Abstract

Abstract

Abstract
The onset of the global crisis has emphasised the persistence of substantial differences in development and social progress within the euro area. The specific case of countries located in the southern periphery region has come to the centre stage, due to the harsh economic conditions that all these countries have experienced in the recent past. In the aftermath of the American subprime creditbubble, these countries’ high indebtedness raised doubts as to their ability to sustain publicfinances, with the financial crisis developing and gaining momentum due to the fragilities presentedin the economy. To varying degrees of severity, all of these economies have since been forced to introduce strong fiscal tightening pogrammes in order to achieve fiscal consolidation, which have translated into recession and rising unemployment. This book undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the causes of the crisis in southern European countries, showing that the ‘Achilles heel’ of these economies is rooted in the dismal evolution of productivity and in a specialisation pattern excessively based on the so-called ‘traditional’, low and low-medium tech industries, which yield low margins, declining export shares and, ultimately, withering international competitiveness. Such evidence suggests that the southern European periphery industrial growth model has reached itslimits, demanding a multidimensional policy approach capable of overcoming the magnitude and complexity of the present crisis. Without denying the need to adjust public and private balance sheets, it is argued that finding a sustainable path out of the present problems requires addressing the challenges of productivity growth and competitiveness in the long term. © 2014 selection and editorial material, Aurora A.C. Teixeira, Ester G. Silva and Ricardo Paes Mamede; individual chapters, the contributors

Abstract
The literature on the National Systems of Innovation (NSI) is a relatively new field of research that has spread remarkably in the past 20 years. This article offers a complementary, quantitative description of the state-of-the-art of the literature based on bibliometric methods, by explicitly addressing the roots, evolution and influence of NSI literature. The exercise shows that over time the rate of published articles was quite irregular and that contributions on NSI have not (yet) converged to an integrated analytical framework. Although historically detailed descriptions on NSI showed a noticeable increase in the more recent period (20062010) analyses using more formal and diversified quantitative methodologies for assessing the performance of NSI remained lacking, reflecting its persisting methodological weaknesses. The roots of the NSI literature can be found at the core of innovation studies by certain well-known scholars in the area of economics of innovation and science policy research. Even though publications on NSI are falling in relative importance and are highly concentrated on a small set of countries (United Kingdom, Denmark, and the United States), their influence is global. They are cited by authors affiliated in organisations around the world, notably in Latin America and Asia. Such an influence goes far beyond the area of innovation studies and has resonated in fields such as economic geography, environmental studies, international business and managerial sciences. This demonstrates that the NSI literature is not self-referential.

Abstract
SMEs face several obstacles in their internationalization process that they cannot overcome alone, forcing them to remain domestic and, therefore, at a disadvantage in relation to competitors which adopt a more global business perspective. Government action can help SMEs to overcome their limitations, having come to play an increasingly more important role in export promotion, a field where it is normally an aggressive actor. This has led to the view that export promotion programs and agencies are today crucial instruments in supporting SMEs. For these reasons, the formulation of a national strategy of export promotion has been on the agenda of countries throughout the world. Policy decentralization is today a reality, as a reform of the public sector's model and as a development strategy. From the perspective of decentralization, it has been acknowledged that initiatives should be based on the territory and managed locally, and that the decentralization of power and responsibility to the local level is an important factor in local and regional development. Despite extensive research regarding decentralization, the role of local governments in promoting the internationalization of firms seems to have been rather neglected in the literature, whether in the area of regional science or that of international business. This paper intends to fill this gap, establishing a bridge in the review of the literature on promotion policies for the internationalization, decentralization and internationalization of firms.

Abstract
Despite extensive research on decentralisation, the role of local governments in promoting the internationalisation of firms has been rather neglected in the literature. Based on a sample of 144 Portuguese municipalities, and resorting to logistic econometric estimations, we found that: (1) the majority of municipalities have been involved in activities to promote economic development and the internationalisation of firms; (2) municipalities are essentially involved in the branding of regions (image building) or in organising fairs and trade missions and (3) municipalities more active in promoting the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tend to be more peripheral, with a relatively high area and population density, higher purchasing power, higher proportion of population with secondary schooling, lower density entrepreneurial context but with higher amounts of exports. Although there is still a long way to go for a more profound and comprehensive decentralisation at this level in Portugal, given the knowledge municipalities possess about the firms that are located in their vicinity, we contend that it would be desirable that more decentralised efforts be put towards the implementation of information, and education/training-related programmes aiming at promoting SMEs internationalisation. © The Author(s) 2014.