Economic values, beliefs and behaviors: a regional approach

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify relationships between economic value orientations, beliefs, and behaviors of agents, on the one hand, and differences between levels of economic development, on the other. Empirical analysis is based on a sample of Portuguese municipalities and corresponding parishes, organized in groups according to an urban-versus-rural typology and to levels of development as measured by GDP per capita. Different value orientations, beliefs, and behaviors were identified. Four clusters were considered: “stabilization”, “economic nationalism”, “entrepreneurship,” and “consumerism”. These clusters are related to the spatial dimensions considered.