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This paper aims to use Markov switching vector auto regression (MSVAR) methods to examine UK house price cycles in UK regions at NUTS1 level. There is extensive literature on UK regional house price dynamics, yet empirical work focusing on the duration and magnitude of regional housing cycles has received little attention. The research findings indicate that the regional structure of UK exhibits that UK house price changes are best described as two large groups of regions with marked differences in the amplitude and duration of the cyclical regimes between the two groups.

MSVAR principal component analysis NUTS1 data are used.

The housing cycles can be divided into two super regions based on magnitude, duration and the way they behave during recession, boom and sluggish periods. A north-south divide, a uniform housing policy and a monetary policy increase the diversion among the regions.

Markov switching needs high-frequency data and long time spans.

Questions a uniform housing policy in a heterogeneous housing market. Questions the impact of monetary policy on a heterogeneous housing market. The way the recovery of the housing market varies among regions depends on regional economic performance, housing market structure and the labour market. House price convergence, beta-convergence.

No such work has been done looking at duration and magnitude of regional housing cycles. A new econometric method was used.

The purpose of this study is to reveal the dynamics of house prices and sales in spatial and temporal dimensions across British regions.

This paper incorporates two empirical approaches to describe the behaviour of property prices across British regions. The models are applied to two different data sets. The first empirical approach is to apply the price diffusion model proposed by Holly et al. (2011) to the UK house price index data set. The second empirical approach is to apply a bivariate global vector autoregression model without a time trend to house prices and transaction volumes retrieved from the nationwide building society.

Identifying shocks to London house prices in the GVAR model, based on the generalized impulse response functions framework, I find some heterogeneity in responses to house price changes; for example, South East England responds stronger than the remaining provincial regions. The main pattern detected in responses and characteristic for each region is the fairly rapid fading of the shock. The spatial-temporal diffusion model demonstrates the presence of a ripple effect: a shock emanating from London is dispersed contemporaneously and spatially to other regions, affecting prices in nondominant regions with a delay.

The main contribution of this work is the betterment in understanding how house price changes move across regions and time within a UK context.

Analyses data from the USA and UK to determine whether diversification within a region by property type is better than diversification between regions within a property type. Compares both strategies to full diversification by both property type and region. Calculates and compares property type and regional correlation matrices. Produces efficient frontiers and calculates principal components to determine if there are dominant property type or regional dimensions to real estate returns. Suggests that for the USA a purely retail portfolio diversified over all regions would have been almost as effective as a fully diversified portfolio. In the UK, there is less diversity across regions within retail property. Overall, there is no simple conclusion applicable to all regions and all property types in either country.

Entrepreneurship is increasingly recognised as a crucial element in fostering economic development and growth, especially at the regional level. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of regional enterprise policies and associated governance mechanisms in the UK to address the following questions: How are evolving systems of regional governance in the UK impacting on the capability of regional policy to foster entrepreneurship? To what extent does enterprise policy form a key part of the overall economic development strategy of regions? and are different forms of regional enterprise policy and priorities emerging?

The study draws on a series of key interviews with policy makers across the regions of Wales, Scotland and England (using the case study of the Yorkshire and the Humber region). The approach adopted in this study facilitates an exploration of the perspectives of those responsible for the formulation and delivery of such support. The paper seeks to ascertain and analyse policy maker opinion on the nature of previous policy, as well as future requirements if policies are to become more effective. It focuses on the period from 1997, with the election of the Labour Government, and the period from 2010 to 2015 represented by the Conservative-Liberal Democratic Coalition Government.

The paper finds that regional entrepreneurship differentials emerge due to the spatial and place-based nature of three underlying factors: first, the nature of markets; second, the nature of innovation systems; and third, the nature of place-based cultures, communities and the institutions they establish. In the regions studied, failings and limitations in these factors suggest two potential requirements: first, the introduction of public policy in the form of a range of interventions and support mechanisms, second, the introduction of a system of policy governance to establish appropriate interventions and support mechanisms. In the case study regions, clear attempts have been made to address each of the three limiting factors through a range of policy and governance systems, but due to a complex range of issues these have often achieved limited success.

From an intellectual perspective, the paper positively points toward the establishment of governance and policy frameworks that have been both led and informed by the theory underpinning an explanation of regional differentials in entrepreneurial capacity and capability. However, from a more applied perspective it questions the effectiveness and strategic implementation of the policy frameworks and the sustainability of the associated governance mechanisms.

In the UK regions that are structurally more vulnerable are less able to respond to economic shocks (McCann, 2017). An economic downturn for a poorer region like the North East of England (Jenkins, Pike, & Tomaney, 2019) will mean it enters recession earlier and emerges from recession later than significantly wealthier regions like London and South East region in England or Amsterdam City region in the Netherlands. We ask, what can be done to improve the impact of policy interventions that support and develop weaker regional economies? Behind this chapter sit two elements of research study: a question, which asks, what if you develop a “great” policy, that is well researched and designed; however, it fails because the people who deliver it don’t have the right culture, values, or knowledge? The second element is that the authors are interested in a range of factors that affect not only policy implementation including entrepreneurship but also economic culture and social capital, looking at the problem from different disciplinary viewpoints (Baker & Welter, 2018). This chapter makes a comparative study between the North East of England and the Amsterdam City region to explore how policy implementation might be improved as other factors of place cannot be easily altered, these factors include major infrastructure, political systems, and budgetary control as well as overall economic wealth. What this means is that practical research and studies have to find factors that can be improved in order to achieve change and a greater economic impact on Places in this context, the North East of England.

The aim of this investigation is to examine the level of adoption of e‐government at the regional level in Europe in terms of eight different categories addressing both services provided, internal capacity in terms of training and policies, and perceived barriers to e‐government.

A survey approach was employed to achieve the overall aim of the study, based on existing survey instruments and informed by the requirements of policy makers. A survey of 1,021 municipalities across seven European regions was conducted in order to ascertain the development of e‐government.

The findings suggest that despite e‐government being heavily promoted throughout the Europe, there is relatively little commonality across regions evident to date. The study identifies a number of areas for improvement within the eight categories investigated.

The desired minimum confidence level and confidence interval was not realised across all regions. It would be appropriate to conduct further investigations which include larger (non‐UK) administrative bodies in order that progress made by comparable organizations may be evaluated. Although the study includes results from municipalities in seven regions, it would be desirable to expand the scope of the investigation.

The primary value of this paper lies in the size of the sample derived at regional rather than national level, the resulting data extending our understanding of the adoption of information and communication technologies within municipalities at regional level in Europe.

The extent to which the ratio of inventory to value added for manufacturing industry varies between regions in the UK is examined. An analysis of regionally disaggregated inventory data obtained from the British Census of Production reveals wide regional variations in this ratio, with the three most peripheral regions being significantly overstocked relative to the national average. Stock levels in one of these regions, Scotland, are examined in detail in an effort to identify possible causes of the overstocking. Industrial structure and length of supply line appear not to be important factors. As much of the excess inventory is in the work‐in‐progress category, the overstocking is largely intrinsic to the production operation.

Increasing regional wealth disparities have been explained by the role of agglomeration economies and the concentration of skilled mobile human capital. This paper aims to draw out the role of the housing market by considering the differential experience of Germany and the UK.

The empirical analysis is based on the comparison of regional house price trends in Germany and UK-based annual data from 1991 to 2015.

Regional house price inequality is found to have increased in both countries with the spatial concentration of skilled human capital. However, the main conclusion is that there are differential paths to regional house price inequality explained by the parameters of each country’s housing market.

The research is the first to compare and explain differential regional house price trends across countries.

Examines trends in the flows of direct investment to the West Midlands region of the UK during the 1980s. An analysis of Invest in Britain Bureau data reveals two trends of particular interest: the marked increase in the WMR′s share of FDI flows to the UK during the 1980s, and the unusually large flows to the region from EC countries. Two surveys on locational factors revealed the attraction of the WMR as being its central position within the UK and its good national, regional and local communications. The effect of those flows to the WMR was to alter the stock position so that, in 1989, 39 per cent of the stock of FOCs originated from other EC countries and 37 per cent from North America. A survey of 111 of these companies revealed a number of differences between the behaviour of FOCs from the EC and North America: in sectors and functions, employment and training, the sourcing of inputs, export markets and R&D activity. Hypothesizes that many of the differences can be explained by the different vintages of the investments. A major policy implication which arises from the analysis is that the full benefits of FDI to a region take time to build up. Moreover, local policy action may be necessary to capture these long‐term benefits.