Work in Progress
An enterprising approach to regional growth: Implications for policy and the role of vocational education and training
Summary
- Item:
- 10332
- Title:
- An enterprising approach to regional growth: Implications for policy and the role of vocational education and training
- Type:
- Managed research project
- Project no:
- NR4011
- Status:
- Finished
- Date commenced:
- 1 July 2004
- Contact:
- Steve Garlick
- phone: +61 2 6238 1533
- email: sgarlick@msn.com.au
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to present a national landscape of regional and community vulnerability and resilience based on economic growth and competitiveness, and their social consequences, between 1984 and 2003 with perspectives out to 2010. It will identify the relative significance of eight underpinning drivers of these regional and community outcomes so that policy intervention measures and reinforcing local and VET initiatives to build resilience and reduce vulnerability can be more easily identified. The analysis of vulnerability and resilience and the relative impact of the drivers of change will be based around: (a) quantitative modelling across all regions - specified according to rules proposed through regional development theory, to ensure a logical connection between hypothesis and outcome and between analysis and policy; and (b) close consultation with regional stakeholders about the analytical results obtained in (a) to ensure behavioural factors are also taken into account, opportunities are identified, and policy and non-policy initiatives are identified. Eight case study regions will be used for this.
Approach
Quantitative modelling, Case Studies, Literature review
Research questions
* What are the patterns of socio-economic vulnerability and opportunity in regions and communities across Australia to enable better targeting of initiatives?
* What are the drivers of vulnerability and opportunity to enable tailoring of specific policy and non-policy initiatives?
* How does current policy and practice impacting on the region relate to current theoretical analysis?
* What specific policy and non-policy local initiatives can be employed by governments, institutions, and local stakeholders to enhance regional community attributes?
* What role can VET play in improving its program delivery to regional communities on the basis of this analysis to (a) enhance human capital outcomes in the region; and (b) improve the efficiency and effectiveness of what it delivers?
Methodology
Stage 1:
* A full data collection for 1984, 1992, 2000 and 2003, built on current extensive holdings, to construct social and economic indicators for inclusion in the modeling analysis of Stage two.
* Regional specifications for a national regionalization built up from SLA.
* Identified areas of concordance across case study examples in various NCVER funded projects.
* Early contact made with targeted regional stakeholders, including VET, in preparation for facilitated workshops planned for Stage 3.
Stage 2: Quantitative Analysis
* Rates of growth and relative competitiveness for every regional community for the period 1984 to 2003.
* Relative significance of eight drivers of regional growth for every region in the regionalization framework.
* Testing of the model's results.
* Eight discussion papers to be used in the facilitated workshops to be undertaken in Stage 3.
Stage 3: Qualitative Analysis
* Patterns of regional resilience and vulnerability results that balance with the quantitative results obtained in Stage 2.
* Growth and competitiveness of eight regions to 2010.
* Policy and non-policy initiatives identified that will realise regional opportunities.
Stage 4: Mapping of results
Spatially map patterns of socio-economic regional vulnerability & resilience and the drivers of growth & competitiveness.
Stage 5: Identify policy and other initiatives, including by VET, which can be undertaken
From the workshops (Stage 3), the quantitative analysis (Stage 2) and the review of the literature (Stage 1), initiatives of a policy and non-policy nature that could be undertaken, including through VET, will be formulated.
Organisations
Regional Knowledge Works (RKW) is an organisation with offices in the ACT and NSW. It helps communities and organisations unleash their full economic and social potential. It does this by identifying often-untapped sources of knowledge, to achieve community and organisational goals and objectives.
