Blue Banana dynamics and the perspective of its edges

Capoani, Luigi, Lakócai, Csaba, Imbesi, Cristoforo and Van Veen, Violetta ORCID: 0009-0000-2402-980X (2024) Blue Banana dynamics and the perspective of its edges. European Spatial Research and Policy, 31 (2). 95 - 130. ISSN 1231-1952

Text (95-130_Capoani_i_in) - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (2MB)

Abstract

This paper investigates the positioning of the UK and Northern Italy within the Blue Banana, which the literature considers as the productive core of Europe. We compare the main economic characteristics of the two regions with the rest of the Blue Banana by analysing several indicators, ranging from urbanisation and infrastructure development to unemployment, productivity, competitiveness, and attractiveness. Based on our findings, in terms of population, urbanisation, and infrastructure, the Blue Banana and the two edges are still an integral part of Europe’s core. However, in terms of employment structure, productivity, competitiveness and attractiveness, its significance can be questioned due to the weaker performance of Northern Italy and the negative effects of Brexit.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© by the author, licensee Łódź University – Łódź University Press, Łódź, Poland
Divisions:	International Inequalities Institute
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor
JEL classification:	R - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R11 - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, and Changes R - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R12 - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade R - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics > R5 - Regional Government Analysis > R58 - Regional Development Policy F - International Economics > F1 - Trade > F15 - Economic Integration O - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O18 - Regional, Urban, and Rural Analyses J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Time Allocation, Work Behavior, and Employment Determination and Creation; Human Capital; Retirement > J21 - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Time Allocation, Work Behavior, and Employment Determination and Creation; Human Capital; Retirement > J24 - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
Date Deposited:	28 Mar 2025 12:42
Last Modified:	02 Apr 2025 14:00
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/127678

Actions (login required)

View Item