Readers of this book will learn the fundamentals of a practical and effective form of economic support from municipal or public sources. A textbook that deals with the basics of economic development must first provide an overview of the subject area. This is achieved through a historical review that outlines significant developments up to the present day. Following this, the fields of action related to globalization and demographic change are explored. An overview of various foundations and structures of economic development is followed by specific areas of responsibility and action principles, supported by successful practical examples from municipal economic development. Each section concludes with review questions that assist the reader in processing the learning material and help assess their learning success.