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Lock-in, resilience and path development in old industrial regions: an agency-based explanation

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  • Jesús M Valdaliso
  • Patricia Suárez
  • Matías Mayor
  • Edurne Magro

Abstract

This paper examines why some old industrial regions (OIRs) show strong lock-ins while others experience weaker ones. To do so, it compares the resilience of two OIRs in northern Spain — Asturias and the Basque Country — to major shocks and structural changes over the last fifty years, tracing their divergent development paths and advancing a tentative explanation for these differences. It employs a mixed-methods approach, combining dynamic shift-share analysis to evaluate regional resilience and the role of economic structure with qualitative analysis of how agency shapes regional trajectories, in addition to taking a historical perspective. The extreme cases of Asturias and the Basque Country offer contrasting examples of lock-in and path breaking (and renewal) in regional development. Asturias illustrates the strength of reproductive agency (place maintenance), while the Basque Country exhibits greater change agency (place leadership), engaging a broader range of actors in regional transformation. Ultimately, the paper advocates a holistic approach to regional development that combines both quantitative and qualitative analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Jesús M Valdaliso & Patricia Suárez & Matías Mayor & Edurne Magro, 2026. "Lock-in, resilience and path development in old industrial regions: an agency-based explanation," Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 19(1), pages 109-127.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:cjrecs:v:19:y:2026:i:1:p:109-127.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cjres/rsaf043
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