Local economies and global competitiveness / edited by Bruno Dallago and Chiara Guglielmetti.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: Local economies and global competitiveness -- B.Dallago and C.Guglielmetti -- Context and Proximity in Competitiveness and Cohesion: Theoretical and Empirical Challenges / C. Guglielmetti -- PART I: TERRITORIES, DEVELOPMENT AND COMPETITIVENESS -- Globalization and Local Economic Growth in South Africa / W. Naude, W. Krugell and M. Matthee -- Provincial Systems of Innovation and Globalization in South Africa / M. Scerri -- Transition and Transplantation in Local Development Models: the Case Study of the Yangtze River Delta / Z. Wang -- Cluster Development in Hungary: Searching for a 'Critical Mass' of Business via Cluster Mapping / M. Szanyi, I. Iwasaki, P. Csizmadia, M. Illesy and C. Mako -- Local Government Corruption in Hungary / Z. Szanto, I. Janos Toth and T. Cserpes -- Cluster Identification, Firm Culture and Cooperation Activities in an European Metropolitan Region: the Case of Nuremberg / L. Eigenhuller, S. Fuchs, N. Litzel and J. Moller -- Beyond Commons -- New Perspectives and Role for Common Properties / A. Gretter, I. Goio and G. Gios -- PART II: FIRMS, CONTEXT AND PROXIMITY -- Innovation Driven Growth: Analytical Issues and Policy Implications / P. Carlo Padoan -- Considering the Social Impact of for-profit Innovation at the Local Level: the Cases of Grameen Bank and Microsoft / Z. Acs, C.L. McNeely and J. Sany -- The Public Interest in Local Economic Development and Creativity: a Knowledge Governance Perspective / S. Sacchetti and R. Sugden -- Local and Global Sourcing: Quality Heterogeneity and Firms' Efficiency / G. Vittucci Marzetti, M. Luigia Segnana and C. Tomasi -- Outsourcing and Firm Productivity: Evidence for an Italian Local Production System / D. Antonioli, M. Mazzanti, S. Montresor and P. Pini.

The book responds to a growing concern among scholars, professionals, and policy makers over the recent decades about competitiveness of territories in a context of increasing globalization and keener international competition. The book combines contributions of experts from prominent international organizations with researches developed by academics, and adopts both a theoretical and a methodological approach, with a clear focus on the identification of policy options. The book also brings together in-depth empirical analyses, which consider paradigmatic case studies in Europe, Africa and Asia providing new data on regional economies in a comparative perspective. The cases selected represent different levels of development, different transformation strategies and paths with distinct outcomes, providing new and updated data on regional economies in a comparative perspective. This book is essential reading for scholars and students concerned with local development, public policy and globalization, as well as to all those involved professionally in regional and local development.