Understanding Occupations and Industries in Regions

Read this introduction to a fascinating paper on targeting industries and occupations in regions.

"No one ever “sees” a regional economy. Instead, we have mental maps based on conceptual categories that often showcase certain decision-makers as key to economic development. The two most common typologies used to depict regional economies have been grouping jobs by industry or grouping them by occupation (Harrington, 1999). However, the industrial conception of a regional economy is older and much more heavily used. This has been reflected in regional economic analysis and economic development practice geared to firms as drivers of economic growth.

In recent decades, scholars have been increasingly interested in the occupational aspect of regional employment. This reflects, among other factors, a growing appreciation for the role of human capital in economic development (Mather, 1999). In addition, increasing mobility by both workers and firms during recent decades has coincided with a growing separation of functions across space within firms and industries – a spatial division of labor that may relate to occupational distinctions among regional workforces."

Download the paper here.