Over the past years a large number of regional growth theories have been developed and a number of models have been built in an effort to describe, explain and eventually predict regional development trends. However, until a few years ago, the large majority of those models assumed the existence...

The question of how universities do stimulate regional economic development is mainly inquired in studies focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship. In these studies universities are seen as important actors within regional innovation systems (RIS). Within these RIS universities fulfill...

New social risks are key factors for social cohesion of local community and society. Currently new social risks which are caused by changes in a society appears more frequently than efore. While previously the groups of underprivileged were counted in endangered groups, now middle class can be...

Starting from the literature on decision processes in public choices, aim of the paper is to suggest an integrated methodology to get a choice as much as possible shared and participated joining two different approaches. On one hand there is the "classic" or top-down approach based on...

Periurban agricultural territories have had to confront many pressures over the last 70 years, ranging from land development pressures emanating from nearby large cities and metropolis to technological change, to the draw of the urban labour market on farmers' families, to the consequences of...

This paper intends to contribute to an on-going change of perspective in territorial policies, more focused on a place-based integrative development strategy, which can be enhanced by social capital. This includes organizational and institutional learning for knowledge and skills' transfer and...

Objectives The purpose of the paper is to consider the natural and cultural resources as key elements in the planning and design of the territory and the city. That is to think the local conditions as guidelines in the transformations both of the space and the social environment. So overturning...

Knowledge based economy represents a new phase in the civilizations' development, which promise a new and better way of living. This economy it is based on information and knowledge from all the fields of the economic activities and human existence and has an important economic and social...