this paper explore the benefits of regional cluster initiatives in micro (enterprise) and macro (region) level. The research is based on wide literature studies and includes monographic studies, descriptive, analysis and synthesis methods to find out whether regional clusters are associated with regional growth and development. The findings of this research show that regional clusters play important role in stimulating firm performance, innovation capacity and competitiveness, which leads to the region’s competitiveness and development. The authors combine positive aspects of regional clusters into four statements. In statement one authors combine studies to show that geographical concentration and collaborative ties of companies promote efficiency and productivity. Statement two shows that enterprises that cooperate and collaborate with other enterprises and institutions are creating and implementing innovations more effectively. In statement three it is found that innovation capacity and increase in efficiency of geographically concentrated enterprises contribute to the enterprise competitiveness. Statement four states that clusters promote growth of existing enterprises and creation and survival of startups. These statements lead to framework showing the effects of regional clusters on the region’s growth and development. The positive link is found between regional clusters and firm’s performance (micro level) and region’s performance (macro level); therefore it is important to stimulate regional cluster initiatives in micro and macro level. For the further research authors suggest testing these positive effects in the specific region. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.eis.0.7.3677

What is Happening on the Ground? A Theoretical Critical Review of the Nature and Dynamics of the 'Movements' in the So-Called 'Arab Spring' in the Light of Social Movements and Revolution Theories and Beyond

Many terms have been used by scholars to define what has happened in Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Many of them, such as “riots”, “protests”, “uprising”, “rebellion”, “revolution,” reflect ways to understand the phenomenon both as “causes” and “outcomes”. Thus, the contribution of this study is to explore how scholars are studying the so-called Spring, through the examination of the representations of it produced by Western or West-based scholars. What labels (terms, concepts), theories (lens, approaches, factors) have been used to name the phenomenon and with which purpose? To answer this question, this study maps and surveys systematically the terms used by the scholars to define and explain the Spring in journal articles between late 2010 and middle 2012. Building upon a comprehensive database of 67 journal articles, we find that articles related to the Spring have been softly increasing since 2011. The mapping also reveals that the “Arab Spring” remains the most frequently used label, followed by “Uprising” and “Revolution”; that the relationship Arab Spring-Revolution is the core combination of label and theory; that the explanation of the phenomenon is the core aim and that the macro regional level of analysis remains predominant, followed by case studies on Egypt.

Euroregions as a Factor of Successful International Integration in Modern Conditions

The article focuses on the relationship of contemporary crises that occur in the euro area and in some CIS countries, with the existing Euroregions. The main objective is to analyze the interdependence of the qualitative aspect of cross-border linkages of European countries with their economic sustainability in the context of regional international integration. The theoretical significance of this work is to determine compliance with the efficiency of the existing across the perimeter of state’s borders Euroregions with additional resources that can be implemented within the framework of their national economic policy during the recession in the global economy. The practical component is to identify the conceptual contours of the formation of successful cross-border education in Europe today. The authors used historical-descriptive approach and factual review of cross-border and macro-regional level of interaction between European countries.The main results are the following. The crisis in several EU countries is associated with a complex of causes that deplete the platform for multilateral cooperation in Europe. To a lesser extent the crisis has affected the state which are actively involved in cross-border cooperation projects. Formation of European regions is closely related to the high industrial development of their constituent regions. The Post-Soviet Space has the need to redistribute excess of centralized authority. The abundance of existing Euro-regions along the perimeter of some states may be an indicator of the stability of the economy to potential shocks.Provisions set forth in the article contribute to improve the scientific understanding of the political regionalistic and detail current understanding of the international system to the level of cross-border linkages and institutions, creating a set of interrelated elements of macro-regional and national building. Practical application of results seen in the formation of a conceptual and legal framework for the construction of cross-border political formations in Post-Soviet Space, especially in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community, which has drawn this line in the form of appearance of a new concept of eurasiaregion.

Asymmetric adjustment of the dynamic relationship between energy intensity and urbanization in China

This paper provides a comprehensive nonlinear analysis of asymmetric adjustment of the dynamic relationship between energy intensity and urbanization using the time series data of 1978–2010 in China at both the national and the macro regional levels. Two sets of unit root tests are applied first to check whether the variables of energy intensity and urbanization are heterogeneous with and without structural breaks, respectively. Cointegration tests are then applied to determine whether long-term relationships are present when structural breaks are or aren't accounted for. The asymmetric adjustment analyses are finally applied to examine how the variables in time-series respond to the deviations from the equilibrium through an integration of threshold vector error correction model (TVECM), and to examine how they respond to the co-existence of TVECM and the threshold. The findings of the systematic tests and analyses confirm the existence of non-linear causal relationships between the energy intensity and urbanization in China. Energy intensity has an asymmetric adjusting effect to urbanization in the whole country and the Central belt. An asymmetric adjustment running from the energy intensity to urbanization is also identified when structural breaks are accounted for, which occurred in 1988, 1993, 2000 and 2006. Furthermore, the two-regime threshold vector error correction model shows that the adjustment process of the energy intensity toward equilibrium is highly persistent when a threshold is reached. There exists a mean-reverting behavior, indicating that the energy intensity grows faster than the urbanization in China when the threshold is reached.

Spatial Variation of Sub-national Fertility Trends in Austria, Germany and Switzerland

Sub-national trends in fertility are of great importance for policy makers and regional planners. This paper aims to provide a theoretical and empirical framework for policy makers, taking into account past and present trends in fertility, as well as their theoretical underpinnings. These will, we argue, be crucial in determining future trajectories and potential political responses to them.The theoretical part of the paper deals with the factors that may influence fertility differences at the sub-national level, including decisions and life course trajectories at the individual level, as well as contextual socio-economic phenomena operating at different geographical levels (local, regional, national, global). This is followed by an empirical section, which takes the Eurostat publications on spatial fertility differences inEuropeas a starting point. In an attempt to overcome the limitations of these reports – both in terms of the lack of geographic detail and the short time span covered – we provide more thorough overviews for Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Using historical data from the Princeton European Fertility Project and other sources, we have been able to reconstruct comparative regional fertility time series for the past 150 years. Finally, we present a case study on local fertility development in the municipalities and unified rural communities of the German state ofLower Saxonyand the districts of the German city ofBremen.Based on the results of this analysis, we conclude that the recent degree of fertility convergence between regions within countries – particularly at the macro-regional level – is, indeed, striking. However, taking a long-term perspective, we are able to identify some substantial time periods over the last 150 years in which regional fertility levels diverged. This implies that the current picture must not necessarily constitute Fukuyama’s “end of history” over the coming decades. Moreover, the study of local-level data reveals that, in contrast to the overall macro-regional fertility convergence process in all three countries, a trend towards divergence can be observed within the city of Bremen. This demonstrates that local divergence can run parallel to overall regional convergence.

Historical stages in transition of natural replacement of the Serbian population

This paper examines the problem of demographic transition of natural replacement of the Serbian population since the mid-nineteenth century to 2010. The special attention is given to analizing trends in birth rate, mortality and population growth through the historical periods in which started and in which the transformation of demographic trends was being done, from the model of extended natural replacement and population expansion to the depopulation model. The specific progress of transitional trends is shown in the natural replacement of population at the macro-regional levels in Serbia (Central Serbia, Vojvodina and Kosovo and Metohija), especially at the meso-regional and local level in the geospace of Serbia (municipalities, districts, regions).

Mapping the innovation production process from accumulative advantage to economic outcomes: A path modeling approach

The research about the innovation production process (IPP) is burgeoning. Our understanding of the interdependent interactions between functionally distinct innovation activities during it from a systemic perspective is rather unclear, yet, which is beneficial to empirical innovation management. This study, based on systems thinking, presents a novel analytical framework to empirically and quantitatively map the IPP jointly associated with a path modeling approach, which helps in untangling the interactive mechanism between stage-specific innovation activities with distinct functions within an IPP from accumulative advantage to economic outcomes. We use the attractive analytical framework to guide an empirical investigation to the China's high-tech industries' IPP at the macro-regional level. Our empirical study confirms the dominant role of previous innovation capital accumulation in the whole IPP embedded into regional innovation systems of China's high-tech industries. That is, we prove the existence of accumulative advantage phenomenon in the regional IPP. The examination results show that there is a significant Matthew effect of technological innovation accumulation on technological innovation inputs as well as the Path dependence of technological innovation outputs/outcomes on technological innovation accumulation. This indicates that the innovation-practitioners should promote innovation capital accumulation for sustainable innovations and economic profits in a long time. At the same time, our findings suggest that, in order to alleviate the cross-regional unbalance of innovation development and promote radial innovations in China's high-tech industries, both policy-makers and innovation-practitioners should try to get rid of the dependence on the previous accumulated innovation capital.

Panorama y desarrollo de las ciencias sociales en el estado de Tabasco

<p>El presente trabajo presenta el panorama y describe el desarrollo de las reflexiones y diagnósticos del pensamiento social y las ciencias sociales sobre y desde el estado de Tabasco; y las condiciones del entorno social local en el que se practican. En el trabajo se demuestra que la producción de este tipo de trabajos es perfectamente acorde a los momentos de crisis y por su tipo refleja perfectamente los momentos de continuidad y ruptura en la historia del estado a pesar de un entorno sociocultural poco propicio. Así, por ejemplo, las ciencias sociales son subsumidas a un papel de mera contabilidad social, legitimación y promoción durante el período del desarrollismo económico (1953-1970) caracterizado por la construcción de grandes obras de infraestructura y planes de desarrollo agropecuario territorial, o durante la expansión de las obras de exploración y explotación petrolera; pero son llamadas a encontrar explicaciones y alternativas cuando la población regional reacciona contra los excesos y resultados no deseados de tales desarrollos, como ocurre con la resistencia contra el Plan Chontalpa y posteriormente con la resistencia contra los impactos de la industria petrolera. En el momento de mayor auge económico petrolero y su crisis, se hace un esfuerzo por implantar localmente la enseñanza y la investigación de dichas disciplinas, a la vez que ofrecen un discurso alternativo de desarrollo endógeno. Posteriormente, a partir de mediados de la década de los 90 llama la atención que la planeación se realiza a nivel macroregional y los trabajos locales pasan de depender de proyectos institucionales a iniciativas personales de funcionarios locales que dan los espacios o promueven las investigaciones y publicaciones.</p>

Еврорегионы как фактор успешной международной интеграции в современных условиях

This article focuses on the correlation between the contemporary crisis phenomena in the Eurozone and some CIS countries with the existing Euroregions. We attempt to analyze the interdependence of the qualitative aspect of cross-border relations of European countries with their economic sustainability in the context of regional international integration. The theoretical significance of this work lies in the revealed correlation between the efficiency of cross-border Euroregions and the additional resources that can be retrieved in the framework of national economic policy during global recession. The practical component consists in clarifying the conceptual framework for the formation of successful cross-border education in today's Europe. The authors employed the historical-descriptive approach and factual consideration of the cross-border and macro-regional level of interaction between European countries. The main results are as follows. The crisis in several EU countries is associated with a complex of causes that deplete the platform for multilateral cooperation in Europe. To a lesser extent, the crisis has affected the states that are actively involved in cross-border cooperation projects. The formation of European regions is closely related to the industrial development of their regions. The Post-Soviet space requires a redistribution of overcentralized power. The abundance of Euro-regions along the perimeter of certain states may be an indicator of economy's resilience to potential shocks. The provisions set forth in the article contribute to the improvement of scientific understanding of political regionalistics and takes the current understanding of international system to the level of cross-border relations and institutions creating a system of interrelated elements of macro-regional and national building. The results can be applied in the development of a conceptual and legal framework for the construction of cross-border political formations in the Post-Soviet space, especially, within the Eurasian Economic Community, which coined the concept of «eurasiaregion».

Euroregions as a factor of successful international integration in modern conditions

The article focuses on the relationship of contemporary crises that occur in the euro area and in some CIS countries, with the existing Euroregions. The main objective is to analyze the interdependence of the qualitative aspect of cross-border linkages of European countries with their economic sustainability in the context of regional international integration. The theoretical significance of this work is to determine compliance with the efficiency of the existing across the perimeter of state’s borders Euroregions with additional resources that can be implemented within the framework of their national economic policy during the recession in the global economy. The practical component is to identify the conceptual contours of the formation of successful cross-border education in Europe today. The authors used historical-descriptive approach and factual review of cross-border and macro-regional level of interaction between European countries.The main results are the following. The crisis in several EU countries is associated with a complex of causes that deplete the platform for multilateral cooperation in Europe. To a lesser extent the crisis has affected the state which are actively involved in cross-border cooperation projects. Formation of European regions is closely related to the high industrial development of their constituent regions. The Post-Soviet Space has the need to redistribute excess of centralized authority. The abundance of existing Euro-regions along the perimeter of some states may be an indicator of the stability of the economy to potential shocks.Provisions set forth in the article contribute to improve the scientific understanding of the political regionalistic and detail current understanding of the international system to the level of cross-border linkages and institutions, creating a set of interrelated elements of macro-regional and national building. Practical application of results seen in the formation of a conceptual and legal framework for the construction of cross-border political formations in Post-Soviet Space, especially in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community, which has drawn this line in the form of appearance of a new concept of eurasiaregion.

The Perceptions of Small Business Owners on Tourism Development in the Blackstone Valley, Rhode Island

The Blackstone Valley Tourism Council (BVTC), a state designated council to promote tourism in the Blackstone Valley, Rhode Island, has led tourism development efforts for two decades to revitalize the economics and livability of place. This study examines the perception of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in juxtaposition to the macro-regional level of tourism development as lead by the BVTC. Local SMEs foresee business opportunities via tourism, yet often do not fully recognize their potential role within it. Local government and the notion of civic tourism are also examined to further understand this gap. The study concludes that local community involvement still remains in the realm of participation rather than empowerment. Thus, the BVTC is being sought for a more innovative and strategic role to develop and manage tourism assets instead of the implementer role traditional tourism organizations engage in.

Origins and spread of agriculture in Italy: A nonmetric dental analysis

Dental morphological traits were employed in this study as direct indicators of biological affinities among the populations that inhabited the Italian peninsula from the Upper Paleolithic-Mesolithic to Medieval times. Our analysis aims at contributing to the ongoing debate regarding the origin and spread of agriculture in the peninsula by contrasting the dental evidence of archaeological and modern molecular samples. It is not possible to generalize given the complex and dynamic nature of these populations. However, the results from the principal component analysis, maximum likelihood, mean measure of divergence, and multidimensional scaling do indicate a net separation of the Paleo-Mesolithic sample from the other groups that is not related to dental reduction. This suggests that the shift in dental morphology was the product of Neolithic populations migrating into the peninsula from other areas. Nonetheless, the Paleo-Mesolithic populations share several discriminative traits with the Neolithic group. The biological relevance of such evidence suggests that, to some minor extent, the spread of agriculture did not occur by total population replacement. Because of regional small sample sizes, this hypothesis cannot be tested on a micro-regional scale. It is, however, feasible to depict a scenario where processes of genetic mixture or replacement probably took place at different rates on a macro-regional level.

Uncertainties of a Regional Terrestrial Biota Full Carbon Account: A Systems Analysis

We discuss the background and methods for estimating uncertainty in a holistic manner in a regional terrestrial biota Full Carbon Account (FCA) using our experience in generating such an account for vast regions in northern Eurasia (at national and macroregional levels). For such an analysis, it is important to (1) provide a full account; (2) consider the relevance of a verified account, bearing in mind further transition to a certified account; (3) understand that any FCA is a fuzzy system; and (4) understand that a comprehensive assessment of uncertainties requires multiple harmonizing and combining of system constraints from results obtained by different methods. An important result of this analysis is the conclusion that only a relevant integration of inventory, process-based models, and measurements in situ generate sufficient prerequisites for a verified FCA. We show that the use of integrated methodology, at the current level of knowledge, and the system combination of available information, allow a verified FCA for large regions of the northern hemisphere to be made for current periods and for the recent past.