10. Conclusion

The broad features of economic governance in Puebla and Querétaro lasted into the second decade of the twenty-first century, as this chapter discusses. The course of the economy in Querétaro continues to be shaped by cooperation among main stakeholders, even as the lead actors and formal structures have changed. By contrast, development strategies in Puebla still revolve around individualized relations between officials and dominant firms, above all Volkswagen and, in recent years, its affiliate Audi. These cases, which illustrate how the political organization of the local private sector shapes economic governance in profound ways, have important implications for the study of subnational development more broadly. They also offer lessons for policymakers in government and international organizations, which are discussed in closing.