Regions

The long-term international regional comparison
The global economy takes no notice of national boundaries. Links between regions extend far beyond traditional borders. The regional benchmarking system enables you to look beyond your own country: learn and profit from the most successful international regions, compare your economic strength, and evaluate your international locational attractiveness comprehensively and in a well-founded manner.

Over 1900 regions in OECD and selected emerging countries
Choose from internationally comparable regional data on the economic performance and locational attractiveness of 1900 regions in 25 countries. In most countries, the regions are available at the TL3/NUTS3 level. In major countries such as Great Britain and Germany, the differentiation corresponds to the counties or rural districts. In the USA, the Metropolitan Statistical Regions are available (a total of 380 regions, and 35 regions within California). The detailed regional structure provides the basis for the analysis. Comparisons can be made at any aggregated level, in order to compare regions on a level playing field. If necessary, the regional analysis level can be deepened even further, and additional countries can also be added.

Political/administrative regions – the classic comparison
It is in the political regions that decisions are taken. Decision-makers require valid and precise economic data for their region, as well as for their competing and reference regions. We offer you cost and tax comparisons, along with economic structures, for strategic work in the region. This means the region can be optimally positioned vis-a-vis companies that are seeking to relocate, as well as at the federal competition level.

Functional regions – depict trends, sketch out challenges with a focus on implementation
It is often the case that trends and challenges do not adhere to classic political regional boundaries. Today, for example, metropolitan regions are the growth drivers and prosperity cores of their countries. It is here that the consequences of structural change and the demographic shift are apparent. These spatial development processes present regional political structures with new and complex challenges. For this reason, analysis at the level of metropolitan regions, as well as at the level of other defined functional areas, is becoming increasingly important. Such regions may be freely defined using a wide variety of criteria, and can be compared with the help of comprehensive indicators.

Border regions – realities statistically documented
While political influence often stops at the border, life and economic activities do not. In Europe, networking and economic exchanges take place at precisely these points. The associated economic performance and the actual significance of the border regions are not correctly recorded in conventional analyses that are often purely national. With our support, you can depict your border region comprehensively as an attractive and sustainable place to do business, to work and to live. In statistical and argumentative terms, this will put your border region at the level of exclusively national regions in your country.

Comparing and monitoring economic centres
How does your cluster policy stand up to competing locations on an international comparison? How successful is your cluster policy? What can you learn from other comparable locations? Instead of available national benchmark regions, we offer you the genuinely relevant international regions with similar economic structures and specialisation. With this international comparison, you secure an analysis of your competitiveness and attractiveness as a place to pursue research, production and trade. Together with you, we define your economic structure using sustainable criteria, such as life sciences, IT or complex technology sectors. International comparisons in terms of tourist attractiveness and accessibility, or your position in the rankings of top production locations for the European hubs of international groups can be realised. Your competing and benchmark locations can also be regularly monitored by us. You receive regular substantiated input for your strategy and communication activities.

Expandable system – tailored regions, which can be extended to include new countries and regions
You can currently choose between over 1900 regions as benchmark regions – whether neighbouring, reference or competing regions. The system can be expanded as required to include new countries, additional regional depth and tailored aggregated regions. All extensions and additional depth are consistently processed, are validly integrated in the overall system, and can be evaluated using all available indicators.