Local economic development: Theory, evidence, and implications for policy in Brazil

Local economic development policies have surged in Brazil over the past decade—a major shift in this regionally diverse country of 27 states, over 5000 municipalities, and the largest economy in Latin America. We review the stylized facts, expected patterns and policy recommendations from the founda...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geoforum 2010-11, Vol.41 (6), p.951-962
Main Authors: Barberia, Lorena G., Biderman, Ciro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
America
Bgi / Prodig
Brazil
Brazil. Amazonian Basin
Developing countries
Economic development
Economic policy
Human geography
Latin America
Local economic development (LED)
Local economy
Local government
Policy analysis
Regional and urban economics
Regional economics
Research trends
Sub-national policy
Urban economics
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Summary:Local economic development policies have surged in Brazil over the past decade—a major shift in this regionally diverse country of 27 states, over 5000 municipalities, and the largest economy in Latin America. We review the stylized facts, expected patterns and policy recommendations from the foundational studies in regional and urban economics. We then provide a summary of a more recent stream of scholarship focused on local economic development (LED) studies in developed and developing countries that have surged in the last 20 years. Based on this review, we then systemize the findings emerging from studies focused on analyzing local economic development policies in Brazil recognizing the distinctive contributions emerging from both the empirical and the case studies literatures. We identify key lessons for (and from) the Brazilian experience and conclude that Brazil and Latin American countries need a new generation of studies that undertake more rigorous evaluations of these policy experiments. Finally, we recommend steps to advance such research.
ISSN:0016-7185
1872-9398
DOI:10.1016/j.geoforum.2010.07.002