Unlocking public procurement as a tool for place-based industrial strategy

Abstract

Recent market volatilities and disruptions have highlighted the perils of industrial atrophy and spatial inequality within advanced economies. Despite growing interest in lifting regional economic performance, entrenched neo-classical frameworks limit the extent of effective government intervention. This paper aims to ameliorate the tension between the free market focus on least-cost procurement and broader requirements for regeneration. Based on our literature review, we propose a novel framework recommending public procurement processes monetarize the significant and overlooked value of domestic investment within advanced manufacturing clusters. The financial benefits of such a strategic place-based approach are likely to be greatest in lagging regions.