University of Cambridge
Long-Run Growth Dynamics of British Cities and their Role in the Economy
Abstract
dc:description.abstractThis thesis examines the economic development and evolution of British cities since the 1970s. Outside of the introduction and conclusion, it is comprised of six papers, most published jointly as journal articles through work on two ESRC-funded projects, How Regions React to Recession: Resilience, Hysteresis and Long Run Impacts (Grant ES/1035811/1) and Structural Transformation, Adaptability and City Economic Evolutions (Grant ES/N006135/1). What binds the papers together, aside from their focus on different aspects of the development of British cities, is a database constructed to undertake the empirical analysis. The cities covered by the research are defined as a set of (high-population) Travel-To-Work-Areas, which are functional labour market areas defined on commuting boundaries and thresholds. What makes the database unique is both its extensive time dimension, and the range of economic indicators that have been developed to underpin the different dimensions of the research, each of which is addressed in the following chapters. Growing Apart - Structural Transformation and the Uneven Development of British Cities summarises how cities have evolved since the 1970s, and the role that sectoral change has had in their growth and decline. Reviving the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ and Spatially Rebalancing the British Economy discusses the role of cities in the ‘north-south divide’ and the emerging policies to address the perceived under-performance of northern cities. The City Dimension of the Productivity Growth Puzzle looks at the national productivity slowdown through a city lens, in particular the role played by structural change. In Search of the Skilled City investigates the role of human capital in cities and how high-skilled labour is linked to different types and geographies of urban development. Finally, The Resilience of Cities to Economic Shocks examines how cities have responded in times of recession, and how this affects their long-run performance, before looking forward to the potential impact of Brexit as the next shock on the horizon.
Degree
thesis:*- Name dc:type.qualificationname
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Level dc:type.qualificationlevel
- Doctoral
- Grantor dc:publisher.institution
- University of Cambridge
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2019
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Gardiner, Benjamin
- Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Martin, Ronald
Subjects
dc:subject × 10Rights
dc:rightsIdentifiers
dc:identifier.*- DOI dc:identifier.doi
- https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.51666
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/304584