Administrative systems and economic spaces

This paper examines the interrelation between economic change and administrative reforms. Tt argues that both decentralization and centralization of administration are occurring that derive from responding to economic change. The role of territorial boundary reforms, changes in tiers and responsibilities, fiscal reforms, reallocation of expenditure functions and grants are examined Trends are identified and the form of changes that are developing are compared for the context of metropolitan and rural settlement systems, across decentralized government and market systems, and in relation to institutional impacts on economic development.