Work

Commentary

Year: 2011

Type: article

Abstract: Top-down and bottom up development policies have been generally sold as two irreconcilable ends of the development intervention spectrum. Top-down policies, solidly based in micro- and macroeconomic theories, but lacking the adequate flexibility and ‘place-awareness’ to respond to local complexity; bottom-up approaches much more responsive to diverse territorial needs, but devoid of a clear conceptual framework. In this paper we aim to show that this division need not remain still and that the foundations of top-down and bottom-up development policies can be reconciled in a joint 'meso-level' conceptual framework which can serve simultaneously as a deductive justification for bottom-up local and regional development policies and as a coordination device between different policies.

Source: Environment and Planning A Economy and Space

DOI: 10.1068/a43492

Authors: Riccardo Crescenzi, Andrés Rodríguez-Pose

Institution: London School of Economics and Political Science

Language: English

Topic: Regional Development and Policy

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: Economic and Social Research Council

Award: G4211232669