This paper aims to present a case study of the Philadelphia region's efforts to implement a regional approach to economic development by relying on business‐civic leadership to transcend governmental boundaries.
The paper examines the role of leadership in organizations representing business interests, and the competing and conflicting perspectives on the “right” scale to do so – local and/or regional, drawing on participatory insights into the relevant processes.
While ad‐hoc partnerships and governance are often recognized as important elements of economic competitiveness for metropolitan areas by key civic and business leaders, established localist and institutional‐organizational interests and strategies may counteract that. Overcoming long‐established fragmentation requires a high level of attention to symbolism and the details of inclusiveness in organizational and spatial terms.
The recognition and study of city‐regional governance is very topical. The contribution of this paper is timely and offers a rare insight into the practical side of city‐regional governance, thus illuminating theoretical arguments.
