Diving into the “Third Waves” of Regional Governance and Economic Development Strategies: A Study of Regional Partnerships for Economic Development in U.S. Metropolitan Areas

Abstract

In a number of areas in the United States, local governments, often with the help of private sector firms and nonprofit organizations, have voluntarily formed groups or alliances whose mission is to enhance the economy of a multijurisdictional area. This article presents the results of the first study of a large number of these “regional partnerships for economic development” ( N = 133) in U.S. metropolitan areas. The study concludes that the number of regional partnerships for economic development increased fourfold from the 1970s to the 1990s. Further, it finds that both government officials and business leaders play key roles in these regional partnerships, as participants, decision makers, and financial contributors. In addition, this study determines that the most common activities undertaken by these partnerships deal with marketing and government affairs.