Special Issue "Local Development Initiatives and Sustainable Employment Policies"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Rodríguez Cohard
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economics, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
Interests: local development; innovation policies; economic development; institutions; entrepreneurship
Prof. Dr. Antonio Vázquez Barquero
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Economic Structure and Development Economics, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: Endogenous Development; Economic Development; Innovation; Development Policies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The challenge for territories in the context of new globalization processes, the recent changes in the status quo of international commerce, and, unexpectedly, the irruption of the COVID-19 pandemic are revealing new problems that regions and localities worldwide need to confront. New solutions are needed for territories to face competition in such a confusing scenario.
Sustainable employment policies should be implemented in order to encourage small business and self-employment and to contribute to the recovery of the world economy. Therefore, innovative local development initiatives are appearing in cities and rural areas in developed and developing countries.
This Special Issue of Sustainability is open to contributions covering the range of local development initiatives worldwide, including new business with local participation; small firm systems in global value chains; social innovation processes encouraging local economies; local employment policies; sustainable actions for local development; local governments’ participation in public–private partnerships for stimulating the territorial economic fabric; new institutional initiatives for development; and so on.
Contributions focused on economic development and employment theories and policies from social, economic, and politic sciences are welcomed. Papers presenting case studies are very interesting for a better understanding of how territories are facing the challenging processes of change in these turbulent times.

Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Rodríguez Cohard
Prof. Dr. Antonio Vázquez Barquero
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • endogenous development
  • local development policies
  • local initiative
  • economic development
  • territorial development
  • regional development
  • territorial innovation policies
  • institutional change
  • social innovation
  • local clusters

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Article
The Importance of Endogenous Resources for Internationalization: Competitive Advantages in the Olive Groves of Southern Spain
Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9614; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179614 (registering DOI) - 26 Aug 2021
Viewed by 194
Abstract
The general objective of this paper was to determine how companies in the olive sector could convert the comparative advantages of olive-growing regions (e.g., culture, tradition, raw materials, knowledge, infrastructure, networks, technological centers, etc.) into competitive advantages, to internationalize, in an accelerated way, [...] Read more.
The general objective of this paper was to determine how companies in the olive sector could convert the comparative advantages of olive-growing regions (e.g., culture, tradition, raw materials, knowledge, infrastructure, networks, technological centers, etc.) into competitive advantages, to internationalize, in an accelerated way, and become born global firms, contributing to economic, social, and sustainable development of regions. Thus, we analyzed four cases of exporting companies in this sector (two born global and two non-born global) in southern Spain (Jaén). We chose this province because it is the world’s leading producer of olive oil and, yet it is only the fourth largest exporter compared to the rest of Spain. For the case study, we conducted (and recorded) personal, semi-structured interviews with the founders/managers or individuals in charge of internationalization. To obtain our results, we used a data sheet that included an action protocol, we analyzed each case individually, and we employed sensemaking and pattern-matching techniques to add validity and reliability to the research. Finally, we proposed the “keys” for these companies to go international in an accelerated way, as it would increase their competitiveness, foster the creation of employment, develop networks between companies, boost investment in innovation, etc. The results indicate that it is necessary to follow market orientation, networking, and international entrepreneurship strategies, and that intellectual capital (human, organizational, relational, and technological) of companies (and, therefore, of regions) will be the means through which competitive capabilities are achieved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Local Development Initiatives and Sustainable Employment Policies)
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Article
Adaptation Strategies of Migrant Workers from Ukraine during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8337; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158337 - 26 Jul 2021
Viewed by 390
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching social and economic consequences. They are visible particularly in the functioning of local labour markets, affecting less privileged groups such as migrant workers, in a specific way. Here, our analysis aims to identify the strategies of adaptation [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching social and economic consequences. They are visible particularly in the functioning of local labour markets, affecting less privileged groups such as migrant workers, in a specific way. Here, our analysis aims to identify the strategies of adaptation of Ukrainian economic migrants to the changing situation in the local labour market in the Poznań agglomeration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis relies on the results from quantitative research on changes in the demand for labour and adjustment of competence of immigrants to the Poznań agglomeration labour market throughout the pandemic and in the perspective of the nearest future, as well as on qualitative research conducted using the IDI (in-depth interviews) technique, carried out via the purposive sampling of 30 economically active Ukrainian migrant workers. The identified adaptation strategies are organised according to the assumptions of Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of capital(s). The capital of the researched group with respect to the labour market is treated as both the potential and resources the immigrants offer, produce, apply, and mutually convert in the implementation of their own adaptation strategies to the changing situation of the labour market. We extracted eight types of migrant adaptation strategies with respect to the labour market. These strategies differ in terms of objectives, resources, time perspectives, and other factors considered to be important from migrants’ perspectives. On the basis of interviews, we were able to assess the robustness of these strategies in view of economic shocks and identify the process of capital conversion and exchange. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Local Development Initiatives and Sustainable Employment Policies)
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Article
Unemployment Rates Forecasting with Grey-Based Models in the Post-COVID-19 Period: A Case Study from Vietnam
Sustainability 2021, 13(14), 7879; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147879 - 14 Jul 2021
Viewed by 596
Abstract
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on most countries’ social and economic perspectives worldwide. Unemployment has become a vital challenge for policymakers as a result of COVID-19′s negative impact. Because of the nonstationary and nonlinear nature of the dataset, researchers [...] Read more.
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on most countries’ social and economic perspectives worldwide. Unemployment has become a vital challenge for policymakers as a result of COVID-19′s negative impact. Because of the nonstationary and nonlinear nature of the dataset, researchers applied various time series models to forecast the unemployment rate. This study aims to ensure a better forecasting approach for predicting the unemployment rates with an uncertainty of insufficient knowledge and tiny data throughout Vietnam. The study proposes the Grey theory system-based GM (1,1), the Grey Verhulst Model (GVM), and the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model that can more precisely predict unemployment rates. The model’s applications are shown using the Vietnamese unemployment rate at six different rural and urban areas with data sets from 2014–2019. The results indicate that the lower Mean Average Percentage Error (MAPE) values obtained with the GM (1,1) model at all regions for rural and urban areas (excluding Highlands Region in urban area) are extremely encouraging in comparison to other traditional methods. The accurate level of the ARIMA and GVM models follows the GM (1,1) model. The findings of this study show that the effects of the modeling assist policymakers in shaping future labor and economic policies. Furthermore, this study can contribute to the unemployment literature, providing future research directions in the unemployment problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Local Development Initiatives and Sustainable Employment Policies)
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Article
The Social Economy as a Factor of Economic Development and Resilience of Population in Rural Areas. A Study of Mediating Effects in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain)
Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5544; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105544 - 16 May 2021
Viewed by 523
Abstract
Depopulation is a serious problem facing developed countries, among them Spain. It is especially severe in rural areas, where some vicious circles emerge, nourished by reduced infrastructures and services, deteriorated quality of life, the low inflow of new inhabitants, low local development and [...] Read more.
Depopulation is a serious problem facing developed countries, among them Spain. It is especially severe in rural areas, where some vicious circles emerge, nourished by reduced infrastructures and services, deteriorated quality of life, the low inflow of new inhabitants, low local development and an aged population. In this context, social economy institutions may be a key factor in the fight against population decline, having a leading role in reactivating economic dynamism through the creation of stable, high-quality jobs, promoting the local endogenous development of rural areas, helping enhance income in those spaces, encouraging the arrival of people and impacting positively on social cohesion, and enabling sustainable growth. This paper focuses on Castilla-La Mancha, an eminently rural region, which is among the areas most severely impacted by the loss of population in Spain. The aim is to analyze the factors that affect the settlement of population, and to demonstrate that social economy institutions may be a resilience factor of rural population. A partial least squares model, composed of 8 constructs related to 21 variables extracted from data for 2017 and 2018 on the 613 municipalities, allows us to demonstrate that the existence of social economy entities helps to anchor population and increase the resilience of this territory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Local Development Initiatives and Sustainable Employment Policies)
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Article
Cooperative Societies and Sustainability: A Spatial Analysis of Andalusia as a Tool for Implementing Territorial Development Policies, Strategies and Initiatives
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020609 - 10 Jan 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 849
Abstract
Local development strategies, policies and initiatives that contribute to sustainable development are gaining increasing prominence. Cooperative societies—the most relevant organisations within the social economy—are widely present in Andalusia and play a key role in boosting sustainable development through their principles and values. On [...] Read more.
Local development strategies, policies and initiatives that contribute to sustainable development are gaining increasing prominence. Cooperative societies—the most relevant organisations within the social economy—are widely present in Andalusia and play a key role in boosting sustainable development through their principles and values. On this basis, the article aims to determine whether certain areas in Andalusia are more predisposed to the presence of these enterprises and are more sustainable as a result. The methods used include an adapted shift-share analysis and application of local Moran’s I to obtain spatial clusters allowing the areas most favourable to the presence of this type of organisation to be identified. Therefore, one of the main contributions of the study is that it provides a tool for the application of local development policies, strategies and initiatives involving cooperatives in pursuit of a more sustainable society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Local Development Initiatives and Sustainable Employment Policies)
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