Consumer Services and Economic Development [Paperback]

Consumer Services have been viewed as parasitic activities, dependent on other sectors of the economy for their viability and vitality. Yet local economic policy is now looking towards consumer services to solve severe economic problems. The rapid expansion of the service sector is now a principal feature of contemporary global economic restructuring.
Consumer Services and Economic Development evaluates the contributions that consumer services can make to local economic development and revitalisation. A broad range of consumer service industries are examined in turn: tourism, sports, universities, retailing and cultural industries. Detailed local case studies illustrate the role, impact and effectiveness of consumer services in economic regeneration in a number of different contexts: the global city, contrsting urban areas and rural localities.
With many localities in the advanced economies suffering from severe deindustrialisation and weak producer service growth, this book highlights the need for a fundamental rethink of both the function of services and of economic development theory and practice in general.This book evaluates the contributions that consumer services can make to local economic development and revitalisation. It examines a broad range of consumer services and detailed case studies illustrate their role in various contexts.'Clearly written and well edited, the volume ought to provide an invaluable source for researcher and students interested in the nature of policy change in this dynamic and rapidly growing area of political life in the EU.' - Neil Ward, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

'Consumer Services and Economic Development represents a welcome and affordable addition to the available texts on service industires and regional and local economic development, and relevantlñ