IGI Global Handbook of Research on Policies and Practices for Sustainable Economic Growth and Regional Development (Advances in Finance, Accounting, and Economics)

New developments in socio-economics aid in increased productivity of manufacturing. These advances result in long-term improvement of competitiveness and innovation. The Handbook of Research on Policies and Practices for Sustainable Economic Growth and Regional Development is an essential reference publication for the latest scholarly information on the role of socio-economics in sustainable development initiatives. Featuring coverage on a variety of topics and perspectives including social economy innovation, cultural management, and social networking, this publication is ideally designed for researchers, policy makers, and academicians seeking current research on different determining factors of social consequences resulting from economic crisis. About the Author George M. Korres holds a doctorate in Economic Sciences (Economics of Innovation) from University of London (QMW) and an M.Sc from Essex University. He is currently a visiting fellow from University of Newcastle, Centre from Urban Regional & Development Studies, (CURDS), School of Geography, Sociology and Politics, and also an associate professor at the University of the Aegean, Department of Geography. He was visiting scholar at the University of Leeds during 2006-2007. Over the last 10 years, during both his academic and professional career, he has gained an in depth experience in the fields of economics, business and politics in the area of European Economics and Innovation Systems. His main areas of interest and specialisation include: European Integration, Social Policy and Social Inclusion, Economic and Innovation Policies, EU enlargement and the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. He has collaborated with many European universities, Institutions, NGOs as well as academia. George Korres has also been involved in various trans-European and international projects and he has published widely in this area in many International Journals, such as Applied Econometrics, Regional and Sectoral Economic Studies, Southwestern EconomicReview, Pensions, Sage, Management Sciences and Regional Development etc, also he has published a number of books with international publishers, such as MacMillan-Palgrave Press, Springer, Edward and Elgar, Ashgate Publishers and Nova (New York) Publishers.Elias A. Kourliouros has studied Architecture at the National Technical University of Athens (MA Arch.), Urban and Regional Planning at the same University (PhD) and Geography at the LSE (PhD). From 1996 to 2015 he served as a Professor of Economic Geography and Spatial Planning at the University of the Aegean, School of Social Sciences, Department of Geography, and as director of the research lab “Economic Geography, Regional Development and Spatial Planning”. In 2016 he moved to the University of Patras, Department of Economics. He also teaches European Geography at the Hellenic Open University. Before his appointment as a professor, he worked for many years as a major researcher at the National Technical University of Athens (School of Architecture, research lab of Regional Planning and Urban Development), as well as at the planning team of the Lavrion Technology Park. He is the author or co-author of more than 150 publications such as books and monographs, chapters in edited books, and articles in scientific journals and conference proceedings. His main research interests focus upon economic geography, spatial planning, development and planning of production and technological innovations networks and spaces (industrial parks, science & tecnology parks, technopolises, etc), regional and local development and policy.Maria P. Michailidisis a Professor and the Dean of the School of Business at the University of Nicosia,Cyprus. She is aCommunity-Social Psychologist, a Psychotherapist and a VocationalCounselor. She is the author of several book chapters, journal articles and editor of several books. Dr. Michailidis has a long industrial experience as she worked