In 2000 commentators everywhere were hailing the boom in some western economies as the dawn of a new economy. In 2001, with a slowdown biting in the US economy, dot.coms folding and information and communications technology firms feeling the pinch globally, the headline writers have swung the...

Foreword; Acknowledgements; Table of contents; Reader's guide; Acronyms and abbreviations; Executive summary; Chapter 1. A framework for measuring regional and local well-being; Introduction: Why measure well-being on a regional level?; A framework for measuring regional well-being; Measuring...

How’s life? The answer can depend on the region in which you live. Many factors that influence people’s well-being are local issues, such as employment, access to health services, pollution and security. Policies that take into account regional differences beyond national averages can...