Towards regional economic development in South Africa: Conceptualising the ‘region’ associated with economic development through the Durban Aerotropolis
Journal Title: Urbani izziv - Year 2019, Vol 30, Issue 0
Abstract
This paper critically considers the conceptualization of the ‘region’ in regional economic development. It utilizes the Durban Aerotropolis in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa as a case of reference through which the conceptualization and underpinnings of ‘region’ associated with economic development are understood. This exercise is prompted by the nomenclatural shifts in local government from local economic development to regional economic development which is causing shifts in approaches to the implementation of economic development projects. The findings presented in this paper show that in the conceptualisation of the region in the instance of the Durban Aerotropolis, understanding the function, form and scale of a regional economic development project becomes pertinent to the social construction of the region with consequences for the project focus and implementation. In the discussion, function is examined as the purpose of a regional economic development project, form refers to the kind of economic development mechanism or strategy which could assist in fulfilling that purpose and scale speaks to the extent, reach and magnitude of the project, without which the implications are challenging practical enactment or implementation of regional economic development projects. The social constructions of region outlined in this paper thereby attest to the multiplicity of definitions which are typically based on the context in which the concept is being used and thus shows the ‘region’ inherent in regional economic development as produced through, and for, an assemblage of economic activity in space. From this we understand the region in regional economic development to be a social construct which presents itself as an assemblage of economic activity in space. Although we understand regions as spatially contingent, the theoretical and empirical conceptualisation of regions within regional economic development planning, policy–making and practice must draw on the specifics of contextuality to ensure its utility to economic development.
Authors and Affiliations
Nomkhosi LUTHULI, Jennifer HOUGHTON
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP618995
- DOI 10.5379/urbani-izziv-en-2019-30-supplement-013
- Views 49
- Downloads 0
Business incubators and green technology: The Gauteng Climate Innovation Centre, South Africa
Business incubators are a vehicle to assist the survival prospects of start-up enterprises, many of which fail in their early years of operation. One special form of business incubator is the Climate Innovation Centre (C...
How far ahead can we see?
/
Izvajanje koncepta skupnega prometnega prostora s preobrazbo ulic v poslovnem središču Pešavarja v Pakistanu
Zamisel o skupnem prometnem prostoru (ang. living streets) se je razvila šele nedavno, upošteva pa se predvsem pri prostorskem načrtovanju in razvoju mest. Njena glavna namena sta zagotavljanje varnega dostopa za vse vrs...
Public goods, common-pool resources, and the commons: The influence of historical legacy on modern perceptions in Slovenia as a transitional society
This article aims to study and clearly define the terms public good, common-pool resources, and the commons. Using path dependency analysis, interviews, and workshops among the general public and experts, we highlight th...
Studentification and commodification of student lifestyle in Braamfontein, Johannesburg
The process of studentification has emerged as a new form of neighbourhood change in the global North over the past 16 years and often situated within broader debates on gentrification. The growth of private student hous...