Professor Andy Pike
Professor of Local and Regional Development

Roles and Responsibilities

Editor, Regional Studies

Visiting Senior Research Fellow, History, International and Social Studies, Ålborg University, Denmark (2008-)

Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, Helsinki University of Technology, Finland (2008-)

External Examiner, MSc Local Economic Development, London School of Economics (2008-)

Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Centro de Estudos Geográficos, University of Lisbon, Portugal (2003-)

ESRC Virtual College Member

Deputy Director, CURDS

Degree Programme Director MA, Diploma and Certificate Local and Regional Development and MA Regional Development (Research) 

Qualifications

BA (Hons) Geography, University of Liverpool

PhD Geography, University of Liverpool

Previous Positions

2003-2009 Senior Lecturer, CURDS, Department of Geography, Newcastle University, UK

1995-2003 Lecturer, CURDS, Department of Geography, Newcastle University, UK

1993-95 Research Associate, CURDS, Newcastle University, UK

Memberships

Regional Studies Association

IBG-RGS Economic Geography Research Group

Institution of Economic Development

Honours and Awards

Regional Studies Association Best Book Award 2010 ('Whither Regional Studies?', Routledge: London)

Academician of the Academy of Social Sciences

Best Published Paper Prize Nomination, Association of European Schools of Planning and US Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, 2007 ('What kind of local and regional development and for whom?' with Andrés Rodríguez-Pose and John Tomaney, Regional Studies)

Research Interests

My central research interest is the geographical political economy of local and regional development. This core provides the basis for two main strands of work. First, this research is concerned with the concepts and theory of the meaning and governance of development regionally and locally in an international context. In particular, this research seeks to broaden our understandings of development beyond the economic to encompass the social and ecological in more sustainable and progressive ways and to begin more meaningfully to connect development locally and regionally in the global North and South.

Second, this research focuses upon the intersections between local and regional development and Economic Geography. This theme has been explored in ongoing work on the geographies of brands and branding, and recent collaborative work on evolutionary approaches and the geographies of financialisation.

My research builds upon close policy engagement and has informed local and regional development policy for international (e.g. European Commission, OECD), national (e.g. Government Departments), regional (e.g. RDAs, trade unions) and local (e.g. Local Authorities, Development Agencies) organisations.

Current Work

My current work is focused on three areas of activity:

First, research on the geographies of brands and branding has sought to establish the theoretical foundations of their geographical entanglements in space and place and reveal the construction and representation of their geographical associations through spatial circuits of production, circulation, consumption and regulation. My British Academy grant on brands and ‘Britishness’ is focused upon the conceptualisation of the role of brands and branding for development locally and regionally by examining whether and how brands with strong geographical associations can embed economic activities in place in the context of internationalisation. I have edited an international and multi-disciplinary collection on Brand and Branding Geographies (Elgar, 2011) which focuses on the geographies of brands and the branding of goods, services, knowledge, spaces and places.

Second, ongoing research focuses on the governance of uneven development. This work specifically examines the governance of economic development in England and is currently exploring the shift away from regions, regionalisation and regionalism toward rebalancing, decentralisation and localism under the current Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in the UK. This area also includes my collaborative work with Andrés Rodríguez-Pose (LSE), John Tomaney (CURDS), Gianpiero Torrisi (Portsmouth) and Vassilis Tselios (Southampton) which is concerned with the inter-relationships between spatial disparities, spatial economic policy and decentralisation in an international comparative study focusing on the UK and Italy. This project is part of my involvement in the Spatial Economics Research Centre (SERC) funded by ESRC, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Communities and Local Government and the Welsh Assembly Government. See www.spatialeconomics.ac.uk

Third, a cross-disciplinary research group at Newcastle University – involving Stuart Dawley (CURDS), Francesco De-Cecco (Law School), Joanna Gray (Law School), Neill Marshall (CURDS), Jane Pollard (CURDS), Robert Sollis (Business School) and John Tomaney (CURDS) – has examined the regional implications of the growth, collapse and nationalisation of the Newcastle-based mortgage bank Northern Rock in the context of financialisation and the financial crisis of 2007-09.

 

Future Research

Projects currently in development are focusing upon:

First, the development of a new conceptualisatoin of 'origination' to explain the ways in which actors attemtp to construct geographical associations in commodity brands and branding that embody and mean certain valuable things in specific market contexts. Challenging accounts that interpret the ubiquity and mobility of branded commodities as creating homogeneity and lessening spatial difference in a 'flat' and 'slippery' world, this new theorisation aims to provide a more geographically sensitive approach that explains heterogeneity, diversity and variety in the ways in which commodity brands and their branding heigthen geographical differentiation in a 'spiky' and 'sticky' world.

Second, I am working in collaboration with Andy Cumbers (Glasgow), Robert Hassink (Kiel), Danny MacKinnon (Glasgow) and Robert McMaster (Glasgow) on elaborating evolutionary approaches to economic geography and undertaking empirical work on resilience and the adaptation, adaptability and adaptive capacity of local and regional economies in a comparative international context.

 

Research Roles

Editorial Advisory Board, Local Economy

Editorial Board, Finisterra - Portuguese Journal of Geography

 

Postgraduate Supervision

Emil Evenhuis (2011-) 'The political economy of adaptation in old industrial regions' (ESRC Studentship, Joint supervision with Stuart Dawley and John Tomaney)

Anja McCarthy (2011-) 'The local state and economic development and regeneration' (ESRC Collaborative Studentship, Joint supervision with John Tomaney and Newcastle City Council)

Tom Strickland (2011-) 'Financialising urban development? A UK-US comparison' (ESRC Collaborative Studentship, Joint supervision with Jane Pollard and Newcastle City Council)

Rebecca Richardson (2010-) 'Place branding for urban development?' (ESRC CASE Studentship, Joint Supervision with Anoop Nayak and Tina Snowball, NewcastleGateshead Initiative)

Sophie Yarker (2010-) 'Urban regeneration and the transformation of local identities' (ESRC Studentship, Joint Supervision with Robin Humphrey and John Tomaney)

Mai Stabell (2010-) 'Petroleum-related FDI and local economic development' (Joint supervision with Matt Davies (Politics) and Neill Marshall)

Ben Fisher (2009-) 'New industry path creation and evolution' (Joint Supervision with Stuart Dawley)

Cecilia Pasquinelli (2008-) ‘Place Branding’ (Joint Supervision with Professor Nicola Bellini, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy)

Xue Feng Wang (2008-09) ‘Cities and the Knowledge Economy in China’ (Chinese Government, Joint Supervision with John Tomaney) (PhD Awarded November 2009) (Now Research Associate, CURDS)

Rosibel Víquez-Abarca (2008-) ‘Universities and Regional Development in the Knowledge Economy’ (Costa Rican Government, Joint Supervision with Andy Gillespie and José Esteban Castro) (PhD awarded September 2011) (Now Researcher, UNED, Costa Rica)

Young-Jin Shin (2008-) ‘Regenerating the Coalfields in South Korea: lessons from Europe’ (Joint Supervisor with John Tomaney)

Julie Lister (2007-) ‘Economic Evolution in North East England’ (ESRC Studentship, Joint Supervisor with Ranald Richardson)

John Edwards (2007-) ‘Social Capital and Territorial Development Institutions and Policy’ (ESRC Studentship, Joint Supervisor with John Tomaney) (PhD awarded November 2011) (Now Post-doctoral Researcher, European Commission Joint Research Centre, Seville)

Michail Biniakos (2006-) ‘Transition and New Regionalism in the Balkans’ (Greece National Government Studentship, Joint Supervisor with Alison Stenning and John Tomaney) (PhD awarded May 2011) (Now Local Government Official, Greece)

Pedro Marques (2006-) ‘Power and Territorial Innovation Systems’ (Portuguese National Government Studentship, Joint Supervisor with Andy Gillespie) (Now Research Associate, CURDS)

Chieh-Wen Liu (2004-) ‘Culture and Regional Development in Taiwan’ (Joint Supervisor with Frank Moulaert, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape)

Alex Rowley (2002-05) ‘Trade Unions and Lifelong Learning’ (TUC-funded, Joint Supervisor with Frank Coffield, Institute of Education, University of London) (Now Councillor and Leader of the Labour Opposition, Fife Council)

Liz Dixon (2000-2004) ‘The Role of the Private Sector in Regional Development and Governance’ (ESRC CASE Studentship with EEF Northern Association; Jointly supervised with John Tomaney) (Formerly Research Associate, CURDS)

Chris Potter (2000-2005) ‘Host Economies and Transnational Corporations’ (ESRC Competition Studentship).

Peter O'Brien (1999-2004) ‘The Role of Trade Unions in Regional Development and Governance’ (ESRC CASE Studentship with Northern TUC; Jointly supervised with John Tomaney) (Now Chief Executive, North East Local Enterprise Partnership)

Stuart Dawley (1998-2002) ‘High-tech Investment Cycles and Peripheral Region Development’ (ESRC CASE Studentship with North of England Microelectronics Institute; Jointly Supervised with David Charles) (Now Lecturer, CURDS)

Funding

2011 European Spatial Observatories Network (ESPON), Knowledge Support System Expert Sounding Board Member (5.5k€) 

2010 Henan Development and Reform Commission, China, 'Spatial and Industrial Development', (Co-I with Professor John Tomaney and Dr Xuefeng Wang) (£150k) 

2010 Communities and Local Government 'Decentralisation and public service provision' (Co-I with Professors Tomaney and Rodríguez-Pose and Drs Torrisi and Tselios) (£70k)

2009 OECD ‘Non-State Actors in Local Development Governance’ (PI with Professor John Tomaney and Drs Gianpiero Torrisi and Vassilis Tselios) (1.5k€)

2009-11 ESRC ‘Devolution and Economic Performance’ (Spatial Economics Research Centre Project 5b) (PI with Professors Ian Gordon, Andrés Rodríguez-Pose and John Tomaney) (£80k)

2008-09 British Academy ‘A ‘British’ Brand? The Case of Burberry’ (Principal Investigator) (£6.7k)

2008-2011 ESRC, Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Communities and Local Government and Welsh Assembly Government Spatial Economics Research Centre (Co-I with LSE, Glasgow, Oxford and Swansea) (£2.4m)

2008-2011 ONE North East ‘Integrated Regional Strategy Peer Assist’ (Co-I with Professor John Tomaney and Dr Nick Henry, GHK) (£190k)

2008-2010 The Northern Way ‘Research Programme Peer Assist’ (Co-I with Professor John Tomaney and Ranald Richardson) (£181k)

2008-09 ONE North East ‘Evaluation of the Impact and Policy Response to Restructuring at Northern Rock’ (Co-I with Professors Neill Marshall and John Tomaney, Drs Stuart Dawley and Jane Pollard and Regeneris Consulting) (£148k)

2008 South West Regional Development Agency ‘Assessment of Regional and Local Development over the Last 20 Years’ (Co-I with Professor John Tomaney and Dr Nick Henry, GHK) (£20k)

2008 ONE North East ‘Economic Capacity Building’ (PI with Professors Richard Harris (Glasgow), Ian Stone (Durham), Colin Wren (Newcastle) and Dr Henry Overman (LSE)) (£20k)

2007 OECD Local Economic and Employment Development Programme and Welsh Assembly Government ‘Västra Götaland Regional Growth Agreement, Sweden’ (PI) (£1k)

2007 OECD Local Economic and Employment Development Programme and USAID ‘Strengthening Entrepreneurship Innovation and Economic Development at Local Level in Croatia: Institutional arrangements for the design and delivery of entrepreneurship policies’ (PI) (£3k)

2007 The Northern Way ‘Economic Linkages in the Northern City-Regions’ (Co-I with Professors Alan Harding and Bryan Robson) (£80k)

2007 North Tyneside Council ‘Economic and Social Change in North Tyneside’ (PI with David Bradley) (£3.5k)

2007-2009 ESRC Seminar Series ‘Changing Cultures of Competitiveness’ (Co-I with Ngai-Ling Sum and Bob Jessop (Lancaster University) - see
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/events/changingcultures/ (£15k)

2006-2009 European Commission ‘Social Innovation and Inclusion in the Knowledge Economy – KATARSIS’ (Co-I with Professor Frank Moulaert (Leuven)) (£606k)

2006 ONE North East ‘What Works in Regional Economic Development: Learning from International Best Practice’ (Co-I with Professors John Tomaney and Mike Coombes and Drs Nick Henry and Stuart Dawley, GHK) (£47.5k)

2005 OECD Local Economic and Employment Development Programme and German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs ‘Strengthening Entrepreneurship and Economic Development in Eastern Germany’ (PI) (£3.5k)

2005-2007 ESRC Seminar Series ‘The New Public Management and Regional Policy’ (Co-I with Les Budd (Open University), Josie Kelly (Aston) and Joyce Liddle (Durham) (£14.1k)

2005 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister ‘The Economic Viability and Self-Containment of Geographical Economies’ (PI with Mike Coombes, Tony Champion, Lynne Humphrey and John Tomaney) (£32k)

2005-08 Regional Studies Association ‘Regional Studies Editorship’ (Editor-in-Chief with 9 other Editors) (£116k)

2005 ESRC Advanced Training and Development Award ‘Researching Civic Engagement and Devolved Governance in Europe’ (PI with the Regional Studies Association) (£10.2k)

2004 University of Newcastle Vacation Scholarship ‘Microbreweries in North East England’ (Co-I with Matthew Needham) (£1.5k)

2004 ESRC Advanced Training and Development Award ‘Research Strategy and Methodology for Regional Development and Governance in an Enlarged Europe’ (PI with the Regional Studies Association) (£9.4k)

2003-04 European Commission ‘Regional Economic Sustainability and University Learning and Teaching Strategies - RESULTS’ (Co-Investigator with Dr Hans-Peter Baumeister (Reutlingen University)) (£118k)

2003 University of Newcastle, Arts and Humanities Research Fund ‘Recasting Steel Geographies’ (Co-I with Alison Stenning, and Stuart Dawley) (£2.5k)

2003 North East Assembly ‘Regional Governance Capacity Building Course’ (PI with Professor John Tomaney) (£30k)

2003 University of Newcastle Vacation Scholarship ‘Directly Elected Mayors and Local Economic Development’ (Co-I with Graham Turner) (£1.5k)

2002 ESRC Advanced Training and Development Award ‘Doing Regional Research in a Devolving State: Research Strategy and Methodology in Post-Devolution UK’ (PI with the Regional Studies Association) (£6.8k)

2002 Government Office North East ‘Regional Governance’ (Co-I with Professor John Tomaney) (£7.5k)

2001 University of Newcastle Vacation Scholarship ‘Pension Fund Capitalism and Regional Development’ (Co-I with Felicity Wray) (£1.5k)

2000 UNISON ‘The Economic and Social Implications of Best Value’ (PI with Peter O’Brien) (£2.5k)

2000 University of Newcastle Small Grant ‘Task Forces and the Governance of Economic Development’ (PI with Stuart Dawley) (£1.5k)

Projects

Undergraduate Teaching

GEO3114 Local and Regional Development

GEO2044 Tutorial module

GEO3099 Dissertation module

Postgraduate Teaching

GEO8002 Local and Regional Development Theory and Policy

GEO9089 Research Dissertation

GEO8018 Local and Regional Development and Governance

GEO8007 Local and Regional Development: Methodology, Analysis and Statistics

GEO8009 Developing Local and Regional Strategies