ABSTRACT
The case study here presented is the synthesis of a project of policy assistance carried out in 1996 by Nomisma in collaboration with Pires & Asociados (a consulting company located in Florianopolis) in the Oeste region of the State of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. The project was not financed by international organisations, but by local administrations, business associations and development banks, all belonging to a regional development forum and promoted by the Forum de Desenvolvimento Catarinense.
