Trends in place-based economic strategies: England's fixation with 'fleet-of-foot' partnerships
- Publication Type:
- Journal Article
- Citation:
- Local Economy, 2013, 28 (7-8), pp. 696 - 717
- Issue Date:
- 2013-11-01
Closed Access
| Filename | Description | Size | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 - Trends in place-based economic strategies fleet-of-foot partnerships - Pugalis and Townsend.pdf | Published Version | 1.31 MB |
Copyright Clearance Process
- Recently Added
- In Progress
- Closed Access
This item is closed access and not available.
The form of place-based economic strategy that is the focus of this paper is 'fleet-of-foot' partnership arrangements. Contributing to the theorisation of these institutional configurations, which are propounded by some as more flexible and responsive than democratic-administrative alternatives, the paper investigates the empirical situation in England that has unfolded over recent years. Tracing the recent historical evolution of sub-national structures that could be considered 'fleet-of-foot', the paper analyses the implications for place-based economic strategies at large. Through an analysis of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), the paper examines the extent to which the conceptual principles underpinning the notion of 'fleet-of-foot' arrangements have informed the configuration of LEPs, emphasising the importance of the legacy of past political constructions. Drawing attention to some of the primary weaknesses of 'fleet-of-foot' arrangements, the paper concludes that there are some inherent limitations to the present configuration of LEPs. These impede such partnerships in opening up space for a richer constellation of actors to participate in governance forums across flexible and functional geographies, or achieve efficient outcomes. More broadly, the paper contributes to the literature on place-based economic strategies and contemporary trends in economic development. © The Author(s) 2013.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: