Competing Regional Development Discourses: Conceptual Foundations, and the Recent Evidence

Abstract

Regional development theories have undergone significant transformation in recent decades, reflecting global shifts in economic regimes. Traditional models centred on industrialisation through large enterprises and state transfers to disadvantaged regions have gradually given way to approaches emphasising endogenous capacities, innovation, and knowledge creation. This paper reviews the conceptual foundations and competing paradigms of regional development, and evaluates their relevance to recent growth patterns in Turkey. Drawing on panel data for 81 provinces from 2005 to 2008, the study compares the explanatory power of three approaches: state support, development driven by local dynamics, and knowledge-based economy. The findings highlight the growing importance of endogenous factors in explaining regional disparities and provide insights into how contemporary theories apply to the Turkish context.