Regional Growth Gaps and Policy Tools

Develop a balanced policy analysis of regional economic divergence, identifying structural drivers (resource intensity, investment climate, infrastructure access) and policy tools (fiscal transfers, targeted investment, regional development programs, labor mobility incentives). Compare potential outcomes under different policy mixes and discuss metrics to track progress: per-capita income, employment rates, productivity, and capital investment intensity. Use a hypothetical federation with a dominant resource-rich region and lagging others to illustrate dynamic effects over time.