The course aims at providing students with the fundamental theoretical concepts of regional economics, regional economic growth, and industry localization. Further, it addresses the theories of economic development on a local scale by focusing on the phenomenon of industrial districts, the connections between productive decentralization and territorial development and the analysis of spatial interaction. The last part of the course analyses both the critical aspects of local economic development, global integration, and its future challenges.

1 Agglomeration and Location

2 Accessibility and Location

3 Hierarchy and Location

4 Productive Structure and Development

5 Demand

6 Factor Endowment

7 Territorial Competitiveness and Exogenous Development

8 Territorial Competitiveness and Endogenous Development: Agglomeration Economies

9 Territorial Competitiveness and Endogenous Development: Innovation and Proximity

Knowledge and understanding: the student will acquire knowledge and skills enabling her/him to understand basic theories of regional growth and local development, business location choices and economies resulting from the agglomeration of economic activities in industrial, regional and urban areas.

Applying knowledge and understanding: the student will acquire the theoretical and empirical tools to understand the dynamics of local and regional economic systems, the factors influencing the location choices of economic activities and the evolution of economic activities on the territory. The approach facilitates the understanding of the topics also with the support of data and statistics that can help to better understand the economic phenomena studied.

Making judgements: the student will develop the critical ability to assess the functioning of markets in different regional areas, the role of the spatial dimension, the availability of natural resources, physical, social and human capital, technological innovation, location factors and the spatial patterns of productive activities.

Communication skills: the student will develop the ability to discuss with sound terminology and arguments

the knowledge and the main results of research in the field, in written and oral form, also with the help of reports, graphs and analytical tools. The possibility to carry out group work and in-depth studies on specific topics allows the acquisition of the skills described.

Learning skills: the student will learn the functioning of economic models for the analysis of regional economy and the location of productive activities.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Supplementary material available on the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

Frontal lectures, seminars. For attending students: thematic studies with the elaboration of essays useful for exam assessment.

Attendance

Highly recommended.

Course books

Roberta Capello - Economia Regionale - edizioni Il Mulino, ultima edizione [chapters 1-9 except for a few paragraphs, as indicated in the course slides]

Supplementary material available on the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Assessment

Written test with five open-ended questions. The student will have to answer in an articulate and in-depth manner, in order to demonstrate that he/she has acquired full knowledge and understanding of the topics, that he/she is able to analyse them critically and to present them in a rigorous manner in a limited time.

A minimum mark of 18/30 is required to pass the exam. A mark of between 18 and 20 indicates a sufficient level of competence, where the candidate demonstrates knowledge and understanding. A mark of between 21 and 23 indicates full proficiency, where knowledge and understanding are fully demonstrated. A mark between 24 and 26 indicates a good level of competence, in which the candidate also demonstrates some independent judgement. Between 27 and 29 the candidate also demonstrates some communication skills, while a mark between 30 and 30 with distinction indicates an excellent level of competence, where in addition to the above skills, the candidate also demonstrates the ability to learn.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Same as the attending students. It is advisable to contact the lecturer during reception hours for any clarifications regarding the topics under study.

Attendance

Same as the attending students.

Course books

Same as the attending students.

Assessment

Same as the attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.