Local economic development (LED) strategies should be designed to meet the specific needs of each community. However, cities and towns in both developed and developing countries provide lessons. The following case studies are identified by their primary LED project or program objective. The case study contents may include additional programs and projects.
Through this web page we seek to build a library of case studies that share the success stories and the 'not so successful' stories from those who have developed and implemented a LED strategy. These case studies are either directly linked to another website, a PDF document link, or an analysis of a specific region using the five step LED strategic approach (**). *Indicates a case study with additional links embedded within the text.
**Indicates a case study with a five step analysis. While we hope you might find the links below of interest, please note the World Bank is not responsible for the content of non-World Bank websites.
East Asia & Pacific  |  Europe & Central Asia  |  Latin America & Caribbean
Middle East & North Africa  |  South Asia  |  Sub-Saharan Africa
East Asia & Pacific Cambodia Association of Cambodian Local Economic Development Agencies
The Association of Cambodian Local Economic Development Agencies (ACLEDA) is an independent NGO that aims to raise the standard of living of the poor by promoting economic activities. ACLEDAÂ prioritizes disadvantaged groups such as women heads of households, resettled refugees and the disabled, and provides such groups with knowledge and resources to improve their lives.
Promoting LED in a War-affected Country: The ILO Experience in Cambodia
This paper analyses the Small Enterprise and Informal Sector Promotion project that was implemented in Cambodia between 1992 and 1995 to raise the living standards of disadvantaged, war affected, population. Its strategy was the promotion of LED by providing financial and non financial services to small scale and private economic activities. The paper describes the political and economic context in which the project was implemented, and highlights the challenge of promoting economic development at the local level, stages in the local development process, linkages between SME development with vocational training and employment intensive works programs, and the constraints on LED. Republic of Korea Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority
Created with the aim of improving the business enabling environment for foreign enterprises and workers, the Incheon Free Economic Zone is a specially designated area that is managed by the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZA). As an independent administrative body, IFEZA provides various types of administrative services for businesses. IFEZA provides an example of a spatially targeted approach to facilitating economic and private sector development. Singapore Singapore Economic Development BoardÂ
Set up in 1961 to facilitate a self-sustaining enterprise system, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) is the lead agency that plans and executes strategies to sustain Singapore as a global hub for business and investment. As an example of a agency approach to business and local economic development, EDB works with businesses to upgrade value-creating operations across manufacturing and internationally traded services. Vietnam City Development Options for Haiphong: Charting a Path to the Year 2020
Based on the efforts of World Bank staff that visited Haiphong in June 1998, this document analyzes how the city of Haiphong utilized the five step approach to local economic development strategy formation. The Haiphong project has an LED strategy that aims to increase the city’s economic position, livability, bankability and manageability. This case study analysis is based on three referenced strategic city development documents. Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative
Devised as an economic growth project to improve the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout Vietnam, the Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative (VNCI) is a multicomponent project that supports the development and growth of the Vietnamese private sector. Its project provides assistance in policy reform as needed by emerging business sectors and facilitates the development of SMEs and improved access to credit. **Vietnam, Haiphong -- (This is an example of area targeting, encouraging local business growth as well as investment in hard and soft infrastructure)
Europe & Central Asia Local Government and Economic Development
This publication takes stock of the actions and tools used by local governments to spark economic development, crucially by protecting existing jobs and businesses as well as bringing new jobs and new businesses to their areas. Reports are included on Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Slovakia, with a special chapter on urban land development in Russia and Ukraine Albania Albanian second-tier cities network LED strategies. Evaluation of the LED Programs in Albania and Kosovo: Developing Economies Locally Through Action and Alliance (DELTA) Local Business Enabling Environment (BEE) Survey Instrument for Albania Analysis of BEE Survey for Albania Bosnia and Herzegovina Central Bosnian Economic Development Agency (CBEDA)
A slide presentation providing background information on the development, structure, approach and objectives of the newly formed CBEDA. Prijedor Entrepreneurship and SME Development Strategy
An LED strategy that seeks to foster the development of small and medium sized enterprises and entrepreneurship. Zenica Entrepreneurship and SME Development Strategy
An LED strategy that seeks to foster the development of small and medium sized enterprises and entrepreneurship. With a forward looking vision, the strategy recognizes the need to work with different tiers of government and identifies five strategic goals that each support the mission of creating a strong entrepreneurial center with a diversified economy. Bulgaria City of Smolyan Local Economic Development Strategy
Developed as part of the Cities of Change program, this LED strategy pursues a step-by-step approach to strategic planning that covers the five key stages of strategy development. It includes a comprehensive breakdown of the municipal budget and a thorough local economy assessment. Kosovo Kosovo DELTA 2 Local Economic Development Strategies
As part of the ongoing LED capacity building program in Kosovo, a further 5 communities have just completed developing their local economic development strategies. These are available in both English and Albanian. The initial DELTA 1 municipalities strategies are available on http://lgi.osi.hu/documents.php?id=1163 Evaluation of the LED Programs in Albania and Kosovo: Developing Economies Locally Through Action and Alliance (DELTA) Kaçanik Municipality Strategy for Municipal Economic Development
Developed as part of the ‘Developing Enterprises Locally Through Alliance and Action’ (DELTA) project to enhance municipal capacities for SME Development, the Kaçanik strategy provides an example of a newly initiated and well-developed strategy for LED planning. Details of other DELTA strategies can be viewed at the DELTA web site: http://www.deltakosova.org/ Municipality of Vushtrri Strategy for Municipal Economic Development
This strategy provides a good example of a succinct and structured approach to devising and developing an LED strategy. In conveying the preferred direction of the municipality, the strategy covers the five key stages of organizing the effort, the local economy assessment, strategy making, strategy implementation and strategy review.  Latvia City of Rezekne Strategy for Local Economic DevelopmentÂ
This strategy provides an overview of Rezekne’s multi-year financing plan and capital improvement planning system. It is accompanied by an interesting section detailing the development of an agency approach to LED that has been established to oversee strategy implementation.  Slovak Republic City of Poprad Strategy for Local Economic Development
This LED strategy contains a detailed overview of the LED institutional set-up that is necessary to carry forward LED strategic planning. The strategy provides an overview of Poprad’s multi-year financing plan and capital improvement planning system, and includes information on the role and results of a business attitude survey as a means of informing LED strategy from a private sector perspective. Western Serbia Local Economic Development
This publication describes the plans and projects developed by citizens, businesses, and local government officials in six municipalities of Western Serbia. The publication contains a set of six executive summaries, including priority projects. It also contains an introduction and brief description of the Word Bank's "Cities of Change" methodology, a basis for economic planning. It is published by the US Agency for International Development and International Relief Development, Inc. Cities of Europe and Central Asia: Budapest, St. Petersburg, Sofia and Split-- (This is an example of competitive assessment.)  **England, Humberside -- (This is an example of cluster development.)  England, Huddersfield-- (This is an example of how to do a regeneration strategy.)  **EURADA: Portugal, Croatia, Eastern Europe and the Balkans -- (This is an examples of local economic development agencies.)  France, Lyon-- (This is an example of how to do a regeneration strategy.)  France, Lille-- (This shows how to encourage local business growth.)  Greece, Thessaloniki-- (This shows how to area targeting and regeneration strategies.)  Ireland-- (This is an example of targeting disadvantaged groups.)  Italy, Brindisi-- (This is an example of how to do a regeneration strategy.)  Italy, Turin-- (This shows how to encourage investment and local business growth.)  Slovenia, Sezena-- (This shows how to encourage local business growth and new enterprise.)  Ukraine-- (This is an example of investment in hard and soft infrastructure.)  United Kingdom-- (These are examples of how to do regeneration strategies.)
Latin America & Caribbean *Colombia, Cali. **Peru, Villa El Salvador -- (This is an example of encouraging local business growth, investment in hard and soft infrastructure, as well as new enterprise and promoting inward investment.) **PRODERE Project: Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala -- (This shows how to encourage local business growth and new enterprise.) Various Latin American Cities-- (Partnerships, Meso-institutions and Learning: New local and regional economic development initiatives in Latin America.)
Middle East & North Africa Yemen: Local Economic Development Strategies for the Cities of Mukalla and Hodeidah Supported by a Cities Alliance Grant and Bank-financing from the Port Cities Development Project, these strategy reports provide excellent models of how to apply and integrate City Development Strategies (CDS) methodologies into long-term Local Economic Development efforts. The Strategies were developed around (i) an in-depth assessment of each city's economy and local endowments, applying a cluster analysis approach, (ii) participatory consultations with the private sector and city-based universities and civil society organizations, (iii) development of a comprehensive master plan, and (iv) preparation of a multi-year capital investment plan based on each city's growth potential and the framework of the new master plan. The strategies themselves are short, succint, distilled elements of the analytical work and reports that were financed by Cities Alliance and the World Bank. City of Mukalla (PDF 6.7MB) | City of Hodeidah (PDF 4.7MB) | City of Aden (PDF 7.51 MB)
South Asia There are currently no available case studies for this region. Please e-mail UrbanHelp@worldbank.org for any additions, thoughts, or suggestions.
Sub-Saharan Africa LED and Low Income Countries: New Research Reports Malawi-- (This is an example of participation in policy reform and investment in soft infrastructure.) Mozambique--Â (This shows how to encourage local business growth and new enterprise.) South African Cities Network
The South African Cities Network has an excellent web site with numerous case studies and reports on economic development, regeneration and renewal from all the major cities in South Africa. *South Africa, Durban. South Africa, Harrismith-- (This shows how to encourage local business growth.) **South Africa, Hertzog & Seymour -- (This is an example of encouraging local business growth, investment in soft infrastructure and regeneration strategies.) South Africa, Khayelitsha-- (This is an example of investment in hard infrastructure and encouraging local business growth.) South Africa, Mhala-- (This shows how to encourage local business growth and new enterprise.) South Africa, Midrand-- (This is an example of hard infrastructure and job creation.) South Africa, Nelspruit(This is an example of hard infrastructure.) South Africa, Port Elizabeth-- (This is an example of hard infrastructure and job creation.) South Africa, Winterveld-- (This is an example of soft infrastructure.) **South Africa's Wild Coast -- (This is an example of investment in soft infrastructure, promoting inward investment and encouraging Local Business Growth.)  |
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