Inspired by the success of geographical clustering in California, many governments pursue cluster policy in the hope to build the next Silicon Valley. In this paper we critically assess the relationship between geographical clustering and public policy. With the help of a range of theoretical...

The geographical concentration of related manufacturing and service firms is as old as economic development but it has drawn renewed attention in the last two decades in the wake of the spectacular growth of regional economies such as Silicon Valley (South San Francisco Bay), Route 128 (greater...

Fuelled by the influential work of urban guru Richard Florida, the European knowledge economy is seeing a rise of cities calling themselves creative cities. In this paper we have a look at the concept of creative cities and offer a view on them beyond the hype. We understand creative cities as...

Books reviewed: Ulf Beckmann, Von Lowe bis Leontief Friedel Bolle and Michael Carlberg (eds.), Behavioral Economics Paul Dalziel, Money, Credit and Price Stability Vivien Foster, Susana Mourato, David Pearce and Ece Ozdemiroglu, The Price of Virtue Joshua Gans (ed.), Publishing Economics Otmar...

This paper deals with an intriguing paradox that can be observed in today's regional economic policy making: whereas unique local factors are increasingly seen as the determinants of regional economic success, simultaneously more and more governments try to copy policy experiences that proved to...

Books reviewed: Bhagwati, Jagdish The Winds of the Hundred Days Costanza, Robert, John Cumberland, Herman Daly, Robert Goodland und Richard Norgaard Einfuhrung in die Okologische Okonomik Fogel, Robert William The Fourth Great Awakening and the Future of Egalitarianism Frey, Bruno S. Inspiring...

The knowledge economy appears to be problematic for old industrial regions, as lock-in and restructuring remove assets for innovation from their territories, as well as for the kinds of policy which can stimulate their economies. In this paper we explore whether universities can provide points...

This article comments on a recent contribution by Wood and Parr to "Growth and Change". Wood and Parr apply the institutional-economic approach to agglomeration issues. After a sketch of the conceptual background, the present article discusses some concepts introduced by Wood and Parr, such as...