With contributions from around the world, this book brings together inter-related research from three fields: social capital, place management and lifelong learning regions. Providing valuable insight into the management of place and the development of learning at a regional level, the book presents international research that underpins the development and implementation of policies and practices that improve the quality of living and working circumstances at both local and regional levels.

Section 1: 1. Introduction 2. The Question of Measurement: The Role of Quantitative Approaches 3. Qualitative Research Legitimacy: What Counts as 'Evidence' for Policy Makers and Researchers Working Together? Section 2: Social Capital 4. Researching Community Capital for Public Management 5. Community Efficacy and Social Capital: Modelling how Communities Deliver Outcomes for Members 6. Identity, Local Community and the Internet 7. The Empirics of Social Capital and Economic Development Section 3: Learning Regions 8. Learning Regions, Co-operation and Networks: Network Analysis as a Tool for Evaluating Structures of Interaction in Continuing Education 9. Communities of Practice and Purpose: Making Knowledge Work in the University-Industry Interface 10. Learning Cape Aspirations: The Idea of a Learning Region and the Use of Indicators in a Middle-Income Country 11. Lifelong Learning: Institutionalisation and Regulating Mechanisms Section 4: Place Management 12. Place Centric and Future Oriented Learning in the Local Village Context: Making the Village a Virtual Campus 13. Cities as Engines of Growth 14. Policy Considerations to Address the Social Implications of Increased Commodification of Public Places 15. Community, Place and Learning 16. Lifelong Learning and Sustainable Development Section 5: 17. Conclusions