Consumer Services and Economic Development

Consumer Services and Economic Development evaluates the contributions that consumer services can make to local economic development and revitalisation. A broad range of consumer service industries are examined in turn: tourism, sports, universities, retailing and cultural industries. Detailed local case studies illustrate the role, impact and effectiveness of consumer services in economic regeneration in a number of different contexts: a global city, contrasting urban areas and rural localities. With many localities in the advanced economies suffering from severe deindustrialization and weak producer service growth, this book highlights the need for a fundamental rethink of both the function of services and of economic development theory and practice in general.