The Effect of Municipal Strategic Planning on Urban Growth in Ukraine

There is a wide range of economic development tools used by practitioners to facilitate growth on regional and municipal level. One of such tools is a strategic planning process. It helps local governments to set goals and priorities for community development and to coordinate activities in different areas of community life. It also helps to establish partnership among stakeholders and interest groups. This enables communities to mobilize public and private resources, to consolidate efforts of various groups and, by these means, to streamline economic development. Despite a large number of applications, there is a lack of rigorous evaluation results. This lack is related to two major difficulties: 1) The planning procedure differs greatly in the implementation details from case to case. That makes the comparison complicated (if at all possible). 2) The decision to start the planning process in most cases is thought to be predetermined by growth outcomes. Cities that are more likely to benefit from the planning are more likely to get involved into the process. Thus, it is almost impossible to tell if planning causes growth or economic growth leads to planning. The project "Local Economic Development in Ukraine" (LED) allows overcoming the above mentioned difficulties. This project is implemented by the USAID in 76 Ukrainian cities starting in 2004. The project helps local governments to initiate and to implement a process of strategic planning. It is done consistently using the same procedure in all participating cities that were initially chosen by the project administration. This paper evaluates the effect of LED using data of Ukrainian State Statistics Bureau on minor administrative units (cities and rural districts) for the period of 2003-2008. The analysis reveals that communities that have started a strategic planning with the LED are able to increase the number of businesses per capita, the amount of investments in fixed capital, and the number of jobs per capita in a short run. It also has affected the unemployment rate in a longer run

The Differential Impact of Regional Policies on Economic Growth: One Size Does Not Fit All

We analyze the impact of Michigan economic development policies and highway infrastructure improvements on per capita income and job growth in 1990s using fixed effect estimation procedure. We also improve measurement of policy treatment while accounting for possible spillover effect. The policies considered for analysis have significant impact on growth outcomes. However this effect is non-linear. The size of this impact changes over time and the path of change varies by type of policy. Policy impacts are different between metro and non-metropolitan areas. Also, cross-policy effects are found. The results can assist decision makers in targeting policies.Public Economics,

A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF MICHIGAN REGIONS

Many studies in regional development and economic geography are focused on factors that determine regional growth. In this paper a review of existing studies of regional growth is presented. The explanation power of the most recent studies is tested using the case of Michigan economy. In particular, the impact of high-tech industries, social attractiveness factors and regional economic development policies on the per capita income growth rate for Michigan counties is studied. Finally, the difference in effect of the policy and other factors in rural and metropolitan areas is assessed. The results of this work might be helpful in setting priorities using different development policy instruments.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

REGIONAL POVERTY IN MICHIGAN: RURAL AND URBAN DIFFERENCE

This paper examines the relationship between the quality of local labor force and variation in regional poverty outcomes among Michigan areas. A regional poverty model is derived from the household production model for that purpose. The US Census 2000 data on small geographical areas of Michigan (Census Block Groups) is used for the analysis. It is found that the difference in regional poverty is explained primarily by differences in quality and quantity of labor available to a household. Second, heterogeneity of the model is detected with respect to a degree of urbanization. Also, the relation between average income and regional poverty is found to be nonlinear and distribution of income playing a major role in explanation poverty. Higher poverty rates in rural areas tend to persist over time.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Self-Initiative and Michigan Poverty

Labor and Human Capital,

Reflecting to Rebuild and Strengthen Professional Development A Collection of ‘Post-Online’ Conversations

The file attached to this record is the author's versionThis monograph is a multi-authored collection consisting of our faculty’s post-online reflections. The objective was to gather thoughts and discussion around teaching and research during COVID-19. We aim to build and explore around ‘lived experiences’ to provide a reference point to help Continuous Professional Learning and Development (CPLD) activities. The section on ‘digital diaries’ consists of dialogues from staff categorised into varied themes. In the testimonies, staff have reflected around their challenges, targets, strengths, familiarity and how they managed to overcome difficulties and achieve goals. A special section, from the Centre for Urban Research on Austerity (CURA), is devoted to identifying how pandemic has intensified research challenges, highlighting the funding, time and location constraints on academic research

A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF MICHIGAN REGIONS

Many studies in regional development and economic geography are focused on factors that determine regional growth. In this paper a review of existing studies of regional growth is presented. The explanation power of the most recent studies is tested using the case of Michigan economy. In particular, the impact of high-tech industries, social attractiveness factors and regional economic development policies on the per capita income growth rate for Michigan counties is studied. Finally, the difference in effect of the policy and other factors in rural and metropolitan areas is assessed. The results of this work might be helpful in setting priorities using different development policy instruments

The Differential Impact of Regional Policies on Economic Growth: One Size Does Not Fit All

We analyze the impact of Michigan economic development policies and highway infrastructure improvements on per capita income and job growth in 1990s using fixed effect estimation procedure. We also improve measurement of policy treatment while accounting for possible spillover effect. The policies considered for analysis have significant impact on growth outcomes. However this effect is non-linear. The size of this impact changes over time and the path of change varies by type of policy. Policy impacts are different between metro and non-metropolitan areas. Also, cross-policy effects are found. The results can assist decision makers in targeting policies

Increasing the Equity and Efficiency of Tax Abatement Programs

The state role in economic development policy has increased as the federal government has devolved selected programs to balance growth and incomes among different part of the country. Rapid growth in coastal states and the suburban areas around many cities, and stagnation or decline in areas that have remained rural has intensified economic development debate. Within the broad spectrum of economic development policy, significant resources are focused on state industrial recruitment through tax abatements. This article uses the Michigan experience to illustrate how current application of tax abatements may increase geographic income inequality, and that some adjustment in the policy would be needed if policy makers want to rectify the unequal distribution of tax expenditure. We also argue that localities have few incentives to reject or limit, which can lead to overuse of the tool. Relatively straightforward countervailing measures such as a cap on per capita use of abatements, together with payments to localities that do not use their quota of abatements, could improve the effectiveness of overall state economic development policy by increasing the level of local public debate about the use of abatements and making funds available for alternatives to tax abatements

REGIONAL POVERTY IN MICHIGAN: RURAL AND URBAN DIFFERENCE

This paper examines the relationship between the quality of local labor force and variation in regional poverty outcomes among Michigan areas. A regional poverty model is derived from the household production model for that purpose. The US Census 2000 data on small geographical areas of Michigan (Census Block Groups) is used for the analysis. It is found that the difference in regional poverty is explained primarily by differences in quality and quantity of labor available to a household. Second, heterogeneity of the model is detected with respect to a degree of urbanization. Also, the relation between average income and regional poverty is found to be nonlinear and distribution of income playing a major role in explanation poverty. Higher poverty rates in rural areas tend to persist over time