Introduction: The Governance of Local Economies

Abstract In this book we attempt systematically to examine the changes within local economies in four European countries by analysing their national contexts, their overall transformation, their modes of governance, and the production of their competitive advantages through what we call ‘local collective competition goods’. This book is the first result of a cross-country comparative research project which has been carried out jointly by a number of research institutions and academics in four countries: Italy, Germany, France and the UK. Later contributions will concentrate on specific localities and economic sectors. Here however we offer a systematic comparison of various forms of local economies in their national contexts.