Borrowed Size and Regional Resilience

Overview

This book explores how regions can thrive beyond traditional agglomeration economies by leveraging the concept of borrowed size - the ability of smaller or peripheral areas to benefit from proximity to large urban centers without hosting large-scale economic activity themselves.

Focus and Analyses

Focusing exclusively on Japanese prefectures, the book provides comprehensive empirical analyses of how spatial interdependencies shape regional productivity, efficiency, and innovation performance.

Unique Contributions

It is the first study to systematically examine the effects of borrowed size on total factor productivity convergence, productive efficiency, and regional innovation using official regional statistics, including patent indicators and other publicly available data.

Concepts Introduced

The book also introduces the concept of the shadow of agglomeration, highlighting potential negative externalities associated with urban concentration.

Theoretical and Empirical Framework

Challenging the classical understanding of agglomeration, this volume contributes a new theoretical and empirical framework for understanding regional resilience in the post-growth era.

Implications

It provides robust evidence and analytical tools that will be valuable to scholars, regional planners, and policymakers seeking sustainable strategies for innovation-led regional development.