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Dr Susanne Frick
(she/her)
Teams and roles for Susanne Frick
Lecturer in Economic Geography
Overview
I am an economic geographer interested in the factors driving local and regional economic development as well as the effectiveness of industrial and local development policies. I joined Cardiff University in December 2023, coming from the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University, where I was a postdoctoral research associate, researching urban development policies in European cities with the aim to help inform UK Levelling-Up policies. Prior to that, I completed a PhD in Economic Geography and worked as a Fellow in Local Economic Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
I have extensive experience working as a consultant with international organisations and governments, for example with the World Bank’s Trade & Competitiveness Practice and UNCTAD. Prior to my PhD, I worked for several years with Dalberg Global Development Advisors, supporting organisations such as the Gates Foundation and the International Trade Centre in their strategic planning processes. I also spent two years in Guatemala, working for Fundesa, a private-sector funded think tank, and in close collaboration with the Guatemalan Ministry of Economy on economic policies for the country.
Publication
2025
- Frick, S. A. and Rodriguez-Pose, A. 2025. Lessons-learnt from growth pole strategies in the developing world. Progress in Planning 195, article number: 100958. (10.1016/j.progress.2025.100958)
2024
- McCann, P. et al. 2024. Access to capital and finance: strategic context, challenges and policy recommendations. Discussion Paper. The Productivity Institute. Available at: https://www.productivity.ac.uk/research/access-to-capital-and-finance-strategic-context-challenges-and-policy-recommendations/
- Frick, S. A. and Radouane, I. 2024. Special economic zones and entrepreneurship: A new path forward for SEZs in Africa?. Transnational Corporations Review 31(1), pp. 97-114. (10.18356/2076099x-31-1-7)
- Frick, S., Prenzel, P. and McCann, P. 2024. Urban attractiveness and local economic development. Tracing complementarities in policy approaches for local economic development. Presented at: RSA Winter Conference Driving Regions Forward: Transitioning to Brighter Regional Futures, London, UK, 7 November 2024.
2023
- Frick, S. et al. 2023. Lessons from successful ‘turnaround’ cities for the UK. Project Report. [Online]. Resolution Foundation. Available at: http://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lessons-from-successful-%E2%80%98turnaround-cities-for-the-UK.pdf
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2023. What draws investment to special economic zones? Lessons from developing countries. Regional Studies 57(11), pp. 2136-2147. (10.1080/00343404.2023.2185218)
- Frick, S. 2023. Turnaround cities: Spanish case study insights from the Basque Country and Bilbao. Project Report. [Online]. Blavatnik School of Government. Available at: http://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/documents/Format_Bilbao_case_study.pdf
- Frick, S. 2023. Turnaround cities: French case study insights from Lille. Project Report. [Online]. Blavatnik School of Government. Available at: http://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/documents/Format_Lille_case_study.pdf
- Frick, S. and Prenzel, P. 2023. Turnaround cities: German case studies insights from Dortmund, Duisburg and Leipzig. Project Report. [Online]. Blavatnik School of Government. Available at: https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/documents/German_case_studies.pdf
2022
- Rodríguez-Pose, A., Bartalucci, F., Frick, S. A., Santos-Paulino, A. U. and Bolwijn, R. 2022. The challenge of developing special economic zones in Africa: Evidence and lessons learnt. Regional Science Policy & Practice 14(2), pp. 456-481. (10.1111/rsp3.12535)
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2022. Special economic zones and sourcing linkages with the local economy: Reality or pipedream?. European Journal of Development Research 34(2), pp. 655-676. (10.1057/s41287-021-00374-4)
- Frick, S. and Taylor, I. 2022. Insights from resilient cities. Documentation. Oxford: Blavatnik School of Government/University of Oxford. Available at: https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/research/publications/insights-resilient-cities
2019
- Frick, S. A., Rodríguez-Pose, A. and Wong, M. D. 2019. Toward economically dynamic special economic zones in emerging countries. Economic Geography 95(1), pp. 30-64. (10.1080/00130095.2018.1467732)
- Frick, S. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2019. Are special economic zones in emerging countries a catalyst for the growth of surrounding areas?. Transnational Corporations 26(2), pp. 75-94. (10.18356/0554caef-en)
2018
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2018. Change in urban concentration and economic growth. World Development 105, pp. 156-170. (10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.12.034)
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2018. Big or small cities? On city size and economic growth. Growth and Change: A Journal of Urban and Regional Policy 49(1), pp. 4-32. (10.1111/grow.12232)
- Rodriguez-Pose, A. and Frick, S. A. 2018. Urban concentration and economic growth. [Online]. Centre for Economic Policy Research. Available at: https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/urban-concentration-and-economic-growth
- Frick, S. 2018. Urbanization, cities and economic growth: trends, recent evidence and policy implications. Regions Ezine (10.1080/13673882.2018.00001006)
2017
- Rodriguez-Pose, A. and Frick, S. A. 2017. Big or small cities: On city size and economic growth. [Online]. Centre for Economic Policy Research. Available at: https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/big-or-small-cities-city-size-and-economic-growth
2016
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2016. Average city size and economic growth. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 9(2), pp. 301-318. (10.1093/cjres/rsw013)
Cynadleddau
- Frick, S., Prenzel, P. and McCann, P. 2024. Urban attractiveness and local economic development. Tracing complementarities in policy approaches for local economic development. Presented at: RSA Winter Conference Driving Regions Forward: Transitioning to Brighter Regional Futures, London, UK, 7 November 2024.
Erthyglau
- Frick, S. A. and Rodriguez-Pose, A. 2025. Lessons-learnt from growth pole strategies in the developing world. Progress in Planning 195, article number: 100958. (10.1016/j.progress.2025.100958)
- Frick, S. A. and Radouane, I. 2024. Special economic zones and entrepreneurship: A new path forward for SEZs in Africa?. Transnational Corporations Review 31(1), pp. 97-114. (10.18356/2076099x-31-1-7)
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2023. What draws investment to special economic zones? Lessons from developing countries. Regional Studies 57(11), pp. 2136-2147. (10.1080/00343404.2023.2185218)
- Rodríguez-Pose, A., Bartalucci, F., Frick, S. A., Santos-Paulino, A. U. and Bolwijn, R. 2022. The challenge of developing special economic zones in Africa: Evidence and lessons learnt. Regional Science Policy & Practice 14(2), pp. 456-481. (10.1111/rsp3.12535)
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2022. Special economic zones and sourcing linkages with the local economy: Reality or pipedream?. European Journal of Development Research 34(2), pp. 655-676. (10.1057/s41287-021-00374-4)
- Frick, S. A., Rodríguez-Pose, A. and Wong, M. D. 2019. Toward economically dynamic special economic zones in emerging countries. Economic Geography 95(1), pp. 30-64. (10.1080/00130095.2018.1467732)
- Frick, S. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2019. Are special economic zones in emerging countries a catalyst for the growth of surrounding areas?. Transnational Corporations 26(2), pp. 75-94. (10.18356/0554caef-en)
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2018. Change in urban concentration and economic growth. World Development 105, pp. 156-170. (10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.12.034)
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2018. Big or small cities? On city size and economic growth. Growth and Change: A Journal of Urban and Regional Policy 49(1), pp. 4-32. (10.1111/grow.12232)
- Frick, S. 2018. Urbanization, cities and economic growth: trends, recent evidence and policy implications. Regions Ezine (10.1080/13673882.2018.00001006)
- Frick, S. A. and Rodríguez-Pose, A. 2016. Average city size and economic growth. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 9(2), pp. 301-318. (10.1093/cjres/rsw013)
Gwefannau
- Rodriguez-Pose, A. and Frick, S. A. 2018. Urban concentration and economic growth. [Online]. Centre for Economic Policy Research. Available at: https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/urban-concentration-and-economic-growth
- Rodriguez-Pose, A. and Frick, S. A. 2017. Big or small cities: On city size and economic growth. [Online]. Centre for Economic Policy Research. Available at: https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/big-or-small-cities-city-size-and-economic-growth
Monograffau
- McCann, P. et al. 2024. Access to capital and finance: strategic context, challenges and policy recommendations. Discussion Paper. The Productivity Institute. Available at: https://www.productivity.ac.uk/research/access-to-capital-and-finance-strategic-context-challenges-and-policy-recommendations/
- Frick, S. et al. 2023. Lessons from successful ‘turnaround’ cities for the UK. Project Report. [Online]. Resolution Foundation. Available at: http://economy2030.resolutionfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Lessons-from-successful-%E2%80%98turnaround-cities-for-the-UK.pdf
- Frick, S. 2023. Turnaround cities: Spanish case study insights from the Basque Country and Bilbao. Project Report. [Online]. Blavatnik School of Government. Available at: http://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/documents/Format_Bilbao_case_study.pdf
- Frick, S. 2023. Turnaround cities: French case study insights from Lille. Project Report. [Online]. Blavatnik School of Government. Available at: http://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/documents/Format_Lille_case_study.pdf
- Frick, S. and Prenzel, P. 2023. Turnaround cities: German case studies insights from Dortmund, Duisburg and Leipzig. Project Report. [Online]. Blavatnik School of Government. Available at: https://golab.bsg.ox.ac.uk/documents/German_case_studies.pdf
- Frick, S. and Taylor, I. 2022. Insights from resilient cities. Documentation. Oxford: Blavatnik School of Government/University of Oxford. Available at: https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/research/publications/insights-resilient-cities
Research
My general research interest revolves around understanding the drivers of regional and urban development; how these drivers can be influenced by policy as well as the social and economic consequences of spatial inequalities. To date, I have explored this overarching interest mainly through three research strands:
- the relationship between urbanization, cities and economic development (see for example here and here for non-technical articles on this topic)
- the implementation of local development policies in emerging economies (see for example here and here for policy reports for which I was one of the main authors)
- transformative processes in Western cities and urban development policies (see for example here and here)
For peer-reviewed publications related to these topics, please refer to the publications tab.
Furthermore, I am currently involved in a research project funded by The Productivity Institute on the role of state development banks for regional and local development (you can find some background information about the project context here)
In my research I strive for policy relevance and have worked closely with international organizations, including the World Bank and UNCTAD as well as local governments.
Teaching
I am generally involved in the teaching of research methods and modules related to economic geography. I am the module leader for the first year course in "Urban Economies" and cover the quantitative section of the "Introduction to Research Methods" module in the second year.
I am also supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students for their dissertations and act as a personal tutor.
