Mapping of regional industrial policy capacity is one of the seven research projects investigated as part of the pilot project Future of Manufacturing in Europe (FOME).

Background

Manufacturing is geographically much more regionally concentrated than other economic activities. Thus, analysing the effects of the development in the manufacturing sector on regional economic areas and labour markets is important to design and implement suitable regional policies.

Previous research highlights that successful approaches to local economic and employment development, including structural change and restructuring, are characterised by the involvement of a wide range of (regional) actors, a variety of measures and a coordinated implementation taking into consideration the particularities of the region. This pinpoints that designing and realising future-oriented regional policies is a challenging task. While it certainly is the case that some regions do have the knowledge and institutional capacity to orient their strategies and instruments towards a sustainable economic structure and labour market under consideration of core industrial activities, this is by no means the case throughout Europe.

Objectives

The aim of this research project is to map the existing industrial policy capacity in selected EU regions, the identification of elements and processes of regional policy design and implementation and the identification of good practices thereof.

In this context, regional industrial policy refers to the set of strategic measures targeted at improving the competitiveness of the regional economy, taking into consideration the specific characteristics of the region. It addresses the institutional and business environment, structure of economic activity and the labour market to prepare the region for future developments so that economic growth and societal welfare can be realised. The regional industrial policy capacity constitutes the combination of involved actors (and the coordination/cooperation among them) as well as applied strategies and instruments in various policy fields that might be relevant in the individual case.

Outputs

Through qualitative case studies (background document review and interviews), nine European regions have been explored regarding their key components of regional industrial policy design and implementation with the objective to identify good practice elements and success factors. This has been supplemented by findings from a literature review.

Overview report and case studies: Developing regional industrial policy capacity