Regional development and local tensions : the case study of the region of Namur

Is the grass greener in Belgium ? Many people in France think so when it comes to relationships between companies, towns and regions. Having listened to Renaud Degueldre's talk, they will be able to put this perception into perspective. Renaud Degueldre is the director of the bureau of economic affairs for the region of Namur and he demonstrates that these relationships are not quite as natural as they might appear. Not all Belgian entrepreneurs are tempted by active involvement in politics. Just as in France, towns or districts battle it out tooth and nail in order to attract companies; and public and private partnerships are still too reserved in the Walloon region of Belgium. As for the strategy based on the endogenous development of the region, as defined by the bureau of economic affairs, it operates in a complex and changing institutional environment. This strategy has brought about a deep-rooted change in some conservative conceptions of local development. The success in Namur is proof that this strategic readjustment is at work.