Regional Input-Output Analysis: A Comparison of Five “Ready-Made” Model Systems

Abstract

In order to understand the current state of the art of regional input-output modeling, it is useful to have a feeling for both its recent historical development and the characteristic of current models. In the following section we outline, in the most general way, how the practice of regional input-output modeling has evolved over the last 25 years from an esoteric pastime of the academy to the competitive, market-oriented state in which we find it today. Then we describe some salient characteristics of the products and participants found in that market as we see it. Next we identify five particular products whose characteristics are compared in the rest of the paper. Following the comparisons, we offer some tentative conclusions and suggest potentially fruitful avenues for future research.