Journal of Rural and Community Development
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Functional Creative Economies:The Spatial Distribution of Creative Workers
Get PDFAlthough cities face a myriad of challenges, they seem to be mitigated by the economic and agglomeration benefits that accrue to cities. Among these benefits is that high human capital and "creative class" individuals disproportionately aggregate in cities. In fact, the share of the workforce that is highly-skilled increases with city size and not just the number of highly-skilled workers. This creates tremendous complications for smaller cities and rural areas that not only suffer "brain drain" but also have to address the economic, productivity, and prosperity challenges that result from having a lower share of the workforce in those occupations that generate those benefits. A possible source of remediation that has been offered is proximity to major agglomerations and metropolitan areas. Small cities and rural regions may be spatially advantaged by their proximity. Using detailed demographic and geographic data for Ontario from Statistics Canada, this paper investigates the relationship between population, density, proximity, and the share of the workforce in the creative class for all Ontario Census subdivisions (CSD). Population and density are always important factors for the local creative class. A linear spatial model revealed no significant relationship while a gravity model shows a minor but significant relationship. In general, only close proximity or a very large creative population is positively related to a larger creative class in small cities and rural areas. The results suggest that functional creative economies should be characterized by fairly limited spatial distances when considered on a provincial scale.
Keywords: human capital, creative class, agglomeration benefits, brain drain, linear spatial mode
A Dynamic Shift-Share Analysis of Economic Growth in West Virginia
Get PDFA regional economy consists of industries with a variety of economic potentials. A growth or decline in any of these sectors affects the overall growth of the economy. Analysis of economic growth by sector of a particular region helps policy makers, community leaders and researchers in better decision making and problem solving. This study analyzes the employment growth pattern and policy implications in the economic development of West Virginia using a dynamic shift share analysis. The study uses employment data for 38 years from 1970 to 2007 for the empirical analysis. Results indicate that agriculture, mining and manufacturing are no longer the backbone of the economy of West Virginia. The three sectors showed employment declined within the 38-year period. Service and financial insurance and real estate are the most robust sectors contributing 91% of employment growth from 1970 to 2007. Apart from these two sectors, the wholesale and retail and construction sectors showed positive economic growth. Identification of investment priorities within these potential sectors and implementation of a comprehensive regional development policy plan would definitely accelerate the economic growth of West Virginia.
Key Words: Dynamic shift-share, employment, economic growth, West Virgini
The Organisation of Farmers as an Emancipatory Factor:The Setting Up of a Supply Chain of Cocoa in São Tomé
Get PDFFew studies have examined the implementation and evolution development of a contract as a learning process for the actors involved. Individual farmers in São Tomé were obliged to organise themselves into a collective in response to a chocolate manufacturer's innovative proposal of an organic cocoa, fair trade contract. This relational construction between actors is a basis and guarantee of the contract's durability. We analyse how the relationship between the manufacturer and the farmers evolved, the technical and organisational impact on the farmers, and the farmers' future perspectives. Our aim is to further understanding of whether the establishment of such a collective cocoa contract may be a means of achieving autonomy. In other words, we explore whether it presents an answer to the question of producer emancipation.
Keywords: cocoa, community, emancipation, farmers' organisation, innovation, learning process, partnership, São Tom
Shifting Transitions: Health Inequalities of Inuit Nunangat in Perspective
Get PDFThe health of the Canadian Inuit population has been the topic of numerous studies and reviews. Many of these studies have focussed on specific geographic areas, on specific diseases, or on broad reviews of the literature. However, few publications have sought to quantitatively overview the health of the circumpolar Inuit within a population health framework that uses comparable data over time for comparable populations. It has been noted that research on the Inuit should address the broader relationships of health beyond health indicators and status, to include community well-being and socio-economic characteristics. This paper examines the health of the Inuit population in Canada from a broad population perspective, focussing on demographic changes and core health indicators, as well as health status and socio-economic backgrounds. While the inequalities in health indicators between the Inuit and the general population are evident, the story is not as clear when population dynamics and community characteristics are taken into consideration. The results suggest that the inequalities in health between Inuit Nunangat and the general Canadian population are most strongly related to access to health and social services, a lack of education and employment opportunities, and the loss of traditional culture.
keywords: Inuit; health; demography; life expectancy; mortalit
Business and Community Approaches to Rural Development: Comparing Government-to-Local Approaches
Get PDFThe Canadian Community Futures Program and the European Union program for rural development, LEADER, are similar in their ambitions to boost rural development at community level through state intervention. Each program offers universal coverage, external funding and a set of regulations to be adjusted to local circumstances through local action. Economic development and an increased local capacity to act are important ambitions. When comparing the two programs differences become evident. The Community Futures focus on short term business development through revolving loans, counseling and community projects, whereas LEADER have a mid- to long term perspective in creating development oriented networks through project funding. In evaluating and learning from these programs, this paper argues that mainly core objectives (economic and employment outputs) are measured and accounted for whereas outcomes such as community performance, leadership development, community cohesion, confidence building and youth engagement often are neglected. The latter are of greater importance for the continued pursuit of establishing learning communities.
Keywords: rural development, community economic development, rural governance, Community Futures, LEADE
Managing Canada's Rural Regions in a Knowledge-Based Economy
No full textThis paper analyzes rural economic development policy governance in Canada in the context of a globally integrated economy and the attendant structural shifts in industrialized economies. Alongside globalization, there has also been a trend towards institutional decentralization in Canada and other industrialized countries as various sub-national regions employ disparate means for adapting to the threats and opportunities of global economic change. The implications of these transitions suggest the need for certain institutional capacities for horizontal collaboration in rural economic development between policy stakeholders as well as among agencies across various levels of government. The cases of New Brunswick and Manitoba over the past two decades illustrate some of the complexities and challenges of rural economic development policy governance as non-metropolitan regions struggle to carve their niche in the global economy.
Keywords: Rural economic development; Globalization; Governance; Regional innovation; Public polic
The Paradoxical Place of Alcohol in Rural Community Sporting Clubs: An Australian Case Study
Get PDFThere is a longstanding and problematic connection between alcohol consumption and sport. Drinking often features heavily in post-sport celebrations for participants and spectators alike, and many sporting events and clubs are reliant on alcohol-industry sponsorship and/or alcohol-derived income. Yet community sporting clubs also promote 'healthy lifestyles'. The aim of this article is to present selected results from an Australian scoping study on alcohol in community sporting clubs, with a particular focus on members' views on the place of alcohol in club culture and their receptiveness to various harm-minimisation strategies.
The Knowing the Score project was conducted in Tasmania and involved a survey of 700 individuals associated with 31 sporting clubs including the Australian Football League, basketball, bowls, golf, hocky, netball and soccer. Overall, 42% of participants from licensed clubs reported that alcohol was 'very important' or 'important' for celebrating after a match/game. Alcohol was considered 'very important' or 'important' for clubs' financial wellbeing by 74% of AFL club participants and 64% of bowls participants. Alcohol was the most commonly identified problematic drug, across all sports. With respect to harm-minimisation strategies, participants indicated the most support for designated driver programs and the least support for banning alcohol sponsorship.
Alcohol occupies a paradoxical place in many community sporting clubs. It is recognised as problematic, yet its consumption remains a highly valued aspect of club culture. Efforts of clubs to implement harm-minimisation strategies may be hampered by lack of support from members and a deficient evidence base, and rural clubs may be additionally impeded by limited public transport and other factors. Community sporting clubs are, however, well positioned to promote behavioural/cultural change with respect to alcohol use.
Keywords: alcohol consumption, sport, club culture, harm-minimisation strategie
Understanding traditional food behaviour and food security in rural First Nation communities: Implications for food policy
No full textThe health and sustainability of rural and remote communities is undermined by the international market-based food system. In the reality of these communities the cost of store-bought food is high, the nutritional quality low, and the availability tenuous. Furthermore, homogenization of the market-based food system undermines the diversity and ecological relevance of residents' food knowledge, and thus their resilience and capacity to innovate. Development of a local food system that emerges organically from the unique human and ecological setting encourages the utilization of both locally sourced and market-based food that may strengthen the autonomy and economic vitality of these communities. We will present findings from three research projects with First Nation communities in Northern Ontario. The aim of this research was to understand local and market-based food behaviour from the perspective of community members. Relationships were examined among food behaviour, food knowledge, food values, perceived food security, cultural connection, and well-being. In one study we also explored the effects of perceived land contamination on these variables. The findings from the research suggest policies in natural resource management, agriculture, and other areas that will support the emergence of a local food system that incorporates forest, cultivated, and store-bought foods and may strengthen the health and sustainability of rural and remote communities.
Keywords: market-based food system, local food system, sustainability, First Nation communities, food security, holistic healt
