Strengthening Intra-regional Connectivity: Implications for Bridging the Urban–Rural Divide

• DOI: 10.1177/0160323X20922297
• Published date: 01 December 2019
• Date: 01 December 2019
• Author: Christiana McFarland
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Strengthening Intra-regional

Connectivity: Implications

for Bridging the Urban–Rural

Divide

Christiana McFarland

1

Keywords

economic development, industry clusters, regional connectivity, urban–rural divide

This article explores an alternative path for eco-

nomic development via local connections to

regional economies. It discusses the potential

and circumstances under which ru ral and eco-

nomically struggling communities can be

strengthened by connecting with regional

industry clusters—networks of businesses,

labor pools, and so on, whose linkages cross

local and even state jurisdictional boundaries.

Prior research suggests that intra-regional

economic connectivity has a strong, positive

relationship with regional economic perfor-

mance overall and local growth in particular,

especially for more rural communities. To

demonstrate how these findings can be applied

in practice, a case study for the Life Sciences

industry cluster in the Sacramento, CA, region

is presented followed by recommendations for

how policy makers and practitioners can sup-

port intra-regional economic connectivity to

narrow the urban–rural divide.

Background

Studies of regional economic development and

geography rightly conclude that the ascension

of urban agglomeration economies has left

many rural and less talent-rich places behind,

resulting in increased regional divergence in

recent years (Moretti 2012; Ganong and Shoag

2017). Others have added nuance to the

understanding of urban–rural economic

dynamics by accounting for regional connectiv-

ity, notably the relationship between urban and

rural communities. For example, Barkley,

Henry, and Bao (1996) find tha t rural areas at

the urban fringe benefit from urban growth as

populations decentralize out from the core.

They recommend that more rural communities

can leverage their proximity by pursuing

regional economic development strategies that

enhance their connections with the urban core.

Ganning (2010) too finds that population

growth outside of metropolitan cores is highly

dependent on commuting flows between metro-

politan and nonmetropolitan areas as well as

economic linkages such as rural communities

serving as suppliers to urban industries. The

author goes on to explain the role of the

Appalachian Highway System in solidifying

intra-regional linkages and positive economic

benefits for less urbanized parts of the region.

1

Center for City Solutions, National League of Cities,

Washington, DC, USA

Corresponding Author:

Christiana McFarland, Center for City Solutions, National

League of Cities, 660 North Capitol Street, Suite 450,

Washington, DC 20001, USA.

Email: mcfarland@nlc.org

State and Local GovernmentReview

2019, Vol. 51(4) 259-266

ªThe Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0160323X20922297

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