123

Regional policy and local development prospects

Περιλήψεις συνεδρίου

• Ανδρικοπούλου, Ελένη

This paper argues that the implementation of regional policy measures in backward regions depends upon the structure of the local productive system and also that the same or similar policies do not lead to similar results. The latter diverge according to the specific combination of policy measures, structural elements and contingent factors. In the end local development prospects seem to depend upon the existing mixture of the following aspects. a. A local aspect based upon the potential of the local system and the opportunities provided by the implementation of state policies. This aspect refers to the mobilisation of local entrepreneurial initiatives in small and medium-scale enterprises or in subcontracting firms. The emergence of such activity is based upon the knowledge of the local factor markets and the existing network of personal relationships. b. A national and international aspect that refers to the selective relocation into the area due to restructuring of production occurring elsewhere. This trend is partially a response to policy measures, i.e. incentives for industrial decentralisation, but is often conditional upon the disintegration of existing branches or sectors, i.e. agriculture, which makes available cheap and abundant labour supplies. c. An aspect of public intervention in production through large scale investments or the support of cooperatives and collective local initiatives usually in the processing of local mineral and agricultural rew materials. The rationale behind such effords is often the increase of the national competitivenress and not the development of the region itself.

• Sociology

• Κοινωνικές επιστήμες

Περιλήψεις των παρουσιάσεων στο συνέδριο της ΛέσβουAbstracts of papers presented at the Lesvos conference