Who This Book is For

Get the comprehensive grounding you need. This is the handbook you wish someone had given you on day one.

You’re starting your career in economic development—perhaps straight from university, or transitioning from another field. You’re enthusiastic, talented, and facing a steep learning curve.

You need:

• ✓ Comprehensive grounding in core concepts and approaches
• ✓ Understanding of how different activities connect
• ✓ Frameworks for thinking strategically about your work
• ✓ Credible evidence to support your recommendations
• ✓ Knowledge of what works (and why other approaches fail)

What You’ll Get from This Handbook

Part I (Foundations) helps you understand the rationale for place-based approaches and the economic theory underpinning practice.

Part II (Core Delivery Areas) gives you breadth across all eight disciplines—enterprise, skills, inclusion, place-making, climate, FDI, sectors, and evaluation.

Part III (Practical Lessons) prepares you for the reality of implementation—politics, stakeholder management, and delivery challenges.

Your Next Steps

1. Download the first chapter free to see if the style and depth work for you
2. Get your copy (paperback recommended for note-taking and annotation)
3. Join Economic Development World to connect with other practitioners

Gain depth on topics outside your current specialism. Get frameworks for integrated thinking and evidence to support your recommendations.

You’ve been working in economic development for years. You’re effective in your current role but recognize that the field is broader than your current specialism.

Perhaps you focus on business support but need to understand skills planning. Or you manage FDI but want to contribute to inclusive growth strategy. Or you know your region well but need frameworks for strategic thinking.

You need:

• ✓ Depth on topics outside your current expertise
• ✓ Frameworks for integrated thinking across silos
• ✓ Evidence to support cross-cutting strategies
• ✓ Understanding of how your work connects to wider objectives
• ✓ Tools for having strategic conversations with senior leaders

What You’ll Get from This Handbook

Breadth to complement your depth. Part II covers all eight core disciplines with sufficient depth to make you conversant, even if you’re not specialist.

Integration frameworks. Cross-references throughout show how different activities connect—essential for developing coherent strategies.

Evidence base. Each chapter includes research findings and citations you can use to support recommendations to senior leaders.

Strategic thinking tools. Frameworks for analyzing your region’s challenges and opportunities, developing theories of change, and designing effective interventions.

Your Next Steps

This handbook becomes most valuable when combined with peer discussion and continuous learning:

1. Get your copy (hardcover recommended for desk reference)
2. Join Economic Development World to discuss applications with peers
3. Use both resources to deepen expertise while maintaining breadth

[Get Your Copy →] [Join Economic Development World →]

Understand what economic development can realistically achieve and what it requires to succeed. Make informed decisions without becoming a practitioner yourself.

You’re responsible for economic development strategy and resource allocation—perhaps as a Director, Council Leader, Combined Authority Mayor, or LEP Board member.

Economic development may not be your only responsibility, or even your primary expertise. But you need to make informed decisions about strategy, resources, and delivery.

You need to understand:

• ✓ What economic development can realistically achieve
• ✓ What conditions and resources enable success
• ✓ How to assess strategy quality and delivery capability
• ✓ What questions to ask when reviewing proposals
• ✓ How different interventions connect and reinforce each other

What You’ll Get from This Handbook

Realistic expectations. Chapter 13 on implementation explains why good strategies often fail and what’s needed for success. This helps you set achievable objectives and hold teams accountable.

Quality assessment frameworks. You’ll learn to distinguish evidence-based strategy from box-ticking exercises, and effective programmes from well-intentioned but ineffective initiatives.

Strategic questions. Each chapter includes frameworks for reviewing proposals in that area—what to look for, what questions to ask, what red flags indicate problems.

Integration understanding. Part II shows how different interventions connect, helping you avoid siloed thinking and recognize when strategies need integration.

How to Use This Handbook

You don’t need to read cover-to-cover. Instead:

• Part I gives fundamental concepts (2-3 hours)
• Reference Part II chapters when reviewing specific programmes
• Use Part III when addressing delivery challenges
• Keep on desk for reviewing strategies and business cases

Beyond the Handbook

For ongoing strategic support, consider retained advisory services. Get expertise without permanent overhead, continuity without procurement delays.

[Get Your Copy →] [Explore Advisory Services →]

Connect academic knowledge to real-world practice. See how theory translates into delivery across hundreds of real projects.

You’re studying economics, geography, urban planning, or public policy. You understand academic theory but want to know how it applies in practice.

Or you’re researching regional development and need practitioner perspectives to complement academic literature.

You need:

• ✓ Links between theory and practice
• ✓ Real-world examples showing how concepts apply
• ✓ Understanding of implementation challenges
• ✓ Practitioner perspectives on what works
• ✓ Case studies from UK regional development

What You’ll Get from This Handbook

Theory-practice integration. Part I connects economic theory to practical application, showing how concepts like agglomeration economies, market failures, and institutional economics inform real interventions.

Rich case studies. Examples throughout from Combined Authorities, LEPs, and councils across the UK, plus international comparisons.

Implementation reality. Academic literature often ignores delivery challenges. This handbook addresses politics, stakeholder management, resource constraints, and institutional barriers.

Current practice. Written by an active practitioner, reflecting 2025 policy landscape and contemporary approaches.

Evidence base. Each chapter includes extensive references linking to academic literature, policy documents, and evaluation reports.

[Get Your Copy →] 

Equip your entire team with shared frameworks and common language for integrated delivery.

You’re responsible for team performance—perhaps leading an economic development team, managing a Combined Authority directorate, or building capability in a council or LEP.

Your team has individual expertise but lacks shared frameworks. Strategy development is fragmented. Different team members speak different professional languages. Integration is difficult.

You need:

• ✓ Common foundational knowledge across your team
• ✓ Shared frameworks for strategy and delivery
• ✓ Integrated thinking across traditional silos
• ✓ Professional development that builds collective capability
• ✓ Resources that support continuous learning

What You’ll Get from This Handbook

Shared knowledge base. When everyone reads the same handbook, teams develop common language and frameworks. This dramatically improves collaboration and integration.

Professional development foundation. Use as basis for:

• Team reading groups and discussions
• Strategy development workshops
• New staff onboarding
• Continuous professional development
• Performance conversations

Integration enabler. The handbook’s cross-cutting approach helps teams think beyond silos and recognize connections.

Bulk Order Benefits

Order for your entire team:

• 5+ copies: 15% discount
• 10+ copies: 25% discount
• 20+ copies: 35% discount + free workshop

Organizational Membership Option

Combine handbooks with Economic Development World organizational membership (15 members) for complete capability-building solution.

Custom Workshop Available

Glenn can facilitate a workshop with your team to apply handbook frameworks to your specific context, challenges, and opportunities.

[Contact for Bulk Order →] [Request Team Workshop →]