Alongside the advent of a more globalised economy, there is much debate about the competitive advantage that can be fostered within local economies. However, the tendency for local economic strategies to imitate each other is a well known shortcoming in the activities that occur. The 'enthusiastic borrowing' of perceived best practice identifies a weakness in the current state of local economic development. This book presents archetypal local economic strategies as controversies. It highlights the contested nature of the evidence behind economic processes. It offers resolutions to the debates so that reviews are not simply critical accounts. Within the limits of current evidence, the cases examined will offer guidance on how to apply the lessons of existing experience.The main part of the book will discuss seven controversies in local economic development.

These topics encompass issues of importance to the practice of local economic development in that they inform archetypal strategies that have variously been taken up or abandoned and over which there is ongoing debate. These topics include knowledge and learning, the provision of recources to nurture entrepreneurial talent, innovation, clusters of enterprise, inward investment, business-friendly localities and mobile professionals.