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Macro Evaluations of the Impact of Regional Policy in Britain: a Review of Recent Research1

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  • J.A. Schofield

    (University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia)

Abstract

Regional policies may be assessed from at least three separate perspectives: their impact on the regional distribution of economic activity (their primary purpose), their aggregate efficiency effect on the economy (contribution to national output net of resource cost) and their financial impact on the national Treasury (net Exchequer costs). This paper reviews the considerable effort directed since the turn of the 1970s towards evaluation of these effects in Britain. So far as the impact of policy on the regional distribution of economic activity is concerned, the paper classifies studies according to quantitative methods used (simple statistical analysis, shift-share analysis and regression analysis) and emphasises the strengths of the latter over the others, showing that, without as yet being used entirely satisfactorily, models useful for policy assessment are developing. So far as aggregate policy effects (economic and financial) are concerned, there is more ground to be broken, although the outline of a basic model is emerging.

Suggested Citation

  • J.A. Schofield, 1979. "Macro Evaluations of the Impact of Regional Policy in Britain: a Review of Recent Research1," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 16(3), pages 251-271, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:16:y:1979:i:3:p:251-271
    DOI: 10.1080/713702539
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. MacKay, R R, 1974. "Evaluating the Effects of British Regional Economic Policy-A Comment," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 84(334), pages 367-372, June.
    2. Ashcroft, Brian & Taylor, Jim, 1977. "The Movement of Manufacturing Industry and the Effect of Regional Policy," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 29(1), pages 84-101, March.
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    5. repec:bla:econom:v:43:y:1976:i:169:p:17-31 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Moore, Barry & Rhodes, John, 1974. "Regional Policy and the Scottish Economy," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 21(3), pages 215-235, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Colin Wren, 1993. "Job Duration and the Macro-evaluation of Employment Policy: The Example of UK Regional Policy," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 30(3), pages 573-580, April.
    2. Maki, Wilbur R., 1985. "The Future Of Minnesota'S Economy In The Context Of U.S. And World Economic Trends...A State Perspective," Staff Papers 13435, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    3. Lindall, Scott A., 1986. "State Economic Development: The Saturn Project Revisited," Staff Papers 13966, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    4. Paul Foley, 1992. "Local Economic Policy and Job Creation: A Review of Evaluation Studies," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 29(3-4), pages 557-598, May.
    5. Henk Folmer & Peter Nijkamp, 1985. "Methodological Aspects Of Impact Analysis Of Regional Economic Policy," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(1), pages 165-180, January.

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