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Digitalisation and the foundational economy: A digital opportunity or a digital divide for less-developed regions?
Laura Reynolds 
,
Dylan Henderson ,
Gemma Xu ,
Laura Norris
,
Dylan Henderson ,
Gemma Xu ,
Laura Norris
Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit, Volume: 36, Issue: 6, Pages: 451 - 467
Swansea University Author:
Gemma Xu
-
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DOI (Published version): 10.1177/02690942211072239
Abstract
The foundational economy’s heightened traction in academic and policy discussion stems in part from its potential to mitigate challenges faced by less-developed regions. While supporting foundational sectors may contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth, we question whether digitalisation can e...
| Published in: | Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit |
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| ISSN: | 0269-0942 1470-9325 |
| Published: |
SAGE Publications
2021
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| Online Access: |
Check full text
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59281 |
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| Abstract: |
The foundational economy’s heightened traction in academic and policy discussion stems in part from its potential to mitigate challenges faced by less-developed regions. While supporting foundational sectors may contribute to inclusive and sustainable growth, we question whether digitalisation can enable these aims. Through a case study of Wales, we point to the differences in digital capability of foundational and non-foundational businesses in urban and rural parts of the region. We show that while investment in digital infrastructure and digital technology use may support the foundational economy, digital barriers risk countering the benefits of its sectors’ embeddedness and exacerbating spatial divides. |
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| Keywords: |
Foundational economy, digital divide, place-based policy, embeddedness, inclusive growth, digital capability |
| College: |
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Funders: |
Llywodraeth Cymru Identifier: FundRef 10.13039/100015846 European Regional Development Fund Identifier: FundRef 10.13039/501100008530 |
| Issue: |
6 |
| Start Page: |
451 |
| End Page: |
467 |