Cecily Neil – Local Economic Development

Restructuring refers to rapid, and often far-reaching, transformation processes in communities, localities, regions and nations. The trends in the 1990s are the focus of the book. There were case studies in Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, the United States, Vietnam, and Australia. The case studies look at restructuring in the East and West in traditional, modern, post-industrial, and trans-local communities. Restructuring processes associated with policy on sector-specific issues are explored in the book. The book ends with a multi-causal theory of local economic development that is intended to assist in understanding restructuring processes in rural areas and to help design appropriate responses to the pressures restructuring creates. The case studies show that communities and entire regions are adapting to changing economic conditions. Local development policy must be dynamic and reflexive according to the authors. Only socially and economically sustainable solutions can be recommended. The development policy must be able to adapt to new circumstances and be proficient in anticipating economic development and individual needs. The United Nations University World Institute of Development Economics Research was associated with this research.