Resilient peripheral regions? The long-term effects of ten Norwegian restructuring programmes

From regional restructuring to regional renewal: Cases from Norway

“…Among the new instruments, a restructuring programme was implemented, aimed at stimulating economic diversification and local mobilization in one-company towns and other peripheral areas facing problems caused by job losses and net outmigration (Carlsson et al 2014;Jakobsen & Høvig 2014). As demonstrated by Jakobsen & Høvig (2014), this instrument is still viable but has changed through time, reflecting new theories, trends, and ideas about regional policy formulation.…”

“…It is particularly explicit in the analyses of path creation and renewal in a single-industry town by Steen & Karlsen (2014, this issue). As shown by Carlsson et al (2014), Norwegian policymakers have existing local and regional assets as the main point of departure in their formulation of restructuring policy measures.…”

“…Restructuring is particularly critical for single-industry towns, in which the populations are not integrated in larger labour markets. They are thus particularly vulnerable to exogenous shocks resulting from international competition, periodic economic recessions, decisions made at headquarters, and unexpected plant closures (Carlsson et al 2014). In this light, the recent debate on resilience appears relevant.…”

“…Referring to Coe et al (2004), Carlsson et al (2014) stress that it is critical for local economies to have local enterprises integrated into wider production networks. Access to both material and immaterial resources from outside is vital for regional renewal, development, and resilience.…”

“…Such perspectives appear relevant for studies of local and regional restructuring. Carlsson et al (2014) apply Martin's (2012) conceptual framework in their evaluation of the resilience of the municipalities and regions that have been the targets of a public restructuring programme. This conceptual understanding of regional resilience is closely associated with evolutionary economic geography, as resilience depends on a region's pre-existing industries.…”