Rural Development Research: A Foundation for Policy, Vol. 170

Currently, the research community lacks the capacity to provide accurate, up-to-date information about conditions and trends in rural areas. Bringing together some of the best known rural development researchers, this volume begins to build an information base that can serve as a foundation for rural development policy. It deals with four components of development—education, entrepreneurship, physical infrastructure, and social infrastructure. The opening chapters address two aspects of each component—the use of the component to achieve rural development and measuring the impact of its use. The volume then applies specific analytic methods of measuring impact to each component.

The opening chapters address two aspects of each component—the concept of using that component to achieve rural development and the concept of measuring its impact. The volume then examines analytic methods of measuring impact. Following an overview of analytic methods, chapters apply a different analytic technique to each of the components. The techniques considered include econometric models, computable general equilibrium models, input-output analysis, and the case-study method.

Explores the beginnings of an information foundation for rural development policy, examining the four key building blocks--education, entrepreneurship, and physical and social infrastructure.

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Twelve papers representing new research information for use as a foundation for rural development reflect the shift from primarily agricultural economics to include small manufacturing and changes in social structure. The essays examine education, entrepreneurship, physical infrastructure, and social infrastructure. These four components are analyzed to measure the effects of investment and promotion, providing case studies to assess policy efforts. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

THOMAS D. ROWLEY is a social science analyst in the Rural Economy Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he manages ERS's program of research support to the State Rural Development Councils and its involvement in the National Rural Development Partnership.

DAVID W. SEARS is senior policy analyst with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce.

GLENN L. NELSON is an economic counsultant in regional development policy in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

J. NORMAN REID is director of Community Outreach Services for the Rural Business and Cooperative Development Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

MERVIN J. YETLEY is a former staff member of the Committee on Agriculture, U.S. House of Representatives, where he worked on rural development, agriculture, and trade issues.