The Relational Geography of Post-Staples Development-a Case in Mala, north Sweden

Abstract

Mitigating the cycles of 'boom and bust' associated with natural resource led economic development in northern peripheries requires economic diversification through post- extractive 'mature staples' or 'post-staples' activities. The dominant thinking is that resource peripheries are subject to processes of exogenous development, with limited capacity for local agency-endogenous development. This paper argues that it is possible to achieve neoendogenous development that mobilises local resources and incorporates extra-local factors. The paper examines the case of Mala Geoscience, a small ground penetrating radar company based in a very small community in northern Sweden which has nonetheless achieved global niche positioning through innovation and product diversification. By using the ARTE framework-agglomeration, regionalisation, translocalisation, Europeanisation- the paper demonstrates how the company was able to pursue new development paths even as the local mining sector was closing down. There is a particular emphasis on how the maintenance of local and regional knowledge and supply networks enabled the company to remain locally based but globally relevant.

Keywords

northern development; resource peripheries; post-staples economies; small manufacturing; niche market; neoendogenous development

Published in

Journal Of Rural And Community Development
2017, Volume: 12, number: 2-3, pages: 23-40
Publisher: BRANDON UNIV, RURAL DEV DEPT

SLU Authors

• Dubois, Alexandre

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Economic Geography


Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/105576