Regional economic development: an export stages framework

摘要

A framework is outlined which provides a generalized account of the process of regional development over the long run. The framework utilizes a stages approach, the first stage representing one of regional economic closure. Each subsequent stage involves the regional export base being dominated by a particular sector of economic activity. The sequence of stages (in terms of the sectors dominating the export base) is as follows: primary; secondary (separated into two types); tertiary. Development of the region does not generally depend on passage through the sequence of stages but rather on the overall expansion of its export base.