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In this paper, I explore the possibilities of linking and expanding existing sending and receiving countries' initiatives that mobilize immigrants to participate in the development process of their countries of origin in such a way as to advance two main goals of such initiatives: (1) to multiply their developmental impact in sending regions; and (2) to help increase the social and political capital of immigrants and immigrant associations, so as to facilitate both their role in the development of their countries of origin and also their integration in their host societies. In the paper, I will study the Mexican 3×1 programme and Spain's co-development model and explore the ways in which programmes such as these could be ideally linked and implemented, in diverse contexts, in a way that is advantageous to both sending and receiving societies. The paper is based on research conducted over the past 9 years with Mexican immigrant associations in the United States; on interviews with Mexican government officials in Mexico and the United States; and on interviews conducted in 2008 and 2009 in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether related variety, among other types of spatial externalities, affected regional growth in Spain at the NUTS 3 level during the period 1995-2007. We found evidence that related variety matters for growth across regions, especially when using two new methods that measure revealed relatedness between industries. The first method is based on Porter's cluster classification while the second method uses the proximity index proposed by Hidalgo et al. Our analyses show that Spanish provinces with a wide range of related industries tend to show higher economic growth rates, once we control for other determinants of growth. Este artículo investiga si la variedad relacionada, entre otros tipos de externalidades espaciales, afectó el crecimiento regional en España a nivel NUTS 3 durante el periodo 1995-2007. Hallamos pruebas de que la variedad relacionada influye en el crecimiento entre regiones, especialmente al utilizar dos métodos nuevos que miden el grado de conexión manifiesto entre industrias. El primer método está basado en la clasificación de conglomerados de Porter, mientras que el segundo método utiliza el índice de proximidad propuesto por Hidalgo et al. Nuestros análisis muestran que las provincias españolas con un amplio rango de industrias relacionadas tienden a mostrar tasas de crecimiento económico más altas, una vez que se logra controlar otros factores determinantes del crecimiento. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Social Capital theoretical framework, territorial agglomerations of firms, such as in the industrial district, can be identified as dense strong-tie networks and are thus suitable for exploiting activities. This paper addresses the possible exploring limitations of these clustered firms. Following alternative explanations, such as the structural holes and weak tie approaches, it is proposed that local institutions may play a role as intermediary agents between external disperse networks and internal dense networks, therefore enabling these firms to deal with the requirements of an ever-changing environment. The paper also develops an empirical section where the Spanish ceramic tile industrial district is described in order to illustrate theoretical arguments. Findings suggested a number of ways in which local institutions may facilitate the creation of value for firms. Particularly, local institutions interact with many external firms and institutions and undertake research projects with local firms. In addition, some quantification of the participation of firms in the activities carried out by institutions is offered, suggesting explanations for the barriers that prevent firms from gaining direct access to external networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyse the property market in Spain within a regional framework, according to the boundaries of the Spanish Autonomous Communities. Our analysis is based on the central hypothesis that there is an oversupply of housing in Spain, although there are some regional differences within this phenomenon. We first examine the stage known as the 'property boom', and we then produce an analysis that aims to simplify the housing market in Spain. After combining numerous variables and applying multivariate statistical techniques, we have obtained a classification with the following three categories: dried-up markets, saturated markets and less distressed markets. Our analyses confirm the fact that there are disparate realities throughout Spain, and even contrasting realities between the Autonomous Communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to show the relationship between co-development projects with transnational interests and the governance of migration by the Spanish and Ecuadorian governments. On one hand, the emergence of co-development is linked with the political dimension of migration, and therefore, with the challenges that its management poses for both the sending and receiving states. Simultaneously, the state exists in a context of the reconfiguration of its traditional functions, and above all, the manner in which it goes about performing them. For these reasons, co-development projects form part of state governance strategies, based on a special understanding of the nexus between migration and development in European social space, involving international organizations, state governments, and civil society, linked by migratory flows. This is demonstrated in the case of Ecuador and Spain. Since Spain stimulated co-development, the implementation of projects with Ecuador has been emphasized, due to the dimensions achieved by Ecuadorian migration. Co-development politics and projects are analyzed in this paper as areas of intervention integrated by values, guide lines and cultural understandings about migration, including appropriate forms of control and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to extend the literature on the granting of trade credit. The focus is to test whether the accounts receivable decisions follow a model of partial adjustment. To do that, we use a sample of 2,922 Spanish SMEs. Using a dynamic panel data model and employing the GMM method of estimation we control for unobservable heterogeneity and for potential endogeneity problems. The results reveal that firms have a target level of accounts receivable and take decisions in order to achieve that level. In addition, we find that sales growth (if positive), the size of the firms, their capacity to generate internal funds and get short term financing, and economic growth are important in determining trade credit granted by firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalisation and its consequent economic restructuring have implications at the local level. At the same time historical paths and traditions, embeddedness of local actors and institutional factors have all become significant in explaining different neighbourhood trajectories and, particularly, the patterns of urban segregation that emerge following economic restructuring. Given the unusual nature of the Spanish housing model and the massive arrival of immigrants since the end of the 1990s, this paper explores the urban effects of immigration settlement patterns in the context of a market dominated by owner-occupation and a unique framework of social housing policy. Purchase of permanent residences is an essential step in the housing careers of the Spanish population but also for immigrants to Spain. The paper analyses the extent to which this influences urban segregation patterns and neighbourhood characteristics in Spain. Barcelona is referred to as a case study, to illustrate the influence of the existing housing system in the process of the accommodation of newcomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to develop a coherent approach to describe the agri-food and other bio-based accounts in the European Union. The paper presents a case study of Spain based on a Social Accounting Matrix with a highly disaggregated agricultural account for the year 2000. The analysis of multipliers allows identifying backward and forward linkages, key sectors, and employment multipliers of the Spanish agri-food and other bio-based accounts. This analysis helps us to better understand the extended agri-food account's economic linkages. No primary agricultural account emerges as key for the Spanish economy, while the production of (renewable) energy appears the only key sector related to agri-food and other bio-based accounts. Livestock and related bio-based products present the highest backward linkages, that is, they have significant diffusion effects of activity to the whole economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The debate surrounding the financial needs of investors and the impact on society of investment is considered to be an important research topic due to the growth of socially responsible financial markets. The main objective of this research is to study society's perception about socially responsible investing (SRI) and to identify investor's preferences regarding environmental, social and governance criteria, their real-life investment needs and the most relevant sustainable financial products. To examine society's perception of SRI, we conducted a field survey among Spanish investors. The results show that SRI is at an early stage and Spanish investors need more exact information regarding social, environmental, and governance criteria in order to invest in socially responsible companies and products. This paper offers some guidelines that could be used by Spanish institutions, managers and investors and by foreign managers when approaching the Spanish market, in order to promote the growth of socially responsible financial products. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses Douglass North's theories of institutional economics to explain progress in Muslim Spain. It argues that it was efficient economic institutions in the guise of a free-market economy where the property rights of different strata of society were well protected, which ensured lasting prosperity. This paper postulates that while a population explosion could have been responsible for the initial growth in Spain, it was an efficient formal–informal institutional matrix that ensured a high level of long-term growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The 2008 financial and economic crisis has led to widespread destruction of employment in Spain. Using municipality data, I examine employment growth differences between urban cores, urban hinterlands, and rural areas during the pre‐crisis period and the recession period. The data show that patterns of growth and decline have been very uneven across different types of areas. While in the boom years, hinterlands and rural areas experienced higher growth, urban core areas have done better during the recession years. I then test three strands of explanations for local growth differences: (i) the role of the local sectoral composition, (ii) the role of human capital, and (iii) the role of access to urban core areas. Estimations for employment growth in the two periods show that the crisis has altered some of the drivers of local employment growth and that human capital has been a key determinant of local resilience during the Great Recession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to study the influence of related variety on the economic performance of Spanish provinces during the international crisis (2009–2013) and the post‐crisis period (2014–2018), with the goal of contributing to assess the validity of the skill‐relatedness approach. The research is based on labor flows in a sample of more than one million affiliated workers. Our results confirmed the influence of related variety on the growth of GDP and employment in knowledge‐based industries, in protecting against unemployment, as well as on the creation of new firms, although with marked differences according to the economic cycle. Robustness issues and possible lines of progress using this novel methodology are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the process of trade liberalisation experienced by the Spanish economy between 1960 and 2000. The path towards liberalisation involved progressive reductions of quantitative restrictions, which were replaced by border taxes. Over the period external openness grew, although along an irregular path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree of fiscal decentralization in Spain is similar to main federal countries and greater than unitary ones. The demand of public sector decentralization is based on a supposed efficiency gains that is far from being obvious. Using a data set for the Spanish regions, we reject the null hypothesis of a significant relationship between growth in per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and expenditure distribution among fiscal administrations. Nonetheless, we find empirical support for a relationship between revenue decentralization, far less advanced than the expenditure one, and growth. In both cases we do reject the null hypothesis of a nonlinear linkage between fiscal decentralization and growth in per capita GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Urban & Regional Research is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Southern European countries have traditionally been perceived as weak immigration countries with inefficient legal entry avenues for foreign workers, high irregular migration rates and poor integration policies. In recent years, however, the adoption of more efficient control policies, new recruitment strategies and embryonic integration plans throughout the region has led to a change of paradigm in the governance of migration. And yet policy reforms do not seem to have produced the same results everywhere. The aim of this article is to enquire into possible explanations for the divergent paths of labour migration governance in Southern Europe, using Italy and Spain as comparative cases. As it will emerge, policy efficacy in the field of labour migration relates not only to the quality and consistency of policy design and implementation but also to factors that escape direct political control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on a large database from the register of inhabitants of Madrid, this article confirms that the literacy levels of internal migrants moving to the Spanish capital city in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century were higher than that of those who remained in their provinces of origin. This article also explores the different factors influencing the nature and intensity of the selection process. The empirical exercise stresses that the stock of previous migration was a fundamental factor in allowing less literate individuals to join the migration process as well. Interestingly, distance to Madrid hardly affected the profile of male migrants, but it was a strong influence on female migration, although its importance diminished over time. Lastly, the results presented here show that other internal destinations were attracting different types of migrants, often resulting in negative self-selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of optimal population densities underlies the economic rationality when planning the provision of basic public infrastructure by local governments. Using econometric techniques based on the translog cost function, we investigate the existence of economies of scale, associated to a larger urban size in terms of population and housing, determine the effect of alternative urban patterns - compact or dispersed - on the cost of provision, and calculate optimal population densities as targets for urban planning. We illustrate the practicality of our model using Spanish municipal data, and unveil latent economies of scale and suboptimal urban densities due to excessive dispersion. Based on these findings we propose specific policy guidelines in terms of desirable urban structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Colonial Mexico’s economy experienced a long phase of growth during the eighteenth century. Around 1800, silver exports and fiscal surplus remittances from the colony rose to unprecedented levels. We study the contribution of the Spanish imperial state’s policy to the expansion of silver production and the leading role of mining in economic growth and its fiscal implications. We find evidence to support a more favourable view of both the mining sector and the imperial state than that commonly presented in the literature. The interruption of colonial ‘mining-led growth’ helps to explain the ‘lost decades’ for the economic development of Mexico after independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurs provide the engine of development, especially in economically unstable times. In Spain, rural tourism is undergoing a boom, and the Internet plays a vital role for tourism. This study therefore considers: (i) the importance of entrepreneurial talent for implementing a website; (ii) the relations among entrepreneurial talent, website characteristics and business performance; and (iii) the moderating effect of entrepreneurial experience. Using a sample of 150 rural tourism establishments in Spain, this study reveals how website content affects performance and how experience moderates the relationships between entrepreneurial talent and performance, and between entrepreneurial talent and website design. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a case study of a peripheral fishing community and its capacity to regenerate and maintain local economic growth processes. The discussion of growth ability is based on a categorization of European peripheries and the concept of local production systems. Taking the fishing community of Muros in Galicia, northwest Spain, as its focus, the article discusses the ability of a community of its type to undertake the industrial restructuring of its fishing industry, mussel farming activities, tourism, and electricity generation by wind turbines. It also reveals how, during the processes of renewal, Muros has become more deeply dependent on its fishery due to an inability amongst the actors of the production system to leave the evolutionary paths laid down by earlier investment in the fishing industries. Résumé Cette étude de cas porte sur une communauté périphérique de pêcheurs et sur sa capacitéà régénérer et préserver les processus de croissance économique locaux. L’analyse de la capacité de croissance s’appuie sur une catégorisation des périphéries européennes et sur le concept des systèmes de production locaux. En s’intéressant à la communauté de pêcheurs de Muros en Galice (nord-ouest de l’Espagne), l’article examine l’aptitude d’une communauté de ce type à prendre en charge la restructuration industrielle de sa pêche, ses élevages de moules, son tourisme et la génération d’électricitééolienne. Il explique aussi comment, au cours des processus de renouvellement, Muros est devenue extrêmement dépendante de sa pêche, certains acteurs du système de production se révélant incapables de quitter les trajectoires dictées par les investissements antérieurs dans les activités industrielles de la pêche. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the Liaisons Entre Actions de Développement de l'Economie Rurale (LEADER) program of the European Union and the rise of rural development in Spain. The progress of LEADER has allegedly been refracted through the institutional conditions of the politico-administrative system. The program has been used as a political power tool by the various levels, leading to confrontations in order to gain control over the program. Awareness and acceptance of the deeper philosophy behind LEADER has been gaining ground so that it is increasingly acknowledged as a powerful tool for the promotion of rural development in general and for the animation of local, collective action. As measured by statistics, Spain has participated enthusiastically in the program. During LEADER I, a total of 52 lags were established in Spain, with an average area of 1,575 kilometer and a density of 22.6 inhabitants per kilometer. LEADER I accounted for 16 per cent of the territory and 5 per cent of the population of Spain. During LEADER II, the number of lags rose to 132 groups, the average surface area to 1,700 kilometer and the average density to 23 inhabitants per kilometer. LEADER II areas account for 45 per cent of the Spanish territory and some 13 per cent of its population.

The article presents information regarding the tenth Congress of the European Society for Rural Sociology, Cordoba, Spain. Several themes have been formulated as a means of invitation for discussion, some of which have been discussed in the article. It remains an empirical fact that human aggregates keep forming and enlarging. People and the systems they form keep on coagulating. In spite of unemployment, inflation, energy scarcity and environmental damage, economic growth largely remains a leading principle in the further development of society. Economic growth is not a uni-linear development where only differences between sub-systems (e.g. regions) regarding the rate of growth, are problematic. Development can be seen as a process by which the constituting elements of the social system become differentiated in certain respects. The formation of cooperatives by farmers is a kind of horizontal integration, which to some extent allows for a specialization of tasks. Cooperatives at village level may also become involved in an integration process.

The article focuses on the economic development of Basque, Spain in 1876-1936. According to the author, the principal obstacle to Spanish economic development during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was the persistence of profound structural problems in the dominant agricultural sector. The refusal to implement far-reaching agrarian reform, in particular the redistribution of landed property, meant that the performance of Spain's embryonic and uncompetitive industrial sector became inextricably bound up with the fortunes of traditional agriculture based on the monocultivation of wheat, the vine and olives on dry lands which gave some of the lowest yields in Europe. Nevertheless, as generations of Spanish businessmen were to discover to their own cost, the policy of relying on the unrepresentative and inefficient political elite in Madrid to help solve their problems was fraught with all kinds of risks. The Basque region of northern Spain, with its coastal location adjacent to the Bay of Biscay, proved initially the ideal site for exploitation.