Cultural Uniqueness and Regional Economy

This book contains a series of articles that give an overview on some main aspects of scientific research on regional issues. The articles are based on presentations that were given at the third CURE conference in November 2000. In most articles an attemp is made to make regional cultural identity a more concrete concept and to measure some aspects empirically. In that way analysis of the influence of cultural uniqueness on economics is possible.

Part I of the book deals mainly with some theoretical and methodological aspects. The second part of the book goes into the economics of regions and deals with three cases. The three cases all suggest that analysis of cultural, administrative and economic aspects of regions may diver from analysis from a national point of view.

The book is not only of interest to scientists, but also to politicians and decision makers who have to deal with regional policy. It gives information to all who are interested in the unique development of regions in an integrating Europe.

Contents:

Introduction

Part I The role of cultural identity in economics: a research agenda

1 New growth, local culture and the labour market

Peter Nijkamp

2 Affirmation of regional identity between rhetoric and reality: evidence from Portugal

Zoran Roca

3 Regional culture and entrepreneurial behaviour in the Netherlands: an exploratory study

Lajos L. Brons

Part II Regional clustering in an open economy

4 Regional cluster policy between best practices and cultural uniqueness

Gert-Jan Hospers and Sjoerd Beugelsdijk

5 The Northern Great Plain of Hungary - on the way to becoming a real region?

Gábor Kozma and Ericka Maczik

6 Firm employment growth. Empirical observations in the Dutch province of Drenthe

Gerke Hoogstra and Jouke van Dijk

Part III Identity and developments in the countryside

7 Whose nature? Ownership and representations of nature in the Netherlands

Tialda Haartsen

8 A sweep into the countryside?

Bart J.M. van der Aa and Paulus P.P. Huigen

9 Redundant farm buildings as a resource for non-agrarian entrepreneurs

Jacob H.P. van der Vaart

Part IV Regional labour market

10 Cultural Uniqueness as human capital - a paradox

Kees Verhaar

11 The persistence of unemployment and regional unemployment differentials in a growing economy

J. Paul Elhorst

12 Factor rewards and regional heterogeneity: how important are the effects of trade and labour markets on average pay across European regions?

Don J. Webber

13 Regional differences in unemployment still remain

Oedzge Atzema and Jouke van Dijk

14 Adjustment to labour market stocks in the light of structural reforms

Lourens Broersma and Jouke van Dijk

On the authors/editors

On the partner organisations of the CURE-conferences

Boneschansker, Engbert, Jouke van Dijk, Lammert G. Jansma and Kees Verhaar (ed.), Cultural Uniqueness and Regional Economy. Fryske Akademy Leeuwarden 2004. Akademynumber 963. ISBN: 90 6171 963 1. 281 p. Price € 27,50 / for members and supporters (stipers) € 26,00.

Information: S. Tijsma