ABSTRACT This paper examines how violence impacts migration flows and the strength of migration networks across Mexico’s 2454 municipalities. Using a novel network algorithm and census data from 2005 to 2020, we detect structural changes in domestic and international migration beyond what net flows reveal. To identify causal effects, homicide rates are instrumented using variation in fuel prices and municipal distance to fuel pipelines, capturing exogenous shocks from large-scale fuel theft. Rising violence led to 1.12 million additional domestic emigrants, 50,200 fewer returnees from the United States, stronger emigration networks and reduced highway traffic linking violent areas to the rest of the country.

ABSTRACT Data limitations have restricted the understanding of how mobility varies across space, despite its importance for analysing spatial interactions and place-based policies. I geo-code over 21 million quarterly Visa and Mastercard origin–destination transactions (2019Q1–2023Q3) to estimate postcode-level distance decay gradients for 2118 districts via maximum likelihood estimation. Mobility varies markedly along socio-economic (‘intrinsic’) and built-environment (‘extrinsic’) dimensions. The shortest mobility horizons occur in the most deprived urban areas, which complete half of their spending within 9.8 min – over three times faster than prosperous peripheral-urban areas. Spatio-temporal patterns reveal widening mobility inequalities and differential resilience to COVID-19.

ABSTRACT Innovation and research and development (R&D) investments are central to regional economic growth. Yet, in the UK, these activities are heavily concentrated in the Greater South East, which receives the majority of public and private R&D spending. This imbalance has contributed to the UK’s status as one of the most regionally unequal developed economies. Redistribution of public R&D has been proposed as a key solution, but it also raises questions about whether shifting investment can reduce disparities without undermining national performance. Existing empirical studies offer limited insight into how spatial redistribution affects regional inequalities, particularly when accounting for spillovers and absorptive capacity. This paper fills the gap by using the multi-regional input–output (MRIO) model SEIM-UK (socio-economic impact model for the UK). The findings reveal that the Greater South East (GSE) experiences disproportionately high benefits due to strong demand multipliers and spillover effects, rather than through productivity gains. Furthermore, absorptive capacity plays a significant role in moderating the relationship between R&D spending and regional outcomes, disproportionately limiting growth in lagging regions. The analysis suggests that an equitable redistribution of R&D investments could promote balanced regional growth without hindering the performance of high-achieving areas like London and the South East. Therefore, enhancing regional innovation systems and addressing constraints in absorptive capacity are essential policy measures to achieve this goal.

ABSTRACT Public research institutes (PRIs) and higher education institutions (HEIs) are important actors in knowledge production in regional innovation systems (RIS), influencing network dynamics and inventions. While their impact on RIS has been widely studied, less attention has been paid to how different types of research affect RIS depending on regional technological characteristics. We therefore analyse the effects of German PRIs and HEIs on patent collaborations, centrality, invention quality and regional technological paths using a spatial vector autoregressive (spVAR) model. Our results show that basic research generates substantial positive regional effects in the long run and is particularly conducive to introducing new technologies. Moreover, mechanical engineering, alongside research and development (R&D)-intensive fields, strongly boosts the effects of PRIs and HEIs.

ABSTRACT In the last two decades, reshoring and reindustrialisation have pervaded the political debate, suggesting new global trade trends in the world economy. Unfortunately, academic studies still lack systematic and robust conceptual and empirical interpretations regarding the expected effects that such intertwined phenomena generate on competitiveness and inequalities, especially at the regional level. Through a literature review on the existing theories to interpret offshoring and its effects at the subnational level, the paper investigates the limits of existing theories once applied to reshoring processes. In particular, the paper focuses on three intertwined areas of global value chains (GVCs) studies: (i) local value creation and rent capture through GVCs; (ii) GVC and regional development; (iii) GVC and regional income inequalities. For each of them the paper aims to offer a research agenda.

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a stylised low-dimensional intertemporal model to explain location dynamics in a city. Two independent problems are approached: (i) households choose where to inhabit by confronting the value of residential amenities against congestion externalities; (ii) workers decide where to pursue their professional careers by evaluating workplace amenities and knowledge spillovers. While the job option is apparently unequivocal (both drivers point to the progressive concentration of workers), the residential choice involves conflicting forces that might generate unconventional long-term outcomes (namely, endogenous fluctuations that perpetuate systematic household relocation). The two problems are merged through the key role of commuting costs.

ABSTRACT The construction of regional input-output tables presents several challenges. Ideally, a detailed survey of the regional economy would be conducted to determine the strength of relationships among sectors. However, a major limitation arises due to the large volume of data required, which may not always be readily available and entails high costs and lengthy delays. One potential solution to this issue is the adaptation of national input-output coefficients using methods such as location quotients (LQs) or constrained matrix-balancing techniques. This paper focuses on location quotient methods and proposes a new formula for estimating regional input coefficients. This explicit formula enables the measurement of the impact of primary inputs (including imports) on the coefficient estimation. To validate the proposed method, the multi-regional input-output table for Korea in 2015 and the Figaro database were used. The results of the investigation confirm the effectiveness of the approach.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the spatial effects of shared road and rail corridors on the attractiveness of African economies. Using spatial econometric techniques, we analyse data from 40 sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2000–2021. The results reveal that the presence of a shared rail corridor in one country increases inward foreign direct investment (FDI) not only in that country but also in neighbouring countries. These findings support the promotion of regional transport infrastructure as a means to reduce freight transport costs. Additionally, the results highlight the need to strengthen governance and modernise public administrations to enhance the overall attractiveness of African economies.

ABSTRACT This paper explores how regions can catalyse behavioural change and nurture cultures of possibility. ‘Possibility’ refers to emergent patterns of human behaviour resulting in alternative and improved outcomes for citizens and their regions. Drawing on concepts from behavioural economics, complexity economics and behavioural economic geography, the paper provides a comprehensive understanding of the behavioural factors underpinning regional development. Utilising these concepts, it develops a behavioural theoretical framework to explain the important role played by possibility for regional development. In particular, it is proposed that the nature of the decision-making capabilities of citizens, and the choice architectures shaping these decisions, are crucial to regional development. It is concluded that policies focused on improving decision-making and choice architectures will promote innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship within and across regions.