Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and Outlook

Economic development is an increasingly popular topic in different research areas. However, there is not a definite, categorical, and settled definition for economic development, nor a comprehensive measure that is agreed upon. This study aims to fill this gap through a literature review of the scho...

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Main Authors: Eli J. Levine, Michele Tantardini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Midwest Public Affairs Conference 2023-08-01
Series:Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs
Subjects:
Online Access:https://jpna.org/index.php/jpna/article/view/768
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author Eli J. Levine
Michele Tantardini
author_facet Eli J. Levine
Michele Tantardini
author_sort Eli J. Levine
collection DOAJ
description Economic development is an increasingly popular topic in different research areas. However, there is not a definite, categorical, and settled definition for economic development, nor a comprehensive measure that is agreed upon. This study aims to fill this gap through a literature review of the scholarly publications 1950–2020 in all the English-language peer-reviewed journals in the subject areas of public administration and development. On this basis, the article identifies 19 themes as well as 14 types of improvements around which it is possible to group this multi-faceted topic. Specifically, the article highlights for each of the identified themes and types of improvements how economic development is defined and measured. In addition to that, our review reveals issues and research questions that go unaddressed. We conclude the article by providing our recommendations in this regard.
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spelling doaj.art-394e9b3fe324473c8a756bb9cd75ddbe2023-09-03T14:55:30ZengMidwest Public Affairs ConferenceJournal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs2381-37172023-08-01Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and OutlookEli J. Levine0Michele Tantardini1Penn State Harrisburg Penn State HarrisburgEconomic development is an increasingly popular topic in different research areas. However, there is not a definite, categorical, and settled definition for economic development, nor a comprehensive measure that is agreed upon. This study aims to fill this gap through a literature review of the scholarly publications 1950–2020 in all the English-language peer-reviewed journals in the subject areas of public administration and development. On this basis, the article identifies 19 themes as well as 14 types of improvements around which it is possible to group this multi-faceted topic. Specifically, the article highlights for each of the identified themes and types of improvements how economic development is defined and measured. In addition to that, our review reveals issues and research questions that go unaddressed. We conclude the article by providing our recommendations in this regard. https://jpna.org/index.php/jpna/article/view/768Economic DevelopmentLiterature ReviewOutlookDefinitionMeasurement
spellingShingle Eli J. Levine
Michele Tantardini
Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and Outlook
Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs
Economic Development
Literature Review
Outlook
Definition
Measurement
title Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and Outlook
title_full Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and Outlook
title_fullStr Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and Outlook
title_full_unstemmed Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and Outlook
title_short Defining and Measuring Economic Development: A Literature Review and Outlook
title_sort defining and measuring economic development a literature review and outlook
topic Economic Development
Literature Review
Outlook
Definition
Measurement
url https://jpna.org/index.php/jpna/article/view/768
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AT micheletantardini definingandmeasuringeconomicdevelopmentaliteraturereviewandoutlook