Directionality and subsidiarity : sustainability challenges in regional development policy
Grillitsch, Markus LU
; Coenen, Lars
LU
and Morgan, Kevin
(2025)
In Regional Studies
59(1).
- Abstract
This paper investigates how regional development policy can combine directionality in addressing societal challenges with subsidiarity, emphasising local participation and engagement. We revisit the theoretical foundations of the ‘entrepreneurial discovery process’ as the main mechanism for local engagement in current European Union regional policy frameworks. In its place, we propose an alternative theory of change with purposive collective action at its centre and discuss (1) how it differs from the entrepreneurial discovery process in terms of opportunity framings, scope for agency and balancing directionality with subsidiarity; and (2) why it is more effective in fostering sustainable regional transformations.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/39bdefb5-5c59-4aa0-b5af-cf9a1cacdfbb
- author
- Grillitsch, Markus
LU
; Coenen, Lars
LU
and Morgan, Kevin
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- discovery process, policy agency, regional development, regional development policy, Smart Specialisation, sustainability transitions
- in
- Regional Studies
- volume
- 59
- issue
- 1
- article number
- 2492171
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105004826294
- ISSN
- 0034-3404
- DOI
- 10.1080/00343404.2025.2492171
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 39bdefb5-5c59-4aa0-b5af-cf9a1cacdfbb
- date added to LUP
- 2025-09-19 14:59:20
- date last changed
- 2025-10-14 13:25:09
@article{39bdefb5-5c59-4aa0-b5af-cf9a1cacdfbb,
abstract = {{<p>This paper investigates how regional development policy can combine directionality in addressing societal challenges with subsidiarity, emphasising local participation and engagement. We revisit the theoretical foundations of the ‘entrepreneurial discovery process’ as the main mechanism for local engagement in current European Union regional policy frameworks. In its place, we propose an alternative theory of change with purposive collective action at its centre and discuss (1) how it differs from the entrepreneurial discovery process in terms of opportunity framings, scope for agency and balancing directionality with subsidiarity; and (2) why it is more effective in fostering sustainable regional transformations.</p>}},
author = {{Grillitsch, Markus and Coenen, Lars and Morgan, Kevin}},
issn = {{0034-3404}},
keywords = {{discovery process; policy agency; regional development; regional development policy; Smart Specialisation; sustainability transitions}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Regional Studies}},
title = {{Directionality and subsidiarity : sustainability challenges in regional development policy}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2025.2492171}},
doi = {{10.1080/00343404.2025.2492171}},
volume = {{59}},
year = {{2025}},
}