The Growth and Restructuring of Metropolitan Economies The Context for Economic Development Policy

Abstract

The broad economic and spatial restructuring of metropolitan economies provide the context for formulating economic development policy in the United States. The diversity of experience among the one hundred metropolitan areas studied and the weak economic performance of many central cities reinforce the need to carefully target economic development strategies to reflect local comparative advantage. Combined with the relative vitality of lower density locations and the almost universal strength of service oriented industries, changing economic conditions also indicate a role for relocation and retraining programs to help displaced workers relocate to places with expanding job opportunities and to attain the skills required by growing economic sectors.