In a context in which multinational companies are increasingly able to choose their locations of production, this paper examines how social and political governance actors in host regional economies attempt to attract and retain foreign direct investment. Based on a comparative study of two regions in each of Canada, Ireland, Spain and the UK, it shows both national and in some cases sub-national variations in the nature of attempts to attract and retain foreign investment, as well as in the actors involved. The paper also discusses how these differences in policy interact with the characteristics of specific foreign investors. Our findings support arguments that attempts to embed regime-shopping firms are facilitated by active governance from social as well as state actors.

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In the aftermath of the Great Recession, rising levels of youth unemployment led to an array of policy responses involving learning, transfer, and experimentation to address the complex needs of youth at risk. Reviewing these recent experiences, this chapter examines nine European countries (including Turkey) representing a range of different school-to-work transition regimes and with varying levels of youth unemployment and gender inequalities. It analyzes the institutional and process “enablers” of and “barriers” to policy learning and innovation, and it traces the pathways and major foci of learning and transfer within and between countries, as well as through supranational channels. This examination highlights where changes in policy governance have occurred. It is concluded that innovative initiatives for sustained labor market integration of youth require a policy environment that is conducive to coordinated sharing and diffusion of knowledge between different levels of administration and joint stakeholders’ bodies.

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