Nikos is an Assistant Professor in Economic Geography, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen. Nikos is an economic geographer with a background in political economy approach to uneven geographical development, labour geography, geographical restructuring of production, and spatial organisation and socio-economic change. Previously, he has been a Research Associate at Cardiff Business School, studying structural issues of the Welsh economy. Nikos holds a BSc in Planning and Regional Development from the University of Thessaly, an MSc in European Regional Development Studies from the University of Thessaly, and an MRes in Regional Studies from the University of Groningen. He was awarded his PhD in Economic Geography in the School of Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol. Nikos’ work has been published in international top-ranked journals, such as Geoforum and European Planning Studies. He is a Regional Studies Association Fellow and received the commendation for the Best Young Scientist Paper in the 4th Pan-Hellenic Congress of Urbanism, Spatial Planning and Regional Development in 2015. Address: 3 Colum Dr, Cardiff
This paper examines the transformative potential of inward investment on cluster development. It ... more This paper examines the transformative potential of inward investment on cluster development. It undertakes this through the lens of the evolving semiconductor cluster in South Wales (UK) and within a context whereby the semiconductor industry is under pressure with government interventions to improve prospects being implemented at a time of increasing global tension in the industry. The paper reveals the potential of inward investors as agents of regional economic change and cluster development. It shows that the emerging South Wales cluster distinguishes itself in terms of investment motivation, commodities and services produced. These factors result in growing embeddedness in relation to elements such as joint research with higher education and intra-firm collaboration to develop new products and processes. The paper concludes that investments based on risky and fast-changing technologies in industries such as the semiconductor sector necessarily create challenges for policy makers. These are best managed by placing greater emphasis on developing the conditions to satisfy the needs of such knowledge-intensive industries in relation to labour market conditions, factor conditions and market access.
This paper conceptualizes trade fairs as complex socio-spatial phenomena, which are constantly tr... more This paper conceptualizes trade fairs as complex socio-spatial phenomena, which are constantly transformed, following socio-economic change, and reflect aspects of social and urban life. Methodologically, we apply a longitudinal systematic comparative analysis of historical fair evolution between international practice and the case of the city of Thessaloniki, exploring convergence and divergence, throughout the historical evolution of the city. It is showed that Thessaloniki fair exhibits similarities and differences vis-à-vis the international practice, with these linking to the socio-economic conditions of the city. Fair activity in Thessaloniki exhibits a time lag in integration of international practices, while incorporating economic, social, cultural and political dimensions. Particularly within the conditions of the 2008 global economic crisis, Thessaloniki fair emerges as a hybrid model that combines fairs’ strategies and social and urban practices with aspects of pre-modern, modern, and post-modern fair forms, significantly influenced by the historical evolution of the urban context.
The successive crises of the 21st century (2008/2009 global recession, COVID-19) have significant... more The successive crises of the 21st century (2008/2009 global recession, COVID-19) have significantly affected the organisation of work and increased the flexibilisation and precarisation of labour, reflecting the changing needs of capital accumulation. Although employment reorganisation is unevenly distributed across space, the link between labour precarisation and cities or regions has not been studied in depth, with most research efforts focusing on the national scale. This article enriches the emerging literature for composite indices of labour market change by constructing an index of labour precarity at the regional scale. It estimates the very Flexible Contractual Arrangements Composite Index in the NUTS2 regions of the European Union from 2008 to 2020 to provide a comparative analysis of the impact of the global recession of 2008/2009 and the initial implications of COVID-19. The findings highlight a persistent division between peripheral and core regions. High precarity is a persistent feature of less developed regions, although it is also increasing significantly in urbanised, economically advanced regions. As found, the degree of labour precarity of a regional labour market is the complex result of national factors as well as regional characteristics such as specialisation, remoteness, path dependency, and local institutional practises and population dynamics.
Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie (Journal of Economic and Human Geography), 2023
This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the investment flows from Greek to Bulgarian region... more This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the investment flows from Greek to Bulgarian regions against the context of COVID-19. Employing a mixed research method, it investigates the initial impact of COVID-19 on regional FDI flows from Greece to Bulgaria and intends to explore to which extent the pandemic acts as an impediment to firm relocation, by examining regional investment flows from 2013 to 2020. The effects of the COVID-19 macroeconomic shock are placed in the context of the existing conditions shaped by the 2008 global economic crisis. The paper also attempts to provide a critical insight of factors underlying investment flows. The results indicate that there was a limited investment halt but no disinvestment from the Greek to Bulgarian regions in the first year of the COVID-19 outbreak. Low and stable taxation, cheap labour and efficient regulatory regime attract Greek investments in Bulgaria.
This paper examines the relationship between young individuals that are Not in Employment, Educat... more This paper examines the relationship between young individuals that are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs) and regional resilience across the Mediterranean European Union South. It attempts a significant contribution to the literature since academic readings on youth studies have partly overlooked potential interlinkages with regional resilience, while regional studies have neglected to assess the resilience of the young cohorts of the labour force. The paper builds on a geographical political economy approach and employs a mixed-research method, calculating regional resistance and recovery indices and drawing upon informed expert interviews. It scrutinises labour market resilience in terms of youth employment and NEETs against the 2007/08 crisis and documents which regions have been (less) resistant to youth unemployment and inactivity. Thereupon, it locates four factors of low resilience in regional youth labour markets, namely structural deficiencies, path-dependence, labour market segmentation and informal practices.
Youth unemployment and precarity have been expanding in the aftermath of the recent Global Recess... more Youth unemployment and precarity have been expanding in the aftermath of the recent Global Recession. This paper offers a theoretically informed empirical examination of the spatio-temporally uneven expansion of young people 'Not in Employment, Education or Training' (NEETs) between 2008 and 2018 in the EU South, namely in Italy, Spain, Greece and Cyprus. This paper contributes to the growing literature on youth inactivity and marginalization, by focusing on the spatial, rather than just the temporal dimension of youth which marks most relevant studies. The analysis engages with the concept of 'youthspaces' to critically analyze the economic, social and political spatialities that determine the dynamic relationship between youth and the labor market, and discuss the persistently high NEET rate in the EU South. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we highlight that gender, class, education and economic growth are key socio-spatial factors that determine the geographically uneven expansion of NEETs across the study regions.
The 2007/08 capitalist crisis severely affected the socioeconomic conditions in the majority of t... more The 2007/08 capitalist crisis severely affected the socioeconomic conditions in the majority of the developed economies. In the spatially uneven mosaic of the crisis' effects, the EU peripheral economies recorded deep recession. This paper explains why Greece is the EU country that was most acutely affected, seeking to theorize the political economy of crisis evolution. It does so, by adopting a Marxist perspective on the crisis in Greece to examine the interplay of base (structures) with superstructure (institutions), linking production with society, culture, regulation, and politics. It highlights the specificities of the Greek political economy and the particularities of the application of the neoliberal project in Greece.
Background: Government responses to the pandemic varied in terms of timing, duration, and stringe... more Background: Government responses to the pandemic varied in terms of timing, duration, and stringency, seeking to protect healthcare systems, whose pre-pandemic state varied significantly. Therefore, the severity of Covid-19 and, thus, excess mortality have been unequal across counties. This paper explores the geography of excess mortality and its underlying factors in 2020, highlighting the effects of health policies pre-pandemic and strategies devised by governments to cope with Covid-19. Methods: Excess mortality is estimated for 79 high, medium and low-income countries. The factors of excess mortality are examined employing median quantile regression analysis. Results: Health privatization, healthcare underfunding, and late implementation of containment and mitigation strategies were powerful drivers of excess mortality. By contrast, the results suggest a negative association of excess mortality with health expenditure, number of doctors and hospital beds, share of population covered by health insurance and test and trace capacity. Conclusions: The evidence highlights the importance of sufficiently funded healthcare systems with universal access and strong primary healthcare in the battle against the pandemic. An early response to Covid-19, including borders' controls and a strong test and trace capacity, could improve epidemiological surveillance and minimize excess mortality, with stringent and lengthy lockdowns not providing a significant benefit.
The paper examines the funding of Welsh voluntary sector organisations (VSOs), in terms of income... more The paper examines the funding of Welsh voluntary sector organisations (VSOs), in terms of income source and type, in the aftermath of the 2007-08 global economic crisis, seeking to explore marketisation trends. A detailed examination of voluntary sector income from 2010-11, at the beginning of the austerity period, to 2016-17, the financial year with the latest available figures, provides valuable insights to both academic and policy inquiry about VSOs and their financial resilience. Several works have examined the voluntary sector funding in the aftermath of the 2007-08 economic crisis (Osborne, 2012; Clifford, 2017). Osborne (2012) indicated that Scottish charities reacted positively to the effects of the recession, with Scottish Government funding increases compensating for the decline in voluntary donations. Clifford (2017) showed that English and Welsh charities’ income had significantly declined from 2008 to 2014. This paper provides some insights into how VSOs might respond to the current economic conditions affecting the Welsh economy.
Previous research has examined geographical variations in SME access to external finance, especia... more Previous research has examined geographical variations in SME access to external finance, especially bank loans. Rather less attention has been paid to how far SME equity access difficulties in more peripheral regions, and cities within these regions, is a demand or supply side issue, and how far equity investments are concentrated in specific urban areas in peripheral regions. This paper examines these topics through an analysis of small firm equity deals across the UK regions, before focusing on the case of the Welsh economy. In the case analysis a low equilibrium for small business equity investment in Wales is identified, with low demand and poor supply of equity, but with a relatively high concentration of equity deals in the Cardiff urban area. The paper examines the potential implications of a low equity equilibrium and provides a challenge for further research in the area.
In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current... more In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current socioeconomic system. One of them is competition. A specific field that competition has spread is geography; i.e. competition among territorial units (cities, regions or states). There are scholars who defend it and scholars who criticize it. This paper focuses on the overview of these opinions and on the weak issues of territorial competition which show its incoherence. Within this context, and through a broader study over the behaviour of a firm and a territory, the cases of Greece and Dubai present remarkable interest regarding their behaviour under bad economic performance and its comparison with the behaviour of a firm, particularly in case of default.
This paper studies firm relocation in the global financial crisis of 2007 and the impact of reloc... more This paper studies firm relocation in the global financial crisis of 2007 and the impact of relocation on business performance. Specifically, the paper examines the post-crisis relocation of SMEs from Greece to Bulgaria based on original insights by a survey of 103 Greek SMEs in Bulgaria. The research outcomes enrich the existing analytical tools on firm mobility. Firm relocation was perceived as a necessity. Contrary to literature findings, labour cost did not significantly influence firm exit from Greece, the level of demand was more important compared with literature findings and access to external finance emerged as a significant factor. Low taxation and geographical proximity to Greece proved to be significant in attracting the Greek businesspeople to Bulgaria. The impact of relocation on business performance was important, as the low operational cost in Bulgaria allowed many companies to survive, especially these that were owned by entrepreneurs who made changes internal to their firms. By contrast, businesspeople who overlooked such reforms, went bankrupt and closed their companies in Bulgaria.
This paper focuses on the way that the current economic crisis affects firm mobility
trends, its ... more This paper focuses on the way that the current economic crisis affects firm mobility trends, its broader incentives and the elements of the economic and institutional framework that determine firm relocation. In achieving the research objectives, a comparative analysis of firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria in the pre- and post-crisis period is employed. Greece constitutes a notable case in examining the impacts of the crisis on socio-economic phenomena, given that the Greek economy has been severely affected by the economic turmoil. Firstly, it is indicated that the crisis accelerates firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria. Secondly, the largest part of firm owners in the post-crisis period move their corporations striving for maintaining business, whereas in the pre-crisis period many entrepreneurs aimed at expanding markets and reducing operational cost. Finally, the crisis has impacted on the degree of importance of elements of the economic and institutional environment that affect firm mobility. Crucial changes are observed in respect of labour cost, level of demand whilst access to external finance emerges as a critical firm relocation factor.
Applied Econometrics and International Development 13.2, 57-72., Sep 2013
In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current... more In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current socio-economic system. One of them is competition. A specific field that competition has spread is geography; i.e. competition among territorial units (cities, regions or states). There are scholars who defend it and scholars who criticize it. This paper focuses on the overview of these opinions and on the weak issues of territorial competition which show its incoherence. Within this context, and through a broader study over the behaviour of a firm and a territory, the cases of Greece and Dubai present remarkable interest regarding their behaviour under bad economic performance and its comparison with the behaviour of a firm, particularly in case of default.
The expansive nature of the dominant socio-economic model lead to the current globalized economy ... more The expansive nature of the dominant socio-economic model lead to the current globalized economy based on open borders, laws of open market and integration of local economic systems. This has as central component the establishment of supranational institutional forms (such as European Union). Economic integration combined with open market’s function did not result in elimination of inequalities. Forecasted convergence was far from reached. Historically, in some regions local populations developed ethnically premised movements in order to defend their local identity and culture and promote their relative economic position. Emanating out of an array of distinct ethnic, cultural, religious, societal and economic backgrounds, in many cases such localist movements looked down on their central state government and national institutions and aspired towards the development of alternative localist institutions arrangements. This paper examines the complex inter-determinations between localist movements and regional inequalities, the type and function of the emerging inter-relationships, and their resulting impacts on the acuteness of the two sets of phenomena examined. Negotiating between contrasting theoretical claims we shall examine the evolution of specific localist movements in relation to regional inequalities of broader areas in which they appear. We centre our case studies on the dual sets of Castilla – Catalonia and Flanders – Wallonia, whereby in Catalonia, Walloon and Flanders there have developed strong localist movements.
In December 2008 highly unusual social developments and processes took place in Greece. Amountin... more In December 2008 highly unusual social developments and processes took place in Greece. Amounting to a social uprising and youth revolt these followed distinct and, perhaps, quite unexpected spatial patterns, which in turn are revelatory of the movement’s differential impact of future spatial and financial development. The murder of 15 year old Alexis by a policeman in the 6th of December was the reason for the explosion of a social phenomenon which condensed the citizens’ anger and transubstantiated in the youth revolt. The most expected possibility would be that the reactions and the reflexives of the people would be activated only in Athens, the capital of Greece. Instead, the reaction expanded immediately all over the country as well as in a number of other countries all over the world. The reason of the murder brought up the global reaction, indignation and anger of wide sections of society against its causes: poverty, government repression, exploitation, the structural crisis of the present phase of capitalist accumulation, the continuous deterioration life conditions. The phenomenon’s spread in the whole country. The paper will examine the spatial patters of its development the phenomenon of Greek universities engaging in the movement and affecting its spatial distribution, the spatial linkages enabling its chain expansion across the country and the solidarity towards the revolt expressed abroad. This is compared with past cases of social revolt in different places and times. Also there will be an analysis of the damages’ and destructions’ impact on the local economy and development and furthermore the connection between this situation, in interaction with the crisis, and the economy of Greece. Some socio-spatial traits enhancing or defusing, spreading or deepening, a social uprising’s manifestation might then be suggested. This paper is trying to show the strict connection between the social phenomena that they appear in time and their spatial development. In history, many intense social phenomena have taken place, from social movements until social revolts and revolutions, which the realization and the growth of them had as essential component their spread in the space.
Ανάμεσα στην εμπειριοκρατία του Χιουμ και τον ιδεαλισμό του Καντ εισέρχεται η Μαρξιακή προσέγγιση... more Ανάμεσα στην εμπειριοκρατία του Χιουμ και τον ιδεαλισμό του Καντ εισέρχεται η Μαρξιακή προσέγγιση του χώρου και της υπόστασής του με κύριους εκφραστές της τον Καρλ Μαρξ – Φρίντριχ Έγκελς και αργότερα τον Ενρύ Λεφέβρ. Η προσέγγιση που δίνουν είναι μια προσπάθεια υπέρβασης του χάσματος μεταξύ ιδεαλισμού και εμπειριοκρατίας και γεφύρωσής του μέσω της ανάδειξης μίας νέας θεώρησης πάνω στο χώρο. Η βασική, προοπτική της μαρξιακής θεωρίας για την ανάλυση του χώρου είναι η έννοια του καταμερισμού της εργασίας στα διάφορα στάδια εξέλιξης της διαδικασίας παραγωγής. Εφόσον γνωρίζουμε ότι η βασική προοπτική της θεώρησης της ανθρώπινης κοινωνίας δεν είναι άλλη από την ανάλυση των διαδοχικών μορφών οικονομικής και κοινωνικής οργάνωσης στα διάφορα στάδια της εξέλιξης της ανθρωπότητας, αρκεί να δούμε σε ποιο τρόπο παραγωγής (mode de production) η χωρική οργάνωση των παραγωγικών δραστηριοτήτων λαμβάνει ιδιαίτερη σημασία για την διαλεκτική αντίθεση παραγωγικών δυνάμεων και παραγωγικών σχέσεων.
The novel coronavirus COVID-19 was brought to the global spotlight in early 2020 and has already ... more The novel coronavirus COVID-19 was brought to the global spotlight in early 2020 and has already had significant impacts on daily life, while the effects could last for a long period. However, these impacts appear to have been regionally differentiated, since similar to previous pandemics , geography plays an important role in viruses' diffusion. This paper enriches our knowledge about the initial territorial impact of the pandemic, from January to May 2020, studying the spread of COVID-19 across 119 regional economies in nine EU countries and explaining its underlying factors. Air quality, demographics, global interconnec-tedness, urbanization trends, historic trends in health expenditure as well as the policies implemented to mitigate the pandemic were found to have influenced the regionally uneven mortality rate of COVID-19.
This paper presents a socioeconomic analysis of small and medium-sized
entrepreneurs’ migration, ... more This paper presents a socioeconomic analysis of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs’ migration, based on the differentiation of the social, economic, and institutional conditions. It examines the relocation of small and medium-sized companies from Greece to Bulgaria, comparing the socioeconomic frameworks in the two countries before and after the 2007 global economic crisis. The author adopts the conceptual framework of variegated capitalism, in order to interpret distinct political economies, analysing business decisions for relocation. The analysis draws upon original data collected from a fieldwork conducted in Bulgaria in 2014.
This paper examines the transformative potential of inward investment on cluster development. It ... more This paper examines the transformative potential of inward investment on cluster development. It undertakes this through the lens of the evolving semiconductor cluster in South Wales (UK) and within a context whereby the semiconductor industry is under pressure with government interventions to improve prospects being implemented at a time of increasing global tension in the industry. The paper reveals the potential of inward investors as agents of regional economic change and cluster development. It shows that the emerging South Wales cluster distinguishes itself in terms of investment motivation, commodities and services produced. These factors result in growing embeddedness in relation to elements such as joint research with higher education and intra-firm collaboration to develop new products and processes. The paper concludes that investments based on risky and fast-changing technologies in industries such as the semiconductor sector necessarily create challenges for policy makers. These are best managed by placing greater emphasis on developing the conditions to satisfy the needs of such knowledge-intensive industries in relation to labour market conditions, factor conditions and market access.
This paper conceptualizes trade fairs as complex socio-spatial phenomena, which are constantly tr... more This paper conceptualizes trade fairs as complex socio-spatial phenomena, which are constantly transformed, following socio-economic change, and reflect aspects of social and urban life. Methodologically, we apply a longitudinal systematic comparative analysis of historical fair evolution between international practice and the case of the city of Thessaloniki, exploring convergence and divergence, throughout the historical evolution of the city. It is showed that Thessaloniki fair exhibits similarities and differences vis-à-vis the international practice, with these linking to the socio-economic conditions of the city. Fair activity in Thessaloniki exhibits a time lag in integration of international practices, while incorporating economic, social, cultural and political dimensions. Particularly within the conditions of the 2008 global economic crisis, Thessaloniki fair emerges as a hybrid model that combines fairs’ strategies and social and urban practices with aspects of pre-modern, modern, and post-modern fair forms, significantly influenced by the historical evolution of the urban context.
The successive crises of the 21st century (2008/2009 global recession, COVID-19) have significant... more The successive crises of the 21st century (2008/2009 global recession, COVID-19) have significantly affected the organisation of work and increased the flexibilisation and precarisation of labour, reflecting the changing needs of capital accumulation. Although employment reorganisation is unevenly distributed across space, the link between labour precarisation and cities or regions has not been studied in depth, with most research efforts focusing on the national scale. This article enriches the emerging literature for composite indices of labour market change by constructing an index of labour precarity at the regional scale. It estimates the very Flexible Contractual Arrangements Composite Index in the NUTS2 regions of the European Union from 2008 to 2020 to provide a comparative analysis of the impact of the global recession of 2008/2009 and the initial implications of COVID-19. The findings highlight a persistent division between peripheral and core regions. High precarity is a persistent feature of less developed regions, although it is also increasing significantly in urbanised, economically advanced regions. As found, the degree of labour precarity of a regional labour market is the complex result of national factors as well as regional characteristics such as specialisation, remoteness, path dependency, and local institutional practises and population dynamics.
Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie (Journal of Economic and Human Geography), 2023
This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the investment flows from Greek to Bulgarian region... more This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the investment flows from Greek to Bulgarian regions against the context of COVID-19. Employing a mixed research method, it investigates the initial impact of COVID-19 on regional FDI flows from Greece to Bulgaria and intends to explore to which extent the pandemic acts as an impediment to firm relocation, by examining regional investment flows from 2013 to 2020. The effects of the COVID-19 macroeconomic shock are placed in the context of the existing conditions shaped by the 2008 global economic crisis. The paper also attempts to provide a critical insight of factors underlying investment flows. The results indicate that there was a limited investment halt but no disinvestment from the Greek to Bulgarian regions in the first year of the COVID-19 outbreak. Low and stable taxation, cheap labour and efficient regulatory regime attract Greek investments in Bulgaria.
This paper examines the relationship between young individuals that are Not in Employment, Educat... more This paper examines the relationship between young individuals that are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs) and regional resilience across the Mediterranean European Union South. It attempts a significant contribution to the literature since academic readings on youth studies have partly overlooked potential interlinkages with regional resilience, while regional studies have neglected to assess the resilience of the young cohorts of the labour force. The paper builds on a geographical political economy approach and employs a mixed-research method, calculating regional resistance and recovery indices and drawing upon informed expert interviews. It scrutinises labour market resilience in terms of youth employment and NEETs against the 2007/08 crisis and documents which regions have been (less) resistant to youth unemployment and inactivity. Thereupon, it locates four factors of low resilience in regional youth labour markets, namely structural deficiencies, path-dependence, labour market segmentation and informal practices.
Youth unemployment and precarity have been expanding in the aftermath of the recent Global Recess... more Youth unemployment and precarity have been expanding in the aftermath of the recent Global Recession. This paper offers a theoretically informed empirical examination of the spatio-temporally uneven expansion of young people 'Not in Employment, Education or Training' (NEETs) between 2008 and 2018 in the EU South, namely in Italy, Spain, Greece and Cyprus. This paper contributes to the growing literature on youth inactivity and marginalization, by focusing on the spatial, rather than just the temporal dimension of youth which marks most relevant studies. The analysis engages with the concept of 'youthspaces' to critically analyze the economic, social and political spatialities that determine the dynamic relationship between youth and the labor market, and discuss the persistently high NEET rate in the EU South. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we highlight that gender, class, education and economic growth are key socio-spatial factors that determine the geographically uneven expansion of NEETs across the study regions.
The 2007/08 capitalist crisis severely affected the socioeconomic conditions in the majority of t... more The 2007/08 capitalist crisis severely affected the socioeconomic conditions in the majority of the developed economies. In the spatially uneven mosaic of the crisis' effects, the EU peripheral economies recorded deep recession. This paper explains why Greece is the EU country that was most acutely affected, seeking to theorize the political economy of crisis evolution. It does so, by adopting a Marxist perspective on the crisis in Greece to examine the interplay of base (structures) with superstructure (institutions), linking production with society, culture, regulation, and politics. It highlights the specificities of the Greek political economy and the particularities of the application of the neoliberal project in Greece.
Background: Government responses to the pandemic varied in terms of timing, duration, and stringe... more Background: Government responses to the pandemic varied in terms of timing, duration, and stringency, seeking to protect healthcare systems, whose pre-pandemic state varied significantly. Therefore, the severity of Covid-19 and, thus, excess mortality have been unequal across counties. This paper explores the geography of excess mortality and its underlying factors in 2020, highlighting the effects of health policies pre-pandemic and strategies devised by governments to cope with Covid-19. Methods: Excess mortality is estimated for 79 high, medium and low-income countries. The factors of excess mortality are examined employing median quantile regression analysis. Results: Health privatization, healthcare underfunding, and late implementation of containment and mitigation strategies were powerful drivers of excess mortality. By contrast, the results suggest a negative association of excess mortality with health expenditure, number of doctors and hospital beds, share of population covered by health insurance and test and trace capacity. Conclusions: The evidence highlights the importance of sufficiently funded healthcare systems with universal access and strong primary healthcare in the battle against the pandemic. An early response to Covid-19, including borders' controls and a strong test and trace capacity, could improve epidemiological surveillance and minimize excess mortality, with stringent and lengthy lockdowns not providing a significant benefit.
The paper examines the funding of Welsh voluntary sector organisations (VSOs), in terms of income... more The paper examines the funding of Welsh voluntary sector organisations (VSOs), in terms of income source and type, in the aftermath of the 2007-08 global economic crisis, seeking to explore marketisation trends. A detailed examination of voluntary sector income from 2010-11, at the beginning of the austerity period, to 2016-17, the financial year with the latest available figures, provides valuable insights to both academic and policy inquiry about VSOs and their financial resilience. Several works have examined the voluntary sector funding in the aftermath of the 2007-08 economic crisis (Osborne, 2012; Clifford, 2017). Osborne (2012) indicated that Scottish charities reacted positively to the effects of the recession, with Scottish Government funding increases compensating for the decline in voluntary donations. Clifford (2017) showed that English and Welsh charities’ income had significantly declined from 2008 to 2014. This paper provides some insights into how VSOs might respond to the current economic conditions affecting the Welsh economy.
Previous research has examined geographical variations in SME access to external finance, especia... more Previous research has examined geographical variations in SME access to external finance, especially bank loans. Rather less attention has been paid to how far SME equity access difficulties in more peripheral regions, and cities within these regions, is a demand or supply side issue, and how far equity investments are concentrated in specific urban areas in peripheral regions. This paper examines these topics through an analysis of small firm equity deals across the UK regions, before focusing on the case of the Welsh economy. In the case analysis a low equilibrium for small business equity investment in Wales is identified, with low demand and poor supply of equity, but with a relatively high concentration of equity deals in the Cardiff urban area. The paper examines the potential implications of a low equity equilibrium and provides a challenge for further research in the area.
In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current... more In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current socioeconomic system. One of them is competition. A specific field that competition has spread is geography; i.e. competition among territorial units (cities, regions or states). There are scholars who defend it and scholars who criticize it. This paper focuses on the overview of these opinions and on the weak issues of territorial competition which show its incoherence. Within this context, and through a broader study over the behaviour of a firm and a territory, the cases of Greece and Dubai present remarkable interest regarding their behaviour under bad economic performance and its comparison with the behaviour of a firm, particularly in case of default.
This paper studies firm relocation in the global financial crisis of 2007 and the impact of reloc... more This paper studies firm relocation in the global financial crisis of 2007 and the impact of relocation on business performance. Specifically, the paper examines the post-crisis relocation of SMEs from Greece to Bulgaria based on original insights by a survey of 103 Greek SMEs in Bulgaria. The research outcomes enrich the existing analytical tools on firm mobility. Firm relocation was perceived as a necessity. Contrary to literature findings, labour cost did not significantly influence firm exit from Greece, the level of demand was more important compared with literature findings and access to external finance emerged as a significant factor. Low taxation and geographical proximity to Greece proved to be significant in attracting the Greek businesspeople to Bulgaria. The impact of relocation on business performance was important, as the low operational cost in Bulgaria allowed many companies to survive, especially these that were owned by entrepreneurs who made changes internal to their firms. By contrast, businesspeople who overlooked such reforms, went bankrupt and closed their companies in Bulgaria.
This paper focuses on the way that the current economic crisis affects firm mobility
trends, its ... more This paper focuses on the way that the current economic crisis affects firm mobility trends, its broader incentives and the elements of the economic and institutional framework that determine firm relocation. In achieving the research objectives, a comparative analysis of firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria in the pre- and post-crisis period is employed. Greece constitutes a notable case in examining the impacts of the crisis on socio-economic phenomena, given that the Greek economy has been severely affected by the economic turmoil. Firstly, it is indicated that the crisis accelerates firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria. Secondly, the largest part of firm owners in the post-crisis period move their corporations striving for maintaining business, whereas in the pre-crisis period many entrepreneurs aimed at expanding markets and reducing operational cost. Finally, the crisis has impacted on the degree of importance of elements of the economic and institutional environment that affect firm mobility. Crucial changes are observed in respect of labour cost, level of demand whilst access to external finance emerges as a critical firm relocation factor.
Applied Econometrics and International Development 13.2, 57-72., Sep 2013
In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current... more In the modern globalized economy there are some concepts which are very important for the current socio-economic system. One of them is competition. A specific field that competition has spread is geography; i.e. competition among territorial units (cities, regions or states). There are scholars who defend it and scholars who criticize it. This paper focuses on the overview of these opinions and on the weak issues of territorial competition which show its incoherence. Within this context, and through a broader study over the behaviour of a firm and a territory, the cases of Greece and Dubai present remarkable interest regarding their behaviour under bad economic performance and its comparison with the behaviour of a firm, particularly in case of default.
The expansive nature of the dominant socio-economic model lead to the current globalized economy ... more The expansive nature of the dominant socio-economic model lead to the current globalized economy based on open borders, laws of open market and integration of local economic systems. This has as central component the establishment of supranational institutional forms (such as European Union). Economic integration combined with open market’s function did not result in elimination of inequalities. Forecasted convergence was far from reached. Historically, in some regions local populations developed ethnically premised movements in order to defend their local identity and culture and promote their relative economic position. Emanating out of an array of distinct ethnic, cultural, religious, societal and economic backgrounds, in many cases such localist movements looked down on their central state government and national institutions and aspired towards the development of alternative localist institutions arrangements. This paper examines the complex inter-determinations between localist movements and regional inequalities, the type and function of the emerging inter-relationships, and their resulting impacts on the acuteness of the two sets of phenomena examined. Negotiating between contrasting theoretical claims we shall examine the evolution of specific localist movements in relation to regional inequalities of broader areas in which they appear. We centre our case studies on the dual sets of Castilla – Catalonia and Flanders – Wallonia, whereby in Catalonia, Walloon and Flanders there have developed strong localist movements.
In December 2008 highly unusual social developments and processes took place in Greece. Amountin... more In December 2008 highly unusual social developments and processes took place in Greece. Amounting to a social uprising and youth revolt these followed distinct and, perhaps, quite unexpected spatial patterns, which in turn are revelatory of the movement’s differential impact of future spatial and financial development. The murder of 15 year old Alexis by a policeman in the 6th of December was the reason for the explosion of a social phenomenon which condensed the citizens’ anger and transubstantiated in the youth revolt. The most expected possibility would be that the reactions and the reflexives of the people would be activated only in Athens, the capital of Greece. Instead, the reaction expanded immediately all over the country as well as in a number of other countries all over the world. The reason of the murder brought up the global reaction, indignation and anger of wide sections of society against its causes: poverty, government repression, exploitation, the structural crisis of the present phase of capitalist accumulation, the continuous deterioration life conditions. The phenomenon’s spread in the whole country. The paper will examine the spatial patters of its development the phenomenon of Greek universities engaging in the movement and affecting its spatial distribution, the spatial linkages enabling its chain expansion across the country and the solidarity towards the revolt expressed abroad. This is compared with past cases of social revolt in different places and times. Also there will be an analysis of the damages’ and destructions’ impact on the local economy and development and furthermore the connection between this situation, in interaction with the crisis, and the economy of Greece. Some socio-spatial traits enhancing or defusing, spreading or deepening, a social uprising’s manifestation might then be suggested. This paper is trying to show the strict connection between the social phenomena that they appear in time and their spatial development. In history, many intense social phenomena have taken place, from social movements until social revolts and revolutions, which the realization and the growth of them had as essential component their spread in the space.
Ανάμεσα στην εμπειριοκρατία του Χιουμ και τον ιδεαλισμό του Καντ εισέρχεται η Μαρξιακή προσέγγιση... more Ανάμεσα στην εμπειριοκρατία του Χιουμ και τον ιδεαλισμό του Καντ εισέρχεται η Μαρξιακή προσέγγιση του χώρου και της υπόστασής του με κύριους εκφραστές της τον Καρλ Μαρξ – Φρίντριχ Έγκελς και αργότερα τον Ενρύ Λεφέβρ. Η προσέγγιση που δίνουν είναι μια προσπάθεια υπέρβασης του χάσματος μεταξύ ιδεαλισμού και εμπειριοκρατίας και γεφύρωσής του μέσω της ανάδειξης μίας νέας θεώρησης πάνω στο χώρο. Η βασική, προοπτική της μαρξιακής θεωρίας για την ανάλυση του χώρου είναι η έννοια του καταμερισμού της εργασίας στα διάφορα στάδια εξέλιξης της διαδικασίας παραγωγής. Εφόσον γνωρίζουμε ότι η βασική προοπτική της θεώρησης της ανθρώπινης κοινωνίας δεν είναι άλλη από την ανάλυση των διαδοχικών μορφών οικονομικής και κοινωνικής οργάνωσης στα διάφορα στάδια της εξέλιξης της ανθρωπότητας, αρκεί να δούμε σε ποιο τρόπο παραγωγής (mode de production) η χωρική οργάνωση των παραγωγικών δραστηριοτήτων λαμβάνει ιδιαίτερη σημασία για την διαλεκτική αντίθεση παραγωγικών δυνάμεων και παραγωγικών σχέσεων.
The novel coronavirus COVID-19 was brought to the global spotlight in early 2020 and has already ... more The novel coronavirus COVID-19 was brought to the global spotlight in early 2020 and has already had significant impacts on daily life, while the effects could last for a long period. However, these impacts appear to have been regionally differentiated, since similar to previous pandemics , geography plays an important role in viruses' diffusion. This paper enriches our knowledge about the initial territorial impact of the pandemic, from January to May 2020, studying the spread of COVID-19 across 119 regional economies in nine EU countries and explaining its underlying factors. Air quality, demographics, global interconnec-tedness, urbanization trends, historic trends in health expenditure as well as the policies implemented to mitigate the pandemic were found to have influenced the regionally uneven mortality rate of COVID-19.
This paper presents a socioeconomic analysis of small and medium-sized
entrepreneurs’ migration, ... more This paper presents a socioeconomic analysis of small and medium-sized entrepreneurs’ migration, based on the differentiation of the social, economic, and institutional conditions. It examines the relocation of small and medium-sized companies from Greece to Bulgaria, comparing the socioeconomic frameworks in the two countries before and after the 2007 global economic crisis. The author adopts the conceptual framework of variegated capitalism, in order to interpret distinct political economies, analysing business decisions for relocation. The analysis draws upon original data collected from a fieldwork conducted in Bulgaria in 2014.
Article in the Conversation summarising the recent findings of my study, published in BMC Health ... more Article in the Conversation summarising the recent findings of my study, published in BMC Health Services Research, about the excess mortality across 79 high, medium and low-income countries in 2020, its geography and its underlying factors.
Article in the LSE Covid-19 blog discussing the geography of excess mortality in 2020, the first ... more Article in the LSE Covid-19 blog discussing the geography of excess mortality in 2020, the first pandemic year, and its underlying factors in 79 high-, medium- and low-income countries, focusing on the effects of the long-term health policies pre-pandemic as well as the urgent policy measures put forward by governments to cope with Covid-19.
The impact on statutory public services of the UK Government’s austerity policy since 2010 has be... more The impact on statutory public services of the UK Government’s austerity policy since 2010 has been analysed in a number of studies but there has been less attention to the voluntary sector. This is an initial, short study of the recent changes in the income and funding sources of the voluntary sector in Wales – with a particular focus on voluntary organisations based in Wales which deliver public services, as distinct from services delivered by the public sector. The study relies on published data for the most part, from the WCVA, NCVO, Welsh Government and other sources. To supplement the published data, we have also analysed the annual accounts of 82 Welsh-based organisations whose turnover ranges between £500,000 and £5 million to track changes in income between 2009-10 (i.e. before the austerity policy was introduced) and 2016-17. The sample does not include registered social landlords, because of their distinctive trading model and regulatory environment. It is important to em...
This paper focuses on the way that the current economic crisis affects firm mobility trends, its ... more This paper focuses on the way that the current economic crisis affects firm mobility trends, its broader incentives and the elements of the economic and institutional framework that determine firm relocation. In achieving the research objectives, a comparative analysis of firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria in the pre- and post-crisis period is employed. Greece constitutes a notable case in examining the impacts of the crisis on socio-economic phenomena, given that the Greek economy has been severely affected by the economic turmoil. Firstly, it is indicated that the crisis accelerates firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria. Secondly, the largest part of firm owners in the post-crisis period move their corporations striving for maintaining business, whereas in the pre-crisis period many entrepreneurs aimed at expanding markets and reducing operational cost. Finally, the crisis has impacted on the degree of importance of elements of the economic and institutional environment that ...
The 2007 global economic crisis and public policies implemented to resolve it have modified the c... more The 2007 global economic crisis and public policies implemented to resolve it have modified the conditions under which enterprises operate, thus having great effects on business tactics and decisions. This paper employs a comparative analysis of the pre- and post-crisis movements of Greek small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to Bulgaria in order to examine the impact of the crisis and the applied public policy on firm-internal relocation factors, such as size, sector and relocation incentive, and the effects of relocation on business performance. Greek SME movements to Bulgaria have recently increased considerably due to the adverse effects of the crisis on the Greek economy. Results demonstrate that, while in the pre-crisis period many Greek businesspeople viewed relocation to Bulgaria as an entrepreneurial opportunity for firm expansion, since 2007 relocation has been perceived as a necessity for the vast majority of Greek entrepreneurs in order to stay in business. However,...
This report describes existing business rates arrangements in Wales, summarises the current appro... more This report describes existing business rates arrangements in Wales, summarises the current approaches to business rate retention in England and Scotland, and discusses existing proposals for NDR change in Wales. It then explores a conceptual city-region shared-gain business rates incentivisation model which would enable regional growth partnerships to retain a portion of the business rates they generate and incentivise them to grow their business rate tax base.
The impact on statutory public services of the UK Government’s austerity policy since 2010 has be... more The impact on statutory public services of the UK Government’s austerity policy since 2010 has been analysed in a number of studies but there has been less attention to the voluntary sector. This is an initial, short study of the recent changes in the income and funding sources of the voluntary sector in Wales – with a particular focus on voluntary organisations based in Wales which deliver public services, as distinct from services delivered by the public sector. The study relies on published data for the most part, from the WCVA, NCVO, Welsh Government and other sources. To supplement the published data, we have also analysed the annual accounts of 82 Welsh-based organisations whose turnover ranges between £500,000 and £5 million to track changes in income between 2009-10 (i.e. before the austerity policy was introduced) and 2016-17. The sample does not include registered social landlords, because of their distinctive trading model and regulatory environment. It is important to emphasise that the study offers a window into the resourcing of the voluntary sector but it is far from comprehensive. The sector is extensive and highly diverse: this study is primarily focussed on just one part. There are also limitations to the published data on voluntary sector finances as a whole, much of which only extends to 2014-15.
Article in the LSE Covid-19 blog discussing the factors that played a part in the regionally unev... more Article in the LSE Covid-19 blog discussing the factors that played a part in the regionally uneven spread of Covid-19 mortality across the EU, during the first wave. While every European country was touched by the first wave of COVID-19, the impacts have been geographically uneven. In a paper for Regional Science Policy and Practice, I look at the factors that played a part in its regional spread.
Background Government responses to the pandemic varied in terms of timing, duration, and stringen... more Background Government responses to the pandemic varied in terms of timing, duration, and stringency, seeking to protect healthcare systems, whose pre-pandemic state varied significantly. Therefore, the severity of Covid-19 and, thus, excess mortality have been unequal across counties. This paper explores the geography of excess mortality and its underlying factors in 2020, highlighting the effects of health policies pre-pandemic and strategies devised by governments to cope with Covid-19. Methods Excess mortality is estimated for 79 high, medium and low-income countries. The factors of excess mortality are examined employing median quantile regression analysis. Results Health privatization, healthcare underfunding, and late implementation of containment and mitigation strategies were powerful drivers of excess mortality. By contrast, the results suggest a negative association of excess mortality with health expenditure, number of doctors and hospital beds, share of population covere...
Το παρόν άρθρο παρουσιάζει μια κοινωνικοοικονομική ανάλυση της μετανάστευσης μικρομεσαίων επιχειρ... more Το παρόν άρθρο παρουσιάζει μια κοινωνικοοικονομική ανάλυση της μετανάστευσης μικρομεσαίων επιχειρηματιών στη βάση της διαφοροποίησης του κοινωνικού, οικονομικού και θεσμικού πλαισίου. Συγκεκριμένα, εξετάζει τις μετακινήσεις μικρών και μεσαίων επιχειρήσεων από την Ελλάδα στη Βουλγαρία, συγκρίνοντας τις κοινωνικοοικονομικές συνθήκες μεταξύ των δύο χωρών πριν και μετά το ξέσπασμα της παγκόσμιας οικονομικής κρίσης του 2007. Ο συγγραφέας υιοθετεί το εννοιολογικό μοντέλο της καπιταλιστικής ποικιλοχρωμίας για την ερμηνεία των διακριτών πολιτικών οικονομιών αναλύοντας τις επιχειρηματικές αποφάσεις για τη μετεγκατάσταση. Το άρθρο στηρίζεται σε στοιχεία έρευνας πεδίου που πραγματοποιήθηκε το 2014 στη Βουλγαρία.
H παρούσα έκθεση ακολουθεί τη γεωγραφία της πανδημίας του Covid-19 και εξετάζει τον αντίκτυπο των... more H παρούσα έκθεση ακολουθεί τη γεωγραφία της πανδημίας του Covid-19 και εξετάζει τον αντίκτυπο των επακόλουθων στρατηγικών μετριασμού στην απασχόληση μεταξύ χωρών, περιφερειών και των κύριων τομέων οικονομικής δραστηριότητας στις περιοχές της Μεσογειακής ΕΕ, παρέχοντας πολύτιμα στοιχεία για τις κοινωνικές, οικονομικές και γεωγραφικές επιπτώσεις της πανδημίας. Οι χώρες μελέτης σε αυτήν την έκθεση περιλαμβάνουν την Κύπρο, τη Γαλλία, την Ισπανία, την Ελλάδα, την Ιταλία, τη Μάλτα, την Κροατία και την Πορτογαλία.
The report at hand follows the geography of Covid-19 and scrutinizes the impact of the subsequent... more The report at hand follows the geography of Covid-19 and scrutinizes the impact of the subsequent mitigation policies on employment across countries, regions and the main sectors of economic activity for the Mediterranean EU (MED EU), providing valuable insights for the social, economic and geographical pandemic-induced effects. The countries that are being studied here are Cyprus, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta, Croatia and Portugal.
Ανασκόπηση του άνισου αντίκτυπου της πανδημίας Covid-19 στην περιφερειακή απασχόληση στις Μεσογειακές χώρες της ΕΕ: επιπτώσεις στον τουρισμό το 2020, 2021
Η πανδημία του Covid-19, αποτελεί μία κατάσταση έκτακτης ανάγκης, η οποία έχει επηρεάσει τη κοινω... more Η πανδημία του Covid-19, αποτελεί μία κατάσταση έκτακτης ανάγκης, η οποία έχει επηρεάσει τη κοινωνικοοικονομική ζωή σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο σε πρωτοφανή βαθμό. Τα πρωτόγνωρα μέτρα που ελήφθησαν, όπως το lockdown ή η αναστολή της λειτουργίας των επιχειρήσεων, έχουν σοβαρές επιπτώσεις στις εθνικές και περιφερειακές οικονομίες. Η έκθεση μελετάει τον άνισο αντίκτυπο της πανδημίας στην περιφερειακή απασχόληση στις Μεσογειακές χώρες της ΕΕ, δίνοντας έμφαση στις επιπτώσεις στον τουρισμό κατά το έτος 2020.
Handbook Of Research Methods And Applications In Economic Geography, Mar 2015
Although there are earlier accounts of regional differences in entrepreneurship (see, e.g., Gudgi... more Although there are earlier accounts of regional differences in entrepreneurship (see, e.g., Gudgin, 1978), the topic was arguably launched in the early 1990s (see, e.g., Storey and Jones, 1987; Moyes and Westhead, 1990; Fritsch, 1992; Reynolds, 1991; Reynolds et al., 1994). In particular, a 1994 special issue of Regional Studies can be seen as marking the advent of this research theme. This increased interest can partially be explained by the increased availability of regional data (both on the country and on the local levels), enabling systematic comparison between regions. The formation of the research field was, however, undoubtedly also related to the then recent reappraisal of entrepreneurship as one of the key mechanisms in explaining economic development (Reynolds et al., 1994). The recognition of the beneficial economic effects of entrepreneurship raised the question as to which regions displayed relatively high levels of entrepreneurship and which lagged behind. Given the field’s legitimization through the positive economic effects of entrepreneurship, its development and the methods used should not be viewed in isolation from developments in the literature regarding entrepreneurship and economic growth (see Chapter 15, this volume).
This chapter examines the ways in which the 2007 global economic crisis has influenced firm reloc... more This chapter examines the ways in which the 2007 global economic crisis has influenced firm relocation factors. Firm mobility constitutes a dynamic process, with its aspects changing in response to significant broader processes, such as globalisation. Specifically, the recent crisis has modified the socio-economic conditions under which firms operate. In order to examine the crisis-driven changes in firm mobility, this chapter employs a comparative analysis of the pre- and post-crisis relocation of Greek small and medium-sized companies to Bulgaria, which has recently increased. Greece is at the epicentre of academic and political debate in Europe, being the European Union member state mostly affected by the crisis. In the context of the changing economic and institutional conditions, it is demonstrated that the significance of the firm relocation factors, such as labour cost and level of demand, records considerable differences between the pre- and the post-crisis period.
In Times of Crisis: Perspectives and Challenges of the 21st Century., 2018
The 2007 global economic crisis has considerably affected most national economies and has changed... more The 2007 global economic crisis has considerably affected most national economies and has changed the operating conditions of businesses. In the geographically uneven mosaic of the crisis effects on the European Union countries, the Greek economy has recorded the most severe impacts, while the country’s small and medium enterprises have been greatly affected. This chapter aims at shedding light on the developments in the Greek economy since 2007, focusing on the analysis of the effects of the global economic crisis on the Greek small and medium companies and their underlying reasons. It describes the features of these firms and identifies their position within the Greek political economy in order to analyse meticulously the effects of the crisis. The research goal was achieved on the basis of the original data gathered in the fieldwork, by qualitatively examining the way the crisis affected 103 Greek small and medium enterprises.
Review of the unequal impact of COVID-19 pandemic on employment across regions and industries, 1st and 2nd Quarter of 2021: Analysis of the regions of Cyprus, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Malta, Croatia and Portugal., 2020
The last two years have been marked by one of the most devastating pandemics of the recent decade... more The last two years have been marked by one of the most devastating pandemics of the recent decades, with severe health and socioeconomic implications. The mitigation strategies that have been devised to control the pandemic have brought severe financial consequences. Whole economies were wound down due to curfews and suspension of business activity. In hopes of limiting the economic slump, the European Union (EU) has pushed for stimulus measures while lockdowns were in place. According to the European Commission, it is only in 2023 that employment is estimated to reach the levels of 2019. Besides, the footprint of the pandemic on employment has been disproportionate among sectors, as, mitigation measures have had a deeper effect on certain industries, and prominently those related to tourism and hospitality. Thus, the consequences of the pandemic have been geographically unequal, as the industrial structure of each region has been determinant. The report at hand examines the geography of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect upon employment in regions and sectors of the EU Mediterranean countries up to the first half of 2021, seeking to draw valuable conclusions regarding the social and economic consequences of the pandemic. The countries under study are Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Croatia, Greece and Cyprus. This way, it contributes to the ongoing debate on whether further state support to economy and employment is needed.
Ανασκόπηση του γεωγραφικά άνισου αντίκτυπου της πανδημίας Covid-19 στην απασχόληση, 1 ο και 2 ο τρίμηνο 2021 Ανάλυση για τις περιφέρειες Κύπρου, Γαλλίας, Ισπανίας, Ελλάδας, Ιταλίας, Μάλτας, Κροατίας και Πορτογαλίας, 2022
Ανασκόπηση του γεωγραφικά άνισου αντίκτυπου της πανδημίας Covid-19 στην απασχόληση, 1ο και 2ο τρί... more Ανασκόπηση του γεωγραφικά άνισου αντίκτυπου της πανδημίας Covid-19 στην απασχόληση, 1ο και 2ο τρίμηνο 2021: Ανάλυση για τις περιφέρειες της Κύπρου, Γαλλίας, Ισπανίας, Ελλάδας, Ιταλίας, Μάλτας, Κροατίας και Πορτογαλίας
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articles by Nikos Kapitsinis
trends, its broader incentives and the elements of the economic and institutional
framework that determine firm relocation. In achieving the research objectives, a
comparative analysis of firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria in the pre- and
post-crisis period is employed. Greece constitutes a notable case in examining the
impacts of the crisis on socio-economic phenomena, given that the Greek economy
has been severely affected by the economic turmoil. Firstly, it is indicated that the
crisis accelerates firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria. Secondly, the largest
part of firm owners in the post-crisis period move their corporations striving for
maintaining business, whereas in the pre-crisis period many entrepreneurs aimed at
expanding markets and reducing operational cost. Finally, the crisis has impacted on
the degree of importance of elements of the economic and institutional environment
that affect firm mobility. Crucial changes are observed in respect of labour cost, level
of demand whilst access to external finance emerges as a critical firm relocation
factor.
Historically, in some regions local populations developed ethnically premised movements in order to defend their local identity and culture and promote their relative economic position. Emanating out of an array of distinct ethnic, cultural, religious, societal and economic backgrounds, in many cases such localist movements looked down on their central state government and national institutions and aspired towards the development of alternative localist institutions arrangements.
This paper examines the complex inter-determinations between localist movements and regional inequalities, the type and function of the emerging inter-relationships, and their resulting impacts on the acuteness of the two sets of phenomena examined. Negotiating between contrasting theoretical claims we shall examine the evolution of specific localist movements in relation to regional inequalities of broader areas in which they appear. We centre our case studies on the dual sets of Castilla – Catalonia and Flanders – Wallonia, whereby in Catalonia, Walloon and Flanders there have developed strong localist movements.
The phenomenon’s spread in the whole country. The paper will examine the spatial patters of its development the phenomenon of Greek universities engaging in the movement and affecting its spatial distribution, the spatial linkages enabling its chain expansion across the country and the solidarity towards the revolt expressed abroad. This is compared with past cases of social revolt in different places and times. Also there will be an analysis of the damages’ and destructions’ impact on the local economy and development and furthermore the connection between this situation, in interaction with the crisis, and the economy of Greece. Some socio-spatial traits enhancing or defusing, spreading or deepening, a social uprising’s manifestation might then be suggested.
This paper is trying to show the strict connection between the social phenomena that they appear in time and their spatial development. In history, many intense social phenomena have taken place, from social movements until social revolts and revolutions, which the realization and the growth of them had as essential component their spread in the space.
entrepreneurs’ migration, based on the differentiation of the social, economic, and
institutional conditions. It examines the relocation of small and medium-sized
companies from Greece to Bulgaria, comparing the socioeconomic frameworks in the
two countries before and after the 2007 global economic crisis. The author adopts the
conceptual framework of variegated capitalism, in order to interpret distinct political
economies, analysing business decisions for relocation. The analysis draws upon
original data collected from a fieldwork conducted in Bulgaria in 2014.
trends, its broader incentives and the elements of the economic and institutional
framework that determine firm relocation. In achieving the research objectives, a
comparative analysis of firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria in the pre- and
post-crisis period is employed. Greece constitutes a notable case in examining the
impacts of the crisis on socio-economic phenomena, given that the Greek economy
has been severely affected by the economic turmoil. Firstly, it is indicated that the
crisis accelerates firm movements from Greece to Bulgaria. Secondly, the largest
part of firm owners in the post-crisis period move their corporations striving for
maintaining business, whereas in the pre-crisis period many entrepreneurs aimed at
expanding markets and reducing operational cost. Finally, the crisis has impacted on
the degree of importance of elements of the economic and institutional environment
that affect firm mobility. Crucial changes are observed in respect of labour cost, level
of demand whilst access to external finance emerges as a critical firm relocation
factor.
Historically, in some regions local populations developed ethnically premised movements in order to defend their local identity and culture and promote their relative economic position. Emanating out of an array of distinct ethnic, cultural, religious, societal and economic backgrounds, in many cases such localist movements looked down on their central state government and national institutions and aspired towards the development of alternative localist institutions arrangements.
This paper examines the complex inter-determinations between localist movements and regional inequalities, the type and function of the emerging inter-relationships, and their resulting impacts on the acuteness of the two sets of phenomena examined. Negotiating between contrasting theoretical claims we shall examine the evolution of specific localist movements in relation to regional inequalities of broader areas in which they appear. We centre our case studies on the dual sets of Castilla – Catalonia and Flanders – Wallonia, whereby in Catalonia, Walloon and Flanders there have developed strong localist movements.
The phenomenon’s spread in the whole country. The paper will examine the spatial patters of its development the phenomenon of Greek universities engaging in the movement and affecting its spatial distribution, the spatial linkages enabling its chain expansion across the country and the solidarity towards the revolt expressed abroad. This is compared with past cases of social revolt in different places and times. Also there will be an analysis of the damages’ and destructions’ impact on the local economy and development and furthermore the connection between this situation, in interaction with the crisis, and the economy of Greece. Some socio-spatial traits enhancing or defusing, spreading or deepening, a social uprising’s manifestation might then be suggested.
This paper is trying to show the strict connection between the social phenomena that they appear in time and their spatial development. In history, many intense social phenomena have taken place, from social movements until social revolts and revolutions, which the realization and the growth of them had as essential component their spread in the space.
entrepreneurs’ migration, based on the differentiation of the social, economic, and
institutional conditions. It examines the relocation of small and medium-sized
companies from Greece to Bulgaria, comparing the socioeconomic frameworks in the
two countries before and after the 2007 global economic crisis. The author adopts the
conceptual framework of variegated capitalism, in order to interpret distinct political
economies, analysing business decisions for relocation. The analysis draws upon
original data collected from a fieldwork conducted in Bulgaria in 2014.
While every European country was touched by the first wave of COVID-19, the impacts have been geographically uneven. In a paper for Regional Science Policy and Practice, I look at the factors that played a part in its regional spread.