No 2022/5 Agency and Economic Change in Regions

Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to identify Routes to New Path Development

Authors

  • Markus Grillitsch
  • Markku Sotarauta
  • Bjørn Asheim
  • Rune Dahl Fitjar
  • Silje Haus-Reve
  • Jari Kolehmainen
  • Heli Kurikka
  • Karl-Johan Lundquist
  • Mikhail Martynovich
  • Skirmante Monteilhet
  • Hjalti Nielsen
  • Magnus Nilsson
  • Josephine Rekers
  • Sami Sopanen
  • Linda Stihl

Keywords:

regional development, industrial diversification, innovation, entrepreneurship, place-based leadership, institutions

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of human agency in 40 phases of regional economic development in 12 Nordic regions over 30 years. The paper contributes with a theoretical framework to study agency over time and a fuzzyset qualitative comparative analysis based on a unique dataset combining over 200 interviews, with printed and online sources, and quantitative data. The paper identifies which combinations of agency types and context conditions make industrial upgrading or diversification possible, and investigates how such combinations come into being. The causal claims from this analysis are illustrated with empirical examples and discussed in relation to previous literature.

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Published

2022-04-04

Issue

2022

Section

Working papers