Foreword -- Preface -- Executive summary -- An introduction to development agencies -- The history and diversity of development agencies -- The value-added of development agencies -- Development agency creation, evolution, performance and review -- The role of the local development system -- The roles, tools and relationships of development agencies -- The operational features of development agencies -- Learning from international development agency experience -- Abyssinian Development Corporation New York -- AucklandPlus Auckland -- Barcelona Activa -- Bilbao Metropoli-30 (The Association for the Revitalisation of Metropolitan Bilbao) -- BiILBAO-Ría 2000 -- Build Toronto and Invest Toronto -- Cape Town Partnership -- Creative Sheffield -- HafenCity Hamburg GmbH -- Johannesburg Development Agency -- Liverpool Vision -- Madrid Global (Office for International Strategy and Action) -- Milano Metropoli -- New York City Economic Development Corporation -- Prospect Leicestershire.

Development processes occur within a wider geographical area than local government, and in some cases encompass a broader scope than provincial or national governments. Thus substantial inter-governmental co-operation and public-private partnership are needed. This book identifies how development agencies and companies work, what they do and what constitutes success and value added. It explores international practices in a variety of locations and contexts, and defines both the success factors and the challenges associated with economic development agencies and companies.