This book addresses the question of the best possible uses of public funds and the most effective strategies for regional development, focusing on the develop of human capital and the methodology of formulating regional policy.

This book emphasizes the need for experimenting with more deliberate and rigorous policy processes to attain balanced regional development, which can promote both equity and efficiency in India’s development discourse. The institutional mechanisms for dealing with regional imbalance in India have not been very successful so far. With rising discrepancies in development, demand for autonomy continues along with a new dimension of regionalism arising from submerged identity along with political and economic aspirations, which demanded new channels for solution. So far, attempts to create space for autonomy have possibly not optimally accommodated the conceptual mechanisms like equity and democratic process. Thus democratizing policy process using six pillars of voice: knowledge, objective, fundamental values, implementation framework and public awareness can ensure a better policy outcome for dealing with the persistent challenges of regional disparity in India. This book further focuses on the need for democratizing the policy process for regional development through discussion and inclusion. Such a transition needs innovation in policy regime, which can be attained through following six pillars (i) Democratic voice of stakeholders in policy development and implementation; (ii) Clear policy objectives that advance the common good, based on voice; (iii) Unbiased, sound and comprehensive knowledge and data bases. (iv) Consistency with constitutional values; (v) A sound implementation framework ensuring user-friendliness, transparency and rationality of decision-making processes, effective grievance redress, clear accountability and independent evaluation; (vi) Public awareness and support of policies with relevant and public participation in implementation.

This report takes stock of discussions between academics and country practitioners on opportunities to improve the design and delivery of regional development policies in a series of seminars organised during 2017 by the OECD and the European Commission. What can governments do to enhance ...

Developing and ‘transition’ economies face myriad challenges in their attempts to achieve and maintain political stability and foster the economic growth essential for national security, the social well-being of current citizens and sustainable environments for future generations. Governments in the Western Balkans have striven to achieve all of the above, and this volume assesses the nature of their experiences as well as the level of their success in doing so. Featuring detailed case studies of public policy reforms in the region as well as comparative analysis on a range of indicators, the book analyzes the role of key players in setting the political agenda as well as implementing policy reforms. It also distils the lessons that can be learned from the Western Balkan experience, recommending strategies for enhancing the policy making process. In addition, it examines the developmental role played by the full spectrum of policy actors, including the private sector, NGOs, special interest groupings, international financial institutions, donor nations and the EU. Each case study has been prepared by academics with deep knowledge and experience of the western Balkans and addresses a core set of questions: identifying the policy issue and its broader context, defining the roles of specific individuals in formulating policy and reform and assessing the influence of networks and coalitions in the policy making process. With so little detailed literature on public policy making in a group of nations strategically positioned between Europe, Russia and the near East, the detailed insights provided by this volume will be widely welcomed. Our book provides case studies of specific public policy reform episodes in selected Western Balkan post-conflict and transition countries. The focus of these case studies extends beyond the technical aspects and entails substantive examination of the policy actors, constituencies and politics that ultimately shape the policy that emerges from the policy making process. This analysis draws lessons for strengthening the quality of policies, the transparency, consistency, and governance of the policy making process and ultimately for contributing to economic and social development of the region.

Turkey’s candidacy for membership of the European Union has had mixed effects on its public policies. The initial degree of cohesion between EU and Turkish national policies, practices and institutions has varied by the policy field in question, leading to a complex amalgam of fit and misfit between the two actors. Their interaction in different policy areas has had direct influence both on Turkey’s accession to the EU and its own national reform process. With accession negotiations stalled and Turkey’s relationship with the EU increasingly tenuous, it is vital to take stock of the extent to which Turkey and the EU are aligned in key policy areas. The Europeanization of Turkish Public Policies: A Scorecard is the first comprehensive work focusing on the impact of the EU accession process upon Turkey’s public policies between 1999 and 2014. Complementing the authors’ earlier volume Europeanization of Turkey: Polity and Politics, it brings together leading specialists to provide key analyses of the impact of Europeanization on specific areas of Turkey’s public policy. Each chapter applies a core analytical framework to examine a separate policy field, resulting in a consistent and comprehensive volume on Turkey-EU relations. With its focused structure and extensive coverage, concluding with a scorecard enabling informed assessment of the impact of Europeanization on Turkey’s public policy areas, this book provides a one-stop resource for scholars and students alike. A timely and informed assessment of the dynamics and outcome of the Europeanization of an EU candidate country’s major public policy areas, this book represents an essential resource for those interested in EU-Turkey relations, the effects of Europeanization on Turkey, and Turkish politics.

This book is a handy reference guide to the regional policies of OECD countries and a broader analysis of trends in regional policies, based on sound, comparable information.

Regional policy is an essential in any government’s toolkit for promoting socioeconomic prosperity. It comes in many forms and can be used to target the development of weak and stronger regions. This textbook provides comprehensive and systematic coverage of regional policy, dealing with core theories and looking at contemporary challenges in practice, addressing regional policy across the world. Structured in four parts, the book opens with an exploration of regional policy’s characterisation, aims and rationale. The second part is devoted to issues of implementation and the instruments available to policymakers for intervention. The third part addresses regional policy evaluation, as well as statistics and modelling in policymaking. Finally, the book discusses how regional policy is applied in different contexts. Each chapter contains real-life examples of a regional policy topic in action and highlights supplementary topics for advanced readers. With its broad coverage of the subject, Regional Policy: Theory and Practice will prove a valuable resource for advanced students, researchers and practitioners in regional policy, regional economics, economic geography, planning and public policy.

This book provides an up-to-date assessment of the main processes and dilemmas of regional development and regional policy in the newer European Union Member States in Central and Eastern Europe and neighbouring countries. It highlights the difficulties of balancing the demands within the new Member States for rapid regional growth and development with, firstly, the demands of the European Union overall that restructuring and development should conform to the aims and principles of EU common policies; and, secondly, with budgetary constraints. The book covers a wide range of issues, including global and national challenges to regional convergence and cohesion; regional dynamics, city networks and border issues; the effectiveness of policy responses at national and European levels, including an assessment of policy experiences from outside the new Member States; and likely future developments.

The tourism industry, as one of the main drivers of creative economy, gains more importance in growth policies both at national and regional levels. However traditional tourism destinations now face a more competitive environment, for an increased number of possible destinations have emerged. This environment is further deepened by an increase in the number of products and services available to the preferences of visitors. Therefore new tourism policies, unlike traditional strategies, should aim to increase the competitiveness of the local through supporting increased quality of experience and promoting innovation in tourism services. Based on the workshop organized by Regional Studies Association Research Network on "Tourism, Regional Development and Public Policy" in Izmir, Turkey, this book introduces, motivates and examines diversities in the tourism industry from a regional development perspective. The papers in this book cover various case studies from different country experiences. The views expressed in these articles promise to improve our understanding of tourism in a new aspect that goes beyond the mass tourism mentality. This book was originally published as a special issue of European Planning Studies.