Territorial Infrastructure Support Index (ISIT)

Abstract

Through a review of the literature on infrastructure, a study of international experiences, expert knowledge, and the elaboration of a Territorial Infrastructure Support Index (ISIT), this paper provides a comparative analysis of the development conditions -- regarding infrastructure and services -- for the location of productive economic activities, at the regional and provincial level in Chile. The results show contrasts between regions and within them, revealing the state of the current situation for each of the six dimensions: Water, Energy, Telecommunications, Roads, Logistics, and Resilience, as well as for their synthetic indicator ISIT. The results of the ISIT have been contrasted with the recent definitions made by the Government of Chile regarding the definition of lag zones, finding important coincidences at the provincial level that allow validating the ISIT as a tool for the analysis of gaps in infrastructure and equipment for development of economic and productive activities in Chile.

Territorial marginality: causes, methods and policies.

“…We explore the conditions that cause or define marginality, the dimensions that should structure a definition, suitable quantitative and qualitative indicators to classify marginal territories, and the features of territorial policies and strategies to address them. The papers explore different meanings of marginality using diverse research methods: quantitative approaches address the use of cultural heritage, population ageing, the lack of infrastructures and the limitations of existing policy approaches (Rossitti, Torrieri 2022, Vecchio 2022, Orellana Ossandón et al 2023, Kercuku et al 2023; mixed-method approaches combine statistical indicators with qualitative methods to explore landscape features and workspaces in marginal areas (Flipo et al 2022, Porreca et al 2023; finally, qualitative approaches analyse causes and impact of marginality in everyday life (Vendemmia, Lanza 2022).…”

“…Orellana Ossandón et al (2023) and Vecchio (2022) present two different ways to analyse lagging areas in Chile. Vecchio (2022) explores the presence of older people, examining census data to define areas experiencing a demographic decline and observe if these correspond to the areas that national policies define as marginal.…”