The book examines the challenges that local, regional, national, and global value chains at different levels pose to territorial development. Rethinking and developing urban and regional spaces require new understanding and research methods in economic geography. This is achieved by exploring how value chains influence and address territorial development. It is argued that territorial development is closely connected to local control of production networks, especially concerning social and environmental sustainability. This argument is supported by ten case studies from various countries (Argentina, Ecuador, the United States, and several from Spain or authored by Spanish scholars). The chapters offer readers a chance to explore the different elements that make up value chains. The book also provides an opportunity to understand the usefulness of value chains in relation to current economic geography dynamics. The case studies employ both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, covering various sectors and economic activities across different geographical scales (local, regional, national, and cross-national cases). The findings are particularly relevant for urban and regional development planning. This publication targets an audience familiar with new trends in economic geography and other social sciences. Chapter “Following in the Footsteps of Inditex: Relocation and Adaptation of Urban Retail as a Competitive Strategy in its Value Chains” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License via link.springer.com. Chapter “Sustainable Food Networks and Mainstream Agrifood Value Chains: Testing a Comparative Conceptual Framework” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License via link.springer.com. Chapter “The Economic Impact of the Global Covid-19 Crisis on the Metropolitan Areas: Employment and Unemployment in Spanish Metropolitan Areas” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.
