Promoting Local and Regional Economic Development for Systemic Competitiveness: The Meta Level Jörg Meyer-Stamer

Conceptualising the Meta Level The Economic System Market vs plan Market vs etatism Free market / social market economy Export orientation vs inward orientation The Political System Democracy vs authoritarianism Problem solving vs patrimonialism / clientelism / state capture Hierarchy vs networks The Basic Pattern of Societal Organisation Flexibility vs rigidity of social stratification Equality / egalitarianism vs inequality / segregation Individualism vs collectivism Social capital vs anomie Modernisation and differentiation

What are main issues regarding the meta-level? (1) What is the developmental orientation of local/regional government? –Is government committed to promote economic development? –Is government committed to promote the private sector? –Is government willing to collaborate with business and other non-governmental stakeholder?

What are main issues regarding the meta-level? (2) What kind of private sector organizations are there? –Are there private sector organizations? –Are there perhaps too many private sector organizations, which compete and lead to fragmented representation of business interests? –Are business associations and chambers operational? Do they offer services to their members? Is their lobbying effective? –What about internal democracy?

What are main issues regarding the meta-level? (3) What about collaboration between different stakeholders: –Is there a shared vision among stakeholders about the necessity of LED? about the vocations of the location? –Are stakeholders capable of effective negotiation and conflict-resolution?

What are main issues regarding the meta-level? (4) Which stakeholders are more open-minded about a LED initiative? Which stakeholders/institutions share values, orientations and styles of work so that they might collaborate closely? Which stakeholders are a risk factor for a LED initiative, and can they be excluded or integrated?

What is the relationship between meta- and meso-level? Definition of social prestige of government vs. private sector job –public administration, university, business promotion organization: Respect and modesty vis- à-vis the private sector, or feeling of superiority? Definition of the relationship between government and private sector –partnership or patron-client / beneficiary? Overall developmental orientation of government –strong effect regarding credibility of economic promotion activities

How is the micro-level related to macro- and meta-levels? Textbook economics: Macro-level creates the rule of the game which shape the micro-level Who shapes the macro-level: Meta-level conditions Overall economic model (capitalism vs. socialism, inward- vs. export-orientation) Developmental orientation of government Capacity of private sector associations to persuade government to create a business-friendly environment Governance capacity of key groups in the society

Micro- and meta-level at the local level Developmental orientation of government Capacity of private sector associations to persuade government to create a business-friendly environment Governance capacity of local elite

Micro- and meso-level at the local level Meso-level institutions are rarely run in a business- like way The degree of customer focus of meso-level institutions depends on meta-level factors: –The type of interaction between public and private sector –The ability of stakeholders to communicate, negotiate and agree

The meta-level at work

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