IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/eurcou/v6y2014i3p23n1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Potential Job Creation and Resource Dependance in Rural Finland

Author

Listed:
  • Lehtonen Olli

    (Researcher, Department of geographical and historical studies, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, 80100 Joensuu)

  • Tykkyläinen Markku

    (Professor of rural research, Department of geographical and historical studies, University of Eastern Finland, P.O Box 111, 80100 Joensuu)

Abstract

Despite strong secular economic growth after the crisis of 1990-93, most of rural Finland has continued to face severe job losses. By applying small-area analysis, this paper seeks to explain why some rural areas inevitably experience declining employment while others prosper and grow even faster than urban areas. The variation of job creation in rural small areas derives from local economic conditions, local demographic structure, proximity to larger centers, and natural conditions. Contrary to expectations, the coldest areas with nature reserves have passed the worst job loss. Those areas had a lower burden of declining primary industries than traditional agro-forest areas, and because of tourism, industry has expanded in some places in Lapland. The dependence of an area on the primary sector is a good indicator of the highest rural job losses during the urban-centric economic growth period. Especially the most resource dependent areas have lagged behind and fail in job creation on account of their uncompetitive industrial environment. Persistent labor surplus plagues such areas, implying that established policy measures have been unable to restructure and modernize traditional rural areas. Since Finnish rural and regional policies have been being inefficient they should be reformed especially in resource-based areas in a fundamental way.

Suggested Citation

  • Lehtonen Olli & Tykkyläinen Markku, 2014. "Potential Job Creation and Resource Dependance in Rural Finland," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 6(3), pages 202-224, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:vrs:eurcou:v:6:y:2014:i:3:p:23:n:1
    DOI: 10.2478/euco-2014-0011
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/euco-2014-0011
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/euco-2014-0011?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mark D. Partridge & Dan S. Rickman & Kamar Ali & M. Rose Olfert, 2008. "Lost in space: population growth in the American hinterlands and small cities," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 8(6), pages 727-757, November.
    2. Mark Partridge & M. Rose Olfert & Alessandro Alasia, 2007. "Canadian cities as regional engines of growth: agglomeration and amenities," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 40(1), pages 39-68, February.
    3. Richard Shearmur & Mario Polese, 2007. "Do Local Factors Explain Local Employment Growth? Evidence from Canada, 1971-2001," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 453-471.
    4. Tervo, Hannu, 2010. "Cities, hinterlands and agglomeration shadows: Spatial developments in Finland during 1880-2004," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 47(4), pages 476-486, October.
    5. Partridge, Mark D. & Rickman, Dan S. & Ali, Kamar & Olfert, M. Rose, 2009. "Agglomeration spillovers and wage and housing cost gradients across the urban hierarchy," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(1), pages 126-140, June.
    6. Bryden, John & Bollman, Ray, 2000. "Rural employment in industrialised countries," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 185-197, March.
    7. John Luke Gallup & Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew D. Mellinger, 1999. "Geography and Economic Development," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 22(2), pages 179-232, August.
    8. M. Rose Olfert & Mark D. Partridge, 2010. "Best Practices in Twenty‐First‐Century Rural Development and Policy," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 147-164, June.
    9. Steven C. Deller & Tsung-Hsiu (Sue) Tsai & David W. Marcouiller & Donald B.K. English, 2001. "The Role of Amenities and Quality of Life In Rural Economic Growth," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 83(2), pages 352-365.
    10. Niels Bosma & Veronique Schutjens, 2011. "Understanding regional variation in entrepreneurial activity and entrepreneurial attitude in Europe," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 47(3), pages 711-742, December.
    11. Krugman, Paul, 1991. "Increasing Returns and Economic Geography," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(3), pages 483-499, June.
    12. Ron Martin & Peter Sunley, 2006. "Path dependence and regional economic evolution," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 6(4), pages 395-437, August.
    13. John Luke Gallup & Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew Mellinger, 1999. "Geography and Economic Development," CID Working Papers 1, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    14. Diego Puga, 2002. "European regional policies in light of recent location theories," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 2(4), pages 373-406, October.
    15. M. Hartog & R. Boschma & M. Sotarauta, 2012. "The Impact of Related Variety on Regional Employment Growth in Finland 1993--2006: High-Tech versus Medium/Low-Tech," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(6), pages 459-476, August.
    16. Jussi Jauhiainen, 2008. "Regional and Innovation Policies in Finland - Towards Convergence and/or Mismatch?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(7), pages 1031-1045.
    17. Mark Partridge & Ray D. Bollman & M. Rose Olfert & Alessandro Alasia, 2007. "Riding the Wave of Urban Growth in the Countryside: Spread, Backwash, or Stagnation?," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 83(2), pages 128-152.
    18. Gallup, John L. & Sachs, Jeffrey D. & Mellinger, Andrew, "undated". "Geography and Economic Development," Instructional Stata datasets for econometrics geodata, Boston College Department of Economics.
    19. John Luke Gallup & Jeffrey D. Sachs & Andrew Mellinger, 1999. "Geography and Economic Development," CID Working Papers 01A, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    20. Maskell, Peter & Malmberg, Anders, 1999. "Localised Learning and Industrial Competitiveness," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 23(2), pages 167-185, March.
    21. Mark D. Partridge, 2010. "The duelling models: NEG vs amenity migration in explaining US engines of growth," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(3), pages 513-536, August.
    22. Gallup, John & Sachs, Jeffrey, 1999. "Geography and Economic Development," Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID) Papers 294434, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government.
    23. Mark D. Partridge & Dan S. Rickman, 2008. "Distance From Urban Agglomeration Economies And Rural Poverty," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 285-310, May.
    24. Hannu Tervo, 2005. "Regional Policy Lessons from Finland," Advances in Spatial Science, in: Daniel Felsenstein & Boris A. Portnov (ed.), Regional Disparities in Small Countries, chapter 15, pages 267-282, Springer.
    25. Gallup, J.L. & Sachs, J.D. & Mullinger, A., 1999. "Geography and Economic Development," Papers 1, Chicago - Graduate School of Business.
    26. Michael Kitson & Ron Martin & Peter Tyler, 2004. "Regional Competitiveness: An Elusive yet Key Concept?," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(9), pages 991-999.
    27. Sachs, Jeffrey D & Warner, Andrew M, 1997. "Fundamental Sources of Long-Run Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(2), pages 184-188, May.
    28. Mario Polèse & Richard Shearmur, 2004. "Is Distance Really Dead? Comparing Industrial Location Patterns over Time in Canada," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 27(4), pages 431-457, October.
    29. Pekka Stenholm & Zoltán J. Ács & Robert Wuebker, 2015. "Exploring country-level institutional arrangements on the rate and type of entrepreneurial activity," Chapters, in: Global Entrepreneurship, Institutions and Incentives, chapter 20, pages 387-404, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    30. Hannu Tervo, 2009. "Centres and Peripheries in Finland: Granger Causality Tests Using Panel Data," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(4), pages 377-390.
    31. Partridge Mark D. & Rickman Dan S & Ali Kamar & Olfert M. Rose, 2008. "Employment Growth in the American Urban Hierarchy: Long Live Distance," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-38, March.
    32. Heather M. Stephens & Mark D. Partridge, 2011. "Do Entrepreneurs Enhance Economic Growth in Lagging Regions?," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(4), pages 431-465, December.
    33. Philip Cooke & Loet Leydesdorff, 2006. "Regional Development in the Knowledge-Based Economy: The Construction of Advantage," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 5-15, January.
    34. Mario Polèse & Richard Shearmur, 2006. "Why some regions will decline: A Canadian case study with thoughts on local development strategies," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 85(1), pages 23-46, March.
    35. Elena G. Irwin & Andrew M. Isserman & Maureen Kilkenny & Mark D. Partridge, 2010. "A Century of Research on Rural Development and Regional Issues," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 92(2), pages 522-553.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Halonen Maija & Kotilainen Juha & Tykkyläinen Markku & Vatanen Eero, 2015. "Industry life cycles of a resource town in Finland – the case of Lieksa," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 7(1), pages 16-41, March.
    2. Lehtonen Olli & Tykkyläinen Markku & Voutilainen Olli, 2012. "Root causes of rural decline in economic well-being in Finland," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 4(3), pages 217-239, January.
    3. Breinlich, Holger & Ottaviano, Gianmarco I.P. & Temple, Jonathan R.W., 2014. "Regional Growth and Regional Decline," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 4, pages 683-779, Elsevier.
    4. Partridge, Mark D. & Rickman, Dan S., 2012. "Integrating regional economic development analysis and land use economics," MPRA Paper 38291, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Burhan Can Karahasan & Firat Bilgel, 2018. "Economic Geography, Growth Dynamics and Human Capital Accumulation in Turkey: Evidence from Regional and Micro Data," Working Papers 1233, Economic Research Forum, revised 10 Oct 2018.
    6. Daniel Albalate & Germà Bel & Ferran A. Mazaira‐Font, 2022. "Geography and regional economic growth: The high cost of deviating from nature," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(2), pages 360-388, March.
    7. Quamrul Ashraf & Oded Galor, 2013. "The 'Out of Africa' Hypothesis, Human Genetic Diversity, and Comparative Economic Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(1), pages 1-46, February.
    8. Roger Alejandro Banegas Rivero & Marco Alberto Nu ez Ramirez & Jorge Salas Vargas & Luis Fernando Escobar Caba & Sacnict Valdez del R o, 2019. "Landlocked Countries, Natural Resources and Growth: The Double Economic Curse Hypothesis," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(5), pages 113-124.
    9. Nicholas Crafts & Anthony Venables, 2003. "Globalization in History.A Geographical Perspective," NBER Chapters, in: Globalization in Historical Perspective, pages 323-370, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Adam Storeygard, 2016. "Farther on down the Road: Transport Costs, Trade and Urban Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 83(3), pages 1263-1295.
    11. Quamrul Ashraf & Oded Galor, 2008. "Human Genetic Diversity and Comparative Economic Development," 2008 Meeting Papers 617, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    12. JunJie Wu & Munisamy Gopinath, 2008. "What Causes Spatial Variations in Economic Development in the United States?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 90(2), pages 392-408.
    13. Donald R. Davis & David E. Weinstein, 2002. "Bones, Bombs, and Break Points: The Geography of Economic Activity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(5), pages 1269-1289, December.
    14. Balart, Pau & Oosterveen, Matthijs & Webbink, Dinand, 2018. "Test scores, noncognitive skills and economic growth," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 134-153.
    15. Matthew Delventhal, 2019. "The Globe as a Network: Geography and the Origins of the World Income Distribution," 2019 Meeting Papers 840, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    16. Taeko Hiroi, 2019. "Paradox of Redistribution: Legislative Overrepresentation and Regional Development in Brazil," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 49(4), pages 642-670.
    17. Jungyul Sohn, 2012. "Does City Location Determine Urban Population Growth? The Case Of Small And Medium Cities In Korea," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 103(3), pages 276-292, July.
    18. Sylvie Démurger & Jeffrey D. Sachs & Wing Thye Woo & Shuming Bao & Gene Chang & Andrew Mellinger, 2002. "Geography, Economic Policy, and Regional Development in China," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 1(1), pages 146-197.
    19. Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Tselios, Vassilis & Winkler, Deborah & Farole, Thomas, 2013. "Geography and the Determinants of Firm Exports in Indonesia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 225-240.
    20. Dramane Coulibaly & Blaise Gnimassoun & Valérie Mignon, 2018. "Growth-enhancing Effect of Openness to Trade and Migrations: What is the Effective Transmission Channel for Africa?," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 27(4), pages 369-404.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:vrs:eurcou:v:6:y:2014:i:3:p:23:n:1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.