The New European Rurality Strategies for Small Firms [Hardcover]

Public concern over issues such as urban sprawl, the conversion of agricultural land and the management of public lands has never been greater. Presenting a novel synopsis of the economics of land-use this book examines the critical issues involved, such as transportation and technological change, and the economic principles behind them. Chapters are specifically designed to demonstrate the types of land-use questions economic analysis can answer; the types of methods that might be employed to answer the questions; and the potential uses of economic analysis in policy-making. The book is a key contribution to contemporary land-use studies, highlighting the main methodological and public policy issues that will be central to research on the economics of land-use change in the future.Contents: New Perspectives on European Rurality and Entrepreneurship: Rural Europe and small firms: a strategic positioning and synthesis, Teresa de Noronha Vaz, Eleanor J. Morgan and Peter Nijkamp; Entrepreneurship in small enterprises and local development, Teresa de Noronha Vaz. Determinants of structural change in peripheral regions: accessibility, innovative milieu and the innovative activity of businesses in EU peripheral and lagging areas, Andrew Copus and Dimitris Skuras; Human capital as the critical factor for the development of Europe's rural peripheral areas, Lois Labrianidis; Agri-food districts: theory and evidence, Cristina Brasili and Roberto Fanfani; The embeddedness of small enterprises within the rural local economy of small and medium sized towns, Eveline S. van Leeuwen and Peter Nijkamp. New Strategies in Small Business Development: Organizational success factors in local agri-food industries, Gabriella Vindigni, Peter Nijkamp, Giuseppina Carr?? and Iuri Peri; The implementation of information and communication technologies in SMEs, Martine Boutary and M-Christine Monnoyer; Break out strategies of ethnic entrepreneurs, T??zin Baycan Levent, Enno Masurel and Peter Nijkl³-