Path Formation and Reformation: Studying the Variegated Consequences of Path Creation for Regional Development

Moritz Breul, Carolin Hulke and Linus Kalvelage

No 2115, Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) from Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography

Abstract: The emergence of new regional paths is a key topic in economic geography. While new paths are largely associated with positive regional economic outcomes, little is known about how the formation of a new industry affects other parts of the regional economy. By linking recent conceptual advancements on early path formation and inter-path relationships, this article develops a framework for studying how path creation, as a result of diverse resource formation processes, causes the reformation processes of existing industries. The value of the framework is illustrated in a case study on the tourism path formation process in the Zambezi region (Namibia) and its impacts on the agricultural sector. The findings reveal how the path formation has caused new forms of intra-regional inequalities as well as novel opportunities for the existing agricultural sector depending on the inter-path relationship. Beyond these case-study- specific findings, the results emphasize the importance of a broader perspective that goes beyond a single new path and includes non-participating regional actors in the analysis. Only in this way can we understand how new path creation translates into regional economic development.

Keywords: path creation; regional development; inter-path relationship; new industries; Namibia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-05, Revised 2021-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-ure
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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