EC36520 - REGIONAL ECONOMICS

Module Identifier

EC36520

Module Title

REGIONAL ECONOMICS

Academic Year

2007/2008

Co-ordinator

Professor Peter R Midmore

Semester

Semester 2

Pre-Requisite

(EC10120 and EC10320) or (EC10510 and EC10610)

Course delivery

Lecture

16 Hours.

Seminars / Tutorials

4 Hours.

Assessment

Assessment Type	Assessment Length/Details	Proportion
Semester Exam	2 Hours	60%
Semester Assessment	2000 words	40%
Supplementary Exam	2 Hours	100%

Learning outcomes

On completion of the module, students should:

Understand the main methods of regional income accounting, including inter-industry flow matrices;

Be able to identify and manipulate the principal models of regional economic development;

Relate the process of globalisation to contemporary regional economic systems;

Compare and evaluate European regional development policies and also selected examples from poorer countries;

Be able to identify the main themes in the development of regional economics.

Aims

Regional economics is a distinct sub-discipline which draws on economic theory in an attempt to explain divergent economic performance across space. The module aims to provide a comprehensive survey of regional economic theory and policy, incorporating the most recent new perspectives and drawing on a range of case-study examples.

Brief description

The sub-discipline of regional economics deals with dissimilar economic performances across space. In trying to understand this, several theoretical perspectives may be drawn upon, and used to justify policies. Both theory and policy are covered in this module, which is split between formal lectures and seminars in which students discuss essays submitted as coursework. Lectures cover a general introduction to the regional policy problem and the calculation of regional GDP; regional economic theory, including econometric models and regional input-output analysis; a brief review of regional policy in Britain, Europe, the USA, and also low income countries. The module concludes by examining new perspectives in regional economics.

Content

Introduction: the regional "problem"; regional gross domestic product: an account and critique; Keynesian regional income and employment multipliers; regional input output modelling; location theory; how regions grow, neoclassical approaches and alternatives; endogenous regional development; small firms and innovation; European Union regional policies; British regional policy; Regional policy in low income countries; the evaluation of regional policies.

Transferable skills

Independent work on assessed coursework requiring basic research skills; general economicc analysis of contemporary regional development and policy issues. Use of internet resources to assess relevant pages (such as that of the Office of National Statistics).

Reading Lists

Books
A J Scott (1998) Regions and the world economy: the coming shape of global production, competition and political order Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press
H Armstrong and J Taylor (2000) Regional economics and policy 3rd edition. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers
M Storper (1997) The regional world: territorial development in a global economy New York; London: Guilford Press
M Temple (1994) Regional economics Basingstock: Macmillan Press

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 6